“Ms.Celestine,are you certain you want to proceed with our extreme weight loss retreat programs?The process will be grueling and may even take a toll on your body.Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

Olivia lowered her gaze,staring at the layers of fat that had accumulated around her waist,the weight she had deliberately gained for the liver donation surgery.She clenched her fists and nodded firmly.“Yes,I’m sure.”

After paying the fees and completing the necessary paperwork,she turned and walked out of the weight loss retreat.

The moment she got into the car,her manager’s call came through.

“Olivia,are you being serious right now?You expect to be in top shape for the annual show in three months?”

“Of course,”she replied without hesitation.“This show determines both your future and mine.How could I give up so easily?”

“But…”

“No buts,Liora.The Olivia who lost her mind a month ago is gone.Three months from now,I’ll give you a brand-new Olivia Celestine.”

Hanging up,she crossed the bustling street,her eyes landing on a massive electronic billboard featuring elegant,slender models.

That used to be her when she was 5'8"tall,110 lbs.

Now,she was 5'8"and 130 lbs.

What could have made her gain 20 lbs in just one month?What had turned the beloved star of the fashion world into someone even she could barely recognize?

It was Lucian.

For four years,he had cherished her like a rare gem,swearing that as long as she wished,he would stay by her side forever,loving only her.Lucian Rhodes was the perfect,devoted husband.

He coaxed her to eat,held her in his arms as they slept,adorned her with luxurious clothes and jewelry,spared no expense to support her career and even hired an elite nutritionist to ensure her health and beauty.He did everything to keep her happy,radiant and thriving.

So when he was diagnosed with liver cancer and his aging parents were unsuitable donors,her first instinct was to get tested.To share her liver,her life,in return for his unwavering love.

Determined to meet the surgical requirements as soon as possible,she forced herself to eat four to five meals a day,consuming high-calorie,meat-heavy dishes.She believed that once she gained enough weight and completed the surgery,they would grow old together,just as he had promised.

Unfortunately,fate had other plans.It was then that she overheard a conversation between him and his childhood friend.

“Olivia?Heh!She might look clever,but she’s just a naive fool.”

“The liver cancer is obviously Cassie’s,but she convinced herself that it was mine and rushed to donate her liver to me.”

“If I had known she had to gain weight for the donation,I never would’ve agreed.It’s not that I don’t care about Cassie,but I have to think about myself too.How could I possibly be attracted to a woman who looks like a fat pig?”

“But my parents believe she’s in great health and looks just like Cassie.They say we should use her to carry a child as soon as possible.That way,Cassie won’t have to endure childbirth and risk her health,yet she’ll still have a child that resembles us.”

“That does make sense,but Cassie and I have been apart for so many years.Now that we’ve finally reunited,I don’t want to wait any longer.I just want to take care of her and be with her,day and night.”

It felt like a torrential downpour,crashing over her,drenching her to the bone.Olivia felt frozen,cold from head to toe,inside and out.

How could this be?

She was the woman Lucian had pursued for three years,loved for another three and cherished in the palm of his hand for four years of marriage.A decade of devotion.A decade of love.

And Cassie Winslet?She was merely the girl next door,a childhood playmate who left for overseas studies at eighteen,who was never even bothering to attend their wedding.If not for her heart condition requiring a quiet recovery,she would not have packed up and returned to this country as an old acquaintance.

So why had Cassie suddenly become the so-called precious,irreplaceable first love of his life?

And why was Olivia nothing more than a stand-in?A tool whose sacrifice,even down to her liver and an unborn child,was deemed unsightly?

A sharp sting rose in her nose,her vision blurred with unshed tears.She clenched her fists,swallowing the sobs threatening to break free.

Then,slowly,she curled her lips into a mocking smile.

Lucian wanted to play with her?Fine.She would return the favor.

She had been foolish enough to offer her liver willingly,but if Lucian could be so ruthless,so heartless,so undeserving of her love…

Then,he was unworthy of her liver.

