At the engagement banquet, Mrs. Smith placed my favorite sweet and sour ribs in front of my younger brother.

She gave him a meaningful smile and said, “Eric, you’ve always had this habit, haven’t you? From childhood to now, you’ve liked to get ahead of your brother in everything.”

“But why is it that when it comes to something as big as marriage, you’re willing to come second?”

Eric Smith picked up the last rib and, with a provocative look, dropped it into my fiancée’s bowl.

“We’re not married yet, are we? Who knows who’ll end up first.”

Several uncles and aunts joined in with my father, talking and laughing.

They said Olivia White had originally been introduced to Eric by the family.

That I was shameless, that I had schemed to steal my brother’s girlfriend.

I was about to explode in anger when the woman at my side suddenly pressed down on my hand.

The next second, the entire table was overturned.

Soup and sauces splashed everywhere, covering the room.

The private dining room fell into a stunned silence.

Everyone stared at Olivia White in shock, unable to utter a word.

Only Eric slammed his chopsticks on the table and glared at her furiously.

“Olivia, what the hell do you mean by this?”

Olivia kept her face cold, stepping directly in front of me to shield me.

“It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just standing up for the man I love.”

“All these years, I’ve seen what kind of life Daniel has had in the Smith family.”

“I’ve never cared to associate with people like you, and I only came here today out of respect for him.”

“But if you dare bully my fiancé like this, don’t blame me for being rude!”

The White family was wealthy and powerful, and Olivia herself had immense resources.

These people dared to point fingers at me, calling me shameless.

But none of them dared to offend Olivia or the White family behind her.

My mother quickly calmed Eric, then hurried over with a forced smile to smooth things over.

“That’s not what we meant. We’re all family—eating together, joking around. It was just a joke, don’t take it to heart…”

Just as the atmosphere was starting to ease, Eric suddenly stood up and strode toward Olivia.

With a cold laugh, he splashed red wine across her face.

Then he yanked open her blouse and ran his finger across the faded tattoo on her collarbone.

His eyes gleamed with the mockery of someone convinced of his superiority.

“Say whatever you like, but the truth is, the only reason you’re with Daniel is to get back at me for dumping you.”

“Let me tell you, I’m not falling for it. Ten years ago, I didn’t want you. Ten years later, I still don’t!”

“You think parading around with this loser will scare me? Keep dreaming!”

With that, Eric shot me a scornful glare and stormed out of the room.

When his sneering voice faded away, only Olivia’s heavy, angry breathing filled the silence.

Everyone else held their breath, too afraid to move.

I didn’t hesitate any longer—I grabbed Olivia’s hand and led her outside.

In the dim light of the parking lot, Olivia suddenly lifted her head, her eyes unreadable in the shadows.

“Daniel, do you also think I’m only with you out of spite, just to get back at Eric?”

“Of course not.” I answered without hesitation.

Ten years.

Countless days and nights spent side by side.

So many moments of hardship and joy shared together.

How could I doubt Olivia’s sincerity because of a few poisonous words from Eric?

And yet, when I saw her absentmindedly rubbing at her wound, my heart still trembled.

Ten years had made me used to this quiet, reserved Olivia.

But I had forgotten—back when she was eighteen, Olivia had once loved someone with a burning intensity.

My uncle hadn’t been wrong: Olivia really had been introduced to Eric by the family.

They’d put it delicately at the time.

They said Olivia was withdrawn, had just transferred back from abroad, and might not adjust well. They wanted to find her a friend to keep her company.

No one knew her true identity.

But Eric, drawn by her beautiful face, had pursued her anyway.

Back then, Eric was the proud, arrogant eldest son of the Smith family, the star athlete of the entire high school.

He was like a blazing flame, wrapping Olivia in his heat.

And so easily, he melted through her icy shell.

The two of them fell madly in love, inseparable.

At the height of their passion, Olivia defied her family and had Eric’s name tattooed on her collarbone.

They promised each other that after graduation, they would get married.

Olivia was full of hope, even painstakingly preparing a grand proposal.

But when she went to find Eric, she discovered him with another woman in his arms.

Outraged, Olivia confronted him, only to be slapped hard across the face.

Pointing at her, Eric sneered,

“Olivia, it was just for fun. You didn’t really think it meant something, did you?”

“Look at yourself—besides being pretty, what do you have that’s special?”

