Chapter 1

Olivia’s POV

“You’re infertile, sir.”

The information from the urologist hit me like a hard slap to the face. I had suspected that Dent Hathway—my husband—had a problem ever since I got myself checked and was told that everything was fine. My parents had even told me to divorce Dent, convinced that he wouldn’t be able to give me children.

Turns out, they were right.

I glanced at Dent. He looked strong on the outside, even though that information had just stripped him bare. I knew he was embarrassed and felt guilty toward me.

“Mr. Dent has sexual issues and poor sperm quality. That’s why the two of you haven’t been able to have children until now.”

It felt like my stomach was punched. Twisting, cramping. My whole body went cold—not because of the air conditioner, but because I couldn’t accept this reality. I should have been suspicious when Dent couldn’t satisfy me physically, but I kept denying it. I told myself he was just exhausted from work.

“Is there any kind of treatment for this, Doctor?” Dent asked. “Therapy, or anything,” he added, holding onto the last bit of hope he had. Hope for a harmonious family, filled with laughter from a little child running around our home.

But that hope felt like an illusion now.

“Don’t worry. There are treatments and therapies you can undergo. Changing your lifestyle is also an important part of it. You just need to try and be patient,” the doctor said, trying to reassure us.

Try and be patient? How much longer were we supposed to keep that in our hearts? I was starting to feel hopeless. How long did I have to wait?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. The tightness in my chest eased a little, but the reality stayed the same.

Dent’s hand touching my thigh made me flinch in surprise. He turned to me with a warm, sincere smile, but his eyes were dull. His bright blue eyes had darkened. Was his disappointment bigger than mine? Shouldn’t I be the one comforting him right now?

“I’ll arrange your therapy schedule. Excuse me for a moment,” the doctor said before leaving the room, which suddenly felt silent. All that remained was the ticking of the clock, the nauseating smell of medicine, and faint noises seeping through the walls. It felt like the world was mocking me.

“I’m sorry, Olivia. I’m not a perfect man.”

“Don’t say that, Dent. No one is perfect.” I cupped his face and gave his lips a brief kiss, trying to comfort him. Dent rested his face on my shoulder for a moment. My fingers gently stroked his light brown hair.

“I’m infertile, Olivia. You won’t be able to have children with me. I should’ve realized it before marrying you. I should’ve—” he whispered softly near my ear.

I quickly pushed him away, covering his mouth with my index finger. I gripped his smooth black shirt until it wrinkled. I shook his body, forcing him to snap out of it.

“No, Dent! There is no should have! I love you for who you are. We can find a solution, just like the doctor said. Don’t lose heart,” I said, then smiled at Dent, who could only look at me with teary eyes.

“Olivia…” he called weakly.

My heart pounded hard. Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable with the sorrow in his gaze. Please don’t say anything right now, Dent. Don’t.

“If you want a divorce… I won’t blame you for that decision, Olivia.”

I shook my head quickly. “Please don’t say that now, Dent! I will never ask for a divorce!”

“Your parents won’t like knowing this fact, Olivia. They’ll keep pressuring you to leave me,” Dent said seriously. He held my shoulders gently, trying to make me understand the situation we were facing.

He wasn’t wrong. My parents would be furious if I kept defending Dent, who couldn’t even give me children. Just like me, they hoped for grandchildren in the Jordyn family. But would they understand how I felt? I loved Dent, even with his flaws.

My palm touched Dent’s cheek, stroking his skin. “I won’t tell my father and mother.”

Dent looked uneasy with my decision. “Olivia, I don’t—”

“Shh! Enough.” I quickly silenced his thin lips with my finger. “I don’t want to hear anything. We’ll try again, Dent.”

You sound very optimistic, Olivia. But deep down, you doubt it. My inner voice mocked me, and I knew it. Could I really be patient for much longer?

“How lucky I am to have you, Olivia,” he whispered before hugging me. Right now, it didn’t matter if we never had children, as long as Dent was by my side. Mine. That felt like it was enough.

