“Hiss... Ethan, not so rough!”

“Sophia, it’s only been four years. When did you get this soft?”

“I stayed pure just for you while I was abroad—didn’t even look at another man. Of course I’m delicate now. But you... after four years in a wheelchair, still this strong, ah…”

Squatting behind a bush, Olivia felt like she’d fallen into a pit of ice. Her hands and feet were freezing, even though it was June.

Tonight was supposed to be her engagement party, yet here was her fiancé, Ethan Collins, fooling around in the garden with his ex.

The classy music floating from the hall mixed with the sounds from the garden—it all hit her like a slap straight to the face.

Clutching her coat, her knuckles nearly bone-white from the force, Olivia only snapped out of it when she heard her own name.

“Olivia has been with you since childhood, stood by you all these years, never left you even after your accident. And now you're about to marry her... isn’t this, you know, kinda wrong?”

Despite what she said, Sophia clung tighter to Ethan’s arm, clearly not intending to stop.

Ethan gave a short exhale, smacked her lightly on the butt. “Keep it down.”

“Childhood friends, huh? She’s just a poor orphan the Collins family took in. Her family went broke long ago. If we hadn’t stepped in, she’d have ended up in some orphanage.”

Sophia giggled, her tone even sweeter. “Still, she took care of you for years. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

At her words, Ethan paused, something flickering in his eyes before he scoffed, “She chose it. I never asked for it. She offered herself up like a maid—I wasn't stopping her.”

Moonlight poured across the path.

Olivia stood frozen, lost in a daze, her chest tight like something was pressing down on it. She couldn’t even breathe right.

She and Ethan had been engaged since they were kids. But when she was seven, her father was murdered, her brother vanished, and her mother, in her last breath, handed Olivia over to the Collins family and begged them to keep her, offering whatever money they had left.

After her mom passed, Olivia was too young; with the Hughes family falling apart, the once-respected Hughes lineage collapsed for good.

She lived at the Collins’ for over a decade. But even then, Ethan never publicly acknowledged her as his fiancée. Instead, to get away from her, he started dating Sophia.

Then came the accident four years ago—he and Sophia went on a trip and crashed. Ethan ended up paralyzed. Doctors said he’d probably never walk again.Ethan Collins couldn't accept being disabled. He totally crashed, turned into this moody, sharp-tempered guy—so much so that even his folks were ready to give up on him.

But Olivia Hughes stuck with him through it all. Four years, no complaints—she cooked him tonic soups every day, and at night, she’d sneak in some traditional massages passed down in her family.

Ethan was a mess emotionally, snapping and lashing out for no reason. Olivia always had bruises somewhere on her body—she was basically his emotional punching bag for four years.

Then, just a month ago, he stood up again—good as new. Ethan’s dad was so thrilled, he immediately arranged their engagement party.

Olivia thought her patience had finally paid off. She really believed this was her happy ending. Instead, she found him hooking up with his ex, Sophia Bennett, in the garden.

All those years of caring for him? Ethan laughed them off in front of his ex, like they were just him putting on a show to impress women.

The sting in Olivia’s heart was unbearable. She just wanted to get out of there. But in her panic, her foot snapped a twig—loud and clear.

"Who’s there?!"

Ethan’s voice rang out, sharp and on edge. The rustling and breathing stopped abruptly.

Holding her breath, Olivia rushed into a nearby man-made cave.

She didn't even know why she was hiding—she hadn’t done anything wrong. But instinct took over.

She’d lived in the Collins household for ages. She knew her way around the garden like the back of her hand. This fake rock cave was deep. She was small—if she scooted in far enough, Ethan wouldn’t see her in the dark.

Except—

As she backed in deeper, she bumped into something. Or someone.

Before she could even yelp, a large hand clamped over her mouth, an arm locking tightly around her waist.

She froze.

A man’s body heat wrapped around her from behind, his firm chest pressing against her back. Through the thin summer dress, his warmth burned like fire.

He was so much bigger than her, she felt like he easily lifted her halfway up—sitting practically on his lap.

Panicked, her eyes shot up—and met a pair of deep, cold eyes in the dark.

Every instinct screamed: dangerous.

She wanted to squirm away, but the second she lifted her hips, the hand on her waist pulled her back down with a silent warning.

Then came his whisper, low and rough by her ear, "Shh. Don’t move. Your fiancé’s coming."

Right after he spoke, footsteps sounded just outside the cave.

Olivia’s whole body tensed up tight, every hair on edge.