The gravity of her smile almost sucked Ethan in, but his rationale quickly pulled him back to reality.He furrowed his brows. He had an unpleasant look on his face as he said, “What trick are you trying to pull, Olivia?”Olivia said seriously, “I’m not trying to pull anything. I’m telling you that I’m giving you three months. After that, you can marry Marina and have a million babies with her for all I care.”When that happened, her life would be at its end. She would find somewhere remote and live the rest of her life in peaceful solitude. Ethan saw the determination in her eyes. He felt like didn’t understand Olivia anymore. He thought she was going to hate him, even after they talked it out. He did not expect her to be like this.Ethan coldly glared at her. “What if I say no?”“Then, I’ll never sign the divorce papers. I can wait. Your girl and baby can’t,” Olivia said as she quirked an eyebrow. She had the usual taunting look on her face. “I’m giving you three months. We’ll

After counting the days she had left, Olivia figured it might be a good idea to have a companion to celebrate the coming year. Olivia, as she always did, extended her pinky finger and said, “Deal.”Ethan was stunned. Marina brattily rubbed herself against him and whined, “Ethan.”Ethan didn’t look at her. He slowly extended his finger, hooked it with Olivia’s, and said, “No take-backs.” They had finally come to an agreement.This was the only method Olivia could devise. He would stay with her for a month, then she would return his freedom to him.Marina groaned, “Ethan, I’m not rushing you to get a divorce or anything, but think about our baby…”Olivia’s stomach churned as she looked at how childish Marina was being. “I’m going to the bathroom.”Ethan was great at everything, except choosing people he wanted to keep in his life.Although Marina was his neighbor, he didn’t need to be with someone like her to torture himself. She lost respect for him for even standing next to

Olivia was beautiful. Even when she wept, she looked alluring. It was heart-aching to see someone so beautiful and so sad.Brent said to her softly, “Madam, Mr. Miller is waiting for you.”Olivia snapped back to reality. She reached out to wipe the tears from her face. She suddenly started sobbing again.“Oh, Brent. I must look awful, don’t I?”Brent had worked for Ethan for many years. He was no stranger to how vibrant his wife was. In the short span of two years, he gathered that she was like a withering flower: yet to witness her full bloom, and perhaps may never get to.“Don’t worry. You still look beautiful. No one is as beautiful as you are.” Brent handed her a tissue.Olivia wiped her tears as she said, “I used to hate people who cry easily. I’m slowly becoming someone I hate. I’ve become someone I swore never to be.”Brent looked at her sorrowful eyes and responded with something that shocked even himself. “Then, why are you still holding on?” He knew that Ethan had spen

Ethan replied, “Okay.”For the first time in more than a year, both of them gave in. She tightly wrapped herself around him like she did before. His finger moved slightly but eventually rested on his side.The car drove to Ethan’s company. He asked Kelvin to send Olivia home.Olivia went to the hospital instead of the Miller residence. Jeff was still unconscious and had been moved to a normal ward.Olivia sent the helper home and personally prepared a bowl of warm water to wipe down his face and fingers.She muttered, “Dad, I know your secret. I wish it wasn't true. Please wake up and tell me that it’s not, will you? Tell me you didn’t do those things, that you didn’t kill Jodie.“Dad, I have stomach cancer. Ethan doesn’t know, and it’s for the best. If I give my life to him, will he let go of his hatred?“My life has been smooth sailing thus far. You took really good care of me while I was growing up. You’re the best dad in the world. No matter what you’ve done to others, you w

Olivia was initially confused by Marina’s dramatic response. She wondered how she could trip on flat ground. It all had to be a charade she was orchestrating.She knew Ethan was coming back. Of course, she brought the baby wherever she went. It wasn’t even a surprise that she would fall with the baby in her arms. Even the angle she fell looked like it was intentionally going to hurt the baby!She was ruthless. She would even use her baby as leverage to get what she wanted.When she saw that Connor was about to hit the ground, her body acted faster than her rationale. She immediately caught Connor and cushioned his fall with her body.However, the weight fell mostly on the arm where her mediport was. The doctor reminded her many times not to pick up heavy objects and risk hurting her arm.She couldn’t be bothered with that as the baby was falling. Although he wasn’t a newborn, and he was small and light, she didn’t think about what it would do to her body.She fell fast. Her world

