Chapter 1

June, at the entrance of Jilton City's courthouse.

Olivia Sawyer was dressed in a pure white dress, wearing large sunglasses and a mask.

She dialed her father, Philip Sawyer's number once again.

"Dad, can't we change the registration date? I had an allergic reaction to the face wash this morning, and now my eyes are so swollen that they don't even look like double eyelids anymore. I just—"

Before she could finish, her phone automatically shut off.

Olivia took a deep breath. She couldn't believe her phone decided to die at this exact moment.

It seemed like everything was fate.

Just two days ago, she had received news that Philip's business suddenly went bankrupt, and the bank seized both his car and properties. He was also facing three years in jail.

Olivia was left homeless overnight.

Philip had arranged a marriage for her in a rush, claiming the other party to be the son of one of his comrades, who owned a pizzeria and had a decent income.

Most importantly, the man was willing to take her in.

She had mentally prepared herself for this step.

"Hello, are you Ms. Soyer?" A deep husky voice sounded nearby.

Olivia looked up.

The man stood backlit, and with her swollen eyelids, conjunctivitis, and increased eye discharge, she had a hard time seeing his face clearly through the thick tinted lenses.

Luckily, she could make out his general outline. He appeared to be a young man with soft features.

And he was tall, about six feet two inches.

But had he mispronounced her name as "Soyer" instead of "Sawyer"?

Still, she nodded. "I am. Are you Mr. Gantt?"

She felt embarrassed for not remembering his full name, but she recalled that his last name was Gantt.

"Yes," Chester Grant responded flatly. Then, he scanned her over.

He was nearsighted with a prescription of 400 degrees and usually wore glasses, but he had rushed out this morning and accidentally cracked his lenses.

He hated wearing contacts, so he went out without wearing anything that could correct his vision.

But the woman he was talking to was wearing a white dress they had agreed on, and her last name was Soyer, so there shouldn't be a mistake.

"Let's go. I'm in a hurry. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can leave." He turned and walked straight toward the entrance of the courthouse.

"Wait… wait!" Olivia was startled. She hadn't expected the man to be more anxious than she was.

Chester paused and looked back. "Having second thoughts?"

She cautiously asked, "Do you want to reconsider?"

Her question took Chester off guard. "Are you trying to back out?"

Olivia shook her head awkwardly. She had thought the owner of a pizzeria might be out of shape or a rough-looking man.

But the man standing in front of her was the total opposite of what she had expected. She was on the winning side, so why would she back out?

She feared that Mr. Gantt might not think the same. Philip was burdened with an enormous debt that would take a lifetime in jail to repay.

Chester frowned impatiently. "That's settled then. Since there aren't many people now, let's get this done quickly so we won't waste more time."

He refused to stay a second longer. He had arranged everything through his assistant, Colin Mayer.

As long as they filled out forms and took a photo, they could get their marriage registered without even needing to take an oath.

Olivia nodded. She felt relieved that he didn't seem forced into this.

Soon, both of them were holding a marriage certificate.

Chester didn't bother to even look at it as he shoved the certificate into his pockets and took out an access card.

"This is for my apartment at Freshgale Residences, you can use it to enter the complex.

"The building and unit number are written here on the card. I rarely visit, so you can stay there comfortably. If I do return, I'll let you know in advance."

Olivia took the card and thanked him. She figured that she could move in if she could locate an internship nearby.

Then, Chester handed her another card. "This debit card has a million dollars in it. I'll also deposit 200 thousand dollars into it monthly.

"Use it if you need it. The password is ****9912."

Olivia was both surprised and touched.

She was surprised that a pizzeria owner could be so generous as to hand over a card deposited with a million dollars.

She was touched by how serious he regarded the marriage, otherwise he wouldn't have trusted her with such a large sum.

But Olivia reminded herself that she shouldn't be greedy. Though she needed money, she would never touch it unless absolutely necessary.

For now, she would just consider it safekeeping.

As they walked out of Jilton City's courthouse together, she saw him get into a black car.

"Do you need me to give you a ride?" Before leaving, Chester rolled down the window and asked politely.

Olivia noticed there was a chauffeur and assumed he was heading to a business meeting.

She waved at him and said, "No need, you go ahead. I can manage on my own."

Chester nodded and left.

