Chapter 1

In her third year of marriage to Alexander Brown, Olivia Smith and the mistress both wanted the same pair of cufflinks at an auction.

She wanted to make an auction paddle raise, but was stopped during the financial verification.

“Ms Smith, our system shows you and Alexander aren't legally married. So, his assets can't be counted as yours.”

After saying this, not only was she stunned, but even the staff member was taken aback.

Everyone in London knew that Alexander had defied his family to marry his nominal "niece," Olivia Smith.

At that moment, the mistress walked over gracefully and handed over a bright marriage certificate.

The staff member's expression changed the moment he opened it. After verifying it on his computer, he returned it respectfully with both hands.

“Mrs. Brown, please come to the VIP room.”

Ignoring Sophia Williams's triumphant look, Olivia went straight to the Marriage Registration Office.

...

“Alexander divorced you six months ago. The name listed as his spouse now is Sophia.”

Leaving the Marriage Registration Office, her last bit of hope was gone. Olivia went home in a daze.

The moment she walked in the door, Alexander gave her his usual hug.

“Honey, why are you home so late? Here, I got you your favorite almond shortbread from that shop in the Riverside District.”

The Riverside District was a three-hour drive from the Brown villa, and the shortbreads could only be bought by queuing in person during specific hours.

Looking into his concerned eyes, Olivia suddenly felt weary.

“I'm a little tired. I'm going to our room to rest.”

He thought for a moment.

“Your period isn't for another ten days. Is it coming early this time? Be careful not to catch a cold. I'll go make you some Herbal Tonic Broth.”

Olivia gave a bitter smile as she watched him hurry off to the kitchen.

She kept smiling until the tears started to fall.

For three years, he had always been so gentle and considerate, cherishing her like the apple of his eye.

She thought they were deeply in love, but it turned out they were just roommates.

Olivia was the Brown family's adopted daughter.

When she was 10, she was taken in by Robert Brown and his wife, but Robert's 15-year-old brother, Alexander, was strongly against it.

And yet, that same "youngest uncle" who had protested her most became the one who cherished her most.

When she first transferred to another school, some mischievous boy gave her nicknames and stole her pocket money. She didn't dare tell her parents and secretly hid in a corner to cry.

When Alexander found out, he beat up that bully so badly he was hospitalized for half a month. No one ever dared to bully her after that.

When she was 14, a boy who had a crush on her gave her flowers, gifts, and love letters. Alexander was angry, and threw them all in the trash. After that, no one dared to pursue her.

After her 18th birthday party, with red-rimmed eyes, he confessed his love to her.

When she shyly and nervously said yes, he pressed her against the door and kissed her passionately.

Their secret relationship went on for four whole years.

In those four years, Olivia transformed from an innocent, bashful girl who would blush at a kiss into a mature woman.

Especially at night. She'd always been reserved, but he'd coax her with sweet words, getting her to try all kinds of intimacy.

“Olivia, who else but me gets to see you like this, so tempting, hmm?”

After their intimacy, he'd whisper in her ear, his voice hoarse. His warm breath on her cheek made her shiver.

At 22, he went public with their relationship, facing opposition from the entire Brown family.

So, he cut ties with the Brown family, giving up everything just to be with her.

The whole affair caused a sensation in London.

Everyone marveled at what a magical woman Olivia was, turning the rebellious, aristocratic Alexander into a gentle, devoted lover.

But this same Alexander had deceived her three times.

The first time, she came to bring him an umbrella and saw a bar girl in heavy makeup, a low-cut top, and a short skirt sitting on his lap, feeding him a drink.

She stormed out and checked into a hotel, while Alexander stood outside the hotel all night.

"I was drugged. She noticed in time and warned me."

"We really didn't do anything!"

Seeing his pale face and red-rimmed eyes, she believed him.

The second time, Olivia found him shopping at a jewelry store with that same bar girl on his arm.

This time, the woman had shed her usual flirtatious and seductive style. She wore a well-tailored, apricot-colored long dress, looking almost like a young lady from a wealthy family at first glance.

He explained again.

"She was the one who realized I was drugged and helped me. And because I made some enemies, I'm telling people she's my mistress so no one dares to retaliate against her."

"Besides, there are some parties you can't attend, so it's good to have her there to handle the drinking for me."