She counted until he reached his car. He did not turn back.Olivia lay forgotten on the ground, unmoving. Although the side effects of the treatment had reduced significantly, her body still felt weak. The hard fall felt like it had broken her bones.Brent and the rest were with Ethan. Madam Burgess used to be around, but she left. Now the house was empty.Snow fell from the sky, and cold wind came from all directions. Her hands and feet were frozen.She thought, “Someone please help me.”Her bag was not far from where she was, but she could not turn over and reach for it.She could only stare at the snowflakes floating in a cruel ballet in the sky. Tears slowly fell from her face as she whispered, “885, 886…”By the time she counted to 1038, Olivia had recovered enough strength to stand. She used one hand to support herself and got up.She was freezing. When the car arrived, the tip of her nose was red from the cold. She couldn’t raise the arm she used to catch the boy, so she

Keith had no idea what she had gone through the past few days. She used to have an inspirationally strong will to live. But now, her eyes had a dark intensity to them, something he had never seen.They were pools of still water, devoid of ripples.“Was it him? Did he do this to you?”Olivia shook her head. “No.”“But he has something to do with it, right? The Olivia I know wouldn’t make this decision.”Hurt flashed across Keith’s face. He looked at the snow drifting on the wind outside the window and sighed. “Maybe he did love you once, during that one winter. But this winter, he’s chosen someone else. You should let him go, Liv.”It was obvious that she had been blinded by love and lost herself. She was oblivious to the history the both of them had and was refusing to give up.Olivia knew that Ethan’s love for her was in the past. Even if he let go of his hatred toward her, Leia’s death would be a constant needle buried in his heart. It would leave him in agony for the rest of

Olivia stumbled as she stood up. She smiled frailly. “I fell in love with him the moment I laid eyes on him. I’ve loved him for so many years. I-I can’t just let him go.”Keith saw tears streaming down her face. He wanted to wipe them for her, but he was in no position to. He could only stay still and look at her.Tears slid down her chin. Olivia smiled wryly. “I know it’s suffocating. But, the thought of watching him marry another girl hurts more than my cancer. I have no reason to live, so I’m choosing to die.“I recently stumbled upon a saying. If you knew you were destined not to end up with the man you love dearly, would you choose to live through the joy and hurt and watch it end, or turn around and leave before it even starts?”Olivia laughed at herself. “If I hadn’t met him, I would have chosen to turn around and leave. However, such is fate that I am unable to escape. He and I agreed that he would keep me company for another month. We will get divorced after. By then, I wi

Ethan didn’t expose her horrible attempt at lying. He called out to her from the side of the dining table. “Come and eat. Wash your hands first.”Rays of light from the chandelier fell on him. Without his suit and tie, the wooly cashmere sweater added a domestic warmth to him. Even his elegant face was less cold than usual.He was wearing the apron she got him three years ago. It almost looked like nothing had changed. Olivia went toward him smiling and saw that the table was filled with the spicy food she used to like. If he paid attention to what Madam Burgess had been making for her recently, he would realize that her palate had changed.He no longer took notice of her like he used to. They tried so hard to revert to the life they had, but that life was far behind them.A lot of things ended silently, like his love. The answer to everything now was silence and distance.Although her stomach couldn’t handle spicy or oily foods, she had hoped for a feast like this for two years. So,

Olivia set the fruit basket down and explained, "She’s my friend. I'm just here to check on her. Then, I’ll leave.""That won't be necessary. Being near people will worsen her condition. Miss Fordham, please."Belle stuffed the pillow into Olivia's arms and desperately said, "Leave with my baby and take care of it. I will stall them. Quick, run!"As she spoke, she picked up the fruit basket Olivia brought and threw it at the doctor. "I’ll kill you, demon! I’ll kill you if you even think about taking my baby away!"Security guards burst through the doors with helmets and vests. They took her down with a stun gun. Four men carried her to her bed and tied her to it.Belle was still screaming, "Give me back my baby!"She slowly lost her strength as she was given a tranquilizer. She fell unconscious shortly after.Olivia was startled by everything that was happening before her. It felt more like a prison than a hospital. The doctors were merely wardens.The unconscious Belle looked