Before marrying Ethan Zhou, a friend asked him who was the woman he had loved most deeply in his life. He lit a cigarette and was silent for a few seconds before replying: “She’s married now. It wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” “So… you’ve been with Olivia for so long, but you’ve never had feelings for her?” Ethan gave a casual laugh: “She’s demure, obedient, and from a good family. She’s the most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou.” The day before the wedding, the demure and obedient bride-to-be woke up in the best man’s bed. Her eyes still hazy with desire, she said: “Lucas, I really like this wedding gift.” Lucas smiled and pulled her into his arms: “If you like it so much, shall we… go another round?” As I entered the elevator, I glanced up at my reflection. My skin was radiant, my features delicate, but my eyes were dark and intense. At first glance, I had an unremarkable appearance. But when I smiled… Dimples would appear at the corners of my mouth, adding a touch of charm. I thought of what my best friend Katie had said: “You’re really glowing these days.” “Don’t you feel like you’re in great spirits lately, getting more and more beautiful?” I couldn’t help but gently touch my face. The wedding was just three weeks away. I was going to marry Ethan Zhou. That undisguised happiness was like bubbles overflowing from a soda bottle. Bursting in tiny explosions, filling my entire heart. I walked out of the elevator with a light step. The door to a private room nearby was half open. The sound of laughter grew louder. I had returned to the city a day early without telling Ethan. I wanted to surprise him. My heels sank into the soft carpet, Muffling my footsteps. No one in the room noticed me outside the door. They were laughing and chatting animatedly. “Oh yeah, Ethan, you still haven’t answered my question from earlier.” “In all these years, how many women have you truly, deeply loved?” “Remember, we agreed to tell the truth. You can’t lie even a little bit.”
I instinctively stopped in my tracks. Even my breathing unconsciously became quieter. Ethan had his back to the door. I could only vaguely see his profile. He lit a cigarette and was silent for a few seconds. Then he slowly spoke: “One.” “How deeply did you love her?” Ethan gave a soft laugh: “Back then I almost cut ties with my parents for her.” “I was even prepared to live a life of poverty with her.” “I lived with her in a tiny rented apartment for three months, eating instant noodles until I wanted to vomit.” “I sold my watch to buy her a birthday gift. She got angry and scolded me, then cried and threw herself at me to kiss me.” His voice got lower and lower: “I watched her lose our child at a small clinic.” “At that time, I really, really wanted to marry her.” “Damn, who was she? To make you love her that much?” But Ethan just shook his head: “She’s married now. It wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” After saying that, he picked up his glass and drained it in one gulp. Then he poured himself another full glass. “I saw her once last year. She wasn’t doing well.” “I gave her some money. We stayed in a hotel for three days.” “When we parted, she cried.” Ethan drank another glass of wine and said quietly: “At that time, I almost wanted to break off my engagement with Olivia.”
I leaned against the wall, feeling a chill seep into my body. Last year when he unexpectedly disappeared for three days, I remember it clearly. I was so worried, I barely slept for those three days. But while I was sick with concern for him… He was spending three days and nights in a hotel with his old flame. I nearly retched and vomited. “So… you’ve been with Olivia for so long, you really never had feelings for her?” He leaned back in his chair and gave a casual laugh. “She’s pretty, obedient, and from a good family. But she’s dull and uninteresting. She’s the most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou.” “True, you really can’t find any faults with Olivia.” “It’s precisely because you can’t find any faults that she’s boring.” “If you dislike her so much, why don’t you just call off the engagement?” Someone suddenly spoke up, their tone mocking. “Lucas?” Ethan sounded a bit surprised. Lucas gave a cold laugh: “After all, it’s her family that’s marrying up to your Zhou family. What are you afraid of?” There was a moment of awkward silence. Someone quickly tried to smooth things over. “The wedding date is already set. There’s no point talking about this now.” “Besides, Olivia is a great girl. Ethan, that’s all in the past now.” “Come on, let’s drink and not bring up old stories.” Ethan frowned: “Did you eat gunpowder or something? Or is your dad pressuring you to get married and you’re taking it out on me?” Lucas put down his glass: “You think I buy into that marriage bullshit?” “Then where’s all this anger coming from?” “How about I find you a girl to help you blow off some steam?”