Looking at the woman's cautious eyes and the man's sincere face, she took a deep breath.

"Alexander, this is the last time. If I find out you're hiding anything else from me, I will leave you."

So, she once again convinced herself not to be suspicious.

But who knew, their marriage itself was a lie.

She wiped away her tears, remembered she'd forgotten her phone, and as she went downstairs, she saw Alexander on a video call with a friend.

"She's just a mistress. Have your fun and be done with it. Why marry her? Besides, you still love Olivia so much."

Alexander was silent for a moment.

"The perfect woman isn't found, she's personally trained."

"Turning a good girl bad, making her marry her nominal uncle, that's one way."

"Transforming a whore into a respectable lady is another. A marriage certificate is the best way to unlock her potential."

"As for Olivia, I'll just find a chance to quietly remarry her later."

His friend burst out laughing: "That's our Alexander for you, quite the player. Just be careful you don't get burned."

With that, Alexander glanced at his watch, used the excuse that he was still making soup, hung up the phone, and walked back to the kitchen.

Olivia felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head, and she couldn't stop her whole body from shaking.

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by something.

So, all along, their relationship had been her one-woman show and his playground.

If even a marriage certificate was just a piece of paper that could be changed at will, then what did all their years together even mean?

She clenched her trembling fingers.

He wanted to save a fallen woman, didn't he? Well, she wished them an eternity together.

Retrieving her phone, she immediately dialed that number.

Chapter 2

"Dad, I agree to go abroad with you."

The person on the other end of the line froze, his voice trembling with excitement: "Olivia, you're finally willing to acknowledge me?"

"First, get me a new identity that the Browns can't trace."

William Smith quickly agreed, promising to handle all the paperwork within ten days.

Tap, tap.

After a soft knock on the door, Alexander came in holding a bowl.

"Here, I just made some herbal chicken soup. I've skimmed off the fat, so it won't make you gain weight."

Olivia looked at his concerned expression; it didn't seem insincere.

Still, that didn't stop him from giving the title of his wife to someone else.

He's probably made this kind of soup for other women too.

In the end, she said nothing and drank the whole bowl in one go.

Maybe one of the medicinal ingredients had been added too generously; the usually mild and sweet chicken soup carried a faint bitterness.

She remembered that he used to hate the kitchen more than anywhere else.

But ever since the doctor mentioned that regularly eating medicinal cuisine could ease her menstrual cramps, he started cooking soups for her himself, even selecting ingredients with different benefits according to her menstrual cycle.

It got to the point where he tracked her period more accurately than an app.

Her hand slipped and the bowl fell to the floor. Olivia instinctively reached for it and accidentally cut her finger on a shard.

Alexander quickly took her hand, gently sucking away the bead of blood.

"How could you be so careless?

I'll take you to the hospital."

Just as he finished speaking, his phone rang.

He gave Olivia a hesitant look, paused for a moment, then turned to answer it.

After hanging up, he held her hand with a guilty look on his face.

"Honey, something urgent came up at the office that I need to handle.

I'll have the driver take you to the hospital."

With that, he hurried away.

Olivia found it all incredibly ridiculous.

She had just glimpsed that the caller was Sophia.

Not quite sure why, Olivia hailed a taxi and followed him.

Sure enough, Alexander drove to Sophia's house.

She was wearing high heels, a revealing bunny girl outfit, and a lace mask on her face. The moment she saw him, she excitedly tried to throw herself into his arms.

The man froze for a second, then strode forward, took off his jacket, and draped it over her. The oversized men's suit instantly enveloped her completely.

"Didn't you say you weren't feeling well?

And don't ever wear something so revealing outside again."

"But I was just happy to see you.

Besides, this is my own doorstep."

With that, she gently nibbled on his Adam's apple.

The man's Adam's apple bobbed. Without another word, he picked up the woman and got into the car.

The car windows rolled up, and soon the car began to rock rhythmically.

The female driver saw this and couldn't help but comment, "What kind of decent person dresses like that? So shameless."

But when she saw Olivia's tense face in the rearview mirror, she immediately understood.

"Listen, sweetie, all men are like that—not many good ones out there.

As long as he gives you money, treats you like the legal wife, and doesn't flaunt it in your face, you just have to live with it."

