At that time, a pregnant Olivia was battling a marriage that went downhill. She brushed off the situation.She assumed that Ethan did not inform her of the proof of graduation. It wasn't a big deal to him. She smiled at Calvin, "Yeah, I received it.""We haven't heard from you in two years. Were you furthering your studies elsewhere? And I heard about your family's situation."Look, we are old mates from college. If you need help, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at any time. I'd be honored to have you join us at the Oakland Hospital."In their eyes, she remained the brightest star in the sky. She recalled her miserable and fruitless life in the last few years and finally understood the gravity of her mistake. "I'm sorry. I do not have plans to do so. I shouldn't be at today's event. I …"Calista gloated. "I heard you got married. Are you a housewife, by any chance? If so, you're really out of place in this event. You wouldn't want to disgrace the VIPs."Calvin shot her

By a twist of fate, Olivia found herself in Ethan's sight at her most discomfited moments.It turned out that the Atkinses and the Carltons were family friends. The Carltons invited the Atkinses to hold shares in the Oakland Hospital. Calvin was helping Marina to scout for talents. And that was how everyone ended up at the event. However, the guests were surprised that Ethan tagged along as well. His presence took the event to the next level. And the guests flocked up to greet him.Calvin did not abandon Olivia even after Ethan showed up. He handed her some napkins, and their hands touched in a moment of frenzy.It was warm indoors. So Olivia unbuttoned her down jacket to reveal a knitted white dress underneath. It wasn't her intention to pick that particular dress, because it accentuated her figure. Lifting her head, she exposed her smooth nape. She looked lovely and doelike.Ethan noticed the absence of the mark on her neck, symbolizing their faded love. One day, he would put

Everly was reluctant to suggest Olivia go home. But Ethan made it clear that he would side with Marina. Olivia lost the competition when Ethan sided with Marina. With each word he said, he inflicted pain on Olivia. Olivia was too fragile at that moment to endure more hurt.Shockingly, Olivia, who had been looking for an escape, chose to stay. She instructed Everly, "Didn't you bring a change of clothes? Come with me to the restroom. I'll change my outfit. It's rude to leave when the event hasn't started, don't you think?"Everly was pleasantly surprised by Olivia's courage to stand up to Ethan. On their way to the restroom, she kept grumbling, "Did you see Ethan Miller's wretched look just now? I almost punched him and tore him into pieces! He's the worst scumbag."Olivia smiled helplessly. "Oh, Everly.""Liv, are you sure you want to stay? He'll be acting all lovey-dovey with his mistress. He'll make you feel terrible because you still have feelings for him.""You were the on

It was human nature to gossip. Olivia's decision to give up her studies for a secret marriage had long become a mystery at the University of Aldenvine. Everyone was curious about her relationship with the usually aloof Keith.Although Ethan was watching in silence, she could feel the pressure from his gaze. She put her utensils down, wiping her mouth gracefully with a napkin as she addressed the guests. "Are you that curious?""Of course! Olivia, tell us! A late friend of mine even told me to visit her at the grave and update her about your secret husband when I learned about him!""Yeah, an old classmate of mine is curious about that too."Olivia scanned the room and put on a bright smile. "My secret husband is …" She deliberately stared at Ethan for a tad longer. He remained expressionless. But he was rubbing the area between his left thumb and index finger with the fingers of his right hand. She had lived with him long enough to know that he was sending her a warning—he

Marina belatedly realized that she had walked into Everly's trap. She didn't want to out herself as the mistress, for that'd reveal Olivia's identity as Ethan's ex-wife. She would never do that.So, she quietened and collected herself. Glaring at Everly, she said, "I'm not. It's indecent to discuss topics like cheating at a formal event."But Everly wasn't deterred. In fact, she was emboldened. "The mistress is the indecent woman for sleeping with a married man! I have nothing to fear. But Ms. Carlton, you seem very affected by the discussion. Were you someone's mistress too?""Ms. Hilton," Ethan hissed at Everly with a menacing gleam in his eyes. She promptly behaved. "Oh, right. With a rich husband like you, Ms. Carlton doesn't have to climb into anyone's bed at all! If anything, she'll be getting into your bed all the time!"Even the dumbest person could tell that Everly was taking a jab at Marina. However, only Calvin picked up a minute detail. How did a notable figure like