Lucas also smiled: “Sure, but you’ll have to find one I actually like.” “Tell me, what kind of girl do you want?” Lucas leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxed and carefree. “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t be able to find her.” But Ethan seemed to get fired up: “I’ll definitely find her for you today, just tell me.” Lucas slowly raised his eyes to look at Ethan. Unlike Ethan’s refined handsomeness, Lucas exuded a raw, untamed masculinity that was even more intoxicating than the strongest liquor. “As it happens, she’s married too.” Ethan froze for a moment, then cursed under his breath: “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Lucas didn’t say anything, just gave a self-deprecating laugh after a while: “Forget it, let’s drink.” He poured a full glass and downed it in one go. The conversation picked up again, the topic smoothly changed. In the end, I didn’t push open the door to go in. Confrontation, arguments, entanglements. None of it would make any difference. The men would think it was all just pre-wedding jitters, no big deal. The elders would think I was making a fuss over nothing, that nothing was more important than the two families joining in marriage. I stumbled along the carpet. Until I got into the elevator and leaned against the cold wall. But Ethan’s words still echoed in my ears. She’s pretty, obedient, dull, uninteresting. The most suitable person to be Mrs. Zhou. I suddenly laughed silently, looking at myself in the mirror again. My features were still delicate, but my eyes no longer sparkled. No matter how hard I tried, the dimples wouldn’t appear at the corners of my mouth again. This was the bland, plain Olivia Zhang. The demure, obedient Olivia Zhang with no personality or temper. The perfect marriage tool cultivated by the family. A tool whose joys and sorrows no one would care about.
At 5 pm, Ethan drove over to pick me up for dinner. My parents were all smiles, warm and happy. My sisters watched me come downstairs wearing new jewelry, excited and envious. Ethan had sent over this set of jewelry specially this morning. The wedding was in just three weeks. Everything was progressing smoothly according to plan. If I said I wanted to call off the wedding now, Both families would immediately brand me the villain. I looked at Ethan. He was still handsome and charming, elegant and unrivaled. His eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at me. My best friend once told me, “It’s good enough if men are willing to act.” “It’s best if they can keep up the act for a lifetime.” “Because in the end, all love and marriage turn out the same way.” “Olivia.” Ethan held out his hand to me. He was smiling, but deep in his eyes was coldness. “When I first saw this jewelry set, I knew it would suit you perfectly.” He took my hand, his eyes full of admiration. I let him hold me, saying a proper goodbye to my family. He gentlemanly helped me into the car. Then we went to that overpriced restaurant with mediocre food. But halfway through the meal, His phone suddenly vibrated. I watched him pick up his phone, his expression changing slightly. My heart knew exactly what was happening. Seeing through his pathetic act and my own pitiful situation.
I put down my fork and knife and asked softly, “Is something wrong?” “I’m sorry Olivia, it’s something at the company…” He trailed off, looking at me with a somewhat troubled expression. As if waiting for me to say what he wanted to hear. “Then you should go, the company matters are important.” He frowned and glanced at his watch, then said, “It’s not urgent, I should take you home first.” “It’s fine, you go ahead. I was planning to do some shopping with Katie anyway.” Ethan seemed to let out a small sigh of relief. “Alright then. Make sure to let me know when you get home.” As he said this, he stood up, but then leaned down to place a light kiss on my forehead: “I’ll spend the whole weekend with you to make up for it.” I didn’t go shopping. I just wandered aimlessly down the streets alone. As a child, I was the good girl. Growing up, I was the model of a refined young lady. I felt wrapped in layers and layers of thick cocoons. Suffocating, unable to break free no matter how I struggled. A string that had been tightly wound in my heart for over twenty years Was about to snap and choke me. Suddenly I remembered the message Katie had sent me on SnapChat a few days ago. Her young boyfriend had taken her racing on his motorcycle. She said: “Olivia, I’ve been married for three years, but this is the first time I’ve felt so free.” “If men can keep mistresses, why should we stay faithful to a rotten cucumber?” “Olivia, seize the day and live a little.”
