On the day Olivia went to get her diagnosis, she learned she had cancer. The doctor said she had less than six months to live. Olivia calmly returned home and prepared divorce papers. In another two weeks, she would leave this home that didn’t belong to her for good. Olivia silently counted down the days, waiting for the day she could leave. This time, she would not forgive again. She no longer wanted Ethan or her family. “You have leukemia, which is blood cancer. Here is your diagnosis.” Looking at the glaring words on the paper, Olivia actually felt relieved. She calmly accepted the diagnosis. “How much time do I have left?” The doctor sighed. “Six months at most.” After a moment of shock, Olivia stood up to leave. The doctor quickly called out to stop her. “Miss Hayes, if we can find a matching bone marrow donor, there’s still hope.” Leukemia was a well-known cancer. Olivia knew a bone marrow transplant could save her life. But her family might not be willing to get tested as potential donors. Thinking of this, Olivia gave a self-deprecating smile. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you.” “But you’re so young, only 29 years old.” The doctor tried to persuade her a few more times out of sympathy. Seeing Olivia’s silent demeanor, he didn’t say anymore. Olivia put away the diagnosis and called a taxi. Outside the car window, heavy snow was falling, slowly blurring her vision. When she got home, the place was still cold and empty. Ethan was probably “working overtime” again. He used to at least send her a message to let her know. But ever since his old flame Sophia returned from abroad, He couldn’t even be bothered to send a single text. Olivia sat quietly on the sofa in the dark, gazing at the lights of the city outside. For the past 2000 days, she had always waited for Ethan to come home. Today was supposed to be her and Ethan’s wedding anniversary. Yet today she received notice that she had terminal cancer. Olivia didn’t know if it was herself or this empty marriage that was more pathetic. She had waited for Ethan for five years now, and didn’t want to wait anymore. Olivia pulled out the divorce agreement she had drafted two months ago and messaged her lawyer. “Mr. Davis, I’ve decided to go through with the divorce. Please help me draft another divorce agreement.” The reply came quickly. “Alright, same terms as before?” “Yes, but I want to finalize the divorce as soon as possible.” “The fastest we can do now is one month. Let me draft the agreement and we can set up a time to meet.” “Okay.” “By the way, are you sure about this decision?” Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before Olivia typed a single word. “Yes.” In an instant, Olivia felt like she had lost all her strength. She put down her phone and stared blankly out the window. As long as Ethan agreed to the divorce, she could be free of this marriage in a month. One month… That would be enough time for her to get her affairs in order. Her marriage to Ethan had been an accident. Ethan was the one who proposed to her. At the time, Sophia had left him to go abroad. Olivia knew he had feelings for someone else, but she still agreed to marry him. After all, he was the only person who had been kind to her after her grandmother passed away. Even though he was as cold as ice after they got married and hard to get close to. But Olivia kept telling herself, Ethan was different. As long as she was good enough to him, even the hardest ice could be melted. All this time, her relationship with Ethan wasn’t exactly loving, but it was normal. But less than a year after Sophia returned, his icy exterior had melted into sharp blades. Cutting Olivia over and over until she was bloody and broken. She was truly exhausted. She didn’t want to be entangled with him anymore. As she was lost in thought, she heard the sound of the door opening. The lights were turned on. She shielded her eyes from the sudden brightness and heard the familiar sound of shoes being taken off. “Why are you sitting in the dark?” Hearing Ethan’s question devoid of any real concern, Olivia only replied with two words. “Didn’t feel like it.” Ethan paused briefly as he was taking off his coat. She seemed a bit strange today. But he only thought about it for a moment before continuing to change. Olivia looked at him and called his name seriously. “Ethan.” Ethan responded with a noncommittal “Mm” without even looking up. The response was more like that of strangers than familiar spouses. “Let’s get divorced.”
