Ch. 11..20

Even After Death Chapter 11-Keith scheduled Olivia’s first round of chemo for the day after tomorrow to prevent her condition from deteriorating.

The chemo would come with a plethora of side effects. In the first two weeks, the patient would feel weak and experience hair loss.

That was why Olivia would have to get everything sorted out before the session.

Although Jeff was still in a coma, at least Olivia didn’t need to worry about paying off his medical bills. She made a payment at the hospital before heading back to the home that she used to share with Ethan.

She was worried that she might be too weak after chemo. Hence, she booked the services of a moving company before starting chemo. She was planning to move out of this place anyway.

Olivia’s best friend, Everly Hilton, showed up in office wear. She strutted around in heels while clutching a crossbody. At the same time, she happened to be carrying two bags of chips as well.

Olivia immediately heard her friend’s loud voice from afar. “Liv, you are finally free of suffering! I just received the commission from my property sale last month, so let me treat you to a fun night at the Dark Horse Clubhouse today!

There are so many guys out there for you!” Everly did not know about Olivia’s diagnosis because she went abroad to visit her boyfriend in the same week Olivia hid away. She simply thought that Olivia had given it a good thought and decided to go for a divorce.

Olivia chuckled in response. “No, that won’t work. I’m scared that your beau might show up and knock on my door right away when he hears about that.” “Oh, drop it. I will never believe in long-distance relationships anymore. I wanted to show up and surprise him, but guess what? That fucker took my hard-earned commissions and spent it all on another bitch!” Everly looked vicious, yet her eyes were filled with pain. Her seven-year relationship was over, all because they went long-distance.

Olivia wanted to offer words of comfort, but at the thought of her messy marriage, she felt that she didn’t have the right to reassure others.

Instead, she remarked, “Knowing you, you must have caused quite a scene.” Everly led Olivia over to the bench by the flower garden and took a seat. She gave Olivia a bag of chips while she started eating out of the other.

“My temper has long mellowed after all these years of a long-distance relationship. I had a bad feeling about this whole thing anyway. You can fall in love for many reasons, but you only need one to fall out of it.” She stared into the misty sky and went on. “At the beginning, he’d fly across the globe just to see me on Valentine’s Day, even if he only had a few days off.

Now, he hasn’t come home once in three years.

“He’d wished me good morning before he went to bed, but he didn’t text me as much in the last few years. I thought he was busy with his Ph.D. studies, so I started working part-time as a property agent just to support him financially, all while studying full-time.” Everly’s sadness intensified. “What haven’t I done for money? And with the money from my commissions, I even bought him a house abroad.” “Liv, this storyline is right out of a soap opera.” She continued to lament. “At one point, I thought I’d go mad. It was quite ridiculous, catching him cheating in the boxers that I bought for him.” Everly was grinning, but tears rolled off her cheeks onto the bag of chips in her hand.

“I had to think twice before buying coffee. I lived so frugally just to support him.

But what did I get in the end? I’m a prestigious med school student who was rushing between apartment viewings just to support a traitor. He might have even bought the condoms with my card.” Olivia reached out to hug her best friend. “Oh, please don’t cry. He isn’t worth your time.” “That’s what I think too. Do you know how nice I was to him? I did not make a scene. I lit a cigarette and started calculating the money he had to pay me back.

Thank God I put the house under my name. I evicted him and that bitch that same night.” Olivia was rather taken aback by Everly’s decisiveness. “So, did he agree to everything?” “Of course not. He immediately fell to his knees and wanted me to forgive him when I asked for the house and money back. When I saw him crying in front of me, I wondered what made me fall for him in the first place.

“Anyway, I stayed around for a couple of days to sell off the house and cut all ties with him before I came home.” Everly quickly wiped away her tears and continued, “Liv, we’re long past the age of believing in romantic love. We have to choose between love and bread, right?

You didn’t like it when I told you to get a divorce a year ago, so I’m glad that you finally thought it through. Just from your divorce settlement with Ethan Miller alone, you would be able to last for a few lifetimes and then some.” Everly smiled once she finished her last chip. “Look, even if you lost your man, you could spend his hard-earned wealth on ten different smoking hot dudes.

Isn’t that awesome?” Olivia coughed awkwardly. “Um, I only got ten million dollars from Ethan.” “What? The audacity of that cheating bastard to offer you only ten million …” Everly gasped in disbelief. “Wasn’t he very generous to you? Since when did he become so stingy? It’s not like he’s short of money.” Olivia didn’t explain further. “When a man’s in love, he’ll give you the moon.

When he’s no longer into you, you’re worse than trash. Let’s not talk about him. I wanted you here to help me with moving out.” “Sure. I’ll treat you to a nice dinner after this.” Olivia smiled. “Okay.” Almost everything in the villa belonged to Ethan, so there wasn’t much for her to pack. It was less of a move-out and more of a dropping by to pick up her belongings.

A wedding photo was hung on the wall. Olivia could be seen smiling brightly in the photo. Even Ethan, who always looked serious, managed to crack a smile too.

The thought of Ethan and his affair pissed Everly off. “How are you going to deal with these wedding photos? I mean, you can always recycle them in exchange for some money for chips. Or maybe set them on fire.” Olivia shook her head. “It’s okay. Everything should be split into half in a divorce.” She ordered a housekeeper to take out all the photos from their frames, cut out her images, and put the photos back.

The only room that she was reluctant to leave behind was her self-designed nursery that Ethan helped decorate. She didn’t want Marina’s child to move into that nursery.

One year after setting up the nursery, she finally decided to move the cot out and had the movers remove all the decorations in there.

Surprisingly enough, it only took a few hours to remove the things that took countless days and sleepless nights to create. The memories that had accumulated over the entire year went into the trash can alongside those things as well.

Standing at the entrance to the villa, she recalled the excitement when she had first moved in. Her sorrows were a vast contrast to the joy on her move-in day.

She probably hadn’t imagined her marriage headed toward destruction.

Taking a final look, she bid goodbye to her past self and left. She then walked up to Everly. “Eve, come with me to the salon.” Everly patted her on the shoulder. “Great! Let’s celebrate your new start with new hair! Time to put those bastards behind us! I’m going to dye my hair a nice shade of pink! What about you, Liv?” Olivia replied without hesitation, “I want it short.” “Liv, you look good either way, but don’t cut it too short. I’m worried that you might regret it.” Little did Everly know that Olivia wanted the short hair because she was worried about the extensive hair loss post-chemo.

Olivia smiled. “No, I won’t regret it.”

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Even After Death By Lilting Champ Chapter 12-Everly and Olivia, both having suffered from disastrous relationships, went to the salon. Everly picked out two male hairstylists for them.