I went to that racing club too. As the instructor was getting me ready, Someone suddenly called out my name. “Olivia Zhang?” I turned around in surprise and saw Lucas leaning against his motorcycle. He was taking off his helmet, running his hand through his hair. Revealing sharp, handsome features with an untamed wildness. I politely nodded, about to leave. But Lucas spoke again: “You want to learn?” I hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Mm.” He glanced at the instructor: “I’ll teach her, you can go.” I was a bit surprised and looked at Lucas. He leaned against his bike, broad-shouldered and long-legged, his figure tall and powerful. That intense, overwhelming masculine energy hit me like a wave. I instinctively averted my gaze. But I couldn’t help biting my lip lightly. For some reason, my heart started racing. “Come on, I’ll take you for a couple laps first.” Lucas handed me a helmet. I was about to refuse. But when his large, strong hand reached out to me, I inexplicably took the helmet. After getting on, I kept the maximum distance from Lucas. He planted his long legs on the ground, fastening his helmet strap, And glanced at me in the rearview mirror: “Want to fly off when we start moving?” “Hold onto my waist.” I bit my lip again, reaching out to lightly grip his racing suit. Lucas laughed but didn’t say anything more. He took it easy for the first lap. On the second lap, he gradually picked up speed. As we went faster, I got scared and pressed myself against his back, tightly hugging his waist. The hard, hot muscles under my arms suddenly tensed. The wind howled past us. Lucas’ slightly hoarse voice was carried to my ears by the wind: “Olivia.” He coughed lightly: “You’re holding on a bit too tight.”
I suddenly realized what he meant. But I was too scared to let go because of the extreme speed. I could only try my best to hold back my chest, wanting to avoid that overly intimate contact. But Lucas suddenly slowed down, stopping at the end of the track. He took off his helmet and lifted me off the bike. It was my first time racing, and my legs felt like jelly when I got off. Lucas reached out and steadied me with his hands on my waist. “Olivia.” The lighting wasn’t very bright. But through the goggles, I could clearly see the smoldering fire in his eyes. It was a look I had never seen on Ethan’s face before. An intense, overwhelming desire to possess. I couldn’t help but take a step back. But the large hands on my waist suddenly tightened. I instinctively stepped forward, stumbling into Lucas’ arms. With a click, he unclasped my helmet. The helmet came off, and the wind instantly blew my hair into disarray. I reflexively tilted my face up, wanting to brush back my hair. But Lucas was faster. His slightly calloused fingers brushed away the messy strands at my temples. Before I could react and pull away, He lowered his head and kissed me directly. He kissed me decisively, forcefully. As if he wouldn’t give me any chance to resist or push him away. My lips parted, his tongue slipping inside. His kissing technique was a bit clumsy, making me hurt a little. I frowned, and his movements slowed down. His large, slightly rough hands cupped my face. His fingertips brushed over my cheeks and ears. Instantly igniting sparks of electricity. He lifted me up again, setting me on the motorcycle. His strong, muscular body pressed against me. Like a volcano about to erupt, suppressing everything. My heart was racing, but I also felt panicked and at a loss. When his kiss fell again, my tears slowly welled up. “Olivia.” Lucas kissed the tears on my face. But his voice was unprecedentedly gentle: “Are you unhappy today?” I held back my tears, turning my face away. But his hand followed, cupping my face and refusing to let go. My eyelashes trembled, tears sliding into his palm. But I stubbornly refused to admit it. “I’m just hungry.” “I had a really bad dinner tonight, didn’t eat enough, feeling awful.” He froze, then looked at me with a smile. He lowered his head again, kissing away the tears on my eyelashes: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to get something good to eat.” “Are we going on this?” “It’s chilly at night, I’ll drive.” Very naturally, he took my hand. I struggled a bit, but couldn’t pull away. So he held on even tighter. Just as we got in the car, Lucas’ phone rang. He glanced at the screen, then at me, and answered. “Ethan, what’s up?”
“Calling you out for drinks.” Ethan’s voice sounded a bit down. Lucas smirked, his voice unable to hide his joy. “I’ve got plans tonight, ask the others.” “What plans could you possibly have? Come on, hurry up.” “Really can’t, I’ve got something.” Lucas said, casually turning on some music. Then he turned to ask me: “What kind of music do you want to listen to?” Before I could speak, Ethan exploded on the other end. “Lucas, who are you talking to?” “Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl with you?” Lucas didn’t confirm or deny it. Ethan was clearly intrigued: “No way, didn’t you say the girl you liked got married?” “You didn’t actually take out someone else’s wife, did you?” Lucas raised an eyebrow and gave a light “Mm.” “Holy shit.” Ethan’s voice went up an octave: “Don’t tell me you’re actually being the other man.” Lucas glanced at me, “If it’s her, I don’t mind being the other man.” “Wait, are you serious? You’re actually on a date with someone’s wife?” “Which poor bastard is getting cuckolded by you!” Lucas chose an upbeat song, then asked lazily: “You really want to know that badly?” “Of course, spill it! What kind of goddess could make the great Lucas Lu willing to be the other man?”