Olivia laughed as tears streamed down her face.

The legal wife?

She wasn't even the main wife now.

Sophia was his legal wife.

After some time, the man got out of the car again, carrying the woman in his arms toward the door.

The woman shyly covered her face with her hands, whispering something inaudible.

Alexander laughed dismissively.

"You're my wife. Who dares to laugh at you."

Chapter 3

Olivia felt her whole body go cold, and she immediately told the driver to turn around and go home.

On the way, she got a friend request from a stranger.

After she accepted, the person eagerly sent a bunch of photos.

It was all messy clothes and various props.

"We just did love again, for a full 66 minutes."

"He always tells me to dress conservatively when we're out, but once we're in bed, he's a totally different person. He says he loves the contrast."

Olivia didn't reply and was about to exit the chat when, in the corner of the last photo, she spotted an heirloom bracelet.

It was the one his mother had personally placed in her hands on her deathbed.

Alexander was the youngest child in the Brown family, spoiled since birth, which fostered his arrogant and willful personality.

When he announced his relationship with Olivia, his entire family opposed it. He refused to listen and even offered to cut ties. Bruce Brown was furious, kicking them out of the house.

When his mother was critically ill, she was still worried about her youngest son and Olivia. She called them to her bedside and personally placed the family's heirloom bracelet on Olivia's wrist, which was the family's way of finally acknowledging their relationship.

After they married, Olivia kept the bracelet in a safe, and only the two of them knew the password.

Just then, a message popped up from her pinned chat.

"Honey, I'm working late tonight. You can go to sleep, don't wait up for me."

She thought: It must be exhausting for a man to juggle two households.

But in the end, she just replied with one word: Okay.

Then she unpinned his chat, found a large cardboard box, and started packing.

Everything related to her and Alexander went into the box.

The first thing was a photo album. At the very front was a family portrait taken right after she had moved in with the Browns.

The ten-year-old girl looked a little shy and nervous, quietly grabbing the corner of the boy's shirt.

The boy acted like he didn't care, but still put his arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her as an adult.

Next came the custom-made fairy brooch from Van Cleef & Arpels, her eighteenth birthday present.

Back then, she blushed and asked him to pin it on for her himself, and at that moment, she caught affection for this man.

The box slowly filled up.

Finally, there was the diamond ring in her hand. They said one of the brand's selling points was that each man, with his ID, could only give it to one woman.

Olivia turned the ring, the huge pink diamond catching the light and sparkling brilliantly.

She decided to save this one until the day she left.

She tossed the box into the trash can.

Late at night, Olivia was startled awake.

When she opened her eyes, Alexander was bandaging her wound.

He dipped a cotton swab in iodine to disinfect it. The sting made her flinch.

“Why didn't you go to the hospital? You had me worried. Bear with it—it’ll feel better once the medicine is on.”

As he spoke, he gently blew on her skin and carefully put on a band-aid. The way he did it, you'd think he was handling some priceless treasure.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Olivia wouldn't have believed that not long ago, he'd been tangled up in bed with his lover.

“Oh, right. Tomorrow's our third wedding anniversary. I've arranged a dinner. My assistant will pick you up.”

The most luxurious hotel in London.

The bright hall was filled with elegantly dressed guests, the air buzzing with laughter and clinking glasses.

Alexander and Olivia wore matching evening outfits, looking so striking together that everyone couldn't help but stare.

“What a perfect couple. They're even better looking than celebrities on TV.”

“The company just went public, and Alexander said in front of the whole world that he did it for his wife. That's really touching.”

Chapter 4

Just then, a wealthy woman walked over.

She was dripping with jewels, but her eyes held a hint of sadness.

Olivia recognized her as the wife of Mr. Ben, the building materials tycoon.

"Mr. and Mrs. Brown seem so in love, just like newlyweds."

Mr. Ben had started out poor, but he struck it rich after marrying a wealthy heiress. Later, he shamelessly kept several young, beautiful mistresses, causing Mrs. Ben to lose face among her circle of wealthy wives.

Olivia laughed.

Outsiders only saw her glamorous surface, never the bitterness she hid inside.

She looked at Mrs. Ben seriously.

"A relationship is like a pair of shoes. Only you know if they truly fit."

