Chapter 427 If You Don't Love Me, Why Do You Care About Me?
The Moore Mansion.
Sarah walked into the grand hall, where the Lopez family of three stood with sour expressions. They had just seen Oliver.
Jeremy's mother, Lyanna Patel, was visibly displeased.
Her tone was sharp as she spoke, "Sarah, we came here sincerely to discuss the engagement with you. If you have issues with Jeremy, that's one thing, but you can't be seen with some random guy and disgrace Jeremy!"
She huffed in discontent, "What kind of behavior is this?"
Sarah's gaze fell on the gifts they brought, her tone indifferent, "First of all, Mr. Windsor is not some random guy; he's my ex-husband. Secondly, Jeremy and I broke up a long time ago, so there's no engagement to discuss. Take these things back; I won't accept them, nor will I reconcile with Mr. Lopez."
Lyanna's face turned red with embarrassment.
Her voice grew sharper, "What nonsense! Jeremy is willing to accept you; you should consider yourself lucky. Otherwise, where will a woman with two kids find a good match?"
Sarah was about to respond when Matthew's face darkened, "That's none of your concern, Mrs. Lopez. You should worry about your son, who only listens to his mother. Our Sarah is doing just fine. There are plenty of suitors lining up for her."
Matthew, usually composed, was uncharacteristically forceful and rude.
Lyanna was stunned.
After a moment, she stammered, "Mr. Moore, there's no need to defend a woman who..."
Matthew smashed a glass.
He pointed to the door, shouting at the Lopez family, "Get out! Leave now."
Lyanna wanted to say more, but Jeremy's father, sensing the gravity of the situation, quickly pulled his wife and son out, realizing they had deeply offended the Moore family.
Jeremy, however, didn't want to give up. He looked at Sarah one last time, "Is there really no chance for us?"
Isabella rolled her eyes.
Clearly, Jeremy hadn't heard Matthew's words. Wasn't his stance clear enough?
Jeremy left, dejected.
Isabella approached Sarah, gently pressing her shoulder and comforting her, "If you really miss Nicole, you can still see her. Oliver seems much softer now, not as domineering as before."
Matthew chimed in, "How do you know that?"
No one knew his daughter better than her father.
That jerk must have bullied Sarah again; otherwise, she wouldn't look like this. But he couldn't say it outright, so he just ground his teeth in frustration.
Sarah went to her room, took a shower, and sat on the couch, lost in thought.
Her phone kept ringing.
There were anxious calls from Jeremy and messages from Oliver on Facebook, but she ignored them all. She just sat quietly, staring at the storm outside.
A gentle knock on the door, and Nicholas brought in a bowl of hot cocoa.
He placed it on the bedside table and sat on the couch, casually flipping through a book, quietly keeping her company.
From that day on, Sarah avoided Oliver.
She occasionally visited Nicole, but mostly met her in the park or took her out for food and clothes, sometimes bringing Jacob along.
Spring turned to summer.
Two months passed without incident. Oliver didn't force her, nor did he ask about Jeremy. Meanwhile, rumors in the business world suggested Jeremy was dating again, confirming his and Sarah's relationship was over.
Sarah didn't date anyone else.
But she also didn't accept Oliver.
Oliver lived with Nicole.
His situation wasn't great. He worked long hours, often in pain, relying on painkillers. Doctors advised him to take care of himself.
He always said it was nothing.
While working through the pain, he often thought about the scene at the Moore Mansion. He remembered when he could buy Sarah anything she wanted, but now he had nothing to offer.
He worked tirelessly, taking on even the smallest projects.
Late at night, Oliver was still working. Claire, seeing his struggle, brought him some food and placed it on his desk. "Eat something before you continue."
Oliver accepted her kindness.
He closed his laptop and started eating.
Claire sat beside him, speaking gently, "I know you want to earn more to take care of Mrs. Windsor, but you can't rush these things. Besides, she doesn't lack money. You need to take care of yourself. As they say, you need a strong foundation to build on."
Oliver paused, then smiled faintly.