One of the hairstylists lit up with excitement at the sight of Olivia and immediately recommended some trending hairstyles. She outright rejected the suggestion. “I want it short—as short as possible.” “Darling, I know the cool girl look is trendy, but getting a pixie cut might limit the outfit styles you can pull off. Why don’t I give you a shoulder-length cut? You’ll look younger and can rock it at any event.” “It’s fine.” “Your hair is long and luscious. I can tell that you have kept it for years. It’s really a pity to cut it off.” The stylist shook his head regretfully.

Olivia stared at her reflection in the mirror. Despite her lack of rest, her features still looked as exquisite as ever. Her tresses, which she hadn’t taken care of, tumbled across her shoulders. It made her look demure.

She hadn’t cut her hair in years because Ethan loved her long hair. Since the stylist was reluctant to cut it off, she grabbed the scissors and said, “I’ll do it myself.” She cut off her hair without hesitation, sending the long locks fluttering onto the ground. It somehow symbolized her parting ways with her lovely youth and innocence.

She returned the scissors to the guy and allowed him to proceed with styling her. “Alright, I’ll leave the rest to you.” When Everly emerged with her new pink hair, she was shocked at Olivia’s new hairstyle and marveled at it. “Wow. It’s true—you can really rock any style if you’re good-looking. Liv, you look so cool!” Everly’s next order of business was to hurry to the supermarket and buy some gender-neutral clothes for Olivia to match the new middle-part pixie cut. Their new styles attracted lots of attention when they walked down the streets later in the day.

When night fell, Everly took a selfie with Olivia by a storefront and uploaded it to her Instagram. The post was captioned: “Reborn.” She also splurged on a fancy steak dinner with Olivia. It was something she had wanted to devour for a long time. The nice meal put a smile on her face.

“Liv, doesn’t this feel like we’re back in high school? Our biggest worry at that time was solving calculus problems. Now that you think about it, that isn’t tough at all—just use the right formula, and you have your answer, unlike men. You give your all to men, and all you get in return is heartbreak.” Olivia had not drunk in a long time, but she decided to let it go just for that night.

She took a sip and joked, “That’s because you sucked at math. I never thought calculus was hard.” “Yeah, yeah. No one can beat you, genius. You were only thirteen when you joined us in high school. I thought someone from middle school got lost on their way to class. I wasn’t expecting a gifted kid.” Then, Everly poured Olivia a drink and lifted her glass. “Genius or idiot, it doesn’t matter. Let’s raise a glass to our singlehood! I can finally buy whatever I want now that I’ve kicked that weasel out of my life!” However, tears streamed down Everly’s face as she was celebrating her newfound freedom.

“Liv, did you know that I used to buy the lowest-grade steak on sale at the grocery store? I saved my ass off to support his studies, and I gave my all to build our future. I’m only 24 this year, yet I’ve never even gotten myself a proper dress! How could he do this to me?” They all faced challenges in their lives. Olivia, who was struggling with troubles of her own, had no better advice for her friend than to gently advise Everly to look to the future.

She had wanted to send Everly home, but that tipsy girl forcefully dragged her to the Dark Horse Clubhouse. She sighed, knowing that Everly just needed an emotional release.

After all, she had one full year to process the breakdown of her marriage, but Everly only had very little time to wrap up the loose ends with her boyfriend abroad and rush home. She must have needed more time to get over it.

Olivia did not object to the detour because she knew that she couldn’t have fun with Everly for a long time after chemo, and that was if she survived it. That night, she went to a clubhouse for the first time.

The overexcited Everly patted her hand and squealed, “Look at the usher! Isn’t he handsome?” However, her attention was on the painting of a dark horse in the center of the lobby. “Yeah,” she absent-mindedly agreed with Everly.

“Just let loose and have fun! If I have to pay for a man, I’d rather it go to a hot one that’s good at sweet talk. Don’t you think so?” “You’re absolutely right.” Everly, who wouldn’t even pay for a cab in the past, transformed into a generous millionaire overnight. She led Olivia into a spacious lounge, where she ordered ten bottles of Armand de Brignac in one go and ignored Olivia’s attempt at stopping her.

The clubhouse manager politely introduced ten male models to them, each with a distinct style, ranging from sweet to chic. Everly declared boldly, “Pick whoever you like!” The men openly flirted with them, and some even showed off their abs. Olivia was too shy to even look at them. “It’s alright. I’ll just have a few drinks.” Everly picked two men and slammed a wad of cash on the table. She ordered, “Come here! Keep her happy tonight.” The two men looked like boys next door, which was very different from Ethan’s cool image. They took their seats beside Olivia, sandwiching her, and one of them poured her a drink. She felt uneasy and wanted to leave, but Everly slapped her on the thigh.

“What’s wrong? Are you really going to save yourself for Ethan? Has he ever thought of you when he was sleeping with other women? What are you worried about now that you’re divorced? Just let go and have fun! I’ll foot the bill.” It was general knowledge that property agents marked up prices for a better profit margin. On top of that, Everly sold villas, and she’d frequently receive hundreds of thousands in commission from her deals. Since she was young, pretty, and a smooth-talker, she raked in a lot of money from her commissions.

Had she not spent that money on her ex, she would’ve been considered a selfmade millionaire. Therefore, she could totally afford a night of extravagant spending, and that was what she had decided on.

Meanwhile, at Collington Cove, the baby’s fever finally wore off after the doctor’s close supervision over the day. Ethan let out a sigh of relief and tucked the baby in before tiptoeing out of the bedroom. Marina went up to him with a warm smile.

“Ethan, it’s late. Why don’t you stay the night? I’m worried that the baby will wake up at night. You know he doesn’t cry much when you’re around.” He rubbed his temples, looking worn out. “I still need to attend an engagement.

Dr. Garcia will be around, so get him if you need anything.” Marina looked like she had something to say, but she knew she couldn’t force him to stay. She had thought that he’d have gotten divorced when she called him at 10:30 pm, but things didn’t go her way.

She reminded herself to take it slow and replied thoughtfully, “Sure. Just be careful on your way back.” He nodded and got into the car. Brent immediately handed him a key. “Mrs.

Miller has returned the key to the villa.” The look in Ethan’s eyes hardened before he snorted. “She sure moves fast after she’s paid.” Brent didn’t want to continue the conversation, but the thought of Everly’s Instagram post bothered him.

After a moment’s thought, he blurted out, “But Mr. Miller, she seems to have … completely given up on you.”

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Even After Death Chapter 13-When Brent felt Ethan’s chilling gaze on him, he had to explain. “Mr. Miller, she’s with Everly.” It wasn’t unusual for Olivia to hang out with her best friend, Everly. Ethan had asked Brent to follow Everly on Instagram to monitor Olivia’s move. While explaining, Brent showed his boss Everly’s Instagram post.