Keith's declaration of war made Olivia nervous. She knew Ethan was possessive, even after the divorce. He once said that he would never want to see her happy. However, she'd only embarrass Keith in front of everyone if she rejected his advance. She found herself between a rock and a hard place.Everly helped her out with a grin. She said to Keith, "Of course you can! The easiest way to forget an ex is to get a new date! Keith, you're a great guy. Take your time and get to know each other. I really hope Olivia meets someone decent to help her heal. You know, she has been badly hurt by that bastard."Everly made it sound as if Olivia and Keith were a thing. Olivia hurriedly stopped her friend. "Eve!"Blinded by revenge, Everly did not heed Olivia's warning. "Why are you acting all shy? Do you really plan to die alone after the divorce? Keith is different from that jerk! Keith, are you free these days? I'm visiting Mohe Town with Liv, but I'm a little concerned about our safety."

Olivia reached out to the wine bottle. "You're right. I should raise a glass to them."Almost instantly, Keith and Everly stopped her and warned her sternly, "No. You can't drink.She looked at Everly pleadingly. "I'll only take a sip. It's fine."Everly let go of Olivia's hands when she read the determination in her friends' eyes. Olivia poured herself a glass of red wine and made her way to the couple while Keith looked on with hesitation. With a smile, she said, "Mr. Miller, Ms. Carlton, I wish you a happy marriage. I'll drink this toast whether you like it or not. Please consider this my congratulations in advance. I will not attend your engagement party."Then, she downed the glass of wine like the guest before her without looking at Ethan and Marina. Ethan knew she was a lightweight who'd get tipsy from a glass of wine. Marina stood up with her glass and beamed. "Ethan and I will be happy. Thanks for your blessing." In what seemed to be a competition, she poured herself

Marina stared at Ethan's side profile throughout the confrontation. Ethan did not like publicizing his relationship with Olivia, especially after the divorce. However, she noted that Ethan was triggered by Keith's act of drinking on Olivia's behalf.She turned her resentful gaze to Olivia when she realized divorce was not enough. It turned out that Olivia still had a place in Ethan's heart.Meanwhile, Keith was stuck in an awkward situation. A heavy silence hung in the air; none of the guests dared to make a move that might provoke Ethan. Keith knew that Ethan wanted to force him to give up on Olivia. Any man would have buckled under Ethan's threat, but little did Ethan know that Keith had fallen too hard for Olivia. It was love at first sight. She was a wholly different person when they were younger. But he was too occupied with college and studying abroad to make the relationship happen.When he returned to the country, he learned that she had quit school to get married. He wa

Knowing Ethan's character, the Fordhams were lucky to only suffer bankruptcy from their involvement in the death of Ethan's sister. However, Keith might not be as fortunate. Olivia shook her head. "No, that's not it. Keith, you shouldn't get yourself into this mess."As Keith had brought her out from the venue in a hurry, she didn't have time to grab her jacket. Noticing that, he draped his jacket on her and held her firmly at the shoulders. "Olivia, I know he has hurt you a lot. It's not my intention to force you into dating me. I just wanted to keep you company in your final days. So, please give me a chance to look after you, even if it's just as a friend. Okay?"She felt conflicted at his plea. He was nice to her, which made her more reluctant to get him into trouble. "Keith, I know you're doing this out of good faith, but he …"Halfway through their conversation, she saw a figure standing not far away out of the corner of her eye. Ethan was shooting death glares at them a

Olivia freed herself from Ethan's grip after Keith left. She replied flatly, "Oh, I'm doing just fine." After a few days of rest and recuperation, her complexion looked healthier, a huge contrast to her previous sickly self. He mumbled under his breath, "Right. You've always been as fit as a fiddle."She secretly snickered at him but did not attempt to add any explanation. Taking his jacket off, she said, "Mr. Miller, don't worry. I will stick to the terms of our agreement. I shall not remarry."Ethan had poured his heart into drafting their divorce agreement. Even though he gave her wealth, he destroyed her future by adding a clause to the agreement. It prohibited her from remarrying.If she ever did, she would need to pay him ten times the settlement he provided her, which would stand at ten billion. Still, she signed the agreement without flinching because her days were numbered anyway.The alcohol in her stomach made her sick. Attacked relentlessly by the sharp pangs of p