The CEO's Unforgettable Stand-In Bride

"Crash—"

The glass cup shattered at Olivia Harper's feet, sending scalding hot water splashing everywhere. The searing pain shot up from her foot, causing her to yelp and step back.

Steam rose as the hot water soaked into her slippers, turning the pale skin of her foot a bright red.

Olivia winced in pain and looked up at the elderly woman, Mandy Hayes, who was sitting on the sofa. Mandy's face was twisted in anger as she withdrew her hand from throwing the glass.

"Now you know it's hot? Were you trying to burn me to death by giving me that to drink?" Mandy yelled furiously.

Still not satisfied, she grabbed a bunch of grapes from the table and threw them at Olivia, her tone and gaze filled with venom. 

"What are you staring at? What do you have besides that pretty face? You're useless and malicious. My son marrying you was a curse on this family!"

Olivia bit her lip, standing there awkwardly, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her shirt.

Mandy was the matriarch of the Hayes family, Cameron Hayes' grandmother.

Since her husband's death, Mandy's mental state had been unstable.

After Cameron, the family's most promising grandson, had an accident and became mentally impaired, Mandy's condition worsened, and she was diagnosed with a mental illness. She couldn't handle any stress.

Mistaking people was common for her. The "son" she mentioned was actually her grandson, Cameron.

Since Cameron had recovered from his three years of mental impairment and moved out, it was just Olivia and Mandy at home. Olivia had heard these humiliating words countless times and had become numb to them.

"What are you standing there for? Waiting for me to clean up this mess? You have no sense of timing at all. You don't deserve my son!" 

"Now that he's recovered, he should listen to me and divorce you, this unlucky woman, and marry someone more suitable!"

Mandy's expression was harsh, her continuous insults piling up, her mouth foaming at the corners. 

Olivia wanted to reach out and wipe it away, but Mandy's self-induced frenzy froze her in place.

Over the years, Olivia had become used to such scenes and wasn't as scared as she used to be.

But her heart still ached from Mandy's words because Cameron had indeed asked for a divorce.

Olivia had refused. She loved Cameron. They had shared the most beautiful three years together, and she couldn't bear to let go.

"Okay, I'll clean it up now," Olivia replied submissively, not wanting to provoke her.

However, before she could take a step, Mandy suddenly exclaimed with joy, "Oh my God, my darling won an award! She's amazing, standing next to my son, they're a perfect match! A talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven!"

She glanced disdainfully at the stunned Olivia, mocking her, "Unlike some people who do nothing all day and can't even serve others properly, a complete waste of space!"

Olivia's smile froze. She looked at the TV, which was broadcasting the latest news.

It was the award ceremony for the Nexus Design Summit, a highly prestigious event in the industry.

Olivia was stunned.

A familiar face was among the organizers.

Cameron was dressed in an impeccable suit, his long legs crossed, revealing a glimpse of black socks and polished shoes hanging elegantly in the air.

His side profile was sharp and handsome, like a sculpture, with a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes casting shadows, making his expression appear calm and brooding.

Why was Cameron there?

The host announced the gold award winner amidst cheers, inviting the organizer to present the award. The camera focused on a beautiful woman with curly hair.

She bowed to the audience, lifted her black strapless gown, and walked towards Cameron, her delicate face blushing with shyness.

Cameron stood up.

His thin lips curved slightly, his deep eyes looking ahead.

It was as if he was gently waiting for his bride to come to him.

Olivia's breath caught.

"How did you end up marrying into our family? Your sister Jennifer is the one who deserves Cameron, a perfect match," Mandy muttered as she watched the news.

On the screen, Olivia's sister Jennifer Harper accepted the trophy, her cheeks even redder. She suddenly opened her arms and hugged Cameron, causing an uproar and a flurry of camera flashes.

Cameron didn't refuse.

His gentle and patient expression overlapped with the look of disgust he had once given Olivia.

Olivia's eyes stung with dryness.

Since Cameron had regained his memory, he hadn't come home. It turned out that his excuse of being too busy was just to spend time with Jennifer.

Olivia crouched down and quietly cleaned up the broken glass.

A sharp pain in her finger brought her back to reality. A piece of glass had cut her index finger, and blood dripped onto the carpet.

"Shit! Don't you know I can't stand the sight of blood? You idiot!"

Mandy kept cursing, but Olivia pretended not to hear.

Mandy had a mental illness and couldn't handle stress.

Besides, arguing was pointless.

It was all so ironic.

Watching the news, seeing the two of them so in love, Olivia remembered how three years ago, when Cameron had his accident and became mentally impaired, Jennifer hadn't acted like this.

Jennifer had refused to marry Cameron, using every trick to pressure Olivia's parents into forcing her to marry him instead.

Olivia had secretly loved Cameron for years. How could she bear to see him become a laughingstock in high society? So she agreed.

But the story that spread was that Olivia had seized the opportunity to marry into the Hayes family, actively seeking the marriage, while Jennifer had to cancel her engagement to make way for Olivia.

Olivia knew it was Jennifer manipulating the narrative to cover up her broken engagement and protect her reputation.

Olivia didn't care about the outside world's opinions. She had married him, and she had taken care of Cameron for three years, along with Mandy, who had a mental illness.

Now, she was left with nothing but betrayal.

Olivia gently cleaned her wound with iodine, the medicine seeping into her bloodstream, filling her heart with a bitter taste.

She was distracted all day, tossing and turning in bed at night, her mind filled with images of Cameron holding Jennifer.

The bedroom door creaked open.

Olivia opened her eyes to see a tall figure stumble into the room, swaying before collapsing onto the bed.

Olivia propped herself up.

Cameron was heavily drunk, the smell of alcohol overwhelming. Olivia looked at his face, sitting on the bed without moving.

It had been almost two months since he last came home.

But this version of him felt unfamiliar and unlikable.

When Cameron had been mentally impaired, he was well-behaved, never touching alcohol or cigarettes, staying home at night, holding her as they slept, calling her name softly.

"Liv... Liv..."

Olivia froze.

Lying on the bed, Cameron's sharp eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes closed, his hand groping around the bed as if trying to grab something, calling her nickname repeatedly.

When he had been impaired, he loved calling her that. Olivia's nose stung with emotion. 

She leaned closer to Cameron, finding some familiarity in his confused expression, as if nothing had changed, as if they were still deeply in love.

Olivia couldn't help but reach out, her slender fingers about to touch his face when Cameron suddenly opened his eyes.

Her hand trembled, but before she could pull back, his large hand grabbed her thin wrist.

His hand, with prominent veins, gripped tightly, causing pain, but his drunken eyes were filled with deep affection.

Olivia sensed him moving closer, holding her breath in anticipation.

But instead of a kiss, he pushed her hand away.

Cameron's eyes were now completely clear, his brows furrowed with disgust.

"What are you doing?"