In one of them, Everly showed off her eye-catching pink curls, but Ethan was instantly drawn to Olivia, who was rocking a different style in the photo. She had gotten a middle-part pixie cut, which—coupled with her tiny face—made her look more morose than her usual sunny disposition.

Her eyes were looking downward, and her collarbone was visible through her Oxford shirt in the photo. Her beauty was almost sacred.

The caption read “Reborn.” Ethan hadn’t realized that his fingers were trembling slightly. After a year of being pestered by her, he should have felt relieved that she wanted to let go.

But why did he feel suffocated instead?

He reminded himself that his sister was gone. Olivia did not have the right to declare her “rebirth.” He convinced himself that he wasn’t feeling bad for Olivia —he just wanted revenge.

He wasn’t done with torturing her yet, and he would not let this slip.

Deep in his thoughts, he was interrupted by Brent’s remark. “Ms. Hilton brought Mrs. Miller to the Dark Horse Clubhouse.” Brent clicked on an Instagram post that showed Olivia lazing on a soft couch in a dimly lit room while a handsome young man in white kneeled on one knee and fed her grapes.

Ethan almost crushed the phone after seeing the photo. “Go to the clubhouse.” The air turned frosty, and he couldn’t take his mind off the young man in white.

He knew he’d make Olivia weak in the knees when he put on a white shirt, and she’d sometimes sketch the image of his teenage self in a white shirt.

It was at that moment he realized that he didn’t want a divorce at all. Not only that, but he also wanted to keep her by his side forever. He wanted to subject her to daily torture to atone for Jeff’s sin.

While Ethan was fuming, Brent held his breath in the car. He was confused by the situation. In the past two years, Ethan was good to Marina and fulfilled all her demands, but he didn’t seem to have any affection for her.

On the other hand, Ethan gave Olivia the cold shoulder, but Brent could tell that she was Ethan’s one true love. Alas, Ethan, blinded by hate, would do anything to hurt Olivia.

When Ethan rushed to the Dark Horse Clubhouse, the two women were nowhere to be seen. Apparently, Olivia had to bring Everly home because the latter was making a scene after getting drunk.

Not knowing that he missed them, he ordered his men to look around but found no one. Brent called up the hotels across the city and got nothing too.

“Mr. Miller, she must have found a new place to stay in advance. It’ll take some time to find a rental if you’re doing it without an agent.” The look in Ethan’s eyes darkened when he realized that she planned to leave for good once she received the compensation.

“Look into it! Find her, no matter what it takes!” The good news was that Olivia hadn’t left the premises with a male escort. Still, those who entertained Olivia were tied up and brought to Ethan, who lit a cigar and stared at the two trembling men through the wisps of smoke.

“Lift your heads.” The poor men never thought that they’d get into trouble with a big shot. Shaking violently, they stammered, “M-Mr. Miller.” “Where did you touch her?” “N-No, we didn’t. The lady did not like touching and kept a distance from us.

She had a few drinks before leaving with her friend.” Ethan snickered and lifted the chin of one host. He examined the young man’s face, which was caked in makeup. The man also smelled of cloying and cheap perfume.

Ethan remarked, “Why would she eat the grapes fed to her by a cheap, trashy man like you?” The young man was on the brink of tears. Ethan made it worse when he announced, “Cut his fingers off.” “Mr. Miller, please spare me!” Thankfully, Brent intervened and showed Ethan the surveillance footage of the lounge. “Mrs. Miller did not have physical contact with them.” Two of the men were already sobbing. They hadn’t expected to have their fingers cut off just because they fed their client grapes. All they wanted was to latch onto some rich lady, get their share of the money, and retire comfortably.

They finally welcomed a beautiful and stylish young lady today, but sadly, she didn’t even look at them despite their best efforts to woo her. Not only that, but they also had to deal with a devil after she left. Talk about unlucky!

Ignoring them, Ethan went back to his car and drove around the city aimlessly.

Where would Olivia go when she had no place to crash at?

After Jeff was placed in the ICU, she did not need to be at the hospital to take care of him. Her phone was turned off. Clueless, he went to almost all the places they had visited before.

After a futile search, he returned to their newlywed home. He had only stopped by shortly on that night. It had been a while since he visited the villa. Only the furniture was left behind; the interior seemed spotless and devoid of human touch.

It was her habit to arrange fresh flowers on the dining table daily, but even the vase was gone.

In the empty and lonely master bedroom, her presence was removed from all their wedding photos. Only Ethan was left in the photos, looking both eerie and lonely.

Even after the Fordhams went bankrupt, she never took any of the branded clothes he bought for her and only packed some cheap clothes to go.

He then remembered that he had ordered the luxury bags and jewelry to be collected from the villa. She had also returned her diamond ring to him. It was her only possession that was worth something.

Her toothbrush, cup, and towels were gone from the bathroom. His electric toothbrush looked lonely on the shelf.

Next, he shuffled to the nursery that was once Olivia’s faith, not noticing that the palms of his hands were slightly sweaty. The door clicked open, and he was greeted by an empty nursery, a sight that made his blood run cold.

She had cut off all her ties to him.

“Mr. Miller, don’t worry. I checked with all the airline, train, and bus operators.

There was no trace of Mrs. Miller purchasing tickets anywhere. Since Mr.

Fordham is still warded, she won’t leave the city.” Ethan belatedly found out the reason he did not kill Jeff despite being fully capable of doing so. Perhaps, he subconsciously felt that Jeff was Olivia’s Achilles’ heel. By keeping Jeff alive, he could keep Olivia under his thumb.

“Find her and bring her to me.” “Roger that.” Ethan lay on the bed in the master bedroom. The nights when they slept separately were difficult for him too.

Even though he knew that Olivia was innocent, he could not get over the fact that she was related to Jeff. Her happiness reminded him of his poor sister.

It was Olivia’s fault for being born as Jeff’s daughter, and she should be held accountable for her father’s sin. He had an equally intense love and hate for her as he released his pent-up grief and anger by torturing her.

Perhaps, it was time for a new punishment.

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Even After Death Chapter 14-Everly was an exceptionally bad drunk. If it wasn’t for Olivia, she would have gone at it with the men in the lounge.

It was the first time Olivia saw her friend hugging a man and wailing about being an empty-nester. Olivia had no choice but to bring her drunk friend back to her new rental.

A while back, Jeff’s caregiver found out that Olivia was looking for apartments for rent and recommended the apartment of a relative to her. Olivia settled on the apartment because she could save on agent fees. Moreover, the deal was backed by the caregiver, whom she trusted.

