Chapter 26
When lunch came to an end, Olivia gently rose from her seat, careful not to let the legs of her chair scrape against the floor.
She knew right away what would follow. Rounds of wine on the porch and hours of conversation. Before she could be dragged into something she would have to endure rather than enjoy, she announced her departure while looking at her adoptive parents.
“I have to go. The hospital just sent me a message. There’s an emergency. I need to get back right away.”
It was half truth, half lie, Olivia thought as she reached for her bag. Her phone had indeed beeped a while ago, informing her that a patient needing surgery had arrived, but it wasn’t scheduled for another two hours.
Olivia could have stayed. She could have followed them to the porch, accepted a glass of wine she wouldn’t finish, and nodded and smiled when expected. She just didn't want to.
Mrs. Hilton tilted her chin, her deep-set eyes narrowing into tiny slits. “Now?”
“I wish I could stay longer, but treating patients is my priority.”
“You always seem to have an emergency ready for the exact moment you’d rather leave,” Mrs. Hilton blurted. She leaned back in her chair, one hand tracing lazy circles in her wine glass, the other resting lightly on the table.
Olivia opened her mouth, then closed it again. The blunt remark momentarily threw her off balance.
Clayton stood with effortless ease. “Olivia’s needed at the hospital, but I’d be more than happy to keep you company for another glass on the porch.” He flashed Mrs. Hilton a persuasive smile, the kind that could melt even the most polished diamond. “Shall we?”
A moment of silence lapsed.
Mrs. Hilton finally waved her hand in a gesture that carried reluctant concession. “Well… I suppose I can’t force her to stay.”
Olivia caught the faintly disapproving, almost scolding look on Mrs. Hilton’s face before she and Mr. Hilton turned away. “You can leave.”
“Goodbye,” she said, almost more to herself than to anyone else.
“Drive safely,” Clayton called.
“I will.”
Olivia stepped out the door, and the cool afternoon air hit her. She realized she’d been holding her breath and let it slip out in a relieved sigh.
Her feet carried her to the car almost on their own.
Once inside, she shut the door and let her head fall back against the seat.
She was emotionally tired. If there had been a prescription to temporarily numb everything, she would have taken it without hesitation.
Unfortunately, none existed. She would just have to endure the mental exhaustion until it passed.
A few moments later, she felt calm enough to drive.
She straightened, turned the key in the ignition, and drew in a steady breath.
One thought flashed through her mind at that moment: she had two hours.
Just two hours. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to meet her lawyer and finally declare that she was divorcing her husband.
—
“WHAT? YOU’RE FILING FOR DIVORCE?”
The words ricocheted through the air like a thunderclap, freezing the room in an instant. Everyone present seemed to forget how to breathe. The guard hovering in front of the door, the couples scattered across the rows of tables, even the serving staff who had wandered in earlier turned to stare.
Olivia felt as though she had been caught naked in public. Her ears felt hot, and her cheeks ignited into a shade of red that could only be described as embarrassingly fluorescent. She wanted to sink into the floor and vanish.
Across the table sat Sloane Abraham, her lawyer and partner in crime.
Sloane was one of the few people in the world Olivia could trust completely.
The one who would never pry unnecessarily, who could carry her secrets without breathing a word, and who’d probably help her bury a body if things ever got that dark.
And yet, the friend who wouldn’t even bat an eye if she committed murder had her eyes bulging in shock at the announcement of Olivia’s divorce.
“Lower your voice, Ane. People are staring.”
Sloane blinked, then blinked again, muttering under her breath, “Are you… serious?”
“Do you think I’d drag you all the way here if I wasn’t?”
“But you and Clayton seemed so happy! It didn’t look like there was a problem at all.” Sloane shook her head, as if trying to wake herself from a dream.
Olivia didn’t answer right away. She traced the rim of her teacup with her thumb absentmindedly.
Indeed, they looked happy. But that perfect facade was the version of her life everyone else had been allowed to see.
Her eyes flickered briefly toward the entrance, then returned to Sloane. But it wasn’t her friend she was looking at but a memory of the man she was learning, piece by piece, to let go.
“People don’t see what there is to see,” she said at last, her voice low enough that it barely carried beyond the table. “Only what we allow them to see.”
Sloane's expression settled into that familiar, pensive stillness. It was the expression she wore whenever her thoughts ran deeper than she cared to show.
“I’ve been a divorce lawyer for seven years. I should have known better than to judge something from the outside. The truth is, most of my clients looked perfect too. The kind of couples people envy. Royal weddings, overseas trips that cost a fortune… you get the whole picture.”
Sloane took a sip of her teat to moisten her lips, then continued, “And then one day, they sat across from me and asked how to end it. Quietly, if possible.”
“Some people are just very good at hiding things,” Olivia told her friend. “That’s why divorce is inevitable. From a legal standpoint, grounds for divorce usually come down to irreconcilable differences… situations where the relationship can no longer function in a healthy way.”
“I understand that,” Sloane admitted. “But you…” Her jaw clenched, her features tightening as if something painful had struck her. It wasn’t the kind of pain that showed physically or could be explained away with a word. It ran deeper beneath the surface. “It doesn’t fit.”
Olivia’s voice came in a whisper as she asked, “Why would you think that?”
“Because Clayton loves you.”
The declaration was absurd. Olivia was so surprised it took her a few seconds to recover her senses. When she did, a forced laugh slipped from her lips.