"It's better to throw away beautiful shoes that pinch your feet."

Mrs. Ben was stunned.

Just then, Alexander came over and wrapped his arm around Olivia's waist.

"What needs to be throwed away?"

But Olivia subtly slipped out of his grasp.

She noticed the cufflinks on his suit sleeve; they were clearly the pair Sophia had outbid her for at the auction a few days ago.

"These cufflinks... I haven't seen you wear them before."

Since they got married, Olivia had become Alexander's personal stylist. From matching outfits with ties and shoes down to selecting watches, ties, and cufflinks, she handled everything herself.

Alexander froze for a moment, then explained with a smile.

"I saw them in an independent designer's shop on my last business trip abroad and just picked them up."

Sophia, who had followed him, spoke up with a polite smile, "Oh, so Mrs. Brown likes these cufflinks too. It seems we have similar taste."

After speaking, she gave Alexander a meaningful look.

Alexander instinctively glanced at Olivia, and only relaxed after seeing her expression hadn't changed.

His face immediately darkened, and he warned in a low voice, "Sophia, always remember your place."

Sophia looked deeply wronged, her eyes welling up with tears that she struggled to hold back, then she turned and walked away.

During the cake cutting, Alexander still responded politely to everyone's well wishes.

Only Olivia, his wife, noticed his left thumb constantly rubbing against his index finger.

He was agitated.

When he scanned the room and saw Sophia laughing and chatting with a man in the corner, his expression darkened further.

When the two of them took out their phones to scan and exchange contact info, he strode over, grabbed her by the wrist, and dragged her into the stairwell.

Olivia's heart twisted in pain. Distracted, she bumped into a waiter, and wine spilled on her dress.

The waiter apologized profusely and led her to a lounge.

It was divided into two rooms; the outer room had a sofa and a coffee table, and the inner room had a large wardrobe.

"There are some spare dresses here, all new. Please feel free to change, Mrs. Brown."

Olivia agreed.

Suddenly, there was the sound of rapid panting from the doorway. With no time to hide, Olivia could only stay inside the wardrobe.

"You little minx, you're trying to provoke me on purpose, aren't you?"

Olivia froze. She knew that voice all too well. It was Alexander.

"Hmph, it's your fault for being mean to me.

I'm supposed to be your real wife, but I have to stay hidden—"

Before she could finish, a heavy kiss cut her off, followed by the rustle of clothes being removed.

"I'm a public figure. A scandal would affect the company's stock price.

Be good. You're already legally Mrs. Brown, what more could you be unhappy about?"

"Ow, be gentle, that hurts."

"Little minx, don't you know that foxy charm of yours is my favorite thing about you?"

Listening to the increasingly brazen sounds, Olivia clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.

Once, he said he loved her innocent, naive side the most.

"In this kind of thing, the man always takes the lead. You just have to follow my rhythm."

But now, he was obsessed with a promiscuous...

escort's seductive charm.

She accidentally bumped into the clothes rack, making a noise that wasn't loud, but wasn't quiet either.

"Who's there?"

The man looked toward the inner room, asking warily.

Olivia took a deep breath, resolving to walk out and face it.

Chapter 5

A knock sounded at the door.

"Is Mr. Brown in there?

The next part of the event is about to start, and the staff is waiting for your instructions."

Alexander gave a short reply, quickly got dressed and left, adding a word of caution before he went.

"Be good. Wait for me to come back.

—And one more thing, don't provoke her again."

Olivia didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she heard the door close and his footsteps fade away.

But the closet door opened from the outside, and the two women stood face to face.

Olivia could clearly see the fresh love bites on Sophia' collarbone

She scoffed, "You did that on purpose."

Sophia didn't bother to hide it.

"Yes.

I'm no longer satisfied with just being his wife on a marriage certificate. Why don't you give me your public role as Mrs. Brown, too?"

Olivia chuckled lightly and said, "I never wanted the title of Mrs. Brown anyway. I'm not interested in him anymore."

The door was pushed open again. Alexander picked up his wedding ring from the nightstand and asked as he put it on.

"Sophia, who are you talking to in there?"

Sophia glanced at Olivia and gave a casual, dismissive answer.

......