“Can’t say.” Lucas leaned back in his seat, a roguish smile on his lips: “She’s married, it wouldn’t be good for her if I said her name.” Ethan was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, he still sounded half skeptical: “Seriously, are you just messing with me, or is this for real?” “I’ve known you for so long, how come I never heard a peep about this?” “You kept your secrets just as well.” Lucas laughed coldly: “Besides, is it something to be proud of?” “That’s true.” Ethan sounded a bit sheepish. “I’m hanging up, we’ll catch up another time.” “Alright, don’t let me interrupt your romantic night.” After hanging up, he started the car and asked me: “What do you want to eat?” I looked out at the night through the car window, my mind still in a jumble. I had overheard most of their conversation just now. But I didn’t really believe it. Lucas came from a good family and had a proud personality. He was uniquely arrogant and unrestrained in the city. His grandfather had beaten him with a cane more than a few times. If he really liked someone, he wouldn’t just watch her get married. I couldn’t figure out why he would make up such a lie. But, it had nothing to do with me anyway. Between us, this was probably our only brief encounter. “Let’s go to the area near C University. There’s a food street there I loved when I was in school.” “Alright.” As he stepped on the gas, Lucas glanced at me again: “Fasten your seatbelt.” I hurriedly looked down to check. My loose hair fell forward, swaying gently and landing on his arm. I reached up to brush my hair back. But suddenly I noticed a white camellia hair tie in the center console storage. It looked very familiar. Because I had a pair of hair ties just like that. I had lost one of them later. But these hair ties weren’t anything special. They had been trendy online for a while last year. So it was probably just left behind by one of Lucas’ female companions. I slowly straightened up, calmly looking ahead. But I couldn’t help raising my hand to brush my slightly swollen lips with the back of my hand. But his kissing earlier had been so clumsy. I don’t know why such strange thoughts popped into my head. I couldn’t help but shake my head in self-mockery. What did it have to do with me anyway? Tonight was just an indulgent dream I had. “Olivia.” “Hm?” “Don’t you have any questions you want to ask me?”
Lucas glanced at me. Then looked back at the road ahead. My gaze fell on his large hands gripping the steering wheel. His hands were very attractive, with defined knuckles, rough and powerful. Not like the pampered hands of a rich young master at all. I have a bit of a hand fetish. Thinking of how he had held my waist and kissed me earlier, I couldn’t help but wonder if his two hands together could completely encircle my waist. “Don’t you want to ask who that person I mentioned is?” I reflexively asked: “Who is it?” Lucas just smiled: “What do you think?” I sat there stunned for a good while, suddenly hearing a buzzing in my ears. Even the upbeat music faded away. The red light came on, a long 78 seconds. The car stopped. Lucas reached out and gently held my hand. “Olivia, I was originally planning to take this secret to my grave.” “If I hadn’t seen you here tonight.” “Why?” Lucas didn’t answer, just held my hand very tightly. “Why were you unhappy today?” “How do you know I was unhappy?” “You’re not like this when you’re happy.” He turned to look at me: “Olivia, when you came in earlier, you looked like a wandering soul.” “Like a porcelain vase about to fall off a shelf.” “If I hadn’t called out to you, you would have fallen and shattered.” I suddenly felt a lump in my throat, tears rolling down uncontrollably. He let go of my hand and turned my face towards him, wanting to kiss away my tears. But the traffic light turned green, and the cars behind us started honking furiously. An annoyed expression flashed across his face. I couldn’t help but laugh: “You should drive.” But Lucas still found a place to pull over and stop. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to cup my face. “Olivia… don’t cry in front of me.” “I’m not allowed to cry either?” Lucas slowly lowered his head, kissing my wet face. “I can’t stand it.” “Olivia, I can’t stand seeing you cry.” His kisses moved lower, landing on my swollen lips: “I won’t hurt you this time.” “You’ve never kissed before, Lucas?” He didn’t answer, just suddenly deepened the kiss.
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