“I’ve been bored of that face for a long time. If you know what’s good for you, get lost!”

Her pride as a young woman was shattered.

Her true feelings, crushed.

Olivia fell ill from the blow, murmuring his name even in her feverish dreams.

The entire Smith household dismissed the affair as nothing.

Only when the White family stormed over demanding answers did everyone realize—this delicate, beautiful girl was not just a pretty face. She was the only daughter of the White family, heir to the White Corporation.

Her family had deliberately hidden her identity, hoping she’d toughen up outside.

No one had expected her first taste of love to cause such a disaster.

My parents panicked.

They feared Eric would be implicated, so they hurriedly sent him abroad overnight—and pushed me forward in his place.

I still remember—it was my birthday.

For the first time in her life, my mother baked me a homemade birthday cake.

She smiled at me and said, “Daniel, you’re the older brother. You have to help your little brother.”

“Eric is still young. His whole life can’t be ruined because of Olivia.”

As a child, I had no power or courage to resist my family.

And so, on my birthday, I was tied with a bow like a gift and delivered to the Whites—to Olivia.

Olivia hated me. Hated the Smiths. Hated anything connected to Eric.

She called me worthless.

Threw vases at me, telling me to get out.

She mocked me as a fool, saying my eyes looked just as hateful as Eric’s.

But no matter how she treated me, I gritted my teeth and stayed by her side.

Until one day, Olivia saw Eric’s official photos online with another girl.

She was silent for a long time, then began drinking, glass after glass.

Drunk and reckless, she dragged me along for a joyride.

And as expected, it ended in a car accident.

The moment before the car exploded, I pulled Olivia out.

My own back was shredded and burned by the blast.

Olivia trembled as she held my blood-soaked body in her arms.

That day she cried for a long time before finally rasping out,

“Daniel, will you be with me?”

Of course I would.

Beyond the affection I already held, she was also the heir of the White family.

She needed someone to help her move on from her heartbreak.

And I needed someone to help me escape the abyss of the Smith family.

And so, we officially began our relationship.

After surviving a brush with death, Olivia grew calmer, more grounded.

Our love wasn’t as fiery or reckless as hers had been with Eric, but it was steady and happy.

She wanted to start a business—I joined her.

She wanted independence—I agreed without hesitation.

As a girlfriend, Olivia was flawless.

As a business partner, she was even more perfect.

Ten years passed.

We built our own company. Amassed enough wealth to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.

One ordinary afternoon, Olivia casually suggested,

“Daniel, let’s get married.”

I agreed.

And that led to the farce we endured today.

A click—the sound of a lighter cut through my thoughts.

Though she had quit smoking long ago, Olivia had somehow produced a lighter and a cigarette.

The small flame flickered between her fingers.

In the dim light, I couldn’t see her expression, only the rings of smoke curling from her lips.

I was about to speak when Olivia suddenly pulled me close and kissed me deeply.

Only when I was breathless did she reluctantly let go.

Pressing her forehead against mine, she said gently but firmly,

“Daniel, being with you in this life is my greatest blessing. From now on, let’s just live our own lives, and forget the Smiths.”

Relief washed over me.

I nodded, but before I could respond, my phone rang.

The caller ID: Eric Smith.

Olivia frowned, tapped the screen, and blocked the number.

Then she started the car, and we drove back to the mansion we now lived in.

That night, Olivia was unusually clingy.

Even in sleep, she held my hand tightly, refusing to let go for even a second.

By morning, the pillow beside me was empty.

The silent room echoed only with an impatient knocking at the door.

Still half-asleep, I shuffled to open it—only to see my mother standing there with a displeased expression.

The moment she saw me, she raised the platinum handbag in her hand and smashed it against my head.

“You worthless brat! What did you say to Eric that made him cry all night in his room?”

“Stealing Olivia wasn’t enough—you want to drive your brother to his death too? How can your heart be this cruel?”

“If you don’t apologize to Eric today, I’ll never acknowledge you as my son again!”

I’d heard these words too many times growing up.

When I was born, my parents were busy building their business, leaving me behind in the countryside.

By the time they were successful, Eric was already at their side.

To them, he was their son.

And I was nothing more than a piece of the past they’d rather not remember.

In that house, if Eric cried, it was my fault.

If Eric was tired, it was my fault.

Whenever anything went wrong, it was always my fault.