Chapter 3 You Finally Showed Up

"She's been looking after me for two years. She knows my preferences. Let her stay."

Austin hesitated, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "But…"

Olivia lifted her head, her beautiful eyes still unfocused. "Austin, what's wrong with you today? You've never refused me before. Why is it that when I say I want to dismiss a nanny, you're suddenly so reluctant?"

Austin forced a smile and took her hand. "Olivia, don't overthink it. I'll let her go right away. I just don't know if your caregiver would be willing to work here at the house."

Lucia clenched her jaw so hard it hurt, forcing her expression back under control. In her mind, Olivia was doing this deliberately—blind or not, she still knew how to make her sick.

Olivia ended the conversation with a light, almost dismissive tone. "I'll talk to her myself."

Austin coughed lightly. "Alright, we'll do it your way. You can start packing."

Lucia's eyes burned with resentment and humiliation as she bit her lip, turned, and walked out.

Olivia pretended not to notice the silent exchanges between them. She sat on the couch, waiting for Austin's next act.

It came quickly. His phone chimed with a new message alert.

He spoke in a rush. "Olivia, something's come up at Horizon Innovations Group. I'll head there now and be back later. If you need anything, call me."

Olivia nodded obediently. "Alright."

The moment Austin's car pulled away, she opened her chat with Bella. Bella had sent her two phone numbers in the middle of the night, exactly as requested—one was for a private investigator named Owen Hall, the other for a divorce attorney named Brian Scott.

She called Owen first.

"I want you to follow my husband and his mistress. Get me every piece of evidence you can—make it clear, make it indisputable. If you do well, I'll double your fee."

"Understood."

After hanging up, she dialed the second number.

"Let's set a time to meet. I need to discuss filing for divorce."

To avoid suspicion, Olivia arranged to meet Brian at a nearby café. She wore oversized sunglasses to hide her eyes.

On the way there, her mind worked constantly. She'd been away from Horizon Innovations Group for two years—more than enough time for Austin to consolidate her former connections and cement his position there.

Getting him to return what he had taken would not be simple. Evidence of his affair alone wouldn't change much. He was the guilty party in the marriage, but that didn't translate into leverage in the corporate arena.

She didn't just want revenge. She wanted Austin to pay a brutal price for his betrayal.

Her fingers tapped lightly against her knee as she lowered the car window, letting the wind rush in. A plan began to take shape in her mind. Maybe Lucia was the best pawn she had right now.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't notice the sleek stretch limousine passing by in the opposite lane.

In the back seat, Brandon Robinson's expression shifted instantly. His eyes, deep and sharp, filled with disbelief. He couldn't be mistaken—it was Olivia.

Up front, the driver, Finn, asked cautiously, "Mr. Robinson, is something wrong?"

Brandon's gaze sharpened. "Turn around."

Meanwhile, Olivia arrived at the café.

Brian sat across from her, listening to her full request. He hesitated. "Ms. Smith, asking for a clean-break divorce where the other party walks away with nothing is legally difficult—unless he voluntarily gives up his assets."

Olivia had expected this but asked anyway. "Even if I have proof?"

"No. At best, that evidence might help you get a slightly larger share in the division of property. But Mr. Roberts's lawyer won't make it easy. If you truly want him to walk away with nothing, you'll need to find a way to make him surrender his assets."

Olivia's heart sank. "Alright. I understand."

Brian leaned forward. "If you need anything else, contact me anytime. I'll do everything I can for you."

"Thank you."

The thought of forcing Austin to give up voluntarily felt like scaling a sheer cliff. She removed her sunglasses and rubbed her temples.

Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a video from Owen—Austin and Lucia in a close embrace.

After the morning's confrontation, Austin had clearly gone straight to soothe her.

Olivia's lips curled in a cold smile as she saved the video. Austin's ability to lie without blinking, to juggle two women's hearts at once, was almost impressive in its cruelty.

She stood to leave, but at the corner she collided with a tall figure.

"Sorry," she said automatically.

Above her came Brandon's cool, hard voice. "Two years gone, Ms. Smith, and you finally decide to show your face?"

Olivia looked up, startled. Brandon.

He had once been a potential business partner—almost a confirmed one. They'd been set to jointly secure a resort project, with Olivia handling the follow-up. But then came the accident, the car crash, and the deal collapsed. Brandon had paid a heavy penalty for the breach.

"Sorry, Mr. Robinson. I couldn't continue the project because of the accident."

From the moment they met, both her sentences had been apologies.

Brandon studied her closely. Two years had changed her—she was slimmer now, her delicate wrists looking as if they could snap under the slightest pressure. The small, fine-boned face still framed those striking eyes, but their brightness had faded into something colder, emptier.

Her eyes had the stillness of glass, concealing emotions no one could read.

Brandon's voice was measured, deliberate. "Ms. Smith, do you think a simple apology erases my losses?"