8
Ethan, Sophie and I chatted for a bit longer outside the bar.
Sophie wanted to take a taxi home by herself.
She said it was to avoid disturbing the world of Ethan and me.
But she had been drinking and it was so late, how could I let her go alone?
So we drove her home first.
After she left, only Ethan and I remained in the car.
The enclosed space and ambiguous atmosphere.
Made the temperature continue to rise.
My head, already dizzy from drinking, became even more muddled.
He inched closer and closer to me.
I bit my lip, too shy to know what to do.
“Olivia, my Olivia…”
His breath enveloped me as his warm lips gently brushed the corner of my mouth.
Full of cherishment and love.
I was so nervous my palms were sweating.
My heart was pounding like a rabbit’s.
“I’m so afraid this is just a dream, and when I wake up, it will all be fake,”
11:05 AM
<
He pressed his forehead against mine.
I could feel his fear and sadness.
I instinctively stroked the top of his head, softly comforting him, “Don’t worry, this isn’t a dream. I’m really by your side and I won’t leave you.”
He nodded contentedly, holding me even tighter.
Ethan had come back this time purely because he missed me.
So he couldn’t resist coming to see me.
Early the next morning, he flew back abroad.
“Olivia, I’ve commissioned a famous designer abroad to custom make a wedding dress for you. Once I wrap up my work overseas, I’ll bring the beautiful dress back to marry my beautiful bride.”
The first wedding dress of my life, I had thought would be given to me by Ryan.
I never expected the person giving it to me in the end would be Ethan.
I smiled and waved goodbye to him.
Childhood friend turned fiancé.
There was a special sweetness in my heart.
One day as I was leaving the hotel, I saw Ryan standing in the lobby.
His clothes were disheveled, his hair unkempt, his whole person looking lifeless.
When he saw me, his eyes lit up for a moment before quickly dimming again.
“I… ! couldn’t reach you, so I had someone check your address.”
“Do you need something from me?” My tone was cold.
“Olivia, I know I was wrong. I was blind before, deceived and schemed against by Chloe.”
Ryan pursed his dry lips, saying hoarsely: “I saw her phone and learned a lot of truths. She colluded with the doctor to trick me, saying her health was poor but my sperm quality was good and could help her get pregnant.”
“Our marital home – she cried to me saying you and your mom were harsh to her, and she was afraid of having nowhere to live after having the baby. I pitied her and agreed to transfer it to her name.”
“And I only just found out that your mom favored her, she took over your room, destroyed the necklace your dad left you, and often framed you by twisting the truth…”
I frowned in disinterest: “It’s meaningless to say all this now.”
Ryan opened and closed his mouth helplessly.
“Olivia, can you give me one more chance? I won’t be fooled by other women again, I’ll be good to you.”
I didn’t want to waste time arguing with him, and said directly: “My wedding will be held in two days, with Ethan Shaw.”
‘The color instantly drained from his face. He looked like he had been struck, his spine even curving inward.
“How is that possible? You couldn’t bear to give me up.”
1
“You must be lying to me! I won’t believe it!”
11:05 AM
<
.
He started yelling like a madman.
The security guards at the entrance rushed over to restrain him. He was pinned to the ground, looking utterly wretched.
But I didn’t feel the slightest bit of pity.
After all, he and I no longer had any connection.
Later, I heard from Sophie that Ryan had taken Chloe to court on charges of fraud and misappropriation of private property.
Even when Chloe begged him using the baby in her belly, he didn’t soften one bit.
Chloe then ran to beg my mom to save her, saying she didn’t want to go to jail.
But after Ryan exposed Chloe’s true colors, Mom saw through Chloe’s real face and mercilessly kicked her out of the house.
Seeing how ruthless my mom was, Chloe picked up a knife and stabbed her in a crazed state.
Fortunately the maid appeared in time. The knife only pierced Mom’s hand and didn’t hit any vital areas.
Someone saw Mom kneeling on the ground in fright, cursing Chloe while crying and calling my name over and over.
Chloe also fell during the struggle and miscarried.
I treated all of this as mere gossip, not taking it to heart.
Soon, it was time for my wedding with Ethan.
Ethan returned as promised with the gorgeous wedding dress.
Without my knowledge, he had already quietly made all the preparations for the wedding.
I saw his thoughtfulness and cherishment, and felt deeply moved.
Although I had initially decided to marry him quickly for the inheritance my father left me.
Now, I found that a man as considerate and emotionally stable as Ethan.
Was hard not to fall for.
I was starting to slowly fall in love with him.
That day, I was sitting in the dressing room getting my makeup done.
Someone pushed open the door.
It was my mom and Ryan.
Seeing me frown in displeasure, Mom quickly said, afraid I would chase her away: “Olivia, I came to apologize this time.”
She cried painfully, “All these years, Mom has wronged you.”
“Mom only realizes now how many false accusations and grievances you’ve suffered. Mom was so foolish! Neglecting my own daughter to dote on an ungrateful adopted child.”
“Olivia, can you forgive Mom?”
I asked the makeup artist to leave, then looked at Mom expressionlessly.
“I want to know too, why were you so biased all these years?”
Bringing this up, Mom’s face suddenly became rigid.
1
11:06 AM N
<
She said: “If you hadn’t insisted on eating strawberry cake late that night, your dad wouldn’t have gone out to buy it and gotten into that car accident!”
“Your dad was the pillar of our family. Losing him felt like the sky was falling. How could I not resent you? Every time I saw you, I was reminded that you caused your father’s death.”
No wonder she always looked at me with disgust.
No wonder she adopted a daughter from an orphanage when she already had me.
No wonder she was so biased.
I had been questioning myself all along, wondering if I wasn’t good enough somewhere to make my own mother dislike me.
It turns out, all these years she had been blaming me for Dad’s death.
Does she not know that the real culprit who caused Dad’s death…
Wasn’t me.
But her?