Claire was right, but he couldn't just sit back and let his sister Grace carry the company on her own.
He had a plan to bring the Windsor Group back to its former glory in four years.
As for himself, well, maybe by then, he'd be completely worn out. Who knew?
Oliver habitually reached for a cigarette, but Claire snatched it and broke it in half, scolding, "You're already coughing all the time, and you still smoke? It'll kill you!"
Oliver looked at her, a bit taken aback.
Claire, realizing she had overstepped, quickly left with the dishes.
The next day, Claire's family had an emergency. Her grandson had fallen and was in a coma. Her son and daughter-in-law were abroad, so Claire rushed to be with them.
Before she left, Oliver gave her $500,000.
Claire didn't want to take it, knowing Oliver wasn't well off, but he insisted, "You'll need the money. Take it. If it's not enough, let me know."
Claire boarded the plane in tears.
Sarah found out and transferred another $2 million to her.
Oliver took care of Nicole alone.
Nicole was very well-behaved.
At just over a year old, she could eat by herself, use the potty, and pull up her pants. But she still didn't talk much, only saying "mommy" and "daddy" and a few simple words.
The Windsor Group moved to a shabby office building.
From thousands of employees to just about 60, it was lucky that Zoey was capable, bringing work to Oliver's place, allowing him to make it work.
But his health deteriorated.
Late at night, Nicole slept soundly in her small bed.
She was well cared for.
Not chubby, but with a healthy glow, clearly well-nurtured.
Oliver worked nearby.
The dim light softened his features. As he glanced at Nicole, a familiar pain struck. He swallowed two painkillers.
This time, the pain lingered.
Not wanting to wake Nicole, he leaned against the wall, trying to ease the pain.
He didn't want to stop working.
Even if it cost him his life, he wanted to provide for Sarah and the kids. What he gave was different.
Something shattered—a glass on the table.
Nicole woke up!
She looked at Oliver, seeing his sweat and pain.
Nicole stood in her bed.
She hugged Oliver's arm, blowing on it like adults do to soothe pain. Her soft touch felt like a feather on his heart.
Oliver gently hugged her.
Holding Nicole, tears welled up in his eyes. Only he knew why he kept her, not just to win back Sarah, but to make up for the loss of their unborn Diana.
Oliver, trembling, reached for his phone, intending to call Zoey, but in his pain, he dialed Sarah instead.
Leaning against the wall, he gasped for breath.
Nicole heard Sarah's voice and kept calling, "Daddy! Daddy!"
Sarah rushed over in the middle of the night.
When she arrived, Oliver was asleep, holding Nicole. He lay on his side, Nicole curled up against him, her tiny hand resting on his waist, her nails pink and cute.
Sarah sat beside them.
She felt a deep sadness.
As long as Nicole was with him, they would have to meet. She couldn't bear to be apart from Nicole.
Oliver, even in sleep, frowned.
Sarah hesitated, then touched his forehead. No fever.
She sighed in relief, but then noticed the painkillers in his pocket.
She examined them for a while.
Oliver woke up.
In the dim light, he saw her, her features soft and relaxed. It was a look he hadn't seen in a long time, making him momentarily confused.
"Sarah."
He called her, his voice hoarse.
Sarah placed the painkillers on the bedside table, asking softly, "Why are you taking these?"
Oliver's blue eyes fixed on her.
After a moment, he smiled faintly, "Too much smoking, my throat hurts."
Sarah didn't doubt him.
She spoke quietly, "With Claire gone, it's hard for you to work and take care of Nicole. Either let me take her for a while, or hire a temporary nanny. If you can't find someone suitable, I'll send someone reliable from home."
Oliver, moved by her softness, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, "You hate me, don't you? Why do you still care?"
She fell against him, her hipbone pressing painfully against his belt.
She tried to get up, but he held her tighter, his body burning hot.
Oliver held her waist, his gaze deep and unreadable.
She was a mature woman, familiar with him. She felt his heat, her slender arms bracing against his chest, caught in a dilemma.
He easily flipped her onto the pillow.
Nicole slept beside them.
Every sensation was magnified...