Ethan finally looked at her. “Don’t be ridiculous.” With those simple words, he dismissed her statement as a joke. “I’m serious.” “I had four surgeries today. I’m exhausted.” In the past, whenever he brought up work, it was a signal for Olivia to be quiet. Ethan unbuttoned his sleeves and walked into the living room nonchalantly. She caught a whiff of Sophia’s favorite plum blossom perfume. Olivia felt nauseous. She closed her eyes briefly and continued speaking. “I’ll draft a divorce agreement and let you look it over. If you don’t have any—” Olivia’s words were cut off by a ringtone. “Little White, answer the phone! Little White, answer the phone!” Sophia’s voice came from Ethan’s coat pocket. Little White was the nickname Sophia had given Ethan. A nickname she had used since middle school. An intimate nickname that only Sophia used for him. Ethan glanced at Olivia. “I didn’t know the ringtone changed.” His explanation sounded perfunctory. When he answered the phone, his voice became exceptionally gentle, a complete contrast to just moments ago. “Sophia, what’s wrong?” It was always like this. Sometimes Olivia couldn’t tell who was really Ethan’s wife. After hanging up, Ethan looked down at Olivia. “Sophia has a low fever today. She said she’s craving your pumpkin porridge.” Olivia gripped her pants leg tightly, looking at him in disbelief. “Ethan, do you know what time it is?” The clock on the wall showed it was past midnight. Ethan replied flatly, “You’re a freelancer, unlike us. It’s fine if you sleep in tomorrow.” Olivia gave a self-deprecating laugh. She was an illustrator, so her time was indeed quite flexible. But that wasn’t a reason for Ethan to order her around. Apparently her health meant nothing in his eyes. Olivia took a deep breath, staring at him intently. “Ethan, let’s set that aside for now. Can you please respect me? I’m trying to talk to you about divorce.” Ethan’s cold expression finally changed as he frowned. “Sophia is sick. Olivia, be sensible.” Ethan looked at her like she was being unreasonable. Olivia struggled to breathe. She used to love his eyes the most. She could still remember the first time she saw Ethan, sitting on her family’s garden wall holding a cat, glancing back at her. Those clear yet cold eyes. One look was enough to capture her heart. One look was enough to make her fall in love hopelessly for thirteen years. Only now did she realize she had fallen in love with an idealized version of Ethan that she had created in her mind. “You didn’t come home for five days, and now you want me to cook for Sophia as soon as you’re back. Ethan, am I really the one being unreasonable?” Faced with her questioning, Ethan replied nonchalantly. “It’s just one meal, you’re being petty. Olivia, Sophia is your stepsister.” How ridiculous. Every argument in the past Always ended with that line. She’s your stepsister. Those words were like a curse. Hanging over Olivia’s five-year marriage. Olivia laughed coldly, looking at Ethan with increasingly unfamiliar eyes. The difference she thought existed turned out to be no difference at all. Ethan was no different from her family. “Ethan, remember this – her last name is Lewis, my last name is Hayes. I don’t have any random stepsister, and I don’t need anyone to assign me a stepsister!” She spoke each word clearly and forcefully. Ethan’s eyes flashed with disbelief. “Olivia, why are you acting like a shrew?”
