Chapter 2

Maybe even Richard forgot—ever since I found out about his affair with Olivia five years ago, I haven't let him touch me, not even once.

Today was no different. I took two shy little steps back. "Come on, the kid's right here," I said. "Hurry up and go take a shower."

Then I called Sophie over. "Sophie, your dad's being lazy—he doesn't wanna take a shower," I said. "Hurry up and nudge him to the bathroom, okay?"

As soon as I finished talking, Sophie latched onto Richard's leg again.

And the second he stepped into the bathroom, I headed to the kitchen—disgusted— to wash my hands and face. Especially my earlobes. I scrubbed those things carefully, three times over.

After that, I pulled out my phone and called Robin Rider, Richard's secretary. "Stir up some trouble, and do it now, right this second," I said. "Get Richard out of my house."

As soon as the call ended, Robin called Richard right back. After hanging up that call, Richard's face turned dark instantly.

He undid his bathrobe right in front of me and ordered, "Evelyn, find me a suit. I need to go to the company right now."

I hurried to open the wardrobe and took a suit out for him. But the second Richard saw the suit, he frowned tightly.

"Since when did your taste get so bad? What kind of style is this?" he snapped. "Are you trying to get me to work overtime, or make a fool of myself at the company?"

Richard was always like this—when he was in a bad mood, he spoke to me with sharp, mean words. Knowing his personality, I didn't argue with him. After all, all I wanted was to get him out of my house.

So I said in a trembling voice, "I... I'm sorry... I'll get you another one right away."

But Richard's mood didn't soften at all because of my words. He pushed me away impatiently, picked up his phone, and pressed the emergency contact button.

In just a moment, Olivia's soft voice came from the other end of the line. "What's wrong, Mr. Villa? Did something happen?"

Richard gave me a disgusted glance, then said coldly, "Bring me a suit right now. There's a problem with the Zenith Project."

After that, he hung up the call first. Then he started scolding me like I was one of his employees. "Can't you keep up with the trends a little?" he said.

"What do you even do all day, just laze around at home? I don't expect you to build some big career," he went on. "But can't you learn from Olivia a little? At least improve your taste a bit?"

When he finished speaking, he didn't even look at me again. He put his bathrobe back on and headed to the study.

Watching his retreating figure, I clenched that suit.

This suit was certainly out of style. After all, it was the one Richard had left at home five years ago.

All these years, his clothes, watches, and even his underwear were all taken care of by Olivia. It had nothing to do with me.

Even when I occasionally tried to put on a show and prepared a gift for him on our wedding anniversary, he never opened it. All those gifts were piled up in the study drawer.

Every wedding anniversary and birthday gift I'd given him for the last five years had its own little touch.

There was a doll with its dick cut off, curses written on small notes, and prayer talismans for him and Olivia to get STDs.

Every year, I looked forward to seeing Richard's face when he found these things. But unfortunately, he hadn't noticed any of them in five years.

And just as I was lost in these thoughts, Sophie's angry voice of questioning came from outside. "Who are you? Why did you come into my house without ringing the doorbell?"