Olivia Young had studied law, but her specialty was corporate affairs.
Divorce cases weren’t exactly unfamiliar territory for her.
Back when she was abroad, she’d even helped a lady win her divorce.
That was how Bella Snow found out about her, which led to today’s meeting.
Freshly back in the country and pregnant, Olivia Young thought it wouldn’t hurt to keep herself occupied. "Do you have any evidence?"
Shane Ling pulled out her phone and handed it over. "I have chat logs, bank transfers, hotel receipts—I recorded all of it with my phone. I confronted him, but he vehemently denied everything, said they were just 'discussing scripts.'"
That excuse sounded all too familiar.
"Nightscene scripts?"
The three of them were chatting away, getting their nails done at the same time.
Olivia Young skimmed through the evidence. When she searched for Liam Rivers’s name, she found a connection to Frederick Fairfax.
They’d starred in movies together, and Liam Rivers had even coached Frederick Fairfax’s acting.
When Liam Rivers first started out, Shane Ling had been his manager.
She’d been by his side, steadfast and unrecognized, for almost twenty years.
They even had two kids together.
As they got older, and he moved away from the idol scene, they finally went public with their marriage; Liam Rivers even started, in public, playing the role of the devoted husband.
He even took their youngest daughter on a reality parenting show—and it went viral.
This man really had a knack for success!
He’d started out young, then hit it big with the family reality show, then took off again after collaborating with Frederick Fairfax—now he still had plenty of acting gigs.
He was a talented actor, publicly known as 'the nation’s husband,' 'the nation’s father-in-law.'
But behind closed doors, the marriage was long dead—the only thing alive was his affair.
Tsk tsk. The entertainment industry really was a muddy pool.
So much drama beneath the glitter.
But no one in showbiz dared mess with Frederick Fairfax—he was the capital in the game himself, unless he ever wanted to play casting couch games with other women.
Given Frederick Fairfax’s performance that night, it’s likely he never had.
Who knows about the future, though.
"He refuses to divorce. Says it’ll damage his image. Now, apart from the kids' living expenses, tuition, and tutoring fees, he doesn’t give me a cent. But all the money he made during our marriage legally belongs to both of us. I'm going to take back what’s mine." Shane Ling’s eyes were ringed with exhaustion.
Even with makeup, she couldn’t hide how drained she looked.
They chatted for another two hours.
Shane Ling had to go home and cook for her two children, so she left first.
That left Olivia Young and Bella Snow to have lunch together.
"Babe, fess up! Who’s the baby's father? There’s a rumor going around all of Beijing that you got married, but nobody’s managed to dig up who your husband is."
The more mysterious it was, the more likely her husband was either an ordinary person... or a big shot.
"Frederick Fairfax."
"Frederick Fairfax!!!!"
Good thing they were in a private suite with decent soundproofing.
Otherwise, with Bella Snow’s volume, Frederick Fairfax’s name would be all over the restaurant.
Bella Snow was so shocked she dropped her chopsticks, her eyes blazing with gossip, "You really married the dream of nine hundred million girls!! Babe, you are amazing—you've done us all proud!"
Olivia Young replied coolly, "I thought Lin Gou (that pop idol, 'Dog Lin') was the dream of nine hundred million girls."
"That's not the point! The point is... you bagged the untouchable one. Do you know how many female stars in our industry are crazy for him? They literally flirt on camera, but you—without a word—landed Frederick Fairfax! Out with it, what’s your secret?"
"Just a happy accident."
Bella Snow looked totally lost. She was, frankly, dumbstruck.
"Let me get this straight... You married Frederick Fairfax—and the baby?" Bella Snow covered her mouth, shaking her head.
"Girl, you’re too incredible."
Pregnant and you still landed Frederick Fairfax.
Bella Snow grew more excited. "Write a book, please, I’ll buy it—I’m on my knees here!"
Olivia Young ended up explaining the whole fortune-teller business to her.
Bella Snow immediately wilted, slumping over in despair, "Are you kidding me? So that's fate?"
If only it was her fate...
In the original story, her character’s death had been tragic and brutal.
Now, far away from the plot, she felt fantastic.
Think about something—boom, it happened.
After lunch, as soon as they stepped out of the private dining room, they ran into Grace Gordon and Annabelle Winters.
Is the Plot God deliberately messing with me??
Why me?!
Every time Olivia Young saw the original male and female leads, she risked totally losing it.
"Lily!"
Grace Gordon immediately dropped his business partner and rushed over.
Move, legs, move! Now’s your time to run!
Olivia Young clutched her belly and bolted down the stairs.
Bella Snow followed, completely in the dark.
They still got caught.
Olivia Young yanked her hand away from Grace Gordon. "Men and women should keep a respectful distance."
"Lily, why do you keep avoiding me?"
Because I don’t want to see you! Isn’t it obvious?
"My husband doesn’t want us meeting up. He gets jealous." Olivia Young said flatly.
"We’re childhood friends, our families are close—what right does he have to control your friendships? If you have no freedom with him, why not just get a divorce?"
"If I get divorced, will you marry me? Would you marry a pregnant woman? Could you bear to fire your stand-in—your little substitute—who follows you everywhere?" Olivia Young’s gaze flickered to Annabelle Winters, who was following them, clutching Grace Gordon’s suit jacket.
"You still keep her by your side. Clearly, you’re not as devoted to me as you think you are. Grace Gordon, if you want me, then fire her. Otherwise, don’t come looking for me again."
With that, Olivia Young strode off.
Run!
Run!
If I don’t run, who knows what kind of cringe-worthy lines the Plot God will force out of my mouth next.
Even after Olivia Young got in the car, her heart was pounding, her head still spinning.
"Babe, what was that just now?" Bella Snow looked worried, touching Olivia Young’s forehead.
No sign of a fever.
So why did she sound so out of it?
Sure, Olivia Young and Grace Gordon had grown up together, and sure, Grace Gordon was attractive, refined, the golden child. But once he’d taken on a stand-in, Bella Snow lost all respect for him.
His heart was tainted.
Frederick Fairfax never had that problem. Even in the entertainment industry, he’d never had a single scandal. Now he was married.
Of course he was the right choice!
Seriously, divorce Frederick Fairfax and marry Grace Gordon instead?
"Babe, get a grip."
"I was just messing with Grace Gordon to put him off, don’t worry. I’d never go for a man with a stand-in." Olivia Young couldn’t exactly tell Bella Snow she’d just had her strings pulled by the Plot God.
She was already married and pregnant.
But the Plot God insisted on shoving her into a melodramatic love triangle.
Honestly, the Plot God made more effort than she did.
"That’s right! The almighty CEO can’t even spring for a plane ticket? Ridiculous—I don’t buy it!" Bella Snow had once found childhood sweethearts romantic.
But after seeing Annabelle Winters always hanging around Grace Gordon, she was thoroughly turned off.
After they left, Annabelle Winters quietly handed Grace Gordon his suit jacket, keeping her head down as she opened the car door in silence.
Grace Gordon got in, his handsome, icy profile facing her as he said, "Don’t come tomorrow."
The Maybach drove off in style.
Annabelle Winters stood there, heart bleeding.
Why was she being treated like this?
Just because she happened to look a bit like Olivia Young?
She’d poured everything into her work and studies—only to lose her job over someone else’s words.