Since her landlord wouldn’t be back in the country anytime soon, Olivia had not officially signed the lease, but she received his approval via WhatsApp and moved in. Without signing any lease, she left no records behind for Ethan to track her down.

The tiny apartment was a far cry from her family home at the height of their fortune, and it was no match for the villa she shared with Ethan.

Still, it was cozy, and she liked it enough. She even kept her dad’s favorite tropical fish in the apartment.

Whenever she opened the windows, she’d have a full view of the ocean. Once, she thought that Collington Cove was Ethan’s gift for her. Later, she was aghast to learn that Marina had returned to the country and moved into that place right away.

The fact made her miserable for a long time, but she was finally over it. Be it living in an expensive or affordable apartment, she could still enjoy the same ocean view.

The apartment came with a small balcony, where she lay down some thick rugs.

She had initially planned to bring Jeff home when his condition stabilized. She’d like him to spend his retirement at her place, sunbathing on the balcony and enjoying life.

Too bad things took a turn for the worse. The cancer diagnosis came out of the blue, and she never thought that her dad would remain in the ICU.

The drinking made her feel a little queasy, so she took some medicine and lay on the mattress by the cot she placed in her room. It wasn’t the most comfortable arrangement, but that was the only way she’d get some shut-eye.

Thanks to the alcohol, she had a good sleep and woke up late. Everly woke up earlier and made her some breakfast.

their insecurities during the day.

After breakfast, Everly rushed to the entrance with a pair of heels in her hands and a piece of toast in her mouth. She mumbled, “Breakfast’s ready. I’m running late. Liv, I gotta go now.” Olivia called out to her, “Eve, I probably can’t keep you company for the next few days because I’ll be busy.” “Don’t sweat about it. Do you really think I’m so into splurging? Yesterday’s celebration was a grand farewell to our youth. I woke up a new person today, ready to work! I’d take money over men any day! But you have to tell me if you need help, alright? I don’t want you struggling to juggle a few jobs.” “Yeah. Got it.” Olivia saw her friend at the door, where they gave each other a soft hug. “Eve, you’ll find a better man. You have to go through the pain to find your real happiness.” Everly scoffed. “Oh, that’s a bit rich coming from you! You can’t even keep your perfect husband. Let’s see if you’ll find yourself a man as good as him in the future.” “In the future?” Olivia looked at the sun and smiled gently. “Who knows?” Everly was ready to leave but was stopped by the sight of Olivia’s lonely figure.

She gave Olivia a back hug and said, “I’ll be busy for a couple of days too.

When things cool down, I’ll catch up with you. Take care, okay? It’s going to snow soon. Even if no one’s keeping you warm, you need to look out for yourself.” “Alright.” After sending Everly, Olivia cleaned the apartment before switching on her phone. To her surprise, she found a missed call from Ethan.

She assumed he had called to discuss the divorce, but unfortunately, she wouldn’t have time for that in the next few days.

Aside from Ethan, Chloe also made a lot of calls to her. Olivia called Chloe back, who picked up the call quickly.

She sounded concerned. “Liv, why didn’t you pick up my calls? I was worried about you for days. Do you need more money? I’ll make a transfer.” Olivia calmed down at the sounds of the ocean waves slapping against the rocks. In the many years after Chloe left, she felt very aggrieved, wondering why she was abandoned. She was in denial when she learned that Chloe was Marina’s stepmother.

Of all people, why Marina?

But no amount of pain would change the reality. Olivia was helpless.

She answered, “Mom, I’m fine. Don’t worry. Ethan gave me some money. You don’t have to think about Dad’s hospital bills.” Still, Chloe couldn’t shake off the image of Olivia leaving in the rain. “Liv, where are you? I need to see you, and I’d like to make up for the years I wasn’t around.” Staring at the blue of the ocean, Olivia replied flatly, “Mom, you wouldn’t have disappeared for years without a call if you had cared about me. And you would have visited Dad when you came back if you still cared.

“It’s my fault for going to the wrong person out of panic. I reached out to you, forgetting that you’ve remarried. I will not repeat this mistake anymore.” “Liv, I—” “Mom, let’s stay the way we were before. I’ll take care of Dad. You never had a daughter like me, and I never had a mother like you.” Rather than blaming Chloe for making her feel ashamed in front of Marina, she was angry at how Chloe went abroad and never kept in touch.

When Olivia was at her worst, Chloe was by Marina’s side, taking care of the daughter of another man. She couldn’t blame Chloe for the decision, but she would never let it slip.

After hanging up, Olivia called her workplace to quit her part-time job. Finally, she texted Ethan, telling him to discuss the divorce another day because she’d be busy.

No matter what the truth was, she and Ethan were over. They’d never remain friends, much less rekindle the relationship.

When she took care of everything, she departed for the hospital. Keith noticed that she came alone. Her shadows were elongated under the sunlight, and that made her look more vulnerable.

He suppressed his feelings and asked her gently, “Are you scared?” “A little, at first. But I’ll feel reassured if you’re around.” “Don’t worry. I’m the one who worked on the drugs for your chemo. I’ll try my best to make it effective with the least side effects.” “Thank you, Keith.” When she arrived at the inpatient ward, she felt as though she was in a warzone. She had never seen that many patients, who varied in gender and age but shared a similarity—each wore a wig or headwear.

A couple of unbothered middle-aged male patients swung past the corridors with their bald heads. Most rooms were occupied by patients undergoing chemo.

Some were weeping, and some stared blankly out of the window.

Olivia knew that she’d join them soon. The light would disappear from her eyes, and she’d lose hope for life as she staggered toward another day.

With Keith’s help, she secured a single room. The young nurse was polite to her.

“You’re Ms. Fordham, right? Dr. Rogers told us about you. Please get ready over here. And have your family help you with the hospital admission and make payments at the pharmacy.” Most patients at the hospital had at least one family member with them. She was the only one who showed up alone, which attracted many sympathetic looks. Those people must have pitied her for battling cancer and going through chemo alone.

She bit her lips and said embarrassedly, “I don’t have a family member with me.

Just get me a caregiver.” “That won’t work. We need a family member to sign off.” The nurse looked troubled. “How about your partner? Any parent or sibling?” Olivia stood there pitifully like a child whose parents skipped the Parent– Teacher Conference. That was when Keith came forward and announced, “I’m family. I’ll sign her forms.

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Even After Death Chapter 15-Olivia shot Keith a grateful look, and he nodded at her in acknowledgment before turning around to help her with the hospitalization matters.

The nurse patiently explained the process to her, “Ms. Fordham, you will need to receive treatment over the long term. We will inject the chemo drugs into your body each time, but all the injections and the drugs will further harm your veins.