Olivia didn't notice the car's license plate or logo, but judging by the model, it must have cost quite a lot.

For businessmen, driving a nice car was nothing out of the ordinary.

After the car disappeared, Olivia borrowed a phone from a passerby to call Philip. "Dad, I've registered for marriage."

Philip's voice on the other end was deep and hoarse. "That's good. Take care from now on. I'm about to go in. You can't reach me after this unless I'm released."

Olivia held back her urge to cry and gave Philip a few more words of reassurance before hanging up and returning the phone.

Philip loved her deeply since she was young, even more so than her biological mother. So she had always respected him greatly.

She vowed to work hard to pay off his debts in hopes of getting him out sooner.

When Olivia returned to her dorm, the dorm monitor, Shannon Holt, was engrossed in playing a video game.

Their room initially had four people, but one had left early for an internship, and the other frequently lived off campus with her boyfriend.

Feeling thirsty, she removed her mask and sunglasses and poured herself a glass of water. She drank half of it before setting the glass on the table.

As she reached into her bag for her phone to charge it, the marriage certificate slipped out and reminded her of her newlywed status.

Olivia snickered as she recalled how the staff had spent a long time comparing her swollen face to her ID during registration.

The most memorable wedding photo was now so ugly she could hardly stand to look at it.

Shannon finally noticed her after being so absorbed in the video game. She asked, "Liv, have you secured your internship yet?"

As Olivia applied the anti-allergy ointment she had gotten from the school clinic, she replied, "I've sent out my resume, but I'm not sure if I'll get the job. There's a lot of competition."

"Is it to Grant Corporation?"

"Yes."

"I wanted to apply too, but the requirements are too high. Ugh…" Shannon sighed.

Just after Olivia finished applying the ointment, her phone powered on after getting some charge.

Messages started coming in, and as she glanced at them, she noticed a name saved with the name Gantt.

It was none other than her shotgun husband, who she had just parted ways with. They had just added each other on WhatsApp yesterday.

But now, the text he sent read, "I'm sorry. I thought it over carefully and realized we're not a good match… We shouldn't get married."

Chapter 2

Olivia's face fell. She had asked if he wanted to reconsider before registering, and now he was suddenly calling off the marriage.

Could they even file for a divorce on the day of their marriage?

She responded with a question mark to his texts.

The other party soon sent a second message.

"I'm really sorry for the change of mind. My father didn't tell me about your father's debt when he introduced you. But on my way to the courthouse, I had someone look into it.

"Your father went bankrupt and sold his company, properties, and car. But he's still 30 million dollars in debt.

"That's not a small sum, and since you're his daughter, my pizzeria business will be affected if the creditors come after you.

"Even if I don't mind and can accept that, what about our children? Imagine if they grow up and apply for a job, only to find that their grandfather went to jail through a background screening. That will hurt their future prospects, so…"

Olivia's blood boiled as she read the text. She was about to dial his number when the screen displayed a red exclamation mark—he had blocked her number.

Her heart sank. How could his attitude change so dramatically from when they had registered?

She hopped up to her feet, accidentally pulling the cable of the phone charger that knocked over the glass of water on her desk.

Water splashed into a nearby power outlet, but she didn't notice.

Olivia hurriedly unplugged her phone and stepped into the corridor in hopes of calling Philip.

The automated message she heard on the phone reminded her that the phone was turned off and the number was no longer in service.

Her heart turned cold. So what now?

She was legally married, and was the man not going to set up a time to file for divorce? And the two cards he had given her—she would have to return them, right?

Olivia felt her head throbbing as she thought of all that.

Suddenly, there was a loud sound of explosion from her dorm, and black smoke started billowing out.

Olivia was startled and ran back inside to find that something on her desk had caught on fire.

"What's going on?" Shannon, who had been engrossed in the video game, was equally shocked.

She grabbed her covers and tried to smother the flames, but the fire only grew stronger and spread to the covers as well.

Olivia searched around and ran to the electric panel to switch off the power.

Then, she rushed into the bathroom to fill a bucket of water and throw it over the fire.

The fire was out in minutes, but the desk was a mess.

The commotion had attracted the attention of nearby dorms. Some called the fire department, while others fetched the supervisor.

20 minutes later, the firefighter emerged from the dorm. "The fire was caused by a short circuit in the power plug. Was anyone using the socket to charge anything?"