I think.

From the hospital, we went to Dent’s parents’ house. The Victorian-style home looked solid and imposing. Its owners, Anna and Jonny, welcomed us in their small garden. Seeing Dent hug both of his parents as we stepped out of the car made my heart ache. They loved Dent so much—just like I did. If I told them this news, how would they react?

Would Jonny still blame me for the absence of grandchildren in this family?

In the living room, my eyes wandered across the walls filled with photos. On top of the fireplace, my gaze froze on an old picture of Dent with his younger brother—Xavier Hathway. The skinny guy with an ice-cold stare. It had been a long time since I last saw Xavier.

“Xavier has changed into a handsome man now. You won’t even recognize him,” Anna said from behind me.

For a moment, I stared at his figure in the photo again. If that was true, maybe he’d be as impressive as Dent. Or maybe even more. I felt curious.

We gathered in the side yard, enjoying snacks and hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon made by Anna. Jonny looked at the two of us, and I could already guess where the conversation was heading.

“So… when are you going to give us a grandchild, huh?”

“Dad,” Dent warned first, glancing at me as I immediately lowered my head, uncomfortable with the topic.

“Dent, your father and mother are already very old. Don’t put it off any longer.”

“Dad, this isn’t—”

“You don’t have a problem with it, do you, Olivia?” Jonny cut in, looking at me with a strange gaze. As if I were the one responsible for all the problems we’d been facing.

“Jonny, what are you talking about!” Anna scolded, her voice rising.

The tension made me feel like throwing up. If he knew who the real problem was, would Jonny still ask me that? Unfortunately, I was still kind enough to hide the truth from them—for Dent’s sake.

Turns out, sacrificing your feelings hurts more than anything.

I stood up from my chair and excused myself to go to the bathroom. In front of the sink, I splashed water on my face, staring at my pitiful reflection. My eyes were red from holding back tears.

“I’m not the problem,” I whispered to the mirror. Unable to stop it, tears slid down my cheeks.

“Why are you crying?”

A voice from the bathroom door startled me. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. He was tall and broad. His muscles were obvious, even beneath the clean white shirt he was wearing.

His face felt familiar. A sharp jawline. A straight nose. Thin lips pressed together. Then his bright blue eyes reminded me of someone. From where I stood, I could feel his cold gaze traveling over my body.

Realizing it, I stepped back and gripped the edge of the sink. “Who are you? Why did you just walk into someone else’s house without ringing the bell?”

Instead of answering, he stepped closer. His movements were slow, intimidating me as I got trapped between the cold bathroom wall and his large body.

“Wait—don’t come closer!”

“Why are you afraid of me?” he asked in a low voice. One of his strong arms blocked my escape while his other hand lifted my chin. Slowly, he raised my face. Our eyes met. He smiled.

“Olivia,” he called softly.

My stomach tightened. The way my name sounded on his lips felt sensual. His gaze heated up as he looked at my lips—long enough to make my knees weak. Crazy. Why was he looking at me like that?

For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. But I was wrong. His thumb brushed away the remaining tears on my cheek. I was stunned by my own thoughts. He leaned down, almost touching my lips. His warm breath mixed with mine.

“W–who are you?” I asked.

“You’ll find out later,” he answered right in front of my parted lips. My breath caught when I saw his eyes flick to my lips again. He smiled, clearly aware of my unease.

Thankfully, the sound of footsteps from the hallway made him step back. Instinctively, I touched my racing chest. Why did I react like this to a stranger?

The corner of his lips lifted. His mocking smirk made my blood boil. But before I could curse at him, Anna’s voice interrupted us.

“You’re home already?” Anna asked, her eyes sparkling.

He turned and pulled Anna into a warm hug. “Mom,” he said softly.

I froze.

Anna looked at me cheerfully. “Olivia… you remember him, right?” Anna held onto the man’s arm. “This is Xavier.”

Cold crept from the top of my head down to my feet. Goosebumps covered my skin.

God. This is my brother-in-law?