“In some serious cases, you will experience exosmosis. Just so you know, the drugs used are corrosive. To avoid those complications, we’d recommend inserting a medical port in your arm. We usually insert the port in advance to make sure that the drugs travel through your veins and into your organs.” She continued, “The good thing is that the nurses won’t struggle to find your veins down the road—it’s convenient and safe. But on the flip side, you can’t lift heavy weights with this arm in the future.” Olivia agreed with the nurse and went under a minor surgery to insert the port in her arm. As she was allergic to anesthetics, she turned down anesthesia. When the blade slit through her thin skin, she merely frowned without so much as making a sound.

The doctor couldn’t help but comment, “It’s rare to see someone who can take the pain.” To that, she sighed. “Well, it’s not like I have anyone who would care if I was hurt anyway.” The conversation brought her back to a year ago when she had to undergo emergency surgery after falling into the water and suffering premature labor.

Even after she was given anesthetics, she could vividly sense the pain when the blade sliced through her abdomen.

That day, she fainted from the excruciating pain, only to wake up to the same sensation. Throughout the ordeal, her screams fell on deaf ears because Ethan chose to stay guard in front of Marina’s delivery room.

From then on, she learned not to make a sound even when she was in pain.

The second day after chemo, she was besieged by an array of side effects. It was Keith who helped her to get discharged.

Even the short distance from the inpatient department to the underground garage made her gasp for breath, resulting in multiple breaks in between. Any slight movement would make her dizzy and nauseous, and all her energy seemed to seep away.

Keith sighed and got down on his knees to scoop her into his arms. Panicking, she rejected his help, “Keith, don’t—” This time, he sternly insisted on helping. “Your body is weak now. If you refuse my help, I will have no choice but to call your family for your safety. And right now, Ethan Miller is your only family who could drop by. Am I right?” It was an absurd situation. Without the signed divorce papers, Ethan remained legally her spouse and the only family member who could take care of her.

“Don’t let him know about my condition.” Olivia was already a mess. Ethan would only feel gleeful upon hearing about her diagnosis. The last thing she wanted was to be laughed at.

Keith cautiously saw her back to her apartment and advised her, “Olivia, you need a caretaker. You can’t even take care of your meals now.” She nodded. “I know. My friend’s going to return from abroad. She’ll take care of me. Keith, you still need to work your shift, don’t you? I shouldn’t take up too much of your time.” He checked his wristwatch and agreed it was about time to head back to work since he had some major surgeries scheduled. He gave her a few words of advice before leaving.

After he left, Olivia lay in her bed alone as she grappled with the indescribable pain. She felt pain in every inch of her body. As she fought her dizzy vision, her abdomen roiled, and she was suffering from nausea. Even the wound on her arm was thudding in dull pain.

Hellish was the only word she could describe it with. To her dismay, the only person she missed was Ethan.

Back when she was suffering from acute appendicitis, he rushed her to the hospital in the middle of heavy snow. Still fussy and squeamish, she cried when she was wheeled into the operating theater, but he held her hand tightly and followed her into the room. In the end, the doctor performed the surgery under Ethan’s gaze.

This many years later, and she still recalled his expression when he soothed her. He said to her, “Don’t worry, I’m here.” After the surgery for her appendicitis, she could not walk for a month. Ethan was next to her the entire time and was attentive to all her needs.

Years later now, he was with another woman, taking care of the children she bore for him.

Olivia had to repeatedly remind herself of his infidelity and his cruelty to forget all the lovely memories she had of him. Fighting the debilitating pain, she stumbled down the bed and gritted her teeth, telling herself that she could do this. She would not let death get in the way of her pursuit of the truth.

Her tears fell onto the pasta she took out to boil. The worst pain wasn’t physical —it was the pain that he had inflicted on her.

It felt like thousands of blades were cutting through her body, and the pain was suffocating.

For three whole days, she writhed in pain on her bed. When she woke up on the fourth morning, she was glad to find that the pain had decreased, and her nausea seemed to have died down a little.

Suddenly, she heard someone drawing the window curtains. It was Keith, who had regularly dropped by after work to take care of her.

He brought some fresh produce and a bag of chips that she had been craving.

His black wool coat was a little damp when he showed up in a hurry. Even his hair was a little moist.

When he lowered his gaze to check on her, she spotted a snowflake in his thick and long lashes.

“Is it snowing?” she muttered feebly.

He nodded. “Yeah, it snowed for the whole night yesterday. When you feel better in a few days, we’ll go check out the snow.” “Great. I’m not in much pain today.” Olivia sat up in bed, all huddled up in her thick pajamas. However, she was devastated to see a bunch of hair on her pillow when she turned around. Even when she had cut her hair short to prepare for this moment, she was taken aback by the sight.

She hurriedly pulled her blanket to cover the pillow to avoid exposing the sad and embarrassing truth. A little floored, she mumbled, “I’ll wash up.” Keith had seen countless cancer patients who found it harder to cope with the loss of dignity than death itself. “Sure, take your time.” She shut the bathroom door and stared into her sickly face in the mirror. A chunk of hair easily fell out when she pulled on it tentatively.

As a young lady in her prime years, she felt grim when she witnessed the hair loss. Before she knew it, she’d lose all her hair.

That was when Olivia decided she had to finalize the divorce as soon as possible. It would be a nightmare to meet up with Ethan to settle the divorce after she went bald. Finally, she switched on her phone and, ignoring the piling messages, went on to call Ethan.

Little did Olivia know that he had been searching high and low for her in the past few days. She did not even have to wait more than three seconds for him to pick up. She could hear his seething voice from the other end.

“Olivia Fordham, where the fuck were you?” Ethan had tried to locate her for four full days.

Instead of explaining herself, Olivia said to him with urgency, “Ethan, I’ll wait for you at the City Hall in an hour. I don’t want to drag this out. Let’s get a divorce.”

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Even After Death Chapter 16-Before the meeting, Olivia put on some makeup for a healthier complexion.

Looking at the flurry of snow out there, she wrapped herself up in layers of clothes for warmth.

After chemo, her physical functions, which included her immune system, had deteriorated, and her body was as brittle as glass. She had to test her complete blood count for the ratio between her red and white blood cells every two days.

If the ratio dipped below average, she would need to take medicine to boost it.

Otherwise, her life would be in danger if she caught any illness because of how she was immunocompromised.

She’d rather be safe than sorry and pick warmth over style. After touching the thinned hair at the back of her head, she carefully put on a black beanie.

