Chapter 112

Olivia didn't even attempt to hide the cold disdain in her expression.

"Don't glare at me like that." Evelyn's lips curled into a smirk as she dangled a designer shopping bag. "Liam was free this afternoon, so he took me shopping. We picked out this little something for you together."

The silent woman simply stared at her rival without blinking.

Beatrice immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Olivia. "Miss Hartley, if you value your peace, I suggest you stop provoking trouble. Your mere presence here is disgraceful enough without openly challenging the mistress of this house."

Evelyn let out a derisive laugh. "Mistress? Does Olivia truly believe she holds that title? Liam would laugh at the notion. This is the Blackwood estate. What right do you have to speak?"

"You—" Beatrice's face flushed with anger.

Olivia calmly took the gift bag from Evelyn's hands. Inside lay an outdated dress that might have been fashionable decades ago, though it bore some craftsmanship.

She couldn't comprehend Evelyn's motives for this insulting gesture. Without hesitation, Olivia tossed it straight into the nearby wastebasket.

Evelyn's smirk only widened. "I warned you. This was Liam's choice, and you've just thrown his gift away like trash."

Olivia remained silent, meeting Evelyn's gaze steadily as she typed on her phone:

"We need to talk."

Evelyn's lips pursed momentarily, but she didn't refuse. She clearly relished any opportunity to assert dominance over Olivia.

As Beatrice exited to give them privacy, Evelyn perched on an armchair, chin lifted arrogantly. "Make it quick. Liam's taking me to that new French bistro tonight."

Olivia bowed her head slightly, shoulders slumping in apparent defeat as her fingers moved across the phone screen:

"I swear I'll leave Liam. The divorce papers are being prepared. Just leave me alone."

Evelyn's expression twisted strangely. "Leave you alone? Darling, that's my line. That day was absolutely terrifying—I never want to experience anything like it again." Her theatrical shudder didn't match the cold calculation in her eyes.

Olivia's grip on the phone tightened, knuckles whitening. She kept her gaze lowered to hide the fire burning behind her composed facade. The words on her screen were razor-sharp:

"You know I didn't push you. This isn't about that stair incident or what happened to Beatrice. None of it matters now. If you and the Hartleys stop hounding me, I'll disappear from Liam's life forever. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Evelyn stood abruptly and closed the distance between them. Seeing Olivia's bowed head filled her with vicious satisfaction.

She tsked mockingly. "How pathetic you've become, Olivia. You're right—I have no intention of making this easy for you. Truth is irrelevant. The entire social circle backs my version. Even your husband stands with me. Who cares about facts when perception is everything?"

Her manicured nails dug into Olivia's chin, leaving angry red marks on the pale skin. Tears welled in Olivia's eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

Evelyn's smile turned cruel. "You brought this on yourself by manipulating Liam into marriage with Henry's help. That should have been my ring, my title. You stole my future, and for that, you'll pay."

She released Olivia's face with a rough shove. "Honestly, I nearly pushed you that day. Pity you reacted too quickly. But it changes nothing. Liam will always choose me. Had you fallen, no one would have questioned it." Her laugh was icy. "If I were as pitiful as you, I'd never show my face again."

Olivia straightened suddenly, all traces of vulnerability gone. Her glacial stare seemed to say: Push me too far, Evelyn, and we'll both burn.

Evelyn's phone buzzed unexpectedly. She deliberately angled the screen to show Liam's caller ID.

"Look at this, Olivia. When did Liam last call you?" Her voice dripped with malice. "Oh wait—you can't hold conversations, can you? Did you know after every night with you, he'd spend hours talking to me? Everything you failed to give him, I provided. Since you insist on clinging to that wedding ring, don't blame me for being merciless."

With a triumphant smile, she answered the call and strutted away, leaving Olivia standing frozen.

At the restaurant, Evelyn's heart leaped seeing Liam waiting alone in the private dining room. Lately, he'd always brought Sebastian along, maintaining careful distance between them.

Perhaps he'd finally come to his senses.

Instead of sitting across from him, Evelyn slid into the adjacent chair, pressing close. "Liam, what's the occasion for this intimate dinner?"

"Maintain proper decorum." His voice was arctic.

Evelyn pouted dramatically. "Since when do you mind me sitting close? Don't tell me you've developed feelings for that mute—"

Liam's silence made her stomach drop. A fleeting image of Olivia's detached expression crossed his mind—when had the woman who once adored him become so distant?

To avoid further conversation, Liam pulled out his phone and showed Evelyn a video. He didn't need to play it—the thumbnail alone drained the color from her face. Her hands clenched into fists, all words failing her.