Five years. She had thought that even if five years of marriage couldn’t earn his love, it could at least earn his respect. But she had overestimated herself. Olivia wanted to ask him. Ask how he could say such cruel words. Ask what she had done wrong to deserve such torment from him. Olivia opened her mouth, but her throat felt stuck. She lowered her eyes, her voice hoarse. “I’ll have the divorce papers drawn up.” Ethan walked past her towards the kitchen. “I’m very tired today. I don’t want to argue with you.” Watching Ethan roll up his sleeves in the kitchen, Olivia turned and went back to the bedroom. Listening to the sounds from the kitchen, Olivia felt a pang in her heart. Ethan had germaphobia and never cooked. Only now did she realize that germaphobia could be selective too. Olivia wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t have time to be sad now. Besides divorce, there were many other things she needed to do this month. Olivia took out paper and pen, thinking about what she needed to accomplish. After finishing these tasks… She wanted to see the ocean. The winter beaches of Florida must be very warm. Embracing the sunshine as she left this world would surely be painless. Thinking this, Olivia smiled for once. As Olivia closed her notebook, she heard Ethan’s voice. “I won’t be coming home tonight.” Only then did Olivia remember her test results were still outside. She hurriedly ran out, bumping right into Ethan. Ethan scrutinized her face. “What are you in such a rush for?” Olivia tried to appear calm as she grabbed her bag. “Nothing, just getting my bag.” Ethan pressed further: “Really nothing?” He felt Olivia was acting very strangely today. Olivia glanced at him: “Aren’t you going to deliver porridge to your mistress?” Taken aback, Ethan turned to grab his coat by the door. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing between Sophia and me.” After he left, Olivia finally let out a sigh of relief. Ethan cared a lot about his image. If he knew she was sick, he would definitely refuse to divorce her just to save face. She and Ethan lived next to the downtown hospital. But she hadn’t gone there for her checkup. Because Ethan was a surgeon at the downtown hospital. And Sophia had started working in pediatrics there this past year on his recommendation. Ethan didn’t like her going to the downtown hospital to find him. To avoid causing Ethan trouble, she had chosen to go to the district hospital 10 miles away. But thinking about it now, Even if she had gotten checked at the downtown hospital, Ethan probably wouldn’t have noticed. Few people at the hospital knew about their relationship. Olivia carefully hid away the test results. She couldn’t let anything get in the way of the divorce. It was very late now. Olivia curled up in bed, exhausted. Tomorrow she still had to go back to her family home. The Hayes mansion wasn’t far. Only an hour’s drive from where she lived with Ethan. After getting married, she rarely went home except for holidays. Olivia looked at the neatly trimmed garden in front of her and rang the doorbell. She had come today to retrieve her grandmother’s jade pendant.
A few minutes later, someone came out from inside. It was Olivia’s brother, Ryan. Seeing Olivia, his expression was surprised and strange. “Why are you here?” It didn’t sound like how one would greet a sister they hadn’t seen in a long time. More like seeing someone they disliked. Olivia was already used to it. “I need to see Mom about something.” Ryan hesitated before opening the door. “Come in, Mom’s in the living room.” After entering the yard, Olivia immediately noticed the newly planted flowers. Winter jasmine filled nearly half the garden. It was Sophia’s favorite flower. That area used to be where she had planted red camellias to please her father. Now there was no trace of them left. Noticing her gaze, Ryan said, “Sophia likes winter jasmine. Dad had them planted.” It sounded like an explanation, but was really just informing her. After all, none of her things mattered in the Hayes household. Olivia looked away. “Oh.” Ryan gave her an odd look. In the past, Olivia would have been hurt hearing things like this. Why was she so calm today? Ryan tried to detect some signs of distress on her face, but found none. Before she even stepped into the living room, laughter could be heard. Her mother Linda was holding up a finished cheongsam, comparing it to Sophia’s figure. “Frank, look, how’s the cheongsam I embroidered for Sophia?” Her father Frank nodded appreciatively. “Beautiful. The yellow winter jasmine embroidery is very elegant.” Sophia smiled and linked arms with Linda. “Mom’s handiwork is the most beautiful. I love everything she makes!” Linda looked at Sophia with loving eyes. “Such a sweet talker.” Sophia liked wearing handmade cheongsams. Linda felt the ones sold outside weren’t good enough, so she had been making them herself for Sophia for many years. Sophia was in her thirties but still acted like a child, pouting. She held up the dress and twirled around. “Ethan, will this dress look good on me for New Year’s?” Only then did Olivia notice Ethan sitting on the sofa, hidden by the wall. Ethan looked up at Sophia with a smile. The misty blue sweater made him look especially gentle. Where was any trace of how he acted in front of Olivia? “It looks good.” Hearing Ethan’s warm voice, Olivia felt a stabbing pain in her heart. He had never complimented her on looking good. Not even once. The scene before her eyes was warm and loving. Just like a real family. Ryan coughed. “Dad, Mom, Olivia’s back.” Everyone’s smiles froze. Linda turned and made eye contact with Olivia. Linda’s eyes darted away, then she spoke awkwardly. “Olivia’s back.” Her tone was distant and polite, completely lacking the affection she showed Sophia. Frank sat up straight, not even sparing Olivia a glance. “What are you here for?” That tone of voice made her sound like the outsider. Then again, other than sharing the Hayes name, she was nothing like the Hayes family. Sophia waved the cheongsam and smiled at her. “Sis, this is the one I asked Mom to make for me. Don’t think too much of it.” Hearing this, Frank snorted coldly. “Your mother can make dresses for whoever she wants. Does she need Olivia’s permission?” Sophia’s eyes flashed with smugness. It was always like this. A few words from Sophia and the family would despise her. In the past she would argue back, but now she had no energy for it. Ethan watched the silent Olivia, feeling confused. Olivia wouldn’t usually be this indifferent. What was wrong with her today? Olivia suppressed the pain in her heart and walked forward. “Dad, Mom, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” “Nonsense, how could Mom ever find you a bother.” Linda went to take Olivia’s hand but was avoided. Linda’s smile froze on her face as she awkwardly withdrew her hand. Olivia didn’t want to exchange pleasantries and stated her purpose directly. “I came today to take back the white jade pendant Grandma left for me.”