By the time Olivia returned home,night had already begun to settle in.

From the kitchen,Lucian poked his head out,flashing her a gentle smile.“You’re back?Dinner’s ready.Go wash your hands and eat.”

The table was filled with carefully prepared dishes,stir-fried spinach,shrimp with broccoli,pig’s trotters stewed with soybeans,yam and pork ribs soup.All nutritious,all beneficial for liver health.

And all things Olivia hated.

If Lucian did not have to,he would not touch them himself.Yet,every day,he coaxed her to eat,going so far as to take over the cooking himself.

He always said she had sacrificed so much and she needed to be well nourished.Only when she had enough strength and blood would she suffer less when the surgery came.

For a time,Olivia had been touched.A man as busy as Lucian,a man who was supposedly sick himself,still found the time to personally take care of her meals.Three times a day.

But now,she knew the truth.His so-called affection was a lie.His careful attention was not for her sake.It was for Cassie’s liver.He was simply afraid that any slight deficiency in her health would affect the success of the transplant.

Looking at the familiar face she had loved,trusted and been deceived by for seven years,a bitter taste rose in Olivia’s throat.

“What’s wrong?Did someone upset you?”Lucian immediately noticed her shift in expression and took her hand,his voice full of concern.

“Were you unhappy while shopping today?Don’t be sad,okay?”

He paused,then coaxed softly,“Olivia,I promise you,once the surgery is over and you’ve recovered,I’ll arrange a diet plan for you.I’ll help you lose the weight and get you back on the runway,shining like before.Okay?”

The reason Lucian first brought up weight loss after surgery was because she had struggled to fit into the clothes she was trying on.At the time,Olivia had laughed it off as a joke.

She had once thought he said it out of guilt,out of respect for her sacrifices.

But the truth was,he only cared about whether she was pleasing to the eye.

To him,she was nothing more than a tool for childbirth.Her body,her health,the strain of repeated weight fluctuations,none of it mattered.As long as she could conceive,that was enough.

A wave of nausea surged within her.Even sitting at the dinner table suddenly felt pointless.Tilting her head slightly,she withdrew her hand from his grasp.

“Oh?So I can return to work,right after the operation?Didn’t your parents say they were worried about your health?Didn’t they insist I should have a child as soon as possible to avoid any future regrets?”

Lucian’s expression froze for a split second,a rare moment of hesitation.

In the next breath,he smoothed it over as if it had never existed.“That won’t affect weight loss,Olivia.I know you don’t talk about it,but deep down,you still care.”

Olivia did not respond.She simply picked up her chopsticks.“Enough.Let’s eat.The food will get cold.”

That night,they shared the same bed,yet it felt as if a vast distance stretched between them.

By morning,the space beside her was empty.

Lucian was gone.No explanation,no arrangements left behind.

On the nightstand,a love note lay neatly pressed under a small trinket.In the kitchen,a pot of pork liver porridge that was carefully prepared was still warm.

Without hesitation,Olivia crumpled the note,tossing it straight into the trash along with the porridge.Then,she straightened her back,steadied her breath and set out to meet with her lawyer.

She had chosen Evander Vaughn,Hazelbourne’s top attorney,a man known not just for his legal prowess but also for his long-standing grudge against Lucian Rhodes.

Perhaps it was that very grudge that fueled his efficiency.Overnight,Evander had combed through every asset under Lucian’s name,meticulously identifying what rightfully belonged to her.By morning,a finalized divorce agreement lay before her,neatly detailing the division of property.

The amount was substantial.Enough for her to live comfortably,whether she chose to work or not,whether she ever remarried or not.

Somehow,with that,the bitterness in her heart felt a little lighter.

Smiling faintly,she signed the papers,already thinking of how best to coax Lucian into doing the same.

Suddenly,her phone rang.Lucian’s voice came through the receiver.

