A Wedding That Never Was Chapter 13
Olivia stood at a safe distance from Alexander, her voice ice-cold: “Did something happen to Grandpa?”
Other than Arthur, she couldn’t think of a single reason why this man would come looking for her.
Hearing this, Alexander hurriedly shook his head, his tone carrying a cautious, ingratiating plea: “No, I came to see you on my own. It has nothing to do with Grandpa.”
“If you have something to say, just say it.” Olivia furrowed her brows tightly.
Seeing Olivia’s guarded and indifferent demeanor, Alexander’s heart filled with bitter, aching sorrow.
The belated guilt and remorse surged up, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.
He lowered his stance, pleading in near agony: “Olivia, please come back with me. I know I was wrong.”
Olivia took another step back: “I’ve long since repaid my debt of gratitude to the Sterling family over the years. Alexander, we are even. Just leave, and don’t bother me again.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Seeing her walk away, Alexander panicked instantly, stepping forward quickly to grab her wrist.
“This isn’t about repaying debts, Olivia. I really missed you. It was only after you left that I realized the person I’ve loved most in my life has always been you.”
These words fell on Olivia’s ears, but they only made her feel waves of disgust, her stomach churning violently.
She fiercely shook off his hand, every word like a blade: “Don’t touch me. You make me sick.”
That sentence was like a poisoned dagger, ruthlessly piercing through Alexander’s heart.
He froze in place, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Olivia, I only truly understand now. Taking care of you since we were kids, those habits carved into my bones—they were never out of obligation, but love. I was blind before, deceived by Chloe’s sweet talk, hurting you time and time again. It’s my fault for not recognizing my own feelings sooner. Can you give me one more chance? Just once. This time I promise, I will never let you suffer the slightest harm again. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Olivia turned to look at him, finding it utterly ridiculous.
“Alexander, you are unbelievably shameless. You were the one who pushed me away with your own hands, caused me to lose my father’s ashes, and left my legs crippled. Now, with just one ‘I was wrong’ and one ‘I love you,’ you expect me to come back?”
Her words condemned him to the core. Alexander’s face instantly turned deathly pale, his lips trembling, yet unable to utter a single word of rebuttal.
Because every word she said was a sin he had committed with his own hands.
“Don’t ever come looking for me again. Leave the last shred of dignity for yourself, and for me.”
With that, she headed straight back to the dressing room.
The moment she walked in, Mia pounced on her with a squeal: “Olivia, who was that man?”
Seeing Olivia’s expression clearly, she instantly became indignant: “Did he bully you? I’m going to beat him to a pulp right now!”
At Mia’s lightning-fast change of face, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “Weren’t you just saying how handsome he was and that you were going to ask for his WhatsApp? Why do you want to beat him up now?”
Mia scratched her head with a goofy smile: “That’s different! Anyway, no one is allowed to bully you!”
Hearing Mia’s straightforward defense, Olivia’s heart felt warm and fuzzy.
These days, she was finally experiencing the feeling of being loved once again.
She thanked the heavens that after hitting rock bottom, she had met such warm-hearted people.
Since then, Alexander hadn’t bothered her again.
But four months later, she received a notice that Arthur’s health had taken a critical turn for the worse.
Grandpa was the only person in the Sterling family who truly cared for her, doting on and protecting her since she was a child.
Not daring to delay for even a second, she immediately booked the earliest flight back to the country.
She figured this might be her last time returning; after seeing Grandpa, she would bid a final farewell to this city.
Rushing into the Sterling Manor, Olivia immediately spotted Arthur lying in the hospital bed.
The once vibrant little old man was now as thin as a sheet of paper, lying pale against the mattress.
Olivia’s eyes instantly welled up, tears rolling down her cheeks without warning.
She hurried to the bedside, gently grasping Grandpa’s bony, frail hand.
Arthur felt her touch and struggled to open his eyes: “Olivia, you came… you came back to see me…”
“Grandpa, I’m here. I came to see you.”
“It’s the Sterling family that let you down…” Arthur coughed, each hack sounding as if he might cough up his lungs. “That boy Alexander is blind in both his eyes and his heart. I’ve already kicked him out of the Sterling family… cough, cough… He will never step foot through our doors again for the rest of his life…”
As he spoke, he struggled to lift his other hand, fumbling under his pillow to pull out a document and handing it to Olivia.
Olivia looked down and realized it was a will. It clearly stated that Arthur was leaving his entire estate and all his assets to her.
Looking at Grandpa’s emaciated frame, Olivia broke down in tears: “Grandpa, I don’t want this. I don’t want any of it. I just want you to be okay. Please wake up, look at me…”
“Good girl… don’t cry…”
Arthur raised his hand to wipe away her tears, but halfway up, it fell limply to his side, and his eyes closed forever.
In the days that followed, Olivia stayed with the Sterling family and personally arranged Arthur’s funeral.
Once the funeral was over, without a shred of lingering attachment, she immediately booked a flight back to Country M. She just wanted to return to that place full of warmth as quickly as possible.
On her way to the airport, Olivia spotted a disheveled beggar by the side of the road.
The beggar had been beaten black and blue, missing several of his teeth.
Seeing Olivia, he scrambled over, his filthy hands grabbing her pant leg and smearing drool all over her trousers.
Confused and frowning, Olivia tried to push him away, but the moment she got a clear look at his eyes, she froze.
It was Alexander.
The once high and mighty Mr. Sterling, who used to be surrounded by admirers, had been reduced to this—dressed in rags, filthy, and looking like a stray dog.
Yet Olivia felt not a shred of pity in her heart. There was only cold indifference, as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
“Ma’am, the road ahead is clear. If you don’t get in now, you’re going to miss your flight.”
The driver’s urging voice called out from the front seat. Hearing this, the beggar loosened his grip on her pant leg.
But he kept his head raised, staring up at her with a gaze swirling with complex emotions. There was guilt, pleading, and a faint, almost imperceptible trace of humility.
Snapping back to reality, Olivia pulled a few hundred-dollar bills from her bag and casually tossed them onto the ground in front of him. Without sparing another glance, she turned, got into the car, and rolled up the window, shutting out everything outside.
As the car slowly pulled away, Olivia leaned back against the seat, watching the streetscape blur past the window, and let out a soft breath.
Goodbye, Alexander.
Goodbye to this city.
From now on, she would return to her own warm haven. Carrying that love and hope with her, she would live her life well and never look back.
