hapter 246
Olivia smiled. It was an extremely mocking smile.
She pried Ethanâs fingers off her. âMr. Miller, Iâve never wanted anything from you. I can even let go of the title of Mrs. Miller without any issues.â
Under Ethanâs gleaming gaze, Olivia smiled faintly. She said calmly, âIn the past, I thought that nothing could rival you. But then I stood still, waiting
âI waited as leaves budded, then cicadas started crying in the summer. The leaves then turned yellow in fall, and lastly, the wind began to howl in winter.
âI couldnât wait any longer, so I had no choice but to drag my tired body forward. Then, I realized something.
âThe spring breeze, the summer cicadas, the leaves in the fall, and even the winter snow⦠All those things are better than you.â
She lifted her hands, her slender fingers touching the face she used to love with all her heart.
âEthan, I admit that I havenât completely forgotten about you. Maybe I wonât be able to wipe you from memory even after
many years.
âYouâll still affect my mood and change my thoughts, but⦠I donât have the energy to miss you anymore.â
In the end, her fingers touched his lips. âEthan, arenât you tired of all those grudges? I am. I donât want to waste more time on you and Marina.
âI donât want to be upset because of people that donât matter to me anymore. Letâs just go on our separate paths, alright?â
Her face was reflected in Ethanâs eyes. She was supposed to be familiar, but now, he felt that she was a stranger. He felt like he had never seen her before.
Gritting his teeth, he said in a cold voice, âOlivia, are you so desperate to cut off ties with me?â
Olivia met his gaze. At that moment, she wasnât afraid, nor was she pretending.
âYes. If I werenât looking for Leo, I wouldnât have gone to you. I donât like Marina, and I donât want to be a second Marina either. I donât want to get involved with you while youâre married.
âDivorce isnât just a contract written on a piece of paper; itâs a decision made by two adul do is to respect your own choice.â
He released her shoulders. âI hope you donât regret your decision today.â
Olivia thought that she would be scared and helpless.
But when the time came, she realized that she was much calmer than expected.
the only thing you have to
âIn the past, I was scared of the dark. I was scared that you would leave me and not love me anymore. I would close my eyes
and block my ears.
âI stopped where I was. I dared not take another step. But now, I realized that it was scary because I didnât dare face the problem.
âWhen I accepted the truth and stopped caring, I realized that youâre the one I fear losing the most. But now that Iâve already lost you, what is left for me to be scared of?â
Ethan parted his lips. He wanted to explain, but in the end, he didnât know where to start.
He could only let his arms fall by his sides. He looked at Olivia with a complicated expression.
âHave you truly made up your mind?â
Olivia tried her best to smile. âEthan, I earnestly tried before. I kept believing this certain saying.
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âWhen youâve decided to give up on your dreams, tell yourself to hang on. For one more day, one more week, one more month, and even one more year.
âYouâll be surprised with the results from just hanging on.â
Lifting her hand, she held up her index and middle fingers. âBecause of this saying, I persisted for two years. I kept waiting for a miracle to happen.
âYou donât know how I felt when I watched the sun setting alone at home. The moon was already in the sky, and the food was reheated over and over again.
âI was waiting for someone who would never return.
âYouâll never understand what it felt like when the Fordhams went bankrupt. When my father got into an accident, and when I lost my lover and child. When I lost everything.
âBack then, I rushed to and from the hospital. When I needed you the most, you were spending time with Marina.â
There were tears in Oliviaâs eyes, but she remained smiling. âIâve experienced heartbreak and knives stabbing through my heart. Iâve been betrayed by everyone close to me.
âI struggled in the mud for two whole years, but what did I get in the end? What can I do about it? You donât need me, so why should I stay?â
Gripping Ethanâs arms, she continued, âI can now feel that you donât hate me anymore. Since you donât want to hurt me, Ethan, can you please let me go? For the sake of old times?â
Ethan didnât say a word. He simply pried her hands away.
That day, he closed the door gently.
Those words had come true. When he was leaving for real, he would close the door at the lowest volume possible.
Olivia slid down along the wall of the bathroom. Tears streamed out from between her fingers.
She had let go of the love of her life. This pain was like splashing cold water on a pile of burning coal, putting it out.
If she worked hard, she would succeed. If they loved each other, they would be together. Those lies supported her when she was still passionate about life. She had thrown herself into his embrace.
The fairytales werenât wrong. The prince and the princess did live happily ever after.
But no fairytale mentioned what life was like for the princess after getting married. There were too many things she couldnât
Even if she still had a place in Ethanâs heart, she couldnât accept the fact that he had eyes on another woman as well.
So, she let go. She had completely let go.
She wanted to rediscover her past self.
Olivia dialed a number. Then, she heard a voice she hadnât heard in forever. âHow are you?â
âIâm fine, Keith,â Olivia said, smiling.