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?”

“What do you think I’m afraid of?”Lucian’s expression softened as he tightened his hold around her.

“You’re my wife,the woman I swore to spend my life with.I’m afraid of you being angry,of you being sad,of something happening to you while you’re out,of you no longer being happy,of you not being the joyful,carefree Mrs.Rhodes you used to be.”

Happiness?She had known it once.

Before today,she had been happy,so much so that she had swallowed even the things she did not want to stomach with joy.

However,the moment her words slipped and the truth came out,that happiness vanished like a fleeting dream,leaving nothing behind.

Olivia blinked,the corners of her lips curving into a mocking smile.“If you care about me so much,then why did you doubt me so easily?Why did you turn on me just because of Miss Winslet’s words?”

“I was wrong,I was wrong,I know I was wrong.”Lucian held her even tighter as if that could undo everything.“All right,my dear wife,you’ve bought so many things and you’ve scolded me.No matter how angry you were,it should be gone by now,right?”

“There’s still a little left.”Olivia pulled a contract from her bag and held it out to him.“Sign this,Lucian.I don’t want a future where,if I ever have a child,you turn against me for another woman,leaving me and the child with nowhere to go.”

“How could that ever happen?”Lucian muttered,yet he signed his name without hesitation.

She did not know if he was simply too eager to appease her or if he truly was that guilty.Either way,watching him sign without a second thought,Olivia could not tell if she was the foolish one or if he was.

In the end,he did not even bother to read it carefully.With a swift stroke of his pen,Lucian unknowingly signed the divorce agreement hidden within the house purchase contract.

Something she had merely contemplated during the day was now effortlessly set in motion.Olivia found herself in a surprisingly good mood.

She did not refuse the elaborate spread of liver-nourishing dishes prepared for dinner.Even when Lucian got the urge to initiate intimacy later that night,she politely declined him politely without making things too difficult for him.

She had been so clear-headed that she wanted nothing but money and had no interest in anyone else.Yet,somehow,that alone was enough to be an eyesore to Cassie.

Two days passed.

After breakfast,as usual,Olivia went back to bed for some extra rest.

Out of the blue,Cassie called.“Mrs.Rhodes,I’m at Silvercrest Sanctuary right now.I wanted to get a peace charm for you and Lucian as my apology,but my car broke down on the way and I’m stuck here.Could you come pick me up?”

Olivia had no intention of going.

She was not stupid.

When they left the hospital,she and Cassie had been at odds.How could she possibly risk being alone with a woman so full of deceit?

However,Cassie was persistent."I understand.There was a misunderstanding between us that day at the hospital.It’s only natural that you wouldn’t want to come pick me up,Mrs.Rhodes.If you really don’t want to,I can find someone else.How about I just send the peace charm to your house later myself?”

Just send it to her house?

The surgery date had not arrived yet and the divorce agreement remained unsigned for the time being.She had no desire to taint her final days with the presence of a woman who despised her.

Reluctantly,Olivia agreed."Send me your location.I’ll head over now."

When she arrived,she spotted Cassie sitting leisurely in a pavilion on the mountainside,enjoying the scenery with a relaxed,contented expression.

Seeing that Olivia had actually come,Cassie’s eyes gleamed and her tone dripped with mockery.“You must really love Lucian if you’re willing to treat his half-hearted gestures as something precious and hold onto them like a lifeline.”

Olivia feigned ignorance."Where’s the peace charm?Didn’t you say you were getting one for us?”

Cassie pulled out the charm but did not hand it over.Instead,she held it tightly in her palm."Drop the act,Olivia.You’ve known about my relationship with Lucian all along,haven’t you?You know I’m his first love,his first kiss,his first night.You were just a stand-in,a temporary distraction for him while I wasn’t around.Now that I’m back,he doesn’t need you anymore,does he?”

Olivia had already prepared herself for anything,so her expression barely wavered."Well,now I know."

“Still pretending,”Cassie sneered,then suddenly tore the peace charm to pieces,raising her voice.

“Since you’re so aware,do you also know that I’m the one with liver cancer?Your so-called kindness?It’s nothing more than him treating you as the perfect,willing donor.He’s only putting up with you for now.But once the surgery is done,he’ll discard you like a stray dog without the slightest bit of mercy.”

Olivia had imagined countless possibilities,but she had not expected Cassie to expose everything so bluntly without even waiting for the surgery in four days.

Olivia’s expression shifted."You…do you want to die?”

“You mean about your liver?”Cassie let out a cold laugh and suddenly lunged,grabbing hold of Olivia.

Sensing danger,Olivia instinctively stepped back.

But it was too late.

Cassie charged forward,dragging Olivia with her as they tumbled toward the pavilion’s guardrail,perched on the edge of the cliff.

Realizing Cassie’s intent,Olivia’s eyes widened in horror."You’re insane!"

"I’m not the crazy one.You are."Cassie’s smile twisted into something vicious as she shoved even harder.

A sharp crack split the air,the sound of splintering wood,followed by the sickening noise of a body crashing through the broken guardrail.

Her body struck jagged,uneven rocks,each impact tearing through her clothes,slicing into her delicate skin.Warm,sticky blood smeared across the sharp edges,leaving behind burning,stinging trails.

