Chapter 39
Ethan didn’t expose her horrible attempt at lying. He called out to her from the side of the dining table. “Come and eat. Wash your hands first.”
Rays of light from the chandelier fell on him. Without his suit and tie, the wooly cashmere sweater added a domestic warmth to him. Even his elegant face was less cold than usual.
He was wearing the apron she got him three years ago. It almost looked like nothing had changed.
Olivia went toward him smiling and saw that the table was filled with the spicy food she used to like. If he paid attention to what Madam Burgess had been making for her recently, he would realize that her palate had changed.
He no longer took notice of her like he used to. They tried so hard to revert to the life they had, but that life was far behind them.
A lot of things ended silently, like his love. The answer to everything now was silence and distance.
Although her stomach couldn’t handle spicy or oily foods, she had hoped for a feast like this for two years. So, she pushed through the discomfort and ate it.
Since her life was on a countdown, she appreciated every meal she had even more. It was one meal less for every meal she finished.
Ethan had known her for a long time. He could tell when she was faking happiness. It was obvious that she was forcing herself to be happy. Had his cooking skills depreciated after two years?
Ethan finally spoke to break the silence, “Is the food not up to your standards?”
“No, it’s great. It tastes exactly like how it used to. I was thinking about how long we hadn’t eaten together and how much longer we still have.”
The old Ethan would have said “forever“. Now, he stared at the snow outside the window and remained silent.
Olivia set herself up for that. Why would she ask such a dumb question?
One month was the last ounce of grace he could extend.
Before he could answer, she started to feel a piercing pain in her stomach. She hadn’t eaten spicy food in a long time. It hurt so bad that she was tearing up.
“I’m done. Please help yourself.” Olivia got up and rushed upstairs.
She vomited into the toilet severely. Looking at the globs of blood, she could tell that she didn’t have much time left. She had to seize every moment.
Olivia showered, avoiding the wound on her arm. She noticed that she was experiencing hair loss. However, stopping her treatments now would stop her hair from completely falling out.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Although she looked pale and sickly, her skinny face accentuated her eyes. At least, she could leave this earth beautiful.
Ethan was in the home office. Olivia knocked on the door and went in. He was wearing gold–rimmed gla*ses.
They both wore gla*ses. Keith looked elegant and cla*sy when he did, but Ethan looked fierce and severe. The gla*ses couldn’t hide the dangerous look in his eyes.
He looked up and then at her coldly. Olivia immediately said, “I want to see the auroras. You owe me a honeymoon. In Iceland.” Back then, she and Ethan had only signed the papers; they did not have a wedding. If anyone caught them together on camera, he would ask for it to be deleted. No one knew he was married.
Apart from the marriage papers, everything else a girl dreamed of–the wedding, the dress, and the honeymoon–never happened.
That was why Ethan pampered her greatly after they were married. It was as if he was compensating.
Ethan put down the pen he was holding, adjusted his gla*ses, and said in a low voice, “You know I’m busy at the end of the year. Plus, it’s hard to predict when the auroras will appear.”
He was trying to say that he couldn’t afford it.
It seems Ethan only ever married Olivia to take revenge for what happened to his little sister. While Olivia is plagued by her sickness, he holds her chin and says coldly, “This is what your family owes me.” Now, she has no family and no future.
Her father becomes comatose after a car accident, leaving her with nothing to live for. Thus, she hurls herself from a building. “The life my family owes will now be repaid.” At this, Ethan, who’s usually calm, panics while begging for Olivia to come back as if he’s in a state of frenzy …