Keith wasn’t keen about Olivia going out and protested, “Olivia, you’re not in a condition to leave home. You did the complete blood count test yesterday, and your ratio is below average. As your leading physician, I’m responsible for your health.” Olivia pleaded with misty eyes, “Keith, no one wants to show up in front of an ex looking miserable. I just want to part ways with him when I still look decent.” He recalled the furtive manner she hid the hair on her pillow and sighed. “Just stay warm.” “I’m only finalizing the divorce. It’ll be quick.” “I’ll drop you off.” This time around, she did not turn down his help. She was too preoccupied with getting the divorce done as soon as possible.

Checking her messages in the car, she came across one from Everly, whose boyfriend flew home in an attempt to save the relationship and even made a scene at her workplace. Everly had no choice but to take a long leave to avoid his harassment.

That explained why she was nowhere to be seen for the past few days.

Much to Olivia’s surprise, Ethan sent her a bunch of text messages as well, and in some of them, he resorted to threatening her with Jeff’s wellbeing if she did not reply to him. She dismissed his actions as his urgency in seeking a divorce, which she’d soon grant him.

At the same time, the private detective Lee Coover did his job and sent files he’d organized to Olivia. The information showed that Jeff had been very close with Jodie Ferguson because he spent a third of his time meeting up with her monthly.

Surveillance footage captured him staying the night at Jodie’s place frequently.

Not only that, he transferred money to her on multiple occasions and even registered a car worth a million dollars under her name.

Olivia was rather disturbed by the information. The interest that Jeff showed in Jodie and the amount of money he sent her were inappropriate. It was odd for a wealthy middle-aged man to show such concern for a female who was young enough to be his daughter.

On one hand, Olivia acknowledged that Jeff, who did not remarry, needed his needs met after her mom abandoned them, and she never questioned him on that. Just like other children, she revered her dad.

Even when she knew that Jeff had his desires, she couldn’t picture him sleeping with that young woman. From then on, her opinion of him changed a little.

Since Jodie was dead and Jeff was in a coma, Olivia had no choice but to assume they were lovers. Given that Jeff had always been kind and generous, he must have cared for and doted on Jodie, who was way younger than him.

Logically, he wouldn’t have hurt the young lady.

If so, why would Ethan want revenge against the Fordhams?

Lee proved his capability with the extensive information he gathered within three days. Olivia paid part of the deposit and asked him to look into Jodie’s cause of death.

After staring at the phone for a while, she felt a little nauseous, her head filled with images of the surveillance footage.

Before this, she had faith in her dad’s moral character, but after viewing the footage, she started having doubts.

The city had been enveloped in snow, where darkness lurked underneath the pristine sheet of white.

When they arrived at the City Hall, Keith pulled over and held the car door for her, like the gentleman he was. In his eyes, she wasn’t doing much better than she was days ago; she was as fragile as a porcelain doll.

“Be careful now. Go slow. The streets are slippery, so be on a lookout so that you don’t slip.” Olivia flashed him a grateful smile. “Keith, you’re fussing over nothing. I will be careful because I want to stay alive, more than anyone else.” At least, she wanted to hang on until she arrived at the truth.

Letting go of his hand, she turned around and immediately locked eyes with a man seated in a black car across the street.

Ethan’s piercing gaze was fixed on her hand that was held by Keith moments ago. The death stare sent a shiver down her spine, for she knew what he was capable of.

Even if he hated her, he would never allow another man to touch her. That was why she refused Keith’s offer to help.

Sensing Ethan’s burning gaze on her back, she hurriedly dismissed Keith, “Don’t you have a surgery to perform? I’ll get a cab home when I’ve settled the divorce. You should leave.” “There’s no rush. The surgery is in the afternoon. I’m worried about leaving you alone.” Panicked, she put on a sour face. “I’m not related to you in any way. Aren’t you worried that people might gossip about us if you keep helping me out?” “I wouldn’t have helped you if I were concerned about gossip.” “Well, I am. Keith, even if my relationship with Ethan has ended, I am still legally married to him. I don’t want to be the center of gossip. Please leave me alone.

My life is none of your business in the first place.” Then, she left him behind with an air of indifference. Although Keith came from a family of doctors that were quite notable in the city, the Rogers were no match for the Millers.

Olivia didn’t want to cause a misunderstanding, which might result in Ethan giving Keith trouble.

Feeling frustrated at her abrupt departure, Keith thought over her words. She wasn’t wrong. He did not have the right to stay by her side.

It wasn’t until he left that he noticed an ultra-luxurious car parked by the street, and he instantly put the pieces together.

Smiling helplessly, he understood that Olivia, still deep in love with Ethan, did not want to cause a misunderstanding. He turned the steering wheel and left the scene.

Meanwhile, in the black car, Kelvin felt a pair of eyes staring at his nape. He was too afraid to turn around and take a look. He jolted in his seat when Ethan let out a scoff, and he stammered, “M-Mr. Miller.” “What an eyesore.” Kelvin was close to tears when he heard the remark. “I’ll get out of the car and let Brent take over.” Seated beside Kelvin, Brent glared at his obtuse little brother before giving Ethan a slight nod. “Noted on that, Mr. Miller.” With that, Ethan left the car and walked into the flurry of snow. Kelvin smacked himself on the head when he realized that Ethan’s remark was for Keith.

Standing in front of the City Hall, Olivia looked at the man who approached her with fear. Ethan’s black coat stood out in the snow. His good-looking features were blurred by the torrent of snow. The sight of him made her nervous.

He came closer and confronted her. “Are you getting a divorce because of that man?”

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Even After Death Chapter 17-Olivia lifted her head with a sarcastic smile on her lips. “What a smart question.

Did you forget that you were the one who wanted a divorce?” He ignored her jibe and inched closer with a threatening air. “Were you with him for the past few days?” At the close distance, she noticed the iciness in his bloodshot eyes, and his face contorted into an aggressive scowl.

She flatly denied, “No. He dropped me off because it was hard to get a cab on a snowy day.” Ethan smirked. “Olivia, don’t you know that you always stare upward when you’re lying? You haven’t changed that habit at all. Did you suddenly agree to the divorce after one year of dragging your feet, all because of that man? Did you vanish and leave behind your dad because of him too?” Olivia did not bother to cook up an excuse, knowing that it’d only be an insult to Ethan’s intelligence and make herself look guilty.

She swiftly steered the topic of conversation, “That’s not important. Let’s get the divorce over with.” He grasped her wrist to stop her. Even though he didn’t use force, she felt the pain shooting through her arm, causing her to frown at him. There was a streak of madness in his face.

He hissed coldly, “I thought that a divorce was the best punishment for you, but I have changed my mind.” Caught by surprise, she blurted out, “What did you say?” He gave her a wicked look. “I don’t want a divorce now.” He brushed his slender fingers across her cheeks. “Mrs. Miller, does that make you happy?” She would have been happy if he had brought her the news half a month ago.