She had no sense of time.Seconds stretched into an eternity,the relentless pain making it impossible to grasp how long she had been falling.Then,finally,everything stopped.

Olivia was in unbearable pain,but she forced herself to endure it.She reached out with difficulty,trying to find her phone to call for help.

However,the pain from her shattered bones and torn flesh was so overwhelming that she could not even lift her fingers.

In the depths of her despair,she heard Cassie’s low,delighted laughter.

“In one hour,Lucian will be here.Then you can ask him yourself,who matters more?You,his wife of ten years,or me,his first love,the one he has loved and lost?”

Olivia was so enraged she wanted to curse.

The moment she opened her mouth,a sharp,nauseating pain twisted through her chest,her heart,liver and lungs searing as though they were being wrung dry.

Not daring to act recklessly,she lay there,staring blankly at the sky.Even if Lucian cared about Cassie,he could not possibly ignore her.

He was not a fool.He should at least realize that if she truly wanted to act against Cassie,she would not have chosen such a sacred place where any harm to her enemy would only hurt her even more.

Time dragged on.Blood seeped from her wounds,her body growing colder.Lucian finally came.

"Dear..."Olivia struggled to breathe,forcing out a weak plea.

To her surprise,he walked straight past her and gathered Cassie into his arms,his voice filled with panic.“Cassie,are you okay?Are you hurt?"

Cassie’s face was streaked with tears,looking wronged and innocent."That day at the hospital,Mrs.Rhodes asked me if I would come to the operating room to support her.I thought…the surgery is only a few days away…I should apologize if I accidentally offended her that day.”

Her voice trembled as she continued,“So I knelt all the way from the foot of the mountain to the top,buying a peace charm from the famous spiritual store to bless her since I heard she is into that kind of stuff,but I never thought…she…”

Cassie’s delicate hands trembled as she slowly lifted the hem of her wide-leg pants.

The deep red and purple bruises on her knees stood out starkly amidst the scratches left by the jagged stones.

Lucian’s eyes instantly turned red with fury."Olivia!"

Olivia’s hazy consciousness was jolted awake by Lucian’s furious questioning.

She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek,forcing herself to stay conscious."It wasn’t me.I’m not that foolish and I have no reason to do this.”

“Who else could it be if not you?”Lucian snapped,his gaze filled with disgust and impatience.“Don’t think I didn’t notice the torn peace charm scattered all over the ground when I arrived.You’re still angry about what happened that day,aren’t you?That’s why you heartlessly ripped apart the peace charm that Cassie went through so much trouble to get,isn’t it?”

The weight of his accusations crashed down on her like the final snowflake that triggered an avalanche.

Olivia’s bloodshot eyes burned even redder than the blood trickling from the corner of her lips.

She knew.She knew Lucian would never save her.Even if he had the resources and the power to do so,he would not spare a second thought for her life.

Ignoring him,Olivia reached for her phone again.

She refused to sit here and wait for death.

They did not care whether she lived or died,but she did.

If Lucian would not save her,she would find someone who could.

It did not matter if it was the emergency services,Liora,or even the lawyer who had only received a deposit but not the full payment.Anyone was better than pinning her last shred of hope on Lucian.

"What?Nothing to say now?Feeling guilty?"

Before she could grasp her phone,Lucian kicked it aside,his cold,towering presence stinging more than the venom of a scorpion.“Don’t blame me for being heartless,Olivia.You know as well as I do that Cassie wouldn’t tear the peace charm.She wouldn’t lie about something like this.”

Before she could even argue,Lucian had already turned away,carrying Cassie in his arms.

As he walked off,he gave a final command without sparing her another glance."Don’t save her yet.Let her calm down and reflect on what she’s done.”

With the rustling of retreating footsteps,the last person who could have saved her hesitated for a moment,then followed after Lucian.

Olivia was left lying there alone.After a long time,she mustered the strength to crawl on her knees.

Even moving just a few meters felt as if it had drained half her life.

At last,she found her phone,which had been kicked far away.With the last of her strength,she reached for it only to discover in bitter disappointment that the screen had been shattered beyond repair.The device would not even turn on.

A wave of despair crashed over her,but she could not afford to linger.

She feared that Lucian truly would not return,that she would be left here to die.

Gritting her teeth,she forced herself forward,ignoring the sharp stones tearing into her already battered skin.Every movement sent fresh waves of pain through her,but she refused to stop.

Her determination was strong,but her body had reached its limits.

Leaving a trail of blood in her wake,she struggled forward until she became wedged beneath a slightly larger rock.That was when her body gave out completely.She could no longer crawl,nor could she even lift a finger.

All she could do was watch helplessly as the sky shifted from white to dusk,the mountain wind howling around her.Distant cries echoed through the night,sometimes near,sometimes far,as if whispering right beside her ear.

“Am I really going to die here?”

Cold tears slipped down her face.Unable to hold on any longer,Olivia finally lost consciousness.

When she awoke,she was in a hospital ward.

The moment she opened her eyes,Lucian stood up from his chair.His handsome face was clouded with a dark expression as he stared at her.

“Have you thought it through?”he asked.