Chapter 33 Nora Sees the Divorce Agreement
Willie felt a bit guilty. "It's not like I'm sitting around doing nothing, right? Besides, we didn't stop her from coming home. She's got her own family now, so why does she keep pulling this running away from home stunt? She's not a kid anymore; she should be more mature."
His words were full of blame.
Nora replied, "Willie, Olivia is six months pregnant. Your mom asked her to cook for a dozen people and even made her kneel to scrub the floor. Willie, I don't get it. You have housekeepers, so why make Olivia do these chores? Your family isn't short on money. If the staff can't handle it, why not take your friends out to eat?"
"You know how much Olivia has gone through to have this baby. A year ago, she was constantly visiting the doctor, rain or shine, just to conceive. Willie, who do you think she's doing all this for?"
Nora's words made Willie pause. He remembered Olivia's struggles with fertility treatments a year ago, and a hint of guilt crossed his face.
"Willie, my sister has been by your side through your startup, working tirelessly for years. Now she's pregnant, and your family is treating her like this. If word gets out, what do you think will happen to your family's reputation?"
Nora was warning Willie that if his family continued their mistreatment, she would expose Eleanor's dirty deeds to the public.
Willie cared about his dignity and didn't want family scandals to spread.
So he softened his tone, "Nora, that's not what I meant. It was just a misunderstanding. Now that we've cleared it up, it's fine. I didn't realize Olivia was staying with you. Take good care of her, let her stay a few more days to relax and adjust her mood."
With that, Willie ended the video call.
But he felt uneasy. How could Nora afford an apartment at Riverside? He thought of the recent missing batch of goods, and his face darkened.
Could Nora really be stealing from the company?
Willie decided he would check the surveillance footage tomorrow.
If Nora was up to no good, he wouldn't hesitate to take action against her.
After hanging up, Nora looked at Olivia, who was lying on the bed, her head buried.
Olivia was probably crying.
At times like this, she likely didn't want to be disturbed.
Nora left the room. Steven was on the phone in the hallway, and Nora gently closed the door.
Steven turned to her and said, "I need to go out for a bit. Stay home and keep your sister company."
"Okay."
Nora walked with him to the door, feeling a bit heavy-hearted.
She still didn't dare to ask where he was going.
Even though their relationship had improved, she remembered Steven's rule: she couldn't ask about his whereabouts.
Steven put on his shoes and turned back. Her face was calm, lost in thought.
For some reason, Steven sensed she was upset.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, pinning her against the shoe cabinet in the entryway.
Nora gasped, startled. "You nearly scared me to death."
"What's wrong?" Steven looked at her face.
Nora lifted her eyes, feeling down, and shook her head. "Nothing."
"Your face says otherwise."
She didn't respond.
He moved closer, his lips almost touching hers, their noses brushing. "Tell me."
Nora's breath quickened, her body retreating slightly to create some distance. "Can... can I ask you something?"
"Ask what?"
"Where are you going?" She tried to slow her breathing, worried she might accidentally kiss him.
He was too irresistible; it was overwhelming.
"Why can't you ask?" Steven had forgotten about their agreement.
Nora didn't dare look him in the eye, nervously saying, "You told me before, I couldn't ask about your whereabouts."
"When did I say that?"
"Our marriage agreement."
He moved closer, his lips brushing against hers, his breath warm. "You can ask from now on."
"What?" She looked up, confused, their lips almost touching.
"You really can't resist me, huh?" Steven chuckled.
"It was an accident, a misunderstanding!" Nora's heart raced, pushing him away. "So I can ask from now on? Every time you go out?"
"Yes." Steven nodded, clearly in a good mood. "There's an issue at the company tonight, I need to go handle it."
Nora felt relieved by his answer. She grabbed an umbrella and handed it to him. "It's raining outside, take this."
As she turned to leave, he pulled her back for a kiss. "I have a car; I don't need an umbrella."
There was an umbrella in the car too.
Nora's face turned red, stammering, "Oh... okay. You should go then, come back soon."
"Alright." He smiled and left.
After the door closed, Nora stood there, dazed.
She thought about Steven's words, her mood lifting.
The marriage agreement was void. She could ask him anything now, like a real wife... She touched her lips, feeling Steven's lingering warmth.
Her heart raced.
After a while, Nora went to comfort Olivia. Olivia seemed calmer, stroking Nora's head. "Nora, don't worry about me. I have a baby to think about. For the baby's sake, I'll stay strong."
"Olivia, don't overthink it. The most important thing now is to take care of yourself. We'll deal with everything after the baby is born." Nora advised Olivia to stay positive.
Life often forces you to endure, especially during pregnancy.
People say a woman truly sees her husband's character when she's pregnant and after childbirth.
Olivia was starting to see it now.
Most women grow during these dark times.
They realize marriage isn't the end-all solution; it's just the beginning. A good husband is a safe harbor, while a bad one is just mutual torment.
Olivia was being mistreated by Eleanor, and Willie didn't help, even accusing her of infidelity.
This was surely instigated by his family!
Olivia silently encouraged herself.
Stay strong!
Only by standing up for herself, becoming her own support, could she face any challenge.
Nora chatted with Olivia for a while, then went to the master bedroom to sleep.
The nightstand drawer was slightly open. As Nora reached to close it, she saw a divorce agreement!
A divorce agreement?
Nora felt her blood freeze.
She took out the agreement, flipping it open.
It was her name on it, Nora.
The agreement stated that after the divorce, she would get the Riverside Apartment, and they would amicably part ways.
Her heart was instantly filled with bitterness.
The sweetness from earlier vanished completely.
Steven wanted a divorce.
Nora sat on the floor, feeling frozen to the core.