Sophia was Olivia’s stepsister. She was also the orphaned child of Frank’s deceased war buddy. When Sophia was three, Frank’s comrade stepped on a landmine while trying to save Frank and died. His wife committed suicide soon after. Frank felt extremely guilty and took the initiative to raise Sophia. He even brought Sophia to live with the Hayes family. The Hayes weren’t particularly wealthy, but could easily afford to raise another child. But Sophia had trouble getting along with Olivia. So they sent Olivia to live with her grandmother in the countryside. The white jade pendant Olivia’s grandmother left was specifically meant for Olivia. At the time, Linda was very distraught over her mother’s passing and cried while holding the pendant. Olivia felt bad for her mother and gave her the pendant. But Linda had also said that whenever Olivia wanted it, she could come take it back. Linda nervously smoothed her hair. “Olivia dear, why are you asking about the pendant as soon as you arrive? Why don’t you catch up with everyone first?” In the past, she always cared about them when she came back. But did they appreciate it? As soon as Sophia returned, they never spared her a single glance. It was they who trampled on her concern, not her who didn’t give it. Linda’s demeanor made Olivia suspicious. “Mom, where’s the pendant?” Linda couldn’t meet her eyes. Sophia’s clear voice rang out. “Sis, do you mean this pendant?” Sophia pulled out the pendant from her neckline. “I didn’t know it was from your grandmother. I thought Mom bought it for me.” Olivia’s body trembled as she looked at Linda. “Mom, that’s the pendant Grandma left for me!” Linda tried to explain. But before she could speak, Frank interrupted. “What’s yours or mine? Olivia, don’t you understand? If Sophia wants the pendant, are you really going to fight her for it?” Olivia felt it was getting hard to breathe. She could give up everything else. But this was Grandma’s pendant! She and her grandmother had relied on each other for over a decade. The pendant was the only thing her grandmother left behind! Frank continued to berate her. “You dare raise your voice at your parents over a mere pendant? Where are your manners?” “That’s right,” Ryan chimed in from the side, “It’s just a pendant, what’s the big deal? Olivia, you’re being too petty.” “Enough,” Linda pulled on Ryan’s arm and said to Olivia, “Your sister likes it, so just let her have it.” Olivia looked at the silent Ethan. Ethan felt uncomfortable under her gaze. His eyes moved to the pendant in Sophia’s hand. He had some impression of that pendant. The first time he met Olivia, she was holding that pendant. But Olivia owed Sophia too much. Ethan spoke flatly: “It’s just a pendant. If Sophia likes it, let her have it.” Olivia looked at the people before her, feeling they were complete strangers. “Just a pendant?” She suddenly laughed. Her grandmother had been her only family until she was sixteen. “That was left to me by my grandmother! What right does she have to take it?!” “She’s your sister!” Olivia shouted with all her strength: “She’s not!” Hearing Olivia say this, Frank’s eyes widened in anger. Olivia didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Dad, for Sophia’s sake, you sent me away and ruined my future. Now you want to give her my pendant too? You owed your war buddy! I don’t owe anyone anything!” Back then, Sophia wanted to study medicine abroad while Olivia was about to start college. There was enough money for both of them to study. But to give Sophia a better life, Frank gave her double the living expenses. At that time, Olivia had just passed the art exam. But Frank told her to stop studying art. To continue learning to paint, she begged many times. Frank remained unmoved. Having his sore spot poked, Frank stood up from the sofa and slapped Olivia hard across the face. “What are you doing!” Linda pulled Frank back and went to Olivia. “Olivia, your father didn’t mean it. Be the bigger person and apologize to your father. Let’s put this behind us.” Linda always tried to smooth things over like this. Her actions made Olivia feel utterly helpless every time. “You knew that was from Grandma, why did you give it to Sophia!” Olivia grabbed Linda’s hands, forcing her to look at her. “Mom, that was from Grandma! I’ve already given up everything else, why do you have to take away my last memento?” Linda was at a loss for words. Sophia spoke up from the side. “Sis, don’t blame Mom. It’s all my fault. I’ll give it back to you.”
