Chapter 3:
1555 Words
His earlier hateful expression was the real him. Now he was just pretending.
She inwardly mocked herself for being moved by his feigned affection and dutifully smiled at Grandpa Jakes. “Hello, Grandpa.”
Grandpa Jakes had been watching them since their arrival. Seeing their apparent intimacy, he was delighted and invited them to sit, asking Susan to prepare tea.
They hadn’t been seated long before Susan announced that dinner was ready.
After dinner, they chatted with Grandpa Jakes for a bit before heading home.
As soon as they left the old Taylor family house, Henry’s gentle demeanor vanished. His face hardened, and the coldness he had hidden during their visit reemerged.
He drove aggressively, and as they neared the alley, he slammed on the brakes, the screech of the tires echoing loudly. Silently, he motioned for her to leave.
His actions were so swift that Olivia barely had time to process them. Confused, she looked at him, her dark eyes questioning.
“What? You should know by now, I was only pretending for Grandpa’s sake. Did you really think I would drive you home?” Henry’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Olivia finally understood. He was ordering her out of the car.
As she hesitated, Henry’s voice grew harsher, “Get out of the car! Just thinking about you staying at my place disgusts me!”
Disgust? Because she had stayed at his house?
Olivia’s eyelashes trembled, her hand clutching her bag tightly.
She dared not move, fearing that any motion would bring tears to her eyes. She reached out, fumbling for the door handle, but couldn’t find it. Henry, impatient and unwilling to waste another moment, got out, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and ruged Olivia out. He shoved her away and slammed the door shut before returning to the driver’s seat and driving off without a second glance.
Henry’s strength was too great, causing Olivia to stumble back and collide with a street sign before stopping.
The sign was extremely hard, and the impact made Olivia’s back ache to where she almost cried.
She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and leaned against the sign with a stiff body, waiting for the pain to subside.
Slowly, she straightened up and walked towards the roadside. Henry’s car was long gone, replaced by a stream of traffic moving at varying speeds.
For some reason, Olivia suddenly recalled Henry’s behavior at the Taylor family dinner tonight. He had pulled out her chair, served her food, poured her favorite soup, and even carefully removed the fish bones when she was about to eat fish.
His image of a perfect husband who pampered his wife was so flawless that it made her dream of living with him and pleasing Grandpa, imagining a happy life together.
Seeing Grandpa satisfied and the Taylor family servants pleased, she wore a constant smile, appearing genuinely happy and content. But no one knew how tormented she felt inside.
She knew he was just acting.
Even though she knew it was all an act, whenever he treated her kindly, her heart couldn’t help but flutter.
Because she liked him.
She had harbored feelings for him for a while.
Even though he didn’t remember the struggle they went through to meet each other two years ago, she still liked him.
She feared her feelings were too obvious and would be exposed, so she could only torment herself, constantly reminding herself it was all just an act.
-
Olivia stood there, lost in thought, unsure of the time. By the time she hailed a taxi and got home, it was nearly eleven o’clock at night.
The living room lights were bright. Olivia thought the butler hadn’t gone to bed yet and thought little about it as she entered the house, entering the password and opening the door.
Upon hearing the noise, Olivia assumed it was just the butler and didn’t look up from changing her shoes. Halfway through, she heard a voice asking, “The young mistress is back?”
Olivia froze and looked up to see that it wasn’t the butler but the housekeeper, Susan.
Curious but not questioning, Susan provided the answer herself. “Young Mistress, you left your bracelet in the bathroom at the old house.”
She handed Olivia an exquisite pearl bracelet.
Olivia remembered taking it off before dinner while washing her hands, annoyed by how it got in the way. She had forgotten to put it back on when Henry called her to dinner: “It’s just a bracelet; you could have given it to me next time I went to the old house. You don’t have to come out so late.”
“Master couldn’t sleep and wanted to take a walk, so I brought it over,” Susan said, following Olivia into the living room.
