Chapter 3

Ethan shoved her hand away so hard that Olivia hit the floor, a sharp pain shooting up her wrist.

Ethan's voice was icy. "Last night, the housekeeper heard you cursing at the cat. Just because I gave it to Vanessa, you got jealous and took it out this morning to kill it?"

"No," Olivia shook her head, her voice trembling.

Last night, the kitten scratched her so badly she started bleeding, and in her anger, she lost her temper and cursed at it. She never imagined the kitten would follow her out this morning.

Before Olivia could say another word, the bodyguards dragged her out to the garden.

Ethan personally buried the kitten. With just a look, the bodyguard kicked Olivia in the knee, forcing her to her knees.

"Stay here and recite the blessing for Olive a hundred times," Ethan ordered, his voice cold and merciless.

Thorns from the roses stabbed into Olivia's knees, making her whole body tremble with pain. Then, out of nowhere, rain came down in sheets, drenching her completely.

Soaked to the skin, Olivia kept chanting the prayer for Olive's soul again and again, until her teeth were chattering from the cold and her heart felt like it was slowing to a crawl.

Eventually, she just toppled over and hit the ground.

When Olivia finally came to, the rain had stopped, and it was already late at night. Her skin was so cold, it felt like it was covered in frost.

Gritting her teeth, Olivia dragged herself upstairs, her knees numb and stiff, limping with every step. As she passed the guest room, she saw Ethan using a hairdryer on Vanessa's hair.

He gathered her long hair in his hands and gently kissed it.

"Ethan, I just wanted to come back and pay my respects to your grandma, and you even arranged a private jet to pick me up. If Mrs. Sterling finds out, she'll totally give you hell for it. Maybe I should just go back tomorrow," Vanessa said softly.

"Vanessa, don't go," Ethan said, his voice soft and pleading.

Ethan dropped to one knee in front of Vanessa, his voice thick with emotion and barely holding back. "I've tried to get you out of my head these past three years, but it's impossible. I'm hooked on you, and I won't fight it anymore. Your dad screwed up, but you shouldn't have to pay for his mistakes."

"My mom said once Olivia has the baby, doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, she'll hand me ten percent of the shares," Ethan said, his voice low but full of resolve.

"With that ten percent, I'll have Sterling Enterprises in the palm of my hand, and the whole Sterling family will be under my command. Then I'll marry you, fair and square, and everyone will see it."

Olivia was shaking all over, her chest so tight it felt like someone was squeezing the life out of her. She could barely catch her breath.

After the wedding, Ethan was always cold, barely even touching her. Olivia never forced the issue, but then, four months ago, he suddenly went all out, candlelight dinner, good wine, acting like a real husband for once.

So it wasn't just about revenge. He actually set her up with his brother, all so she'd get pregnant. That was his real plan from the start.

What a nasty, two-faced move! He really played me.

Olivia was so furious she wanted to storm in and call Ethan out for being a shameless bastard. Just because he was forced to marry me, does that mean I have to let him walk all over me like I'm nothing?

But in the end, Olivia forced herself to lower her trembling hand, stopping herself from storming in and making a scene.

If she went off on Ethan now, it might just piss him off enough to do something crazy, and that'd only make things worse for her.

Just hang in there. Once the divorce is done, I'll finally be free.

Besides, she had a little surprise up her sleeve for Ethan. She was dying to see his face when everything blew up in his face.

After kneeling in the rain for hours, Olivia's fever shot up to 102.2°F.

Since she was pregnant, she couldn't take any meds, had to make do with a cooling patch. At noon, the housekeeper brought her lunch and then locked her in her room.

"Mrs. Sterling, Mr. Sterling said you're to stay in your room for the next couple of days," the housekeeper said.

Olivia got it. Ethan just didn't want Vanessa catching anything from her.

She didn't want to deal with either of them, so she stayed quietly in her room, waiting for her fever to go down. But the next day, the housekeeper never brought any food. No one ever responded, no matter how hard she knocked.

By day three, then day four...

Her stomach was twisting with hunger, and Olivia was afraid if this went on, something might happen to the baby. So she knotted the bedsheets, tied them to the balcony, and managed to make it down to the first floor.

When Olivia walked in through the front door, she saw Ethan standing right behind Vanessa, his hands gently guiding hers as he showed her how to throw darts.

"Lift your wrist, aim for the bullseye, and give it a good throw," Ethan said, his voice soft and full of encouragement.

Vanessa threw a dart. It almost missed the board, but Ethan just laughed and praised her, "That's great! When I first tried, I couldn't even hit the board."

Olivia staggered into the kitchen, her legs barely holding her up.

She downed two bowls of mutton soup, finally feeling a bit of warmth return to her body. Just then, the housekeeper handed her a plate of freshly washed grapes.

"Mr. Sterling asked you to take these to the living room," the housekeeper said.

Olivia knew if she didn't do as she was told, Ethan would get upset.

Olivia, her face numb and emotionless, carried the fruit plate into the living room. Out of nowhere, Vanessa suddenly turned and flung a dart right at her.

Olivia didn't even have a chance to dodge. The dart's sharp tip pierced straight into her eye.

She screamed in agony and fell hard to the floor.

Ethan had just finished texting his secretary. When he turned around, he saw Olivia clutching her bleeding eye, blood everywhere on the floor.

His face went pale, and for a split second, he instinctively reached out to help her.

But just then, Vanessa let out a cry of pain from the living room. Without a second thought, Ethan turned and rushed straight to her side.

Olivia's right eye, clouded with blood, watched it all happen. Her chest felt like it was being stabbed with knives, and the words "Ethan, save me" got stuck in her throat, never making it out.

I've known all along how cold he is. What was I even hoping for?