“Nonsense!” Frank glared at Olivia. “If you dare take back the pendant today, I’ll disown you as my daughter!” “Olivia, you’re making it very difficult for Mom.” “Don’t be angry.” Sophia comforted Linda. “Sis, don’t make Mom and Dad argue. The family’s finally together, let’s keep the peace.” Sophia came to stand in front of her, blocking the view of the others in the room. She dangled the pendant, speaking softly so only Olivia could hear. “If I’d known this was your grandmother’s keepsake, I never would have wanted it.” “How unlucky.” With a flick of her fingers, Sophia dropped the pendant on the floor. The sound of the pendant shattering echoed in Olivia’s ears. She was speechless for a moment. Sophia feigned surprise and covered her mouth. “Oh no, Sis, I didn’t mean to. Why did you push me?” Olivia crouched down shakily to pick up the broken pieces. When she stood up, she saw everyone staring at her intently. Afraid she would do something. Ethan even stood up to shield Sophia. Olivia had originally wanted to make a scene. But now she was truly exhausted. She silently put away the pendant fragments and stared at Ethan, enunciating each word clearly. “Meet me at the civil affairs office on Monday. Let’s get divorced. I’ll set you free. And I wish you two all the best getting back together.” Ethan felt his heart skip a beat. Could it be… she found out? Before anyone could speak, Olivia turned and ran out into the rain. “Olivia, take an umbrella.” Linda stood in the living room holding an umbrella, but Frank snatched it away. “What umbrella? This little rain won’t kill her. Look at her, daring to fight with her sister over a broken pendant. Is this the good daughter you raised?” Linda stood by the door, sighing repeatedly. Ethan was in a daze for a moment before noticing the small bloodstains where the pendant had shattered. Just as he was about to go after her, Sophia suddenly grabbed his sleeve. “Ethan, did I do something wrong? Why does my sister hate me so much?” Ethan comforted her: “Sophia, it’s not your fault.” When Ethan looked back, Olivia was already gone. It was just a small injury, she should be fine. Thinking this, Ethan helped Sophia back to the living room. Olivia didn’t get a taxi until over 10 minutes after leaving. Once in the car, the driver handed her a dry towel. “Miss, dry yourself off so you don’t catch a cold.” Olivia took the towel. “Thank you.” The driver tried to console her as he drove. “These days, there’s nothing that can’t be overcome. Just hang in there and it’ll get better.” The driver’s words made her shed a few tears. She used to believe that too. But now she couldn’t hang on anymore. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Mr. Davis. “Ms. Hayes, I’ve drafted the agreement. Do you have time to meet tomorrow?” “Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Davis. Let’s meet tomorrow.” The phone showed the location – a cafe near her home. Mr. Davis’ law office wasn’t in that area. And tomorrow was Sunday. It seemed he had added an extra workday for her sake. She had first asked Mr. Davis to draft divorce papers six months after Sophia returned. She had gone back and forth, hesitating many times since then. Mr. Davis understood better than anyone how reluctant she was to let go. But he was also the one who most often advised her that she needed to let go. Ethan’s coldness towards her was obvious even to strangers. She had been too foolish and naive before. Always thinking that boy who had helped her in her times of need would eventually fall for her.