Olivia had tucked the marriage certificate away before the firefighters entered. She hadn't had the chance to check if it had survived the fire unscathed.

Now, she lowered her head with reddened eyes and admitted her mistake to the supervisor. Her eyes were swollen in the first place, and they were even more so now.

"I accidentally knocked over a glass of water that splashed onto the power plug and caused a circuit. I had been charging my phone before that, but I unplugged it before the fire started. I didn't expect…"

The firefighter explained, "Even if the charger isn't plugged into a device, it can still generate current if it's connected to the power socket. Combined with old wiring, it can cause a fire."

Olivia lowered her head even further. The supervisor tried to comfort her after thanking the firefighters.

After the firefighters and the supervisor left, she began cleaning her desk. Several books were burned, and even her bag was scorched.

Luckily, her cards were still intact.

Shannon's covers were ruined, so Olivia handed over hers. "Here, you can use mine tonight."

"What about you?"

Olivia thought of the access card for the apartment. It seemed like her only chance to see the man again.

"Don't worry about me. I'll stay somewhere else tonight."

…

Chester had just parked his car in the garage when his mother, Whitney Evans, called.

"Chet, Ms. Soyer got in a serious car accident. She's now in the ICU."

Wasn't she the woman he had just registered his marriage with?

Remembering her gentle demeanor, Chester asked, "Mom, which hospital is she in?"

Whitney replied, "At Central Hospital. It was the closest to the accident. You were supposed to meet her today, right? Did you see her yet?"

Chester had registered his marriage without informing families to avoid the hassle of more blind dates.

It was just a marriage alliance, and whoever he married wouldn't matter much.

They had agreed beforehand that they wouldn't meddle in each others' affairs after the marriage.

Chester's plan was to disclose the marriage to the family at a suitable time later on. But just hours after they had parted…

"Mom, we've met. If I had taken her home earlier, she wouldn't have had this accident. It's my responsibility, I'll take care of her."

"What?" Whitney was shocked. "I thought she was on her way to see you. You'd better go check on her, do your best to meet any request her family has."

Outside the emergency room, Tony Soyer was pacing anxiously while Candace Jones sat crying on the bench.

They had dressed up today, hoping that their daughter's meeting with Chester would go well, so they had left the house later than scheduled.

But now, she was in such a tragic accident that even the cars were crumpled.

The green light above the ICU turned off, and the doctor emerged.

"How's my daughter?" Tony rushed up to him.

The doctor sighed. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could."

Candace fainted right on the spot, and Tony's face turned ashen.

When Chester arrived, they were just wheeling Leah Soyer out of the operating room. Her face was covered with a white cloth, and blood was seeping through the fabric at the edge of the stretcher.

Though Chester wasn't wearing his glasses, he could tell that she was wearing a white dress.

His heart sank. Then, he called Colin and ordered, "Send the Soyers 80 million dollars as compensation and tell them to give Ms. Soyer a proper burial."

As the only person knowing Chester had gotten married earlier that day, Colin nodded and asked, "Should I inform the Soyers about your marriage with Ms. Soyer?"

Chester thought about it. "No need. It'll be considered a case of widowhood. No need to file for divorce since the marriage will automatically be nullified."

After hanging up, he instinctively reached for the marriage certificate still in his pocket.

His first instinct was to throw it away, but doing so right after the passing seemed too heartless.

In the end, he left it in his pockets.

Chapter 3

By the time Olivia arrived at Freshgale Residences, it was 5:00 pm.

She found Mr. Gantt's unit according to the unit number on the access card.

Opening the door, she was welcomed with a minimalist yet cozy decor that wasn't what she had expected, but she liked it.

If it hadn't been for what happened next that completely ruined her good impression of him, she might have spent the rest of her life with him.

She pulled her suitcase inside and chose the second bedroom closest to the primary bedroom. Then, she began unpacking her belongings.

She took out her clothes and placed them in the closet. Then, she arranged the books that weren't damaged by the fire on the bookshelf.

She carefully put her documents away and made sure everything was in order. But something still felt off after she got it all done.

Then, she remembered that her marriage certificate was still in her pocket.

Olivia took it out and noticed the burnt marks on the cover.

She realized she hadn't had a good look at Mr. Gantt's face during the day, and she couldn't recall his name either.