After learning the truth, she merely felt sick at his touch. “Let go of me! Ethan, I want a divorce right now!” He lifted her without much difficulty. She was averse to his embrace, which was once her safe haven. “Let me go! Ethan Miller, are you crazy?” Putting aside the gender difference in strength, she was too weak from chemo to fight against him. Olivia struggled while he placed her in the backseat of the car, and by the end of it, she looked like she just had an intense workout.

Panting, she confronted him, “Ethan, what exactly do you want?” “What do I want?” Ethan loosened his tie, a mocking look in his eyes.

“Well, I want you to live in hell. Did you think I was stupid enough to set you free just for you to date another man? I underestimated you. You swore you’d never sign the divorce papers, but in no time, you started dating another man. Are you this thirsty?” Already grappling with a headache, Olivia felt a heartache upon hearing the insult.

Biting her lips, she fired back, “Didn’t you want a divorce too? Why are you acting up when I want to make it happen? You were the one who had an affair first. Why would you care if I want to date someone else?” Soon, she felt him lifting her chin, telling her with indifference, “Everyone in the world deserves happiness, just not you. Got it?” She looked into his wintry eyes that glimmered with threat. Then, she heard him muttering the brutal words, “I have the final say in our divorce.” When Ethan bent over her, the loose tie around his shoulders hung by both sides of her cheeks. Olivia noticed that his exquisite wool coat was perfectly smooth. He went about with his arrogant demeanor as though the people around him were nobodies.

Very soon, she would bear witness to his arrogance.

When their car weaved its way out of the barriers, she spotted a long queue of cars on the opposite side of the road. At the head of the traffic jam was a Porsche Cayenne that had crashed into the divider.

Wasn’t that Keith’s car? Olivia paled when she learned that Keith had gotten into a crash right after dropping her off. She screamed desperately, “Stop!” Kelvin was smart enough not to stop the car for her. Instead, he ignored her screaming and drove on. When she attempted to force the door open, Ethan yanked her by the wrist, and she fell into his arms. He mumbled lazily, “Why?

Do you feel bad for him?” “Are you crazy? Keith is only paying close attention to Dad at the hospital because we’re alumni! There’s nothing between us. Why did you do that to him?” He slowly brushed his fingertips against her cheek and said, “Oh, that’s because … the more upset you are, the happier it makes me.” Olivia clutched weakly onto Ethan’s shirt despite her rage. She tried to keep her focus and explained, “Ethan, my dad sponsored Jodie—no, Leia’s studies. Even if they had a relationship, I don’t believe that Dad would hurt her.” Ethan’s expression fell at the mention of Leia. The smirk on his face instantly turned into anger as he carelessly pushed her away. “You have no right to speak her name!” Olivia felt her back ramming into the hard car door. Already feeble, she now felt like she was about to fall apart.

She slumped in the corner, enduring the stabbing pain in her body. There were no more fight left in her to argue with him, so she closed her eyes and calmed herself down to reduce the pain.

Curling up in her seat, she felt thankful for putting on some blush and lipstick before leaving home to hide her sickly complexion.

Meanwhile, Ethan merely took Olivia’s silence as anger. He finally left her alone, but he struggled to calm down. When they arrived at the Miller residence, she was too frail to move.

Once Ethan was gone, Kelvin opened the car door and whispered, “Mrs. Miller, are you feeling unwell?” Before she could deny it, Ethan haughtily mocked her, “It’s an old trick. Did you think I’d feel bad for you if you acted like you were sick?” In the past year, Olivia had indeed attempted to gain his sympathy by acting weak. As a result, she had become the boy who cried wolf.

Ethan did not have the patience to wait for her and threatened, “You’d better get out now, or I’ll take it out on the Rogers family.” Olivia had just texted Keith but received no response, leaving her in the dark about the extent of his injury. She gritted her teeth and got out of the car.

When she stepped on the ground, she was instantly attacked by the biting cold.

She felt her legs giving away, and she tumbled over.

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Even After Death Chapter 18-Thankfully, Olivia did not fall over because Kelvin pulled her at the last minute.

She noticed Ethan standing not far away, apathetic.

He was unconcerned about her condition. But again, he might have mistaken her action as an attempt to gain his pity. Given his hatred toward her, she wouldn’t expect him to care.

It was Kelvin who inquired with concern, “Mrs. Miller, are you okay?” “I’m fine. It’s probably low blood sugar.” Olivia hurriedly made up an excuse before following behind Ethan.

The garden was covered in white after a night of snowing. The housekeepers were nowhere to be found, so no one was there to clear the snow.

The short walk from the car to the house made her pant. Fighting against the wind and snow, Olivia craved the warmth indoors.

Ethan stood by the door with a smirk on his face. “I have to give it to you. Your acting has improved.” Back then, in order to keep him by her side, Olivia had used up all ideas, including crying and throwing threats, which she never thought she’d resort to.

She felt the irony in Ethan’s remark, but instead of explaining herself, she chuckled. “Thanks.” She coldly walked around him to get indoors and immediately felt better, thanks to the warmth. Taking off the thick padded jacket, she poured herself a glass of water and leaned softly into the couch.

“So, are you getting a divorce or not?” “I’ll tell you when I’m getting a divorce. You will live here for now.” She sat there with a calm look on her face while toying with the hanging pom poms on her beanie.

“Ethan, you asked for a divorce on the seventh day after my preterm birth. Your urgency puzzled me for a while, but I finally got it after I came across that kid who looked like you. You wanted to leave me as soon as possible to start a family with Marina.” With a quiver in her voice, Olivia went on, “For one year, I stubbornly put aside your coldness and your betrayal by reminding myself of how good you had treated me in the past. I thought keeping a woman was just a phase you were going through and that I would always be your wife.

“I even thought that you had an affair because I wasn’t good enough. So, I was ready to change for you, and I was willing to overlook your mistakes. Come to think of it now, I was an utter idiot. When you were enjoying family time with another woman and your kids, I was hopelessly waiting for you in a lonely home.

“It took me a year to accept the reality and my foolishness. That’s why I’m letting you go. Seek your happiness or start your new family; it’s none of my business.” Olivia stood up and stumbled her way toward him, tears sliding down her cheeks. She stopped in front of him and examined the calmness he exhibited.

Seated upright and expressionless, he had an imposing air about him, as though he was a strict homeroom teacher who’d fly into a rage at any time.

In the past, he only reserved his coldness toward outsiders and treated her with tenderness. Before she knew it, she had become an outsider to him. There was no reason to cling to him anymore.