“Olivia,do you have time right now?Can you go to the hospital and stay with Cassie?Her mother has something urgent and I have a meeting,so I can’t step away.She gets scared when she’s alone.”

It was just liver cancer.It would not kill her overnight.And yet,he was asking his wife to keep his precious first love company.

A sharp,mocking smile curled on Olivia’s lips.“All right,”

Cassie had been back for quite some time now,lurking in the shadows under the guise of an old friend.

It was about time they met.Olivia wanted to see with her own eyes just how much effort had gone into weaving this grand lie.

With a cool detachment,she slipped the divorce agreement into a drawer,grabbed her car keys and headed to the hospital.

When she pushed open the door to the hospital room,the first thing she saw was Cassie lying on the bed with a pale face.

As expected of Cassie Winslet.The woman Lucian had longed for all these years,the one he refused to let go of even in the face of illness,was unsurprisingly breathtaking.

At first glance,her features bore a certain resemblance to Olivia’s,yet their temperaments were worlds apart.

Cassie was a woman born into wealth,cocooned in luxury,untouched by hardship.She had spent her life sheltered,unburdened by the struggles of ordinary people.

Olivia,on the other hand,was just a small-town girl who had fought her way up after making a name for herself in a modeling competition.Even after marrying into wealth,she never abandoned her career.

With no powerful connections or influential background,she carved out her place in the industry through sheer talent and relentless effort.

Strong and independent,Olivia had always stood tall until Lucian’s illness made her set aside her pride.She willingly put her career on hold,believing in a future where they could share both hardship and happiness.

But he trampled on her sincerity.

“Miss Winslet.”With a flawless smile,Olivia lifted her gaze,her long lashes fluttering as she spoke smoothly.“It’s been a month since your admission.Has the doctor mentioned how your recovery is going?Do you know when you’ll be discharged?”

Cassie was momentarily stunned before shaking her head.“In another half month,”she said.“The doctor said that by then,I should have recovered enough to be discharged.”

The liver transplant was scheduled for a week from now.

That meant she would rest for another week post-surgery,aligning her discharge date perfectly.No one would find anything suspicious.Her timing was impeccable.

Olivia’s smile deepened with sarcasm.“Since Miss Winslet will be discharged in half a month,that means you’ll have enough strength to cheer for Lucian and me during our liver transplant surgery.You’ll be outside the operating room,supporting us,right?”

If Cassie was standing outside,how could she possibly sneak into the operating room to take Olivia’s liver?

Cassie’s expression stiffened for a moment before she quickly composed herself,though a hint of displeasure flickered in her eyes."It depends on my condition at the time,”she said cautiously.“If my health allows,I’ll definitely be there.”

She could not even tolerate such a trivial inconvenience,yet she secretly coveted her liver.

Suppressing her disgust,Olivia reached out,gently taking Cassie’s hand and patting its back."Miss Winslet,don’t worry.With parents who adore you and Lucian,who treasures you so much,I’m sure you’ll recover quickly and be discharged from the hospital with us.”

She deliberately emphasized with us and Cassie Winslet deserved every bit of it.

Cassie’s jaw tightened.She wanted to pull her hand away,but Olivia seemed particularly persistent today,sticking close,showering her with affection and slipping in sharp-edged words masked with warmth.

Cassie was furious inside.

Suppressing her frustration,she finally turned to Lucian the moment he entered the room,pouting slightly as she spoke."Lucian,can you take me downstairs for a walk?I’m afraid I’ll tire Mrs.Rhodes.I haven’t dared to drink too much water all afternoon because I didn’t want to trouble her,even I avoided going to the restroom.”

Lucian adored Cassie,so how could he bear to see her suffer even the slightest grievance?His expression darkened as he instinctively stepped in to shield her."What’s going on?I asked you to take care of Cassie,Olivia.Is this how you look after her?”

Olivia had long known that Lucian would never take her side,but witnessing his blatant favoritism firsthand still sent a sharp ache through her heart.