But now that he had backed out of the marriage, she was starting to grow curious about him.

When she turned the marriage certificate over, she felt a wave of despair. The part of the page where their photos were placed was burnt along with his name.

All that remained was half of her photo and her name on the page alone.

Olivia took a deep breath. It was the first time she had felt so helpless. She could get really unlucky at times like this.

A cheerful ringtone cut through her heavy mood. She glanced at the screen and saw that it was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello, is this Olivia Sawyer? This is the HR Department of Grant Corporation. We're pleased to inform you that your application has been successful.

"Please bring all the necessary documents and come in tomorrow to sign the internship contract."

Olivia was briefly stunned before she snapped out of her shock. "Really? Great! I'll definitely be there on time tomorrow!"

This was the first good news she had received today. To enter Grant Corporation was a dream for nearly every graduate.

Though it was just an internship, it was said that the standards for selecting interns were the same as full-time employees.

If she performed well, she'd likely be offered a permanent position after the internship.

That night, Olivia applied extra ointment around her eyes before she slept, hoping that the swelling would subside before tomorrow.

The first thing she did when she woke up the next day was to check her reflection. The swelling had indeed gone down.

She picked out an office wear she had recently bought and put on some light makeup before heading out.

Grant Corporation wasn't too far away from Freshgale Residences. There was a direct subway line with an exit right by the building. It was incredibly convenient.

With the confirmation letter, Olivia had no trouble getting through the building's security.

She successfully signed a one-year internship contract as a design assistant with a monthly salary of 5000 dollars. If she performed well and was offered a permanent role after a year, she could earn bonuses from project dividends.

Her mentor, Jonathan Cane, was a 42-year-old man. He glanced at her with concern and asked, "Are you okay with business trips? We frequently travel for projects, and the accommodation may not always be the best.

"For a newcomer, traveling is the fastest way to get onboard. If you're okay with it, go home and prepare after work. We'll meet at the airport at 11:00 pm for a flight to Westbrook City."

Olivia had never expected to be sent on a business trip on her first day of work, but she quickly pulled herself together.

She confidently replied, "I'm fine with that. We used to travel a lot for group projects, and I've stayed in all kinds of places. I'm used to it."

"Good." Jonathan handed her a stack of documents. "Familiarize yourself with these quickly. I'll quiz you later."

"Got it." Olivia felt motivated by a clear goal. She grabbed the documents and returned to her desk to immerse herself in work.

After work, she went to the supermarket to buy some necessities and returned home to pack.

When she touched the bank cards Mr. Gantt had given her, she thought about it before placing them in the drawer under the desk along with the burned marriage certificate.

She wondered how long she'd have to stay here to eventually run into him. She wouldn't feel at ease if they weren't divorced.

Before leaving, she left a note on the desk. "Hello, I'm Olivia Sawyer. I've gone on a business trip, and about our divorce, we can set a time to meet at the courthouse. My number is 159********."

After reading it several times over, she added, "I'll be staying at your place for now, and I'll pay rent by the day. I won't touch your money, the cards are in the drawer."

To make sure the note wouldn't be blown away, she tore off a piece of transparent tape and stuck it to the table.

Olivia arrived at the airport to meet Jonathan at 11:00 pm.

Jonathan handed her a first-class ticket. "There's only one seat left, and you should take it. I'll sit in economy."

Olivia quickly waved her hands. "Oh no, I can't."

She was surprised that Grant Corporation employees got to travel in such luxury.

Jonathan chuckled. "Don't worry about it. You got lucky. This is a big project, so the company is reimbursing us for first-class tickets.

"Plus, Mr. Grant decided to fly with us at the last minute. He's not bringing anyone else, so just cooperate with whatever he asks you to do."

"Mr. Grant?" Olivia was stunned. Could Jonathan be referring to the CEO of the Grant Corporation?

Jonathan patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. Mr. Grant is a nice man. I told him that an intern is coming along."

Meeting the CEO on the first day was definitely nerve-wracking for Olivia.

She checked in her luggage and boarded the plane, but she still hadn't seen the person Jonathan had talked so highly about.

She decided to do a quick search for the CEO of Grant Corporation since the Internet was still accessible.

Other than knowing his name was Chester Grant, she couldn't find any photos or details. Was he really that mysterious?