The next day, Olivia received the divorce papers. Looking at the large words on top, Olivia felt a bit dazed. “Ms. Hayes, as you know, there’s a 30-day cooling off period for divorce now. After that, as long as both parties agree, you can finalize the divorce.” Olivia nodded and placed the papers on the table. “Thank you for taking the time to help me on a weekend.” Mr. Davis sighed and gave a wry smile. “It’s nothing. If I can help you escape this misery, I’ll have done a good deed.” Just then, an accusatory voice suddenly sounded behind Olivia. “Olivia, what are you doing here?” Olivia turned around to see Ethan and Sophia. Sophia’s gaze swept over her and Mr. Davis. “Sis, are you on a date?” Those words seemed to strike a nerve with Ethan. He walked over and grabbed Olivia’s wrist. “So this is why you’re not home on weekends? To come see him?” No wonder Olivia had talked about divorcing him. Olivia wrenched her wrist free and turned to apologize to Mr. Davis. “I’m sorry, Mr. Davis. You can leave first, I need to deal with some family matters.” “You… Sigh.” Mr. Davis looked at Ethan. “Mr. Hayes, I’m just Ms. Hayes’ lawyer.” With that, Mr. Davis got up and left the cafe. People around kept glancing their way. Olivia spoke quietly to Ethan. “Let’s go home and talk. Don’t make a scene here.” Ethan was about to say something but Olivia cut him off. “Don’t you care about your reputation, Dr. Hayes?” They lived near the downtown hospital. This cafe was often frequented by hospital staff. Ethan cared a lot about his image. Hearing Olivia say that, he didn’t speak further. After returning home, Olivia took out the divorce papers. “Tomorrow, let’s go to the civil affairs office to get a number and apply for divorce. In a month, you’ll be free.” Her words didn’t make Ethan happy, but seemed to please Sophia. However, Ethan first asked Sophia to leave. “Sophia, go home first. This is between me and my wife.” Sophia’s expression stiffened momentarily before returning to her gentle demeanor. “Okay, talk it over with her properly. Don’t let her misunderstand us. Divorce is a big deal, tell her not to be impulsive.” Olivia laughed coldly. Even as she was leaving, she still had to verbally attack her. After Sophia left, Ethan sat down on the sofa and looked over the divorce papers. For a long while, he didn’t speak. His gaze moved from the papers to Olivia. “You really want to divorce me?” Ethan noticed the jade pendant on the table, glued back together over and over. “Just because of a pendant? Sophia didn’t mean it, I can buy you a new one to replace it.” Olivia looked at him calmly and asked: “In what capacity will you replace it? As my husband, or as Sophia’s ex-boyfriend?” “Sophia is right, you’re still being impulsive.” Ethan tossed aside the divorce papers. “Olivia, you were the one who drove Sophia away from us back then.” Olivia was stunned. When had she ever driven Sophia away? “You forced Sophia to leave, telling her to let me go to you. Sophia told me everything when she came back.” “Do you know how much Sophia suffered abroad all these years? You owe Sophia.” Ethan’s words were like knives, cutting into her already wounded heart once again. Olivia looked at Ethan with difficulty. In his heart, she was actually so despicable. “Sophia doesn’t blame you for her leaving, and I won’t blame you anymore either.” He spoke as if he was granting her great mercy. “I didn’t…” The words of explanation died in her throat. What was the point of explaining now? He firmly believed this “old story”. In his eyes, she was the sinner. A sinner’s words would not be believed. Olivia paused, then suddenly asked him. “Ethan, do you know what happened the day Sophia returned?” Ethan frowned in confusion: “What happened?” That day was their fourth wedding anniversary. Ethan had promised to come home after work to be with her. She had wanted to tell him they were going to have a baby. But Ethan stood her up. She waited for him in the heavy snow for four hours. She was holding the ultrasound results when she fell on her way to find him. The baby was gone. The baby she had waited four years for. Gone.
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