“Did Grandpa come too?” Olivia frowned. Before Susan could reply, she saw the butler bringing a steaming cup of tea to someone sitting on the sofa. It was Grandpa Jakes.
“Grandpa,” Olivia greeted hurriedly.
“Hmm,” Grandpa Jakes took a sip of his tea, his voice muffled. After swallowing, he inquired about the lateness of your return.
Realizing something was off, Grandpa Jakes frowned and looked out the window. Not seeing Henry’s car, he asked, “Didn’t Henry drive you home?”
His tone grew more annoyed. “Has he been leaving you at home alone and staying out all night?”
“No!” Olivia quickly answered.
Henry had deliberately acted so well at the old house to make Grandpa Jakes believe they were getting along.
If Grandpa Jakes knew the truth, he would surely scold Henry, and Olivia would be the one to suffer the consequences.
Henry’s cruelty the previous month, forcing her to take the pill, was already a great humiliation. She couldn’t bear more.
Olivia quickly fabricated a story, smiling calmly at Grandpa Jakes. “Henry received a call about a company issue, so he had to leave.”
“Henry wanted to take me home first, but I wanted to take a walk, so he dropped me off near the community.”
Grandpa Jakes scrutinized her, but Olivia remained composed, leaving no room for doubt. “Henry always comes home when he’s free, Grandpa. You can ask the butler.”
The butler, sensing his cue, added, “Yes, sir, the young master always comes home when he’s free.”
“That’s good!” Grandpa Jakes’s face softened, standing up. “I came for a walk and it’s late, so I’ll head back now.”
Relieved, Olivia said, “I’ll see you out, Grandpa.”
Watching Grandpa Jakes’s car drive away, Olivia turned and went upstairs.
The butler handed her a cup of hot milk, then went out to lock the gate, only to see that Grandpa Jakes’s car hadn’t left yet.
Stunned, the butler stood still until Susan called out softly, “Ethan, the primary wants to see you.”
Approaching the car respectfully, the butler said, “Master.”
Grandpa Jakes didn’t mince words. “Is it true that Henry still comes home regularly?”
The butler hesitated, wanting to answer affirmatively, but Grandpa Jakes continued, “Even though Henry hired you, I can have you dismissed at any time. Think carefully before you answer.”
The butler hesitated, then finally confessed, “The young master does come home, but not every day.”
“Have you realized that you’ve been fired?” Grandpa Jakes interrupted.
Terrified, the butler remained silent before finally admitting, “The young master came home once.”
“That was the first day you went to New York,” the butler added, trembling.
Angry, Grandpa Jakes ordered, “Find Henry!”
Olivia, feeling exhausted after seeing Henry, collapsed on her bed without moving.
Not having showered yet, she rested a bit before reluctantly getting up to take a hot bath. While soaking in the tub, she realized she had forgotten to bring her underwear, so she got out to get it.
Closet across from bathroom. Olivia grabbed a set of underwear and headed back to the bathroom. Just as she took a few steps, the bedroom door was violently kicked open with a deafening bang.
Startled, Olivia trembled and looked back, seeing Henry standing at the door, his eyes bloodshot, staring at her.
He said nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line, his dark eyes filled with rage, and an angry glint in them.
Seeing Henry like this, Olivia didn’t even dare to breathe heavily, standing there frozen, their eyes locked.
The butler, hearing the commotion from downstairs, thought something had happened to Olivia and rushed upstairs, calling, “Miss,” but slowed down upon seeing Henry, cautiously greeting, “Mr. Taylor.”
Henry coldly ordered the butler to go back to their room and stay there.
The butler froze, his steps halting, worried for Olivia, but dared not disobey, “Mr. Taylor!”
“Leave!” Henry’s single word sent the butler scurrying downstairs.
With the door closed, Henry walked slowly towards Olivia.
Each step he took was deliberate, his footsteps silent on the thick carpet.
Henry’s approach filled Olivia with dread, making her want to flee.
Terrified, Olivia gripped the underwear tightly, her legs shaking as she tried to move.
- Writer
