CHAPTER 4: BITTER TRUTH
749 Words
Chapter 4: A Bitter Truth
The moment the bedroom door closed, silence filled the room.
Olivia stood near the entrance while Theodore Carter loosened his tie.
Neither of them spoke.
The tension between them was suffocating.
Finally, Theodore turned toward her.
His eyes landed on the red mark on her cheek.
His expression darkened.
"My mother did that?"
Olivia laughed bitterly.
"Why ask when you already know the answer?"
Theodore frowned.
"Just answer the question."
"Yes."
The single word echoed through the room.
For a moment, Theodore said nothing.
His jaw tightened.
"You shouldn't have provoked her."
Olivia froze.
Then she laughed.
The sound was cold.
"Provoked her?"
Theodore's expression hardened.
"You know her temper."
"And that makes it acceptable?"
Theodore remained silent.
Olivia looked at him in disbelief.
"Your mother humiliated me in front of everyone. She compared me to Lena Reed for the hundredth time and then slapped me."
Her eyes burned with anger.
"But somehow that's my fault?"
"I didn't say it was your fault."
"You implied it."
Theodore ran a hand through his hair.
He was already irritated.
The dinner had been exhausting.
Now this.
"You and my mother have never gotten along."
Olivia stared at him.
"Do you ever wonder why?"
Theodore looked away.
He knew exactly why.
His mother never wanted Olivia as a daughter-in-law.
But he wasn't willing to admit it.
Olivia's heart sank.
Even now.
Even after seeing the mark on her face.
He still wouldn't defend her.
The room became quiet.
Then Olivia spoke again.
"Tell me something."
Theodore looked at her.
"What?"
"Why don't you marry Lena Reed instead?"
His eyes narrowed.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Olivia crossed her arms.
"Nonsense?"
Her voice shook slightly.
"Your mother adores her."
She took a step forward.
"She treats Lena like the daughter-in-law she actually wants."
Another step.
"You spend every family dinner sitting beside her."
Another.
"You defend her every chance you get."
Theodore's face darkened.
"Watch your words."
Olivia laughed.
"Did I lie?"
"No."
His answer surprised her.
Theodore looked away.
"My mother likes Lena."
"Likes her?"
Olivia scoffed.
"She worships her."
Theodore remained silent.
The silence only made Olivia angrier.
For years she had endured this.
For years she had watched Lena occupy a place that should have belonged to her.
And Theodore had never once done anything about it.
"Sometimes I wonder if the only reason you married me was because you couldn't marry her."
The moment the words left her mouth, the room fell silent.
A dangerous look appeared in Theodore's eyes.
"Take that back."
Olivia's heart trembled.
But she refused to back down.
"Why?"
Her eyes met his.
"Did I hit a nerve?"
Theodore took a step toward her.
His expression was frighteningly cold.
"You know nothing."
"Then explain it to me."
Olivia's voice cracked.
"Explain why your mother hates me."
"Explain why Lena is always welcome while I'm treated like garbage."
"Explain why every time I walk into a room, I feel like an outsider in my own marriage."
Theodore clenched his fists.
For the first time in years, he had no answer.
Because deep down—
He knew she was right.
Olivia looked away.
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"You know what hurts the most?"
Theodore remained silent.
"It's not your mother's hatred."
Her eyes slowly met his.
"It's your indifference."
The words hit harder than any slap.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The room was filled with heavy silence.
Then Theodore finally spoke.
His voice was low.
"You're jealous of Lena."
Olivia laughed.
A broken laugh.
"No."
She shook her head.
"I'm jealous of anyone who receives even a fraction of the respect that I never got from this family."
Theodore stared at her.
For the first time, he saw the exhaustion in her eyes.
Not anger.
Not resentment.
Exhaustion.
Years of it.
And somehow...
That bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
Without another word, Olivia walked toward the door.
When her hand touched the handle, Theodore spoke.
"Olivia."
She paused.
But she didn't turn around.
Theodore stared at her back.
For several seconds, he struggled to find the right words.
In the end, only one came out.
"I'm not close to Lena."
Olivia's fingers tightened around the doorknob.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
For the first time in years...
She didn't believe him.
And for the first time in years...
Theodore realized that perhaps he had given her every reason not to.
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