In the main hall, Olivia, having changed her clothes, appeared before Alexander again.

A carefully produced video started playing on the big screen, documenting all the beautiful moments from when they first met to the present, complete with photos and declarations of love.

Everyone watched with great interest. Even after the video ended, people were still immersed in it, and the entire hall fell into a brief silence.

Crash—

A wine glass shattered on the floor.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a woman in a white dress, her eyes glistening with tears. Her makeup was simple, but her eyes held an undeniable allure.

Alexander left Olivia's side and walked toward her.

All eyes were on him.

The host, quick-witted and sharp-tongued, quickly smoothed things over.

"This young lady must be a very sentimental person, deeply moved by Mr. and Mrs. Brown's beautiful story."

The guests seemed to understand and began to applaud spontaneously.

To Olivia, the applause sounded especially grating.

During the summer of her third year of middle school, she went abroad for a study tour, and he constantly followed her movements from back home.

When he saw news of a shooting in the city she was in, he got up in the middle of the night, booked the earliest international flight, and rushed to her side immediately.

Even though the shooting had happened a full three-hour drive away from her tour group.

Now, just because of a dropped wine glass, he couldn't help but walk over to another woman in front of everyone.

At this thought, Olivia's heart tightened. She swayed on her feet and nearly fell.

Seeing this, Alexander immediately let go of Sophia, returned in a few strides, and caught Olivia firmly in his arms. The worry in his eyes didn't seem fake, and he wanted to carry her to the hospital.

Olivia pushed?

...to create some distance between them, and sat on the sofa in the lounge, "No need. Just get me some ice to put on it."

Alexander was about to leave to find a waiter, but then he noticed something.

"Honey, why aren't you wearing your ring?"

Olivia forced a smile. "The prongs under the diamond came loose. I sent it to the shop for maintenance."

Alexander visibly breathed a sigh of relief and went out to hurry the waiter.

Sophia followed him in, her eyes filled with jealousy.

"He's never neglected me like this before. It's all because of you!"

She then pulled a bottle of strong liquor from behind her back and splashed it on the floor.

Sensing trouble, Olivia struggled to her feet, but was immediately shoved back to the ground.

Then, a crazed Sophia pulled out a lighter, flicked it on, and threw it to the ground. "Since you won't get lost, I'll make you disappear forever!"

The fire spread quickly.

There was no fire extinguisher in the room, and no water.

Olivia dragged her swollen

and aching ankle, crawling to the door to try and call for help, but no one could hear her over the loud music outside.

When smoke started billowing from the room, people panicked and scattered.

When Alexander returned from the bar with ice, he found the place in chaos.

Seeing the smoke was coming from the lounge, he rushed over.

Just as he reached the door, Sophia, her face covered in soot, stopped him: "Alexander!"

Olivia tried to call for help, but her voice was gone, choked by the smoke. She could only watch as Alexander picked up Sophia and ran out.

The flames around her grew higher.

In a daze, Olivia felt like she was 15 again.

The hottest girl group at the time was holding a concert in the Riverside District, 200 kilometers away. She wanted to sneak off to see it and asked Alexander to cover for her.

Alexander, who usually acted so mature, lied to the elders for the first time ever, on the condition that he had to accompany her the whole time.

Unexpectedly, a stampede broke out at the venue.

He ignored the security guards and forced his way into the inner area to rescue her, but he got hurt in the process, breaking his right forearm.

After they got home, he took all the blame and was punished by Bruce, forced to kneel in the Ancestral Shrine for three days and nights without food or water.

With swollen, red eyes, she secretly brought him food. Seeing his bruised knees and his arm in a cast, her heart ached and she couldn't stop crying.

But he just casually pinched her cheek.

"This is nothing. I'm older than you, so of course I can't let you get hurt.

And I definitely can't let you get punished."

"As long as I'm here, I'll always protect you."

The young man's face was confident, bold, and a little bit arrogant.

After that, Alexander even developed a Couple's Tracking App, heavily encrypted, just for the two of them. They could use it to whisper secrets to each other and see each other's precise location at any time.

In the fire, it would have taken him just two seconds to come and save her.

But in the end, he only had eyes for Sophia.

And Olivia, she could only limp her way to a third-floor window and jump...

She regained consciousness in a hospital room.