With her head hanging low, Olivia spoke with a rare despair, “We should let go of each other. How does that sound?” He felt a little sorry upon hearing the plea, and he noted the exhaustion in her expression, just like a solid dam that had given way after many years of enduring the raging waters. It crumbled into pieces, falling apart and vanishing into the floods.

Giving up was way easier than staying one’s ground. No one knew how long she had withstood the challenges before she gave up on her faith.

Olivia was right, though. Ethan wanted a divorce as revenge and also to legalize the status of his out-of-wedlock children.

Ethan was surprised to find that he wasn’t as happy as he expected when Olivia gave up on him after a year. “Giving up on you? Dream on! You will be staying here from today. Remember, you’re mine forever!” Olivia’s tears dripped onto Ethan’s face, which made him affected by her sadness. Frustrated, he took out his phone and showed her the photo of Keith in an ambulance.

“If you stay in touch with him, his family will meet the same fate soon. Olivia, you’d better forget about living a free life.” “You jerk! You should’ve come at me! Why did you hurt Keith?” Olivia wanted to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist. With a nasty look in his eyes, he growled, “You sure care a lot for him. Don’t forget that you’re still Mrs.

Miller as long as we aren’t divorced.” “I …” Before Olivia could say a thing, she was scooped into Ethan’s arms. He was blinded by anger as he threw her onto the bed.

Thankfully, she landed on the soft, custom-designed bed she had ordered and did not get hurt. Still, she could see stars after being rough-handled. Feeling sick, she slumped onto the bed and stared at him with fear.

He loosened his tie impatiently, seemingly possessed by demons. Then, he came to her with a cruel smile. “Liv, you were with him for a few days, weren’t you? Did he get intimate with you?” He sounded more perverted when he mentioned her nickname, which he hadn’t been using for a while. Goosebumps appeared over her skin.

Ethan was like a shackled beast, ready to break free and lurch at her at any time.

She shook her head and explained, “We’re just friends. Our relationship isn’t as filthy as you implied.” “Filthy? Hah!” Ethan snickered and dragged Olivia by the feet. She fought against the sickness in her body and struggled to break free, but they were like David and Goliath.

Little did she know that Ethan hadn’t slept well for a few days because he had been searching high and low for her.

Driven by hatred, he desperately needed to release his pent-up emotions. He took off her shoes and socks. After a year without sex between them, he felt an uncontrollable desire rising in him, which was reflected in his eyes.

Olivia knew that look too well and begged him with a shaky tone, “No, Ethan.

You can’t …”

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Even After Death Chapter 19-Ethan could easily crush Olivia’s dainty ankle in his grasp. He bent over her and slowly inched closer. Her terrified face and her aversion only fueled his desires.

Her heart pumping wildly, she roared at him fearfully and furiously, “Keep your filthy paws off me! I don’t want you touching me after you’ve slept with another woman!” However, he quickly shut her up with a kiss. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head relentlessly to free herself.

His hand traveled under her neck to hold the back of her head, forcing her to look up at him and receive the punishing kiss. His crisp breath was sickening to her, especially when she remembered that he might have kissed Marina before this.

Olivia mustered all her energy to shove him away and started heaving by the bed. When she was done, she noticed Ethan glaring at her with a grudgeful look.

She said unflinchingly, “I told you not to touch me. You’re filthy!” Ethan was simmering in anger. Olivia’s puking was an instant turn-off, and

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Even After Death Chapter 20-By keeping her diagnosis a secret, Olivia was making a bet with herself. If Ethan still loved her, she’d turn her death into her revenge against him. Even when she was dying, she wanted to make sure that he carried the guilt with him forever.

However, if Ethan did not love her anymore, it would be pointless to inform him about her diagnosis. Not only would she humiliate herself, but it’d also give Marina a good laugh.

With that in mind, Olivia left the bathroom and went downstairs. Madam Burgess had laid out a feast with many of her favorite types of food.

Olivia invited Madam Burgess to dine with her. The lady wiped her hands on her apron and served Olivia some soup.

“Here’s some fruit soup that Mr. Miller specifically asked me to make for you. I told you that he still cares about you, didn’t I?” The dishes were a little on the heavier and spicier side than what Olivia preferred. She erred toward the opposite of Ethan’s palate, who preferred bland dishes.

In the past, they always had different dishes for their meals to accommodate their different taste buds. Now that she was ill, she could no longer take heavy foods.

“Mrs. Miller, why aren’t you eating? I’m sure that my cooking is as good as before. When Mr. Miller has his meals at home, he’d ask me to make food with a little more spice.” Olivia shot her a surprised glance because she knew that Ethan couldn’t handle spicy food.

Madam Burgess must have read Olivia’s mind since she explained, “That’s why I said he still cares about you. Even when he’s not living with you, he wants me to make your favorite food. Back then, you had to force–feed him spicy food, but now, he eats them on his own.

“It was tough for him at first, I have to admit. He always choked on the spice and had to chug a whole gallon of water. But his spice tolerance has gone up lately.” Oh, the irony of it all! Ethan ended up trying spicy foods, which she had to give up because of her illness. Perhaps, that was why they would never make a good pair.

She dropped the topic and pestered Madam Burgess until the latter lent her a phone. Thankfully, she memorized Keith’s number. She quickly keyed in the number.

A wave of relief washed over her when she heard his voice. It would be her fault if something bad happened to him.

When Keith was greeted with silence, he cautiously prodded, “Olivia?” The car crash came out of nowhere, and he had pretty much pieced together the reason behind it.

“It’s me. Keith, I’m sorry I got you into trouble.” A hint of excitement crawled into Keith’s tired voice. “Were you being hard on me when we were at City Hall because you didn’t want to get me into trouble?” She struggled to understand what he was getting at. “Keith, I couldn’t call you because my phone was confiscated. How’s your injury?” “Don’t worry. I wasn’t hurt thanks to the airbag. Is he keeping you hostage? Do you want me to make a police report?” “He and I are legally married. There’s no way to report him for taking me hostage. Keith, I really appreciate what you’ve done for me, but you don’t need to worry about me anymore.

“Today’s crash was a warning from him. I know you’re just being nice to me, but I’m not worth that sacrifice. I feel more relieved now that I know you’re safe.

Well, goodbye for now.” Olivia quickly hung up, leaving Keith grinning foolishly on the other end. He was glad to know that she had directed the harsh remarks at him out of concern for his safety, not because she still loved Ethan.

After returning the phone to Madam Burgess, Olivia retired to the bedroom to rest. After falling asleep, she was woken up by Chapter 20 the sound of the door closing. She picked up the pungent smell of alcohol that made her sick in her stomach.

Before she could say a word, Ethan had thrown his jacket on the floor. She felt a weight on the bed, followed by his slurred whisper. “Darling, I’m home…”