Chapter 10 Are You Willing to Add Your Name to the Property Title
But Steven had just pushed her away.
Nora felt a little hurt.
Any woman with a shred of dignity would feel upset being pushed away by a man.
"So, you're Steven." Olivia smiled. She knew her sister Nora was married to a corporate executive.
Olivia had visited the Riverside Apartment twice but had never seen Nora's husband, Steven.
She hadn't expected Steven to be so handsome!
His demeanor and looks were top-notch, exuding a noble and dazzling aura that was hard to ignore.
"Hey." Steven nodded slightly, clearly not interested in engaging with Olivia.
Nora felt uncomfortable. It was clear he looked down on her family, not even willing to call Olivia by name, which left a small knot in Nora's heart.
Steven, on the other hand, thought they were about to get divorced, so there was no need to get to know her family.
"You guys chat," Steven said, then retreated to the master bedroom, his back cold and indifferent.
Only Nora and Olivia remained in the living room.
Steven was too aloof, making Nora a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, Olivia, Steven's just like that. He’s not very talkative."
"A bit arrogant," Olivia commented, sitting on the couch.
Nora brought out some cherries for Olivia. "Olivia, have some cherries."
Olivia reached out to hold Nora's hand. "What happened today? Bianca came home and told my in-laws you were trying to seduce her man."
Nora's forehead wrinkled in frustration. "She's just a troublemaker!"
Nora recounted the events of the day.
Olivia was speechless. "Bianca is such a nuisance!"
Olivia didn't like her in-laws either.
In fact, Olivia's situation was even harder than Nora's.
Nora was just being "monitored" at work, while Olivia was being "controlled" by Eleanor.
Ever since Willie made money, Eleanor had been domineering at home!
Initially, Olivia and Willie had a good relationship, but since Eleanor arrived, the house had been filled with conflicts.
Eleanor always told Willie, "Marry a virtuous wife. You can't let her work at the company, or she'll hold too much power and eventually dominate you. Then your parents will have to look at her face to spend money!"
Willie, being foolishly filial, stopped Olivia from working at the company to "keep the peace."
Olivia had a tough time during her pregnancy, vomiting every day, and eventually became compromised.
Now Olivia was six months pregnant, still vomiting after meals but less frequently than before, when she vomited a dozen times a day, sometimes even until she bled and had to go to the hospital for nutritional injections.
Eleanor still criticized her daily, "I don't know what kind of body you have, always vomiting. Other daughters-in-law aren't as delicate as you!"
Olivia had no status at home. Eleanor made Willie give Olivia a small allowance each month, and if she didn't obey, the allowance was cut off.
Olivia had a difficult time getting pregnant, so she endured it for the sake of the child. She didn't think the marriage was pointless yet, especially since Willie was getting richer every day. She had waited for Willie to become wealthy; why divorce now and let another woman take the assets?
The sisters talked for a while.
Olivia suddenly asked, "Did Steven buy this apartment?"
"Yeah," Nora nodded.
"This place must be worth a few million dollars, right?"
"Something like that," Nora had seen the prices at the real estate center downstairs.
Olivia sighed, "Local guys are better. Steven bought a house for you. Does this place have a mortgage?"
Nora shook her head, "I don't know. I never asked him."
"Would he be willing to add your name to the property deed?"
Steven, emerging from the bedroom, overheard Olivia's question.
His good friend Chris had called him out for drinks. He was about to leave when he heard the sisters' conversation.
Steven paused, standing quietly in the hallway.
The two women in the living room couldn't see him.
Olivia said, "You've been married for three months. How can you not know anything about the finances? Find a chance to ask him if he's willing to add your name to the deed. If he agrees, that would be great."
To Steven, these words sounded extremely calculating.
He had planned to transfer the house to Nora upon their divorce, but hearing Olivia's words made him feel they were scheming against him.
He felt very displeased.
Historically, those who calculated against him rarely met a good end!
Steven's face darkened as he walked from the shadowy hallway to the living room.
His sudden appearance startled both women. Nora asked, "Are you going out?"
Steven had taken off his tie when he returned, but now he had put it back on, indicating he was going out.
"Yeah," Steven replied, and Nora said nothing more.
Nora didn't know what to say. She wasn't close to Steven, so telling him to come back early felt awkward.
But he didn't even tell her where he was going, once again ignoring Olivia.
Steven didn't hear Nora's voice, turned back, and saw her slightly biting her lips, looking as if she was enduring something.
His eyes gleamed coldly.
Was she willing to endure anything for the house?
Steven sneered and left.
"Your husband is too cold to you," Olivia said after Steven left.
Nora nodded, "Yeah, he's just aloof. But I won't ask about the house. You know, this place is very expensive. It's already great that he lets me live here, and he gives me $4,000 a month for living expenses. I think he's pretty good."
Nora hadn't thought about Steven's house.
Family members can turn their backs on you, let alone someone like Steven, who has no blood ties to her.
Human nature is always cold. Steven has already done well; asking for more would be greedy.
"True." Olivia had been in love with her husband for years before marrying him, but she was still controlled, only getting around $2,000 a month for pocket money.
Compared to her husband, Steven was pretty good.
It was better than her family situation, living in a five-bedroom, two-living-room house with Eleanor, Terry and his wife, Bianca, Terry's two kids, and ten people crammed into one house.
With Willie's financial ability, he could afford to rent another place for them, but Eleanor insisted on being the queen bee.
Others wanted to take advantage of Willie; living with them meant no rent.
Olivia despised such people, all leeches trying to get benefits from Willie.