As she slightly opened her eyes, she saw Sophia outside the room, crying as she threw herself into Alexander's arms.

"It's all my fault. I thought Olivia had already left."

He gently patted her shoulder.

"It's not your fault. This was just an accident."

Sophia clutched his collar.

"But I still feel so bad. Why don't you punish me? I'll do anything you say."

Alexander tapped her on the nose. "Alright, then as your husband, I'll punish you—" he then suddenly lowered his voice, "by having you tempt me in a different uniform tonight."

A faint, unnoticeable smile touched Sophia's lips, but she immediately blushed, covered her face, and ran off.

Another sharp pain shot through her, and Olivia couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

Only then did Alexander realize she was awake. He hurried over, his eyes full of concern.

"You were unconscious all night. You scared me to death.

Does it still hurt? Are you hungry?"

Olivia ignored his questions and took a deep breath. "I'm calling the police. Someone set that fire on purpose."

Hearing this, Alexander's expression changed instantly.

"No.

I hosted that dinner party. All the guests were important people from London. What would people say if this got out?"

"I've already confirmed with the staff. It was an accident caused by aging equipment."

Olivia's face was full of scorn.

"The fire started some distance from the main hall, and Sophia just happened to be nearby when it broke out. You never suspected anything?"

Before she even finished speaking, Alexander's heart skipped a beat.

He had indeed felt a flicker of suspicion, but he quickly pushed the thought away.

Sophia came from the entertainment world and was especially good at reading people and knowing her limits; she never crossed the line with her words or actions.

After more than two years with him, she had been molded into someone noble and elegant, more respectable than a daughter from a minor wealthy family. It was impossible that she would start a fire.

So he said firmly, "It was just a coincidence.

"Either way, this is over."

Seeing the disbelief in Olivia's eyes, he realized he sounded too harsh and his voice softened.

"Honey, I messed up this time, and you paid the price. I'll make it up to you."

"I hadn't even given you your third-anniversary gift before this happened. It's bad luck.

"I'll pick out something better."

Before he could finish, his phone rang urgently.

He declined the call, and it rang again immediately.

Seeing how torn he was, Olivia turned her head away. "Just answer it."

.

Alexander gave her a grateful look and hurried out of the hospital room. When he returned, he hesitated, "There's something at the office, I..."

Olivia knew exactly who it was, and exactly what he was going to do.

She just didn't care anymore. "Go on, take care of it."

Surprised and pleased, Alexander leaned in to kiss her forehead, but she dodged him, claiming she needed to rest.

He didn't think anything of it, just made a mental note to have the driver bring her some bone broth from home later.

Before he closed the door, Olivia spoke.

"The trip to Antarctica."

Chapter 7

"What?"

Alexander looked confused.

"Didn't you say you'd make up for the gift?

I want this."

He froze, mumbled an agreement, and rushed off.

Olivia laughed at herself.

Clearly, he had forgotten. This was a promise they had made long ago but never got around to keeping.

The hospital room door closed, and Alexander had personally separated himself and Olivia into two different worlds.

Inside, she was enduring the pain alone.

Outside, he was rushing into the arms of another woman.

Something salty trickled into the corner of her mouth.

Olivia wiped away her tears and silently vowed: This would be the last time she allowed herself to cry for him.

She took out her phone to check the status of her application. It showed that in one week, her new identity would be registered.

In a week, she would leave this place for good and start a brand new life.

Over the next few days, as if sensing something, Alexander became even more considerate and gentle toward Olivia.

He made different special meals for her every day;

peeled and cored fruit, feeding it to her by hand;

and worried the cicadas outside were too loud for her nap, so he hired a service to remove all of them from the hospital grounds.

But Olivia herself remained distant.

On the day of her discharge, Alexander came to pick her up himself, driving his Maybach.

"Honey, welcome home."

Olivia took the huge hydrangea bouquet he handed her and noticed an envelope tucked inside, containing a custom invitation for a trip to Antarctica.

"Be a good boy, Ginger, we're here to pick up your sister together."

Only then did Olivia notice Sophia sitting in the passenger seat, holding an orange cat.

Facing Olivia's questioning gaze, Alexander explained a bit awkwardly.