She lifted her reddened eyes to meet his gaze."Lucian,we are husband and wife.I’m even willing to donate my liver to you.Yet you can’t give me even the smallest bit of trust?Would you rather believe an outsider over me?Are you really going to pick a fight with me over someone else?"

"Cassie isn’t…"He almost blurted something out but stopped himself,drawing in a deep breath to compose his tone.

"Olivia,I know you love me,but no matter how much you do,you can’t act like this and cause unnecessary trouble.Do you want Cassie to laugh at you?She’s already unwell and people who are sick can’t handle distress.If you neglect her,it might worsen her condition.How am I supposed to explain that to her or to the Winslet Family?”

He had to answer to everyone.Everyone mattered except her.

Who told her to be so stubborn,so foolish?She knew perfectly well that the Rhodes Family had the means to find a more suitable liver match that would not cost them anything beyond money.Yet she had still volunteered,making herself the most convenient sacrifice.

"Believe what you want,but I did not neglect Miss Winslet."Tears welled in Olivia’s eyes,but her voice remained steady as she pointed toward the nurse’s station outside.“If you refuse to trust me,then ask the attending nurse.When she came to check the ward,I specifically asked Miss Winslet if she needed water or if she wanted to get up and move around."

Cassie’s expression shifted."Lucian…"

Olivia said nothing more.She just turned and walked away.

“Olivia,wait…”Lucian’s voice followed after her,carrying an uncharacteristic tremor of unease as if he had finally sensed something slipping beyond his grasp.

But before he could take a step toward her,a soft,delicate voice held him back.“Lucian,I’m hungry.Could you buy me some chicken soup from that old restaurant back then?Remember how we used to sneak out for it before we went abroad,skipping the food at home?It’s been so long and I really miss it.”

She strode into the elevator.

No hurried footsteps followed.No familiar voice called out to stop her.Lucian did not chase after her and Cassie’s soft,irresistible pleas did not echo in the corridor.Olivia’s seemingly unshakable heart gradually steadied,settling into a cold calm.

Of course.Cassie and Lucian were a perfect match,running toward each other without hesitation.

Then,she had no reason to feel guilty about leaving before the surgery.They would get exactly what they deserved.

This was the outcome she had planned for,the result she wanted.And yet…why?Why was there still that dull,uncontrollable ache buried deep in her chest?

Perhaps it was because everything had started so beautifully,only to crumble the moment they disagreed.Seven years of companionship and not even a trace of it remained in Lucian’s heart.He could remember sneaking out for chicken soup with Cassie when they were students,yet he never once noticed when Olivia skipped lunch waiting for him.

She allowed herself a brief moment of disappointment,but she had more important things to do and she would not let something so trivial wound her.

After locking the car door,she pulled the divorce agreement from her bag and gave it another look.Then,for the first time in a long while,she indulged herself.She went to a hot pot restaurant she had been craving for ages but never dared to eat too much at,savoring every bite.

Satisfied and full,she swiped the unlimited supplementary card Lucian had given her,buying luxury items with stable resale value and a new house.

By the time she returned home,Lucian was already there,sitting on the sofa,waiting for her.

The moment he heard her footsteps,he rushed to meet her.“Olivia,you’re back.”

Without sparing him a glance,Olivia turned away.

Lucian’s expression shifted slightly as he reached out and grabbed her arm,pulling her into his embrace.Without a word,he held her tightly,trapping her in his arms.“You’re still angry,Olivia.I called you so many times this afternoon,but you didn’t answer.I was worried…and scared.I thought you wouldn’t come back tonight,that you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

His deliberately softened tone carried a hint of grievance,but to Olivia,it was nothing short of laughable.

She struggled to break free,but his grip was firm.Placing her hands against his chest,she tried to put as much distance between them as possible.“Weren’t you full of confidence when you were putting me in my place?What are you so afraid of now?”