Page 39

Inside the room, Olivia’s face burned with fury. "I knew it! You’re blackmailing him with some bullshit agreement, aren’t you?! You think he won’t sign it? You’re really delusional, huh? Too blind to tell the difference between charity and real love?"
Ellie smirked. "At least I have my priorities straight. Unlike you, I don’t take ‘breaks’ from my boyfriend to go screw around abroad."
A dangerous fire lit in Olivia’s eyes. Her hand shot up, ready to strike Ellie across the face.
But Ellie was faster. She caught Olivia’s wrist mid-air and flung it aside before delivering a sharp slap across Olivia’s face. The sound echoed through the room.
Olivia stumbled back in shock, her body trembling as she turned around, eyes wide with disbelief. "Howfuckingdare you?!" she seethed, her voice shaking with rage.
Ellie carelessly rolled her eyes, lounging on the hospital bed. "What did you expect? That I'd just sit here and take your slap?" She scoffed. "Who do you think you are?"
Her words got stuck in her throat the moment she caught sight of Olivia’s face.
And then, in the very next second, she burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching her stomach as she rolled on the bed.
Olivia stared at her, bewildered, as if Ellie had lost her mind. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Still laughing madly, Ellie fished her phone out of her pocket, snapped a quick picture, and turned the screen toward Olivia. "Take a look at your—oh my god, I can't—"
Olivia’s stomach dropped as she glanced at the phone screen.
One of her eyebrows had completely dropped, hanging awkwardly over her eye, while the other remained stuck high up in its usual place. One eye looked unusually small, while the other was stretched wide open, giving her an absolutely ridiculous expression.
Ellie howled in laughter. "Wow, Olivia, did you get plastic surgery on your face?" Her laughter only grew louder. "I kept hearing you brag about being a natural beauty!"
"I did not have any surgery!" Olivia shrieked, her face burning with humiliation. "You—you are the one who hurt me! It's your fault!"
Ellie wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, still wheezing. "Oh, please. I know what botched surgery looks like." She shook her head, grinning. "And you—denying it like this—god, this is priceless."
Olivia’s hands flew to her face, covering it in panic.
Ellie giggled. "You look very pretty in your ‘natural beauty’, Olivia. That one-eyebrow-up, one-eyebrow-down look? Truly one of a kind. No wonder people keep complimenting your features. It's a once-in-a-lifetime wonder!"
Olivia let out a horrified gasp, backing away. She could already imagine the whispers, the stares—her reputation was at stake.
With a strangled cry, she spun on her heel and bolted out of the room, too mortified to stay another second.
Ellie, meanwhile, remained in bed, clutching her stomach as she laughed even harder.
***
Sawyer stormed into his parents’ house. The atmosphere was anything but peaceful. Workers bustled about, and with his mother’s habit of constantly hosting dermatologists, masseuses, and other professionals, the house resembled more of a luxury hotel than a home.
He barely spared a glance at the commotion as he stormed through, heading straight for Liana’s office. He pushed the door open without knocking, his frustration evident in every step. Inside, Liana sat at her desk, engaged in a video call. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear her voice clearly before he even entered. She was speaking to someone with an air of casual elegance.
"Yes, Evelyn," Liana said, her voice smooth and pleasant. "Do you want me to come along too? I wanted to go, but work got in the way. I can meet you soon in London." Liana said, her tone warm and friendly.
Evelyn’s voice responded from the other end, “Great! I’ll be there next month.”
“Sure,” Liana smiled, hanging up the call. But the smile quickly dropped from her face as she turned to see Sawyer standing in the doorway, his expression dark.
"Have you lost all the manners I taught you?" she asked coolly, her voice edged with disapproval.
Sawyer didn't flinch. He stepped into the room, slammed the door behind him, and placed both hands firmly on her table. “I want to break that damn agreement with Ellie!” he declared. “I’m done. I don’t want to see her in my house again.”
Liana remained calm, setting her phone down with deliberate grace, her gaze never leaving Sawyer. “Do I really need to keep repeating myself like a broken record, Sawyer?” she asked coolly. “The three years aren’t up yet, are they? You promised you’d stay with her for three years.”
“What does it matter?” Sawyer’s voice was laced with impatience. “It’s just a few more months. It’s almost three years already, isn’t that enough?”