But anyone who could run Grant Corporation so successfully wasn't just an ordinary person.

Olivia started imagining what a CEO would look like, a mid-40s or mid-50s man with a medium build with a slight beer belly. He must be well-dressed with a round face, a high forehead, and perhaps a receding hairline.

She even sketched the image in her notebook and planned to use it as a reference when looking for him.

There were 30 minutes before the takeoff. Olivia adjusted her posture and fastened her seatbelt.

Then, she texted Shannon, "I got into Grant Corporation, and I'm going on a business trip with my mentor for a few days.

"If anyone comes looking for me, please keep an eye out."

She figured that if Mr. Gantt could dig out her father's affairs, he must also know where her school was.

If he went to her school instead of Freshgale Residences, it was best to give Shannon, their dorm monitor, a heads-up.

Before she could receive a reply from Shannon, a tall figure entered from the gate and took the seat closest to her.

Chapter 4

The man was dressed in a neat suit and wore a pair of refined rose-rimmed glasses. His side profile was sharp, and his skin had a fair and soft cream tone.

Though he was seated, it was clear that he was tall.

At that moment, he was engrossed in reading something on his tablet. His long fingers tapping on the device perfectly complemented his overall appearance.

Olivia thought he was a handsome man.

A flight attendant politely approached. "Hello sir, I'm Jules, your flight attendant for today. If you need any assistance, feel free to ring the bell."

"Alright," the man responded without glancing up. He returned to his tablet.

For some reason, his voice felt oddly familiar to Olivia. It seemed as if she had heard it somewhere before.

Sensing her gaze, the man turned his head. Their eyes met.

Olivia's heart skipped a beat. Not only did the voice seem familiar, but even his features felt oddly recognizable and unfamiliar at the same time.

She blurted out, "Excuse me… have we met before?"

She couldn't help blushing at that. Did that sound like she was flirting?

Chester raised an eyebrow slightly as he found her voice familiar as well. But he was sure they hadn't met before.

So he returned a gentlemanly smile. "I think you've got the wrong person. We've never met."

With that, he adjusted his glasses and returned to his work.

Olivia was cringing in embarrassment. Was she feeling too overwhelmed from seeing such a handsome man that she was finding him familiar?

It never occurred to her that she would be swooning over a random man.

Soon after, the plane was ready for takeoff. Jules requested everyone to turn off their phones and went around to check if everyone had fastened their seatbelts.

Olivia stole a glance around. By now, the first-class cabin was fully occupied, but she wondered who the CEO of Grant Corporation was.

She regretted not asking Jonathan earlier. He might have had a photo of him.

Her oversight made her feel uneasy. She could barely suppress the urge to head back to the economy cabin, but no one was allowed to walk around.

As the plane took off, the roaring engine and pressure in her ears made her uncomfortable.

Olivia glanced to the side and noticed the man had a box of gum on his table.

After hesitating for several seconds, she mustered the courage to tap his arm. "Hello, can I have a piece of gum? My ears hurt."

To make sure he understood, she pointed to the table and at her ears.

Chester frowned looking at her.

Olivia was worried that he might misunderstand, so she pulled out her last bit of cash—two dollars.

"Can I buy two pieces of gum from you?" she asked as she gestured.

Chester was totally speechless.

The plane was still ascending. The surrounding noise was loud, and there were occasional bumps from turbulence.

He picked up the box of gum and tossed it at her. It aimed perfectly and landed right on her lap.

Olivia nodded as a sign of her gratitude. Then, she opened the box, took out two pieces, and stuffed them into her mouth.

The plane finally reached cruising altitude after a while. Olivia handed the box back to him with the two dollars tucked underneath.

Chester almost laughed out loud. He only retrieved the gum and not the two dollars.

"Uh…" Olivia was about to talk him into accepting the money when Jules approached with a cart.

"Hello, this is your order. What else would you need?" As Jules spoke, she placed a served dish in front of Chester.

Olivia's mouth watered as she watched the food being served. She had been so occupied with packing her stuff tonight that she hadn't had a proper dinner.

Seeing all the delicious food, she realized just how hungry she was.

Perhaps sensing her scorching gaze, Chester looked over. Then, he whispered to Jules.

Jules turned to Olivia with a smile. "Would you like to order something as well?"

Olivia figured that flights usually came with meals, and that must be even more so for first-class seats.

