A Forbidden Love with My Ex-Husband's Uncle

Marriage terms

Olivia's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind? You show such disrespect for your new wife, and yet you expect me to play along as your pretend spouse?"

Ethan's expression turned severe, his voice lowering with a hint of threat.

"I don't think you understand your position, Olivia. If you disagree, I'll make sure your family's finances collapse within a day. Everything your parents have worked so hard for will disappear. Is that what you want?"

Olivia felt her blood run cold. She knew Ethan had the power to follow through on his threat. She swallowed hard and slowly nodded. "Fine," she said in a small voice. "I agree to your terms."

Ethan smiled smugly, "Very good, my dear bride." Then he turned and left the dressing room.

This scene was something Olivia hadn't anticipated. Before the wedding, she had heard that Ethan was a very promiscuous man. But she never imagined that her husband would be so blatant, doing such an outrageous thing at their wedding. It showed complete disregard for her family and her.

She quickly composed herself; on such an important day, she didn't want others to see her looking foolish.

As she pushed open the dressing room door, intending to leave, she unexpectedly collided with a solid chest.

With a soft "oof," she clumsily fell into the man's arms.

The man frowned slightly, steadying Olivia before saying coldly, his handsome face impassive, "Please be careful, madam!"

Feeling extremely embarrassed, Olivia kept her head down and said softly, "Thank you!"

Chapter 2: The Honeymoon

The man didn't respond, choosing to turn and walk away directly.

Olivia looked up, seeing a tall figure with broad shoulders accentuated by a well-tailored suit and short brown hair.

"Oh, dear, where are you going?" Ethan's mother, Evelyn, stared at Olivia with concerned eyes, her tone carrying a hint of complaint.

"I apologize, everyone. I'm late," Olivia bowed politely in apology.

"It's alright, my beautiful wife. You're right on time," Ethan said, wrapping an arm around Olivia's waist. He respectfully introduced her to the man across from them, "Uncle Charles, this is my new wife, Olivia."

Charles Hayes nodded briefly, his gaze resting on Olivia for a moment.

Olivia suddenly realized that the person she had carelessly bumped into earlier was Ethan's uncle. A look of surprise crossed her face. The man looked so young; who could have guessed he was Ethan's uncle?

For a moment, she was dazed.

Evelyn frowned, disapproving of Olivia's second display of poor manners that day.

She whispered in Olivia's ear, "Dear, what's wrong with you? Hurry up and greet Charles."

Olivia quickly snapped out of it and nodded to Charles Hayes, "Uncle Charles, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Charles, who already disliked social occasions where everyone wore a mask of hypocrisy, saw the new bride's nervousness and frowned at Evelyn. "Dear sister, we're family. There's no need for so much formality. Let the bride relax. Don't frighten her."

Hearing Charles say this, Evelyn immediately put on a beaming smile and pretended to be courteous, "Of course, Olivia, you don't need to be so nervous."

Ethan also smiled, pulling Charles towards a group of guests at the other end of the room.

Olivia finally breathed a sigh of relief, taking a small sip from a glass of lemon water offered by a waiter.

Nearby, snippets of conversation drifted from a group of female guests passing by.

"That's Charles Hayes, Ethan's uncle. The most eligible bachelor in the city!"

"I heard he's a workaholic. No woman has ever caught his eye."

"Hmm, and there hasn't been a single woman by his side for years. He had a girlfriend three years ago, but I heard she betrayed him and eloped with another man. Since then, work has been the only thing in his eyes. What a shame. Half the eligible women in this city would give anything to get close to him."

Olivia glanced at her husband and Uncle Charles, who were standing in the distance. If her husband was already dazzlingly handsome, Charles was the epitome of perfection. Deep-set eyelashes, chiselled features, a tall figure, and an air of nobility in every gesture.

Olivia thought to herself, no wonder the women in the city were really into such an exceptional man.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, awakening Olivia from her slumber. As consciousness slowly returned, yesterday's events came flooding back like a tide – the perfect wedding, Ethan's mother Evelyn's harshness, and the surface marriage contract Ethan had proposed.

She sat up abruptly, her gaze sweeping around the unfamiliar room. She was alone.

This was the main suite of the Hayes mansion, a room synonymous with luxury. She lay on a California king-size bed dressed in silk sheets and a fluffy down comforter. A crystal chandelier hung from the panelled ceiling, catching the morning light and scattering rainbows on the walls. Carefully curated antique furniture was placed throughout the spacious room.

Olivia gasped as she walked across the warm marble floor towards the en-suite bathroom. This bathroom was more significant than the living room in her family's villa. A freestanding bathtub that could easily accommodate four people occupied one corner, while a seamless glass-enclosed shower took up another.

Elegant gold fixtures adorned the double vanity along one wall, topped by a mirror spanning its entire length.

Olivia quickly freshened up and then headed downstairs. She found Ethan in the kitchen, already dressed despite the early hour, sipping an espresso and scrolling through his phone.

"Good morning," Ethan looked up. "Ah, you're up. Good. We need to discuss the terms of our arrangement."

Olivia's mind cleared a bit. This wasn't a dream after all.

"As I mentioned yesterday," Ethan began, setting down his phone, "this is a marriage of convenience. However, we must maintain the image of a happy couple in public. This means attending events together, occasionally displaying affection, and presenting a united front to our families and outsiders."

When Ethan described their marriage as a "contract," Olivia didn't object. She paused for a few seconds before speaking, "As you wish, Mr. Ethan Hayes, but I have some conditions of my own."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. In his eyes, Olivia was hardly able to set conditions, but he was also curious about what absurd demands this woman might make. So, he patiently asked, "Oh? Hmm, you can tell me your conditions."