"Sophia's pipes burst at her place. She had nowhere to go, so she's staying with us for a few days. Don't overthink it."

Such a lame excuse. She found it absurd and laughable, but only said, "Okay."

Anyway, in two more days, she would be gone.

The next morning, Olivia went to the garden, only to be shocked to find that the large patch of Juliet roses she had cultivated for years had been stripped bare, and Sophia was now going after the few remaining ones.

This variety of rose was her late mother's favorite flower, and Alexander had arranged to have the best seedlings specially flown in from abroad.

She treasured them, tending to them personally. Even the gardener didn't dare to step near them.

"What are you doing!"

Sophia jumped, and just as she was about to speak, she caught sight of Alexander approaching.

So, she let out a loud cry, threw herself backward, and tossed the small flower basket in her hand high into the air, scattering petals everywhere.

From Alexander's perspective, it looked exactly as if Olivia had pushed her.

He strode over and shoved her away.

Caught off guard, Olivia stumbled backward, her head hitting the edge of a flowerpot. Red liquid trickled from her temple as a wave of pain hit her.

Alexander clearly saw the blood on her forehead but paid it no mind. Instead, he picked up Sophia with a dark expression.

He looked at Olivia. "I never knew you could be so vicious, framing and hurting Sophia over and over again!"

Watching him walk away without a second glance, a sense of desolation washed over Olivia.

She had thought that even if the love was gone, there would at least be some affection left.

Who knew that in his eyes, even the most basic trust in her was completely gone.

These seedlings were from him. Better not to grow them at all.

She immediately ordered a bottle of strong weed killer, spread it all over the garden, and in less than half an hour, all the plants had withered.

After carefully wrapping the empty bottle, she told a servant to throw it in the hazardous waste bin.

Just then, the butler, who was showing a few servants around the villa, saw her and explained respectfully.

"Mrs. Brown, these are the top-tier postpartum caregiver and nutritionist Alexander hired. They're all for Sophia..."

Sophia was pregnant.

The thought exploded in Olivia's mind, and her hand instinctively went to her stomach.

She had once had a child, too.

Two years ago, Alexander was attacked after a product launch. Olivia noticed something was wrong and took a knife for him, causing her to lose their two-month-old fetus and damage one of her fallopian tubes, making it difficult for her to conceive in the future.

Now, he had a child with someone else.

A text message on her phone interrupted her thoughts.

"Your flight from London to Manchester in the United Kingdom is scheduled to depart tomorrow at 10 a.m. We recommend arriving at the airport early."

She clicked the link and checked in online.

Putting down her phone, she saw Alexander carefully helping Sophia through the door. Olivia turned to leave but was stopped.

"Don't hide, Olivia. I forgive you. Let's just say it's for the baby's good fortune."

"After all that trouble, I'm so hot and thirsty. I wish I had a dessert."

The man looked at the woman beside him with admiration and indulgence, but his expression turned cold when he faced Olivia.

"Make a dessert for Sophia yourself, and we'll consider this matter over."

Olivia looked at the two of them and laughed out of anger.

To avoid causing more trouble, she didn't argue and went to the kitchen.

A short while later, she brought out a fresh Tropical Fruit Dessert.

Sophia thanked her sweetly, picked up a spoon, and was about to eat when she seemed to remember something. She called over Tangerine and fed it a bite.

The kitten suddenly started convulsing, foaming at the mouth, and soon stopped breathing.

Sophia held the cat, staring at Olivia with a mix of pain and hatred as large tears rolled down her face.

"Olivia, were you trying to kill both me and my baby?"

Alexander shot up from his seat, ordered the butler to lock all the villa's gates, allowing no one in or out, and sent for the family doctor.

The diagnosis revealed that the dessert contained a lethal dose of poison, and the ingredients matched the weed killer Olivia had just used.

After the doctor and the maids left, a dead silence fell over the dining room.

Alexander leaned on the table with both hands, his jaw tight, his eyes as cold as ice.

"Sophia accidentally broke a cup, and you accused her of arson. I let it go."

"Sophia came to stay, and you pushed her down. I didn't pursue it."

"Now that Sophia is pregnant, you dare to poison her?

Fine. It seems I've spoiled you too much, so much that you don't even care about the law!"

In the past, she would have definitely argued her case.

