Chapter 3
The crowd looked at us in confusion, asking Olivia:
“Olivia, who’s that?”
Olivia’s gaze flickered as she mumbled vaguely:
“Our family driver. My mom wants me to go home for dinner with her today.”
Ethan’s eyes were full of smug triumph as he said slowly and deliberately:
“Oh, it’s the driver. Well, you’d better take good care of your young mistress.”
In the past, I definitely would have grabbed Ethan’s collar and started a fight.
Now I just found it tedious. Without even a glance at them, I turned and got into the ride share I had called earlier.
Back home, my stomach cramped painfully since I hadn’t eaten all afternoon. I made myself a simple bowl of noodles.
I had barely taken two bites when I heard the click of high heels outside.
The next second, Olivia kicked the door open.
Seeing me eating, she flew into a rage and swung her purse at my back:
“Jack, how could you just walk away earlier? Do you know how embarrassing that was for me!”
To my surprise, Ethan had followed her.
He put his arm around Olivia’s shoulders with a concerned look, saying soothingly:
“Olivia, you shouldn’t hit Jack. Didn’t we agree to talk things out calmly?”
He turned to me with a smile that barely concealed his gloating.
“Jack, please don’t be angry. I only followed to make sure you two didn’t fight. But you were wrong to leave Olivia alone on the street like that. She’s a woman after all.”
I took another bite of noodles without looking up and replied to Olivia:
“Olivia, what are you afraid of with your husband Ethan there?”
Olivia’s face darkened, her chest heaving with anger:
“What do you mean, my husband? Jack, there’s a limit to how jealous you can be! Those were just some acquaintances from our social circle. Ethan and I were just playing along! You think I like drinking? I only did it for your sake!”
I found it absurd.
She had clearly been enjoying herself with Ethan, yet now she was acting all wronged.
Looking at Olivia, I set down my chopsticks and asked:
“For my sake?”
Olivia replied as if it were obvious:
“Yes, for you! My mom only agreed to make me heir to the company if I went along with the marriage alliance with Ethan’s family! That’s how I can be with you and get you transferred to headquarters as VP. Isn’t it all for you and your career?”
Ethan’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, a flash of malice in his eyes, but he played along:
“Olivia’s right. You probably don’t know this, but to protect you, she’s been the one rejecting all your promotion applications these years. She’s been looking out for you!”
I was stunned.
A chill ran through me as I realized.
So all the cold treatment I’d received over the years was Olivia’s doing.
What about all those late nights I spent working on proposals? The business dinners where I drank until I got ulcers just to land contracts? The holidays I missed, barely ever seeing my mother’s face?
What was the point of it all?
I asked Olivia: “Is that true?”
Olivia didn’t look guilty at all. If anything, she seemed to be seeking praise as she nodded:
“Yes, not just to protect you, but to toughen you up. How else could you handle big responsibilities? It’s just a bit of salary anyway. You’re my husband now - you’ll have everything you want in the future.”
I found it laughable.
Olivia had always insisted on keeping our relationship secret.
Even for the wedding, she only let me invite my closest family and friends, not wanting to make a big announcement.
No one knew about our relationship. All that talk of protecting me was just empty words.
It was all just to satisfy her desire to put me down and keep me wrapped around her finger.
Only now did I realize that what I had thought was sweet, genuine love had never been pure.
I shook my head, finally speaking the words I had been holding back:
“Olivia, let’s break up.”
Olivia’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Her lips trembled, unable to form a single word.
A gleam of joy flashed in Ethan’s eyes as he quickly scolded me:
“Jack, you can’t break up with Olivia just because she’s close with me! Olivia really loves you. Even on our honeymoon, her first thought whenever she saw something interesting was to buy it for you!”
He just had to bring up the honeymoon to rub salt in the wound. Ethan was truly despicable.
With someone backing her up, Olivia snapped out of her shock and grew even angrier. She put her hands on her hips and snorted coldly:
“Jack, you’re really pushing it now. Do you think you’ve got me all figured out? Break up? Who are you to break up with me? For the past 10 years, you’ve eaten my food, used my things, worked at the job I got you. What more do you want?”
The words flowed smoothly, as if she had rehearsed them.
So this was how she really felt, thinking she was the one who had sacrificed the most.
In the past, I might have argued with her about who had actually given more to the relationship.
But looking at her enraged face now, I suddenly smiled.
“Thank you,” I said.
Olivia’s anger instantly deflated, replaced by confusion.
“Thank me for what?”
My lips remained curved in a smile as I calmly replied:
“Thank you for letting me know that in your heart, I’m just a useless freeloader.”
With that, I took my empty bowl to the kitchen and washed it clean.
When I came back out, Olivia was still standing in the same spot, not having moved an inch.
Ethan handed her a glass of honey water, saying softly:
“Olivia, drink some honey water to sober up. You always liked it before.”
For the first time, Olivia absentmindedly set the glass down on the table.
Her face flushed as she finally said in a quiet voice:
“That’s not what I meant…”
I ignored her, turning to pick up my packed suitcase and head out the door.
Just as I stepped out, a glass shattered against the doorframe behind me.
Sticky honey water splashed all over me.
Then another box hit the ground.
Two ceramic rings tumbled out.