“He doesn’t. He should’ve said it a long time ago if he did.”
The long-buried bitterness and resentment finally clawed their way to the surface
“Is that what you believe, Olivia?”
“It’s how I truly felt, Ane.”
“Then what have I been seeing all this time?” Sloane’s brows drew together. “What has everyone been seeing?”
“A performance. A very convincing one,” Olivia answered quickly.
Sloane sighed. It was a heavy one that made it seem like she carried a ton on her shoulders. “No, I’ve seen the way he looks at you… If that’s not love, then I don’t know what is.”
“Looking at someone and loving them aren’t the same thing.”
For once, Sloane didn’t have the right words.
Olivia refused to give her the chance to recover.
She took the only opportunity to cut off whatever hopeful thoughts might come out of her friend's mouth. “I’m not forgetting that your husband is Clayton’s best friend, Sloane.
Of course you’d take the side that won’t risk your husband’s friendship—or ours. ”
“That’s not true…” Sloane trailed off.
A pause.
Finally, she let out a defeated sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for questioning your decision. I shouldn't have doubted you.”
She took Olivia's hands and grasped them firmly. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’ll draft the papers tonight. First thing tomorrow, they’ll be ready.”
Something inside Olivia loosened. The knot she hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying in her chest unraveled just a little.
“Thank you.”
“You are my best friend, Olivia. I’m more loyal to you than anybody else. If you told me you killed someone, I’d ask where the body is, help you bury it, and build you an alibi. That's how supportive I am of you.”
“I’m glad you're my friend, Ane.”
“And so I am, Liv.”
Sloane glanced at the time on her wrist. A faint crease formed between her brows before smoothing away just as quickly. “I have to go. A client is already waiting in my office.”
“I’ll send the marriage documents to your email later tonight.”
“Good.” Sloane reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “See you when I see you.”
Her friend turned and walked away.
Olivia remained seated for a moment longer, finishing her tea in silence. When the cup was empty, she set it down gently on the table and reached for her bag.
On her way out, she passed a reflective glass panel near the entrance.
She briefly studied her own reflection.
Something in her energy shifted. The woman staring back at her looked tired, but there was strength in her eyes. A subtle glow. The kind that came from finally deciding to stand up for herself.
—
The day Caroline was discharged from the hospital came quietly.
However, there was still no news from the police. No new leads, no suspects, and no clear explanation of why Caroline had been found half-dead by the beach. But for now, what mattered to the Hilton family was simple: their only daughter was healthy, strong enough to leave the hospital.
Olivia signed the final set of discharge papers and handed them back to the nurse at the counter before making her way to Caroline’s room. She reached for the doorknob, but before she could push it open, the door swung inward on its own.
Caroline stepped out gracefully, one hand lightly gripping the frame as if testing the strength of her legs. She looked pale and thinner, but still breathtakingly beautiful.
She wobbled but Clayton moved instinctively beside her, his hand settling at her waist in a protective manner.
“Watch your step,” he murmured.
Caroline let out a soft laugh. “You’ve said that five times already.”
“And I’ll say it again if I have to.”
The two moved down the hallway together.
Olivia trailed a few steps behind them.
Outside, in the parking area, Mr. and Mrs. Hilton were already waiting by the car. The moment they saw Caroline, their faces lit up.
Mrs. Hilton reached her first. She gently took Caroline’s other arm as if afraid she might slip and fall to the hard ground. “You’re finally coming home, my daughter. I barely slept last night while waiting for this moment.”
“We can’t wait to show you your new room,” Mr. Hilton added, his lips stretching into one of his rare smiles. “And to introduce you to our guests at tonight’s gathering.”
Olivia’s temples tightened into a frown. A gathering? No one had mentioned it to her.
“I’m tired,” Caroline complained. “We should head home. I want some rest.”
“Of course, of course.” Mr. Hilton slid into the driver’s seat in a blink. As he started the engine, Clayton guided Caroline into the passenger seat, helping her settle into a comfortable position to avoid straining during the trip home.
Mrs. Hilton hurried toward the car, but Olivia reached out and caught her arm before she could get inside. “A moment, please.”
Mrs. Hilton shot her a sullen look. “What is it?” She didn’t even bother to hide the irritation in her tone.
Olivia ushered her adoptive mother a few steps to the side, away from passing ears and wandering eyes. “About dinner tonight—”
“You are not invited.” The words came abruptly like a hard slap in the face.
Olivia’s lips parted, but no sound followed. She didn’t let the hurt show. She kept the anger buried deep, where no one could see it.
“I thought you might be busy,” Mrs. Hilton continued nonchalantly like she was explaining something trivial. “I didn’t want to inconvenience you.”
“B-but you told me I’m invited to Caroline’s welcome-back party.” Olivia swallowed the lump in her throat. She forced her voice to stay steady despite the tremor she felt inside. “ Didn't you insist a few days ago that I should attend?”
“It isn’t even the official welcome-back party, Olivia. It’s just a small gathering for friends and close acquaintances,” Mrs. Hilton snapped, rolling her eyes. “Caroline’s real welcome-back party—which you are invited to—will be this weekend.”
“But—”
Olivia opened her mouth to argue. Was she not part of this family too? Shouldn’t she have been invited as their daughter?
Mrs. Hilton’s hand lifted in a dismissive gesture, cutting her off as though the matter had already been settled. She stepped into the car, pulling the door shut with a sharp sound that nearly slammed in Olivia’s face.