Chapter 3

The next day, Kaia handed me a box.

"Olivia, I'm sorry about what happened last night. Please accept this as an apology."

Inside was a breathtakingly beautiful diamond bracelet. It sparkled under the light, and I could tell it was worth at least a few million dollars.

"Ivan stayed up all night helping me pick it out," Kaia added, looking at me earnestly. "After everything we've been through, can't you just let this go?"

I put the bracelet back into the box. "Did you pay for this yourself?"

Kaia hesitated. "I just got back. I haven't even held my first exhibition yet, so I don't have any income."

"So Ivan bought it."

"Yes."

"Then why are you presenting it as an apology from you?"

Ivan finally lost his patience.

"Olivia, that's enough," he said, his expression darkening. "You know what Kaia and I are to each other. My money is practically hers."

As I stared at his stone-cold expression, I remembered what happened before we decided to marry. He'd handed me a prenuptial agreement.

"If people find out you're my wife, it could affect the company's stock price," he'd said. "But you don't have to worry about money. I'll give you an allowance every month."

Back then, I was foolish enough to think he was only trying to protect the company.

But now, I understood. He was simply afraid that when Kaia came back, I would refuse to let him go and keep him from living happily with her.

I didn't take the bracelet.

Just as I stood up to leave, Kaia suddenly stopped me.

"Olivia, I just got back and need to put together an exhibition to establish myself here. You know I don't have enough savings."

She hesitated, then continued, "I was wondering… Could you lend me a million dollars? I'll pay you back as soon as I start making money."

Ivan pulled out a document and handed it to me.

"Your reputation is already ruined anyway," he said matter-of-factly. "Don't let Kaia's future get destroyed because of it too."

Apparently, that was enough to make everything I'd lost seem insignificant.

I lowered my gaze to the document and read the terms written in black and white.

"Olivia Hansley agrees to gift one million dollars to Kaia Siegel, with no obligation for repayment."

I glared at Ivan. "The studio can't afford to run out of funding."

Something seemed to occur to Ivan, and his lips pressed into a tight line.

"My exhibition opens next month," Kaia said, tears welling in her eyes as she tugged at his sleeve. "If I don't get the money in time, it'll be canceled."

"You two have known each other since childhood," Ivan finally said, visibly relaxing. "Painting has been Kaia's dream since she was little. You have no reason to refuse her."

It was always the same.

Ever since we were children, I was never allowed to say no to Kaia.

She loved painting. When we were kids, she wanted to paint portraits of people, but no one else was willing to sit still for hours at a time.

Mom couldn't bear to disappoint Kaia, so she'd force the energetic, restless me to sit there as her model from morning until night. By the end of the day, my back would ache so badly I could barely move.

I'd tried refusing before, but Mom always said the same thing.

"Is this how I raised you? You should always be willing to help others," she'd chided. "Kaia has a real talent for painting, and she's your best friend. What's the harm in helping her out with something this small?"

That was how I ended up with chronic aches from sitting too long.

But this time, I wasn't willing to sacrifice myself just to keep everyone else happy.

"My decision is reason enough," I said. "I refuse."

The room fell silent.

"Olivia, please… I'll do anything. I'll beg you if I have to," Kaia sobbed, sinking to the floor. "This is my first exhibition since coming home ,and my entire future and career depend on it.

"We've been best friends for so many years, haven't we? Please, just help me this once."

That was exactly what Mom saw the moment she opened the door. She let out a horrified cry and rushed over.

"Is this what you do to Kaia when I'm not around? How can you be so selfish and heartless? How am I ever supposed to face your father in the afterlife knowing I've raised you this way?"

Ivan helped Kaia to her feet and glared at me. "She's already begging you, and you're still not satisfied? This is her only chance. What more do you want?"

I looked at the three people standing before me—the woman who gave birth to me, the friend I'd grown up with, and the man I'd loved for years.

All three of them were pressuring me to give in for Kaia's one and only chance, yet not one of them had ever stopped to wonder whether my reputation mattered as much.

"She chose to beg me," I shot back. "I never asked her to."

With that, I walked out without looking back.

Ten minutes later, however, I received a text.

"Ms. Hansley, your upcoming loan payment is due soon. Please make sure you have sufficient funds in your account to avoid late fees and damage to your credit."

But I'd never taken out a loan.

I clicked on the link, only to see the total amount due was ten million dollars.

I inhaled sharply. Studying abroad would already eat into my savings, and I had no way to pay ten million dollars.

My phone chimed again.

"If you wouldn't give her one million dollars, then make it ten."

I immediately called the number. "Did you do this?"

"Yes."

"But I wasn't even there to sign anything!"

"I used our marriage certificate."

"That was fake!" I shouted.

"Yeah, but they didn't realize it."

I held the phone to my ear, feeling the throbbing pain in my chest slowly give way to numbness.

"What exactly do you want from me?" I finally asked, all fight gone from my voice.

A long silence followed on the other end.

"Come back. I'll increase my investment in the studio, and I'll take care of the loan."