She asked, "Can I have the same meal as him?"

Jules smiled. "He's VIP, and his meal was pre-ordered, so there's only one serving.

"But you can choose some other meal sets we have. We offer options like steak, pasta, and grilled salmon for first-class customers."

Olivia was slightly disappointed, but she ordered the steak.

Before long, Jules brought her steak along with an extra glass of juice. The portion was too small to barely satisfy her.

After finishing her meal, Olivia glanced at Chester next to her again.

He was eating slowly, or rather, elegantly. The simple grilled chicken wing looked refined in his hands.

Then, she noticed the untouched wine-glazed short rib on his plate. Since her family's downfall, she hadn't had anything as luxurious in a long time.

"Do you want some?" Chester asked, noticing her gaze.

Olivia gulped and embarrassedly nodded.

Chester's lips curved as he generously passed the plate of short ribs to her.

Olivia's eyes widened in surprise. She was filled with gratitude. "Thank you! How much does it cost? I'll pay you back later.

"But I don't have any cash. Can I have your PayPal?" She thanked him as she accepted the plate.

Since she had just landed a job, she figured it wouldn't hurt to splurge a little. Plus, how expensive could wine-glazed short ribs on a plane be?

Chester sipped his coffee and pointed out, "Is this how you usually flirt with men?"

Olivia gasped at realizing how she had sounded. "I'm sorry, that wasn't what I meant. I just thought this plate of short ribs looked expensive.

"If you've paid for it, and now you're giving it to me, I should compensate for it," she hastily explained with a flushed face.

"If you think this is flirting… I won't eat it then," she added.

She immediately handed the plate back, but before she could, he stopped her. "I'm full. If you won't eat it, throw it away."

Throw it away? Olivia quickly pulled her hands back. She'd never want to see such a delicacy go to waste.

"Thank you!" With his reassurance, she dug into the short ribs without any further guilt.

After eating her fill, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace of the quiet night flight.

She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep, but the plane had landed smoothly when she woke up.

First-class passengers were the first to disembark and had priority in collecting their luggage.

As Olivia dragged her suitcase off the conveyor belt, she saw Jonathan running over to stand beside Chester and respectfully greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Grant. I'm Jonathan Cane.

"It's an honor to have you personally oversee this project. Oh right, let me introduce you to…"

Jonathan looked at Olivia only to see her face flush with a complicated expression.

Chapter 5

Seeing Olivia stunned, Jonathan kept signaling with his eyes.

Chester noticed Jonathan's gaze and looked her way. Chester's deep gaze carried a hint of suspicion and curiosity.

Olivia instantly felt her legs go jelly. Just as she was about to step forward and lower her head to apologize, her heel twisted, and she fell straight into Chester's arms.

"Ah!" she screamed and instinctively grabbed the man standing before her. But in a panic, she accidentally ripped off the cufflink on his suit.

Jonathan was startled, but he stopped himself from stepping forward upon seeing the gloomy look on Chester's face.

Olivia knew she had messed up, but her body was too stiff to move, and her limbs were out of her control. She had never encountered such a socially awkward situation.

It turned out the CEO of Grant Corporation had been sitting right next to her, and not only had she eaten his gum, but she had also devoured his specially ordered wine-glazed short ribs.

She wished the ground would just open and swallow her up.

Before she could figure out what to do, a deep voice came from above her head. "How long do you plan to hold on?"

Olivia snapped back to reality and released her grip to stand up straight. Jonathan hurriedly grabbed her arm to pull her away from Chester.

"I sincerely apologize, Mr. Grant. This is our new intern who just started today, her name is Olivia Sawyer," Jonathan apologized.

Then, he turned to Olivia and urged her, "Olivia, hurry up and apologize. Do you not want your job anymore?"

Olivia finally reacted. She bowed her head deeply. "I… I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were Mr. Grant!

"I'm Olivia Sawyer, a third-year intern from Jilton University. Oh wait, after this break, I'll be a senior…" She rambled incoherently, terrified that she might lose this hard-earned opportunity.

Chester glanced at her. His eyes behind the glasses showed a faint, cold glimmer.

But her voice seemed to calm his rage and stop him from throwing a fit. It seemed to have a strangely soothing effect on him.