But now, Olivia felt nothing.

She didn't defend herself, but instead sneered.

"So, how are you going to get revenge for her?"

Alexander had expected her to defend herself, which would have given him an easy way out.

But she neither defended herself nor said anything conciliatory, leaving him momentarily speechless with anger.

Sophia, holding the cat, started crying at the perfect moment.

"Oh, Tangerine, you took the fall for me. Were you in a hurry to be reincarnated as my child, is that it?"

Hearing this, Alexander's anger flared up again.

"Someone, my wife needs to rest. Take her to the basement!

She can come back when she's thought things through."

As soon as he finished speaking, two bodyguards came over, covered Olivia's mouth, and dragged her away. Her struggles were useless.

At the doorway, she bit the man's hand hard and took the chance to scream.

"Alexander, I was wrong! I admit it!"

She'd rather be misunderstood, even framed, than miss her flight tomorrow

Chapter 9

Almost at the same time, Alexander got an urgent call from his assistant.

"Alexander, the core technology of our Japan branch has been massively leaked, causing a local media storm."

"Book the earliest flight out immediately. Pick me up for the international airport in half an hour."

After giving the order, he looked back, wondering if he had just heard Olivia's voice.

He quickly shook his head. She was too stubborn to admit she was wrong so easily.

He must have been too tired lately and was hallucinating.

After Alexander left, Sophia immediately gave the servants the day off and went to the basement with just the two bodyguards.

She crossed her arms, looking down at Olivia with arrogance.

"I can't believe it only took a stray cat I picked up to bring you down, hahaha."

At this point, Olivia knew she had been set up.

She tried to calm herself down and reason with her.

"I told you, I'm not interested in Alexander anymore."

"Let me go, and I'll leave the country first thing tomorrow morning and never come back.

Then you can be the rightful Mrs. Brown."

Her words were urgent and sincere, but Sophia just stared at her for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"You think I'd believe you?

Come on, tie her to the big tree in the garden."

Sophia picked up a long, thick cane that had been soaked in saltwater and whipped it

across Olivia's back.

Her skin felt like it was being ripped

open, and the intense burning sensation made it almost impossible for her to breathe.

Before she could recover from the first lash, the next one came, tearing through the air

with a sharp crack.

Waves of intense pain washed over her, making her body convulse uncontrollably as she dangled in the air.

Her clothes were already in tatters, and a mixture of sweat and blood dripped from her body onto the ground.

Sophia held the cane, looking at Olivia as if she were a piece of art, and couldn't help but taunt her.

"I just picked a few of your stupid flowers. Go on, be cocky now, if you can."

Seeing that Olivia was in too much pain to even speak, she looked around, bored, and her eyes lit up with an idea.

"How about we try something more fun?"

With that, she ordered the bodyguards to cut the ropes, and Olivia fell from the air.

She struggled to support herself, and just as she got up, she was doused in honey.

Before she could react, she heard a buzzing sound. Someone had disturbed a hornet's nest in the tree.

The hornets, attracted by the sweetness of the honey on Olivia, swarmed toward her like a dark cloud.

Enduring the pain from the fall and the whipping, she ran with all her might toward the swimming pool.

Her wounds, already stinging terribly from the sweat and blood, now burned with the pain of hornet stings. It was a living hell.

But she clenched her teeth and didn't let out a single cry of pain.

She finally made it to the pool and jumped in, and the hornets finally dispersed.

But as soon as she clung to the edge and her head broke the surface, Sophia stomped on her fingers and repeatedly pushed her head back under the water until she passed out.

Sophia glanced at the bodyguards. "What will you say when Mr. Brown gets back?"

The two looked at each other for a moment, and the quicker one spoke up first.

"We had the day off today. We don't know anything.

Maybe she escaped from the basement on her own."

Sophia gave them a satisfied glance and went back to her room.

Olivia finally woke up the next morning.

She endured the pain and returned to her room. Luckily, there was still time.

She took a quick shower, changed into some practical clothes, left her wedding ring on the table, and grabbed the suitcase she had already packed to head straight for the airport.

Before boarding, she opened the Couple's Tracking App on her phone, deleted her account, and threw her SIM card into the trash.

From now on, Olivia and Alexander would go their separate ways, never to see each other again.