Chapter 3

Not long after Olivia submitted her resignation, Mason Miller called. "Olivia! What do you take our company for? Do you think you can just join when you want and leave when you feel like it?" "I'll send you my formal resignation letter later. I'll find the time to hand over everything." After saying that, she hung up on him Olivia realized how ridiculous it had been when she stepped away from everything back then. Because she wanted to be by Jasper's side, even if it meant she could only watch him from afar, she gave up everything and joined Price Corporation as his secretary. Olivia had even agreed to keep their marriage a secret and proved herself at his company purely through her own abilities. In reality, she had put up with all of the hostility and scrutiny that came with being a parachuted hire. Through these challenges, she eventually became capable of handling things independently. But now that she thought about it, what personal secretary spent 90% of the year on business trips? Looking back on it now, Jasper had simply used this arrangement to make her leave his sight willingly. Olivia had felt so pleased with herself, thinking he kept assigning projects to her because he trusted her capabilities. The truth was, in his eyes, she had always been nothing more than an obstacle between him and Sage. She was nothing more than an arrogant, incompetent heiress to him. Olivia let out a mocking chuckle, declined Mason's latest call, and switched off her phone. … Back at Price Corporation, Mason couldn't help but frown when he received the automated message announcing that Olivia's phone had been powered off. He was one of the few people who was aware of Olivia's true identity as the lady of the Price family. Initially, he doubted her motives. However, over time, he realized that she had never once pulled rank or complained about the intense travel schedule. Hence, Mason assumed she was genuinely committed to the job. Now, it seemed like she could no longer keep up the act. Still, Olivia wasn't just a plain Jane. Even if Jasper didn't like her, he had to report this to him and see how he wanted to proceed with things. If Jasper wanted Olivia to stay, Mason would persuade her to come back. If he didn't, he would arrange a swift handover so that their work wouldn't be affected. However, looking back, Mason remembered the few times he had mentioned Olivia in front of Jasper. Jasper's response had always been indifferent. Even when discussing promotion recommendations, he had simply said, "Handle it by the book," and shown no further interest. Jasper usually treated Olivia no differently from a stranger. Even when they crossed paths, he never spared her so much as a glance. The meeting was about to end when Mason steeled himself and said, "There's one more thing, Mr. Price." "Do you have questions about this project?" Jasper asked apathetically. The project in Montesca had always been handled by Olivia. Jasper seemed to be aware of Olivia's resignation. Mason didn't dwell on it and shook his head. "No. We'll assign it as soon as possible." … Olivia returned to Price Corporation in the afternoon. Someone asked, "Are you going to become a full-time housewife, Liv?" Olivia smiled. She didn't explain that she had stayed for the sake of her family and that she was leaving for herself. "Of course, she is. Who can handle being on the road all the time? Not to mention, she has a precious daughter too! Even with time differences, she makes sure to call home every day." "I won't need to anymore," Olivia said softly when she thought about Emilia. She would no longer call her every day. Her colleague clearly misunderstood and grumbled, "Lucky you. I still have to suffer!" Olivia handed over the task list to her successor and smiled. "Not for long." Jasper wouldn't have to rack his brain to come up with excuses to send the secretarial department on business trips once she left. "Have you caught wind of something?" Olivia shook her head. She didn't tell her colleagues that their boss had been deliberately targeting her, using business trips to keep the secretaries away. After finishing the handover and stepping out of the tall building, Olivia felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Once Jasper signed the agreement, the two of them would no longer have anything to do with each other. From then on, she would stay far away from him. She would no longer have to live in constant fear, worrying that her nightmare would turn into real life. Olivia felt a bitterness rise in her throat when she thought of Emilia. Jasper genuinely loved their daughter, and Emilia would undoubtedly prefer to stay with him. She had no intention of fighting for custody. It was something she couldn't afford anyway. Olivia returned to her own place. Before getting married, she had a disagreement with her family and, in the heat of the moment, bought this place. She had only stayed here for a few days before moving back home, and soon after, she married Jasper. If she hadn't decided to leave, she might not even have remembered this place. Olivia had bought it in a rush. The apartment was small, but it was more than enough for just her. … Olivia spent several peaceful days. She shopped and visited exhibitions, and no one bothered her. She didn't call Emilia, and no one contacted her either. Olivia wasn't surprised. In the past, she would have rushed back to the Price residence. Now, she simply felt at ease. While strolling through the mall, she was drawn to an esports match playing on a massive screen. She lingered until the match was over before she headed home with her bags. The silence of her apartment felt like a different world from the excitement she had just witnessed. Olivia hesitated for a while before dialing a familiar number. "I want to watch next month's match." "Seriously?" The person on the other end didn't sound pleased. "We saved seats for you every time, but when have you ever shown up? The market is booming now. Tickets are impossible to get." Olivia listened quietly, then said, "I'll definitely go this time." The line went silent for a long while. Olivia was well aware that he was still mad at her. She had left at the height of the industry to get married and have a child. As a core member, her departure had been a heavy blow to their small startup. She was also aware that a lot of the team members resented her and had even cut off contact with her. "If I don't show up this time, I'll never bring it up again." The person on the other end remained silent for a long, long while. "Do you want to come back?" "I do." The match she witnessed earlier had stirred something deep inside her. So, she wanted to get back into the industry. "Alright, but be prepared. The market won't stop and wait for anyone." "I know." Marriage had cost her too much time. Even after joining Price Corporation, the work she handled had nothing to do with this field. Because of her marriage, she had fallen far behind. If she showed up at the company out of the blue, she would only slow them down. Olivia wanted to use this opportunity to learn about the market trends and consumer preferences. In the meantime, she would catch up on everything she had missed. … Emilia would call Sage every day. Giselle Watson, her friend, had told her that if she liked someone, she should wish them good night because it would express her love for them. Since then, she had never missed a bedtime call with Sage. After hanging up that night, it was still early. Emilia was still wide awake, so she climbed out of bed and ran into Jasper's room. "Good night, Dad!" Jasper smiled. "Good night." After saying that, she looked around the room, but she didn't see Olivia. Forget it. Emilia didn't really feel like saying good night to her anyway.