And her last name Sawyer sounded eerily similar to his recently deceased wife, Leah Soyer.

"That's enough" He finally spoke and straightened his suit. "Now that you know, remember your place and not overstep."

Olivia nodded vigorously. She bent down to pick up the cufflink which felt heavy, almost like it was made of diamonds.

"This…" She offered it to him respectfully with both hands. "I know a bit of handiwork. Mr. Grant, would you like me to help you…"

Before she could say "sew it back", Chester cut her off with a cold warning, "I don't like women who have obvious intentions toward men.

"You're young, it's best to focus on improving your work skills. If you lack competence, I don't care if you're from Jilton University, I won't keep you around!"

Olivia was rendered speechless.

Jonathan quickly stepped in and took the cufflink from Olivia. "About the cufflink, I'll have the brand send someone over to fix it for Mr. Grant."

It was only now that Olivia realized there was another way to handle it.

It made sense for the CEO of Grant Corporation to have custom-made clothes given his identity. It was natural for the brand to provide after-sales service.

She had overlooked and overstepped.

"I'm really sorry," she apologized again.

Jonathan wanted to put in a good word after seeing how sincere she was, but before he could speak, Chester was already pulling his suitcase toward the exit.

"It's late, let's get to our accommodations and rest early."

Jonathan nudged Olivia with his elbow, and the latter immediately understood. She dragged her suitcase and rushed forward to grab Chester's suitcase handle. "Mr. Grant, let me do it."

After saying this, she didn't walk beside him and kept a respectful distance behind. Chester noticed her earnest apologetic behavior and didn't refuse.

The three of them got into a cab. Jonathan took the front seat, and Olivia had to sit in the back with Chester.

Throughout the entire ride, she clung to the car door and kept at least a few inches from him.

Their project site was in the suburbs about 40 miles from the city.

After leaving the highway, their car bumped along a rough road for several miles.

Olivia clutched the handrail by the window and tried hard not to lean toward Chester. But perhaps the enclosed space was too stuffy or the ride too bumpy, she started feeling nauseous.

Next to her, Chester seemed unfazed. He glanced at her pale face and tightly pursed lips, sensing she might be getting carsick. A bad feeling crept up.

Sure enough, Olivia couldn't hold in anymore after a sharp turn. She was thrown to the middle and threw up.

Chester's expression darkened instantly because she had vomited on his shoes along with his pants.

Olivia felt a lot better after throwing up, but when she noticed where she had thrown up, lightning seemed to have struck her from above.

…

The car finally arrived at their accommodation.

Jonathan paid the fare and got out of the car. He looked worriedly at the two of them.

"I… I'm sorry! I really am!" Olivia had been apologizing for more than ten minutes. She knew she had made a huge mistake, and she was sure that her job would be gone once the trip ended.

Chester had never felt so aggrieved either.

First, his shoes were filthy. He could feel the acidic liquid slowly seeping in through the groove of his soles, but he couldn't take them off in front of others. His manners reminded him it was improper to do so.

Secondly, the wet stains remained on his pants although Olivia had wiped off the mess. He felt utterly disgusted that they were still stuck to his leg.

Olivia could tell he was struggling to hold it in, so she hurried to the front desk to retrieve their room cards.

It was a small hotel converted from a self-built house. The conditions were modest, and there was no elevator.

She arranged a single room for herself and Jonathan, while Chester was given a double primary bedroom.

When they reached the floor, they realized all three of them were staying in the same suite, each with their own room while Chester's was the primary bedroom.

Jonathan hesitated before asking, "Mr. Grant, would you like this suite to yourself? I can get two more rooms with Olivia."

Chester noticed the room doors had electronic locks and shook his head. "No need, I can manage. You should rest early."

He walked to his room and was about to close the door when he heard Olivia nervously speaking. "Mr. Grant, if you leave your dirty clothes and shoes outside your door, I can wash them for you.

"I'll be staying in the room right across yours, so just knock and leave. I'll take care of them."

Jonathan thought she was being thoughtful and chimed in, "Mr. Grant, Olivia is really sorry. She seems genuinely remorseful, so maybe let her make it up to you?"

Chester said nothing. He closed his door with a cold expression.

Olivia waited in her room for a long time but heard no knock. Eventually, she couldn't resist checking outside and found a pile of clothes at the door.

Her heart finally settled down.