Chapter 3

The maid brought Olivia to the guest room.

The guest room was tiny, worlds apart from her old bedroom.

But Olivia didn't care anymore. She just wanted to find a place to rest.

Yet lying in bed, the moment she closed her eyes, Olivia's mind was flooded with nightmares from the basement.

She didn't sleep all night.

Early the next morning, Olivia dragged her exhausted body downstairs and saw only the farmer sitting at the dining table.

The farmer was still wearing those shabby clothes, his hair a mess, wolfing down the roasted chicken on his plate. His hands and mouth were covered in grease, his manner completely crude.

"Where are my parents?" Olivia walked over and asked.

The farmer looked up at her and answered with his mouth full, "I think they're in the back garden. I found this roasted chicken in the kitchen myself. It tastes pretty good—rich people sure know how to enjoy life."

He put down the chicken, wiped the grease from his mouth with his sleeve, and asked Olivia, "Listen, when are you going to pay me? I'm telling you, I saved your life."

Though the farmer was greedy and crude, he had saved her life after all. He was more genuine than anyone else in this house.

Thinking this, Olivia said sincerely, "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. I just don't have cash on hand right now. I'll find a way to get it to you as soon as possible."

"You're not trying to skip out on paying me, are you?" The farmer frowned, muttering unhappily, "I'm telling you, if you don't pay me, I'll stay at your house and not leave. I'll let everyone know the Smiths are ungrateful!"

Only after Olivia repeatedly assured him did the farmer let it go.

But she had no confidence at all. After all, if this family didn't even care about her, would they care about the farmer who saved her?

Olivia had no appetite for breakfast. She got up and headed toward the back garden.

From a distance, she saw her parents and Megan sitting at the outdoor dining table in the back garden, the table covered with an elegant breakfast spread.

The family of three was chatting and laughing, perfectly harmonious.

Olivia's heart grew colder bit by bit. She walked over expressionlessly, her voice calm. "Why didn't you call me for breakfast?"

Seeing her, embarrassment immediately appeared on all three faces.

Harper coughed, telling the servant beside her somewhat reluctantly, "Bring another chair."

The servant brought a chair, and Olivia sat down.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Harper and Megan beside her instinctively shift away, creating distance from her, as if she really had some contagious disease.

Olivia picked up her knife and fork and cut the salad on her plate as if nothing was wrong, saying nothing.

Just then, Megan suddenly spoke up sarcastically, "Olivia, look—Mom and Dad specially prepared salmon for you to welcome you home."

Olivia silently looked at the salmon on her plate.

The one who loved salmon wasn't her—it was Megan.

This lavish breakfast wasn't prepared for her either.

Megan clearly knew this but said it on purpose, simply to make her lose her composure in front of their parents.

She picked up her fork, speared a piece of salmon from her plate, and held it out to Megan with a smile. "I remember you love salmon the most. Have this piece."

Megan's face instantly went pale. She shrank back, her eyes full of rejection and disgust.

Harper and Robert froze too, looking quite frightened.

They had always suspected Olivia had caught some disease in the basement. Sitting at the same table with her was already their limit—how could they possibly eat food Olivia had touched?

Olivia found their reactions utterly ridiculous.

She continued smiling at Megan, her tone teasing. "Megan, why aren't you eating? Are you disgusted by me?"

Megan's eyes instantly reddened. She looked at Harper pitifully, her voice tearful. "Mom..."

Harper immediately tried to smooth things over, saying to Olivia, "Olivia, Megan's stomach hasn't been well these past few days. The doctor said she can't eat seafood. You should eat it yourself."

Olivia's gaze fell on Megan's plate, where several pieces of salmon clearly sat.

She sneered inwardly but remained composed on the surface, simply turning her fork toward Harper. "Since Megan can't eat it, Mom, how about you have it?"

Harper's expression changed. She quickly waved her hands. "No, no need. I don't like it. You eat it yourself."

"Enough!" Robert couldn't take it anymore. He slammed the table, his voice stern. "Olivia, causing trouble first thing in the morning—what exactly are you trying to do?"

Olivia put down her fork, her eyes completely lifeless. "I'm causing trouble? I was just trying to share food with Mom and Megan. That's causing trouble? Aren't we family?"

That one sentence left Robert and Harper speechless.

They knew Olivia had had a hard year, but thinking about the possible contagious disease she might have, they couldn't help their resistance.

"Forget it! I've lost my appetite. You eat!" Robert shoved his plate away and stormed off angrily.

Harper and Megan followed him, avoiding Olivia like she was something unclean.

After everyone left, Olivia stuffed the salad from her plate into her mouth. She felt her throat tighten, and tears finally fell.

When she returned to her room, the farmer was arguing with a servant. Seeing her arrive, he immediately walked over angrily. "How can you people do this? Having the servant kick me out? When are you going to pay me?"

Olivia's heart sank.

She knew this must be her parents' doing.

They found the farmer slovenly and didn't want him staying in the house, but didn't want to offend him directly themselves, so they had the servant drive him away.

Olivia felt deeply apologetic. "I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this. I'll pay you myself. Just wait a bit longer."

She finished speaking, turned and ran back to the guest room, and started looking for anything she could exchange for money. After searching for a while, she only found a necklace—one Michael had given her years ago. Though not worth fifty thousand dollars, it was still quite valuable.

She gave the necklace to the farmer. "This is worth about thirty thousand dollars. I'll make up the rest later."

"Thirty thousand? Didn't we agree on fifty thousand?" The farmer grumbled unhappily.

"This is all I have..." Olivia bit her lip hard and lowered her head in distress.

Seeing her like this, the farmer felt some sympathy and could only accept his bad luck. "Fine, I'll take it for now. But remember to give me the remaining twenty thousand!"

Olivia nodded firmly.

As he was leaving, the farmer hesitated, then said to her, "I can see your family doesn't think much of you. This morning in the kitchen, I overheard your parents and your sister talking. They said you have a contagious disease and want you to move out."

Olivia stared in shock at the farmer's departing figure, frozen in place.

Her family actually wanted to kick her out?

Olivia could hardly believe her ears.

While she was still upset, a low, magnetic voice came from behind her.

"Excuse me, is this the Smith family?"