Chapter 29

Olivia froze when she saw Liam standing in the foyer, her breath catching in her throat. What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be comforting Evelyn after her dramatic scene last night?

After that spectacle Evelyn had created at the party, Olivia had assumed Liam would be glued to her side for days. Yet here he stood, back at their penthouse before midnight.

"Did Daniel bring you home?" Liam's voice cut through the silence, sharp as a blade.

She shook her head quickly, explaining how she'd been stranded without taxis when Daniel happened to drive by. The words tumbled out before she could stop them.

Olivia bit her lip. Her explanation made it sound like she was blaming Liam for abandoning her. She needed to clarify about the wine incident too. "I didn't spill the Merlot," she blurted.

She wanted to say it was Evelyn who'd knocked over the glass, but halfway through raising her hands to demonstrate, Olivia let them drop. What was the point? Liam had made his choice clear when he walked out with Evelyn. No explanation would change that.

The silence stretched between them until Liam turned abruptly to the butler. "Send for Theodore. From now on, he'll be my wife's personal driver."

Olivia could only nod stiffly at this unexpected arrangement. As she retreated upstairs, she heard the roar of Liam's sports car peeling away from the curb.

Sleep eluded her that night. When morning came, her phone buzzed with a message from Natalie. "Darling, let's have some fun today!"

Clearly Daniel had told Natalie about last night's events, though Olivia hadn't mentioned it herself.

A small smile tugged at Olivia's lips as she typed her reply. "Where did you have in mind?"

With Evelyn likely clinging to Liam today, Olivia doubted he'd have time to notice her absence.

Natalie's next message made Olivia's pulse quicken. "Gregory Thornton's studio is taking apprentices. You'd be perfect. Want to try?"

Olivia's fingers trembled against her phone screen. She hadn't thought about Gregory in years.

The renowned antiquities restorer and old friend of Henry Winslow had recognized Olivia's talent during a visit years ago. He'd handed her some delicate tools just to see what she'd do.

To everyone's astonishment, Olivia's hands proved remarkably steady - perfect for meticulous restoration work. Gregory had eagerly mentored her in his studio, where she'd shown exceptional promise.

But after Henry's passing and her marriage to Liam, Olivia had drifted away from that world, losing contact with Gregory.

She never expected Natalie to offer this opportunity.

Excitement warred with apprehension as she typed: "Liam won't approve. He's against me working."

Natalie's reply came instantly. "This isn't work! It's occasional learning. Even if you take on restoration projects, it's barely part-time."

Olivia considered this. The studio's flexible schedule would allow her to be home whenever Liam needed her cooking. His visits were infrequent anyway - sometimes disappearing for weeks.

"Alright, I'm in!" Olivia replied with newfound determination. This was more than just a hobby - it could be financially rewarding.

Unlike her bookstore job, restoring artifacts and ancient texts could lead to projects worth hundreds of thousands. This might actually help her save the twenty million Liam demanded.

Though divorce still seemed distant, for the first time in years, Olivia felt a flicker of hope.