Chapter 5

Luna slammed the door as she left, causing a small crack to appear in the already fragile storage room door.

Olivia didn't have time to worry about it. She lay on her bed, sleepless all night.

The next morning, she was about to get ready for her part-time job when Aiden barked at her, "Where are you off to now, to hook up with some random guy?"

Olivia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. "The hospital. I heard there are plenty of dying old millionaires there."

The living room fell into a terrifying silence. The servants didn't dare to breathe.

Harper's eyes widened in shock.

For twenty years, no one in the Smith family had ever dared to speak to Aiden like that.

Even Aiden himself didn't react immediately.

When he finally did, his face turned red with anger. He grabbed a new cup and hurled it at her.

Olivia sidestepped, and the cup shattered behind her with a crisp sound. She remained calm, staring directly into Aiden's eyes. "Don't dirty my pajamas. It's the only set of clothes I have, or I'll have to go out naked."

She glanced meaningfully at Luna.

Harper's eyes also flickered with unease.

"You! You're something else! From today on, you're grounded. You can go out when you've learned your lesson!" Aiden roared, issuing his harsh command.

Olivia's expression didn't change. She replied, "Fine, saves me the trouble of earning my own food money."

She was so calm that living or dying didn't matter to her anymore.

Even if she had to be grounded for two months before dying, it was fine.

"Dad! Mom! I bought clothes for you!" Luna cheerfully instructed the bodyguards to bring them in. She then turned to Olivia, "Olivia, I brought clothes for you too. I took your clothes yesterday to replace them with new ones. You don't blame me, do you?"

Olivia shook her head and replied, "No, since Dad grounded me, I'll go back to my room."

She returned to her bedroom, and soon the clothes were delivered. Coincidentally, each piece had varying degrees of damage.

Olivia picked out two pieces to use as pajamas, without any special thoughts.

She muddled through two months, even gaining a bit of weight.

Olivia looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, "People really do gain weight when they're idle."

It was mealtime again. Aiden and Harper had already finished eating, or rather, they had timed it to avoid her.

She was happy to have some peace. Just as she picked up a piece of meat, she immediately spat it out.

At first, Olivia thought her stomach was upset. She rested for a while, but the symptoms worsened. She could smell the meat downstairs through several layers, so she kept her door tightly shut and drank some porridge when she was really hungry.

The servants wouldn't bother to cook for her anyway.

Harper looked upstairs, worried. "It's been two months, and the news has been suppressed. Why keep punishing the child?"

"I noticed she hasn't been eating much lately. She must be feeling down. Why don't you both make some concessions?"

Aiden snorted, "A father making concessions to his daughter? That's absurd!"

Luna glanced at the table full of meat, feeling a vague unease.

That night, Luna brought a takeout meal and knocked on Olivia's door.

"Olivia, I noticed you haven't had much appetite. I bought your favorite dish from that restaurant."

Olivia turned her head towards the door. Luna really knew her inside and out.

But she did need to improve her diet, so she said, "Come in."

Luna pushed the door open and walked in, carefully setting the table like a considerate sister.

If it weren't for their argument two months ago, Olivia might have been moved.

"Olivia, I know I said some harsh things before. Don't take it to heart. I remember all the good things you've done," Luna said softly, feeding her bite by bite.

When Luna softened her attitude, there were no flaws.

Anyone would be coaxed into happiness by her.

Olivia still saw her as a sister, so she wasn't an exception. Though she didn't respond, her expression softened considerably.

They chatted intermittently until Olivia finished eating. Luna even thoughtfully took away the trash and advised her to rest.

Half an hour later, Olivia felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, different from her usual stomach aches. This pain felt like her intestines were being twisted into a tight knot.

She broke out in a cold sweat, her legs trembling as she stood.

Suddenly, Olivia felt something flowing between her legs.

She panicked and hurried out to find help. She barely reached the door before her head spun, and she collapsed.

In her blurred vision, she seemed to see Luna's figure, saying something, but she couldn't make it out. When her consciousness returned, there was no one there.

Olivia endured the pain, inching her way to Harper's bedroom door. With her last bit of strength, she knocked.

"Olivia!" Harper's scream was the last thing Olivia heard before she passed out completely.

When she woke up, she was in the hospital.

Olivia blinked and glanced around, seeing three people sitting with stern faces.

"Dad..." Olivia said.

"Shut up! I don't have such a shameless daughter!" Aiden exploded, clutching a piece of paper and throwing it at her face. "How could the Smith family have a daughter like you!"

Olivia's hands were still weak. She struggled to pick up the paper and bring it close to her eyes.

"Pregnancy symptoms" jumped out at her.

She was pregnant?

"Whose bastard is it? That man from that night?" Aiden demanded.

Olivia was lost in the surprise of her pregnancy.

She touched her abdomen, murmuring, "Is it safe?"

Aiden's anger surged to new heights. He stood up, shouting, "Nurse, schedule a surgery immediately. Get rid of her baby!"

"Wait!" Olivia instinctively blocked, a strange feeling swirling in her heart.

In her most desperate, suicidal moment, this child had arrived.

The nurse also advised, "The patient has already taken abortion medication. Her body isn't fit for another procedure. It could cause irreversible damage."

Aiden snapped, "If the first attempt failed, then do it again!"

Aiden added, "The Smith family will not keep an illegitimate child and be laughed at!"

The nurse couldn't make this decision and went to get help.

In those brief minutes, Olivia's mind was crystal clear. She made her decision, "I want to keep this child."

It was like a thunderclap, stunning the three of them.

Harper grabbed Olivia's hand, tears in her eyes. "Olivia, don't do this. Your dad and I may have neglected you recently, but I promise, if you abort the baby, I'll make it up to you."

Luna, afraid this child would be Olivia's ticket into the Johnson family, quickly agreed, "Olivia, I shouldn't have been petty. I promise I won't upset you again. It's about your future."

Looking at the hypocritical mother and daughter, Olivia's pale face showed a mocking smile. She repeated, word by word, "I want to keep this child."