Chapter 9
After laughing came profound emptiness.
Alexander irritably lit a cigarette, Olivia’s radiant smile surfacing through
the haze.
He dialed his assistant: “Get a new tombstone for Sophia.”
After hanging up, Alexander instinctively wanted to tell Olivia.
He longed to see her tears turn to joy, her overwhelmed gratitude, that adoring look in her eyes.
But pride stopped him, so he had his assistant relay the news.
Soon came the response: “Alexander, Olivia’s vanished.”
His heart dropped. “Meaning what?”
“Did you search?”
“She blocked everyone. We checked her usual spots, even the cemetery. Nothing.”
“Investigation shows she likely left the country.”
A deafening crash echoed in Alexander’s chest.
He frantically messaged and called Olivia–only to find himself blocked.
He sped back to the villa.
Everything tied to Olivia was gone,
Her slippers, mugs, clothes… all vanished.
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Even her room gathered dust.
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Only torn photo scraps remained in the trash–a childhood picture of Alexander and Olivia.
His heart skipped. She’s just throwing a tantrum, he told himself.
She’ll come crawling back once she cools off.
Yes!
Exactly!
Alexander never doubted his charm.
Or maybe it was Olivia’s past obedience that fueled his confidence.
He holed up at the Manor for a week.
Every door creak made him jump.
But it was always maids or William dropping by.
Alexander’s nerves frayed, finding no peace.
Until Victoria showed up complaining: “Alexander, why no dates lately?”
He jolted awake.
Was Olivia controlling him?
The realization enraged him.
He dumped the search on his assistant and resumed his playboy life.
For a month, he and Victoria reveled.
Bars became home, hard liquor routine, gambling their new thrill.
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Chapter 9
They lived nocturnally, numbly repeating their sober downfall.
Yet Olivia haunted Alexander.
Her bright smile, gentle comfort, fiery stubbornness…
The urge to take her to bed.
To break her until she confessed: she still loved him.
If longing made sound, it’d shatter eardrums.
Three months into Olivia’s disappearance, Alexander snapped.
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But his assistant reported: “Olivia… booked flights worldwide, Someone’s erasing her trail. We can’t trace her.”
Bang-
Alexander shattered a cup and seized his assistant’s collar.
“I don’t care what methods you use or how much money it costs–you have to bring her back!”
“If you can’t find Olivia, you might as well stop working in Washington!”
The assistant flinched at his violent demeanor, lips trembling: “But……”
He wanted to say that even if Alexander was powerful in Washington, his reach couldn’t extend overseas.
But when he caught the murderous intent in Alexander’s eyes, he immediately lowered his head: “Understood.”
After the assistant left, Alexander smoked an entire pack of cigarettes alone in the study.
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Chapter 9
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He wondered–when had he and Olivia started going their separate ways?
Probably the day Victoria returned to the country.
Alexander had thrown her a welcome banquet, but out of fear Olivia might misunderstand, he hadn’t invited her.
That very night, Victoria had asked him three questions: “Alex, have you forgotten your mother’s death?”
“Staying with the one who killed your mother–aren’t you afraid Aunt Margaret’s spirit in heaven would feel heartache?”
“Your father supported his mistress taking your mother’s place—are you going to break my heart the same way?”
A shiver ran down his spine, as if a million ants were crawling over his heart, gnawing at him.
Back at the Historic Mansion, Olivia confronted him again: “Alexander, why did you throw Victoria a welcome banquet behind my back?”
Alexander knew perfectly well–Olivia was jealous.
But in that moment, he instinctively pushed her away, frowning as he chided: “Do I need your permission to throw a welcome banquet for my long–crushed arranged marriage partner?”
Alexander still remembered how utterly disappointed and sad Olivia had looked then.
“What are you thinking about?”
The study door creaked open, and Victoria stepped in wearing see- through pajamas.
Smiling, she walked behind him and began massaging his shoulders naturally.
