Chapter 5 Jared Foster

Cameron hung up the phone and pulled his hand away from Olivia.

"I gotta go. Something came up."

Olivia's lips moved, but no words came out.

She wanted to ask when they were finally going to get divorced.

Cameron was about to become a father with another woman. Was there any point in keeping their relationship going?

Cameron left without another word, leaving Olivia standing alone at the hotel entrance. She clutched her stomach, and the tears she had been holding back finally fell.

She had known this day would come, and she thought she wouldn't be sad. But her stomach ached with each breath, more intensely than before.

She could deceive her heart, but not her body.

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When the pain in her abdomen subsided a bit, she tried to stand up from the column she was leaning against.

As she let go, she wobbled and almost fell.

A strong pair of hands caught her.

She looked up and saw Jared.

His usual warm smile was replaced with concern. "You okay? Let me take you home."

Olivia didn't answer.

She hadn't divorced yet, and being seen with another man would be hard to explain.

Just as she was about to refuse, she caught sight of a familiar car.

She looked up and met Cameron's eyes.

Cameron glanced at her briefly, like he was looking at a passing flower on the street, indifferent and calm. In a moment, he was focused on the road again, and soon, only the taillights of his car were visible.

Cameron, her husband, wouldn't even call a cab for her. He left in a hurry for another woman and their child, abandoning her, still his wife, by the roadside.

Olivia's words of refusal changed unconsciously.

"Okay, thank you."

She got into the car but immediately regretted it.

The atmosphere was awkward.

In the noisy private room earlier, being close to Jared didn't feel strange.

But now, in the confined space of the car, with the romantic songs playing on the stereo, the atmosphere was too weird. Olivia felt uncomfortable.

"Jared, thanks for taking me home."

Olivia broke the silence.

The car moved smoothly, and Jared smiled. "No need to thank me. I've wanted to do this for a long time."

Olivia didn't understand what he meant.

At a red light, the car stopped steadily.

He turned to look at Olivia, his eyes reflecting the neon lights, his features sharp and handsome in the dim night.

It was the first time Olivia had really looked at him closely. He was quite good-looking.

"If you get divorced, would you consider me?"

Jared blinked.

"What?" Olivia was stunned.

It took her a while to process what he said, and she was shocked.

Jared laughed at her reaction. "Did I scare you? Maybe I was too direct. But I'm not joking."

Olivia was at a loss. "Why?"

Jared explained, "Back in school, I noticed you. You were my first crush. You were so outstanding and beautiful. Every boy in school probably had a crush on you."

He made a joke like in a movie, and Olivia laughed.

Thinking back, it seemed true.

She and Jared had been schoolmates, but Olivia had been focused on her studies. She had only secretly liked Cameron and ignored everything else, including others' admiration.

It was nostalgic. Her graduation project had the highest score in her class and was included in the school's collection of excellent works.

She had even returned to give a speech as an honored alumna. Her mentor had said she would become an internationally renowned designer.

But she had been blinded by love, abandoning everything to marry Cameron, who had lost his memory and was mentally impaired.

She gave up her career to become an ordinary housewife.

And her passionate love was not reciprocated. It was trampled on.

Thinking of the humiliation from the person she loved most, Olivia felt it was not worth it.

She could have shone brightly.

Cameron was determined to leave. He and Jennifer had a child and were about to start a new life. Her clinging was meaningless.

The alcohol still lingered in her system, but Olivia's mind was clearer.

She was still young and had time to get her life back on track.

She didn't want to be entangled with those two anymore.

Olivia exhaled softly, feeling much lighter. She smiled at Jared.

"Thanks for the kind words, but I've had a failed marriage. I don't want to jump into another one right now. I need to focus on my career."

Jared was taken aback and almost missed a turn.

He adjusted the steering wheel and smiled even more brightly at Olivia. "Alright! I get it. But Olivia, you know what? Hearing you say that makes you even more attractive to me."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh. "Really?"

Jared nodded. "Focusing on your career is great. You're very clear-headed. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll help however I can!"

It had been a long time since Olivia had received such pure kindness from someone other than family or friends. She felt a warm sensation in her heart and nodded. "Thank you."

Jared replied, "No need to be so formal with me. We don't have to be strangers."

Olivia didn't know what to say.

Jared laughed again. "Don't be nervous. Liking you is my own business. I won't cause you any trouble. We can be friends. I just wanted to give myself a chance and not have any regrets."

Olivia nodded, feeling a mix of emotions.

It was a strange conversation.

She was touched by Jared's sincerity and openness, but also felt a sense of shame.

She had been tormented by Cameron and Jennifer for so long that she had lost herself. Now, she found a sense of existence and the courage to start over after the divorce in Cameron's friend.

She had been too hard on herself.

When she arrived home, Olivia looked up and saw the lights were still on.

She was a bit surprised.

Mandy should have been asleep by now.

Could it be...

Olivia lowered her eyes, pressed her lips together, and gripped the door handle. She pressed her fingerprint to unlock the door, and almost immediately, a gust of wind hit her.

She instinctively dodged.

A cup smashed against the door with a loud crash, shattering on the floor, water splashing everywhere, soaking the carpet.

"Out all night, and you're out there messing around!"

Mandy's angry voice rang out.

Olivia's heart sank.

No wonder the lights were on. Mandy had stayed up to confront her.

Mandy continued to rant, "A woman like you doesn't deserve to be Cameron's wife! Get out! Don't let me see you again!"

After all this fuss, Mandy would still eat the food Olivia cooked tomorrow. Olivia thought to herself, 'There is no reasoning with a madwoman. Taking medication on time is more effective.'

Olivia changed out of her restrictive dress, grabbed some cleaning supplies, and silently cleaned up the broken glass at the door.

She heard a noise from the study upstairs. Olivia stood up with the trash, casually looking up, expecting Mandy to be causing trouble again. But she froze when she saw who it was.

It was Cameron.

He stood at the study door, looking down at her coldly from the second-floor railing, wearing the loungewear she had once picked out for him. It matched the set she was wearing.