Chapter 1
Three years after I split from Edward Sterling, I moved back into his house.
He still hadn't remarried.
I shamelessly did it all.
I crashed in his bed, maxed out his cards, and even slept with him.
In just a month, everyone thought we were about to get back together.
I even managed to get rid of his secretary, the woman who'd stuck by his side for ten years.
On the day she got married, Edward was so drunk he could barely stand.
He looked like he really didn't know what to do with me.
He sighed helplessly, "Fine, I'll remarry you."
But the next day, I didn't show up.
The only one waiting at the entrance of the city hall was my three-year-old daughter.
*****
When Edward and I divorced, it was a total mess.
I was convinced he and his secretary Anna Ford were up to something.
He insisted I was just making a fuss.
He had been giving me the cold shoulder for over ten days, rubbing his tired forehead before finally saying something to me.
"Olivia, can you stop making a scene? It was just a cup of hot water. When are you going to let this go?" he said
Just a cup of hot water.
That was all it took to make me the laughingstock of our entire circle.
Everyone was confused. Edward had simply handed his secretary a cup of hot water.
Why did I get so jealous over something so trivial?
Sometimes I wondered if I was just being unreasonable.
Yet every time I thought about it, I couldn't help but feel hurt.
That day, Anna and I ended up soaked in the rain together. She'd been by Edward's side for ages.
We'd just gotten into Edward's car, and before I could even close the door, I saw him reach for the thermos beside him.
Edward picked it up and handed it to Anna, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Anna took it without hesitation, cradled it in her palms, and sipped it carefully.
In that moment, my hands turned numb with cold and started to tremble.
My heart froze over.
At home, he wouldn't even bother to pick up the trash can if it tipped over.
But for a woman who wasn't even his wife, he went out of his way to take care of her.
I snapped at him right away.
Edward just shrugged, like it was nothing, and said, "Anna's on her period today. You're not."
That was the last straw. I demanded a divorce out of spite.
We fought over the divorce for nearly half a year.
The arguments spilled from our home to his parents' place, and then to the office.
By the time it was over, the whole world knew.
Even Anna's reputation took a hit because of it.
That was when Edward finally gave in.
When we split, Edward and I glared daggers at each other, divorce papers clenched tight in our fists.
We promised we'd never cross paths again for the rest of our lives.
But three years later, there I was, standing at Edward's front door with my suitcase.
And Edward opened the door for me.
It had been a long time since we'd last seen each other, but Edward hadn't changed much.
He just looked at me with a face even colder than it was three years ago.
There was none of the awkwardness I'd imagined.
Edward didn't say a word the whole time, just stared at me with that icy expression.
I pushed past him and swaggered right in, like I owned the place.
"I'm broke, so I'm crashing here for a while," I said.
I waved at the housekeeper Mary to haul my suitcase upstairs.
Edward stayed frozen in the doorway.
He just said coldly, "Get out."
I plopped down on the couch, feeling pretty pleased with myself as I poured a glass of warm water.
I just waved him off, not bothered at all.
"Don't be so stingy. You're not married yet, so I'm not getting in your way," I said.
Of course, that was a lie.
I was back to mess with his love life.
I still had no idea why Edward hadn't married Anna.
But now, he probably won't ever get the chance.
Edward was still a gentleman.
As long as I kept acting thick-skinned, he would never kick me out himself.
That night, I just settled in like I owned the place.
Edward was holed up in his study until late.
After his shower, he flopped onto the bed, and my arm accidentally brushed his.
Edward suddenly rolled over, pinning me down with a force that left no room for escape.
His eyes narrowed, and he ground out each word through clenched teeth, "Olivia, do you realize you're playing with fire?"
I let him hold my wrists, relaxing as I sank into the soft mattress beneath me.
"I've gotten used to sleeping in this bed. Can't sleep anywhere else," I said.
Edward couldn't help but let out a laugh, half amused, half exasperated.
His handsome brows lifted as he leaned in close, his voice slow and deliberately teasing right by my ear.
"So, what, you haven't slept a wink these past three years?"
Wow, after all these years, even Edward, who used to be so emotionally distant, had learned how to throw sarcasm around.
I guessed he picked that up from his always-smiling Anna.
I wasn't even surprised.
Edward, stone-faced, grabbed me by the collar and threw me out.
Even my slippers got tossed out after me, no mercy at all.
Wow, he really had a temper.
I slumped onto the floor, feeling helpless, and glanced at my wrist. It was bruised and turning purple.
I zoned out for a moment.
Truth was, Edward didn't even grab me that hard.
It was just the meds I was taking. They made me way more fragile than normal.
I stood up, brushed the dust off my clothes, and couldn't help but feel a little regret for how hard I'd pissed him off back then.
With only a month left, I didn't even know if that would be enough.