Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Marina stared at Ethan's side profile throughout the confrontation. Ethan did not like publicizing his relationship with Olivia, especially after the divorce. However, she noted that Ethan was triggered by Keith's act of drinking on Olivia's behalf.

She turned her resentful gaze to Olivia when she realized divorce was not enough. It turned out that Olivia still had a place in Ethan's heart.

Meanwhile, Keith was stuck in an awkward situation. A heavy silence hung in the air; none of the guests dared to make a move that might provoke Ethan.

Keith knew that Ethan wanted to force him to give up on Olivia. Any man would have buckled under Ethan's threat, but little did Ethan know that Keith had fallen too hard for Olivia. It was love at first sight.

She was a wholly different person when they were younger. But he was too occupied with college and studying abroad to make the relationship happen.

When he returned to the country, he learned that she had quit school to get married. He was dismayed at the shell of the person she had become, like a tree withering from neglect.

He waited a long time until her divorce. He was always grateful for the time he spent with her, no matter how short.

For the first time, the rule–abiding man followed his heart and gave his all for love. Keith, ignoring the threat, stared determinedly at Ethan.

"It's not your place to comment on that. You do know that your fiancée is right beside you, don't you? You should focus on her. No matter what Olivia's decision is, I will protect her well. I won't hurt her the way her ex–husband did."

With that, he downed the contents in Olivia's glass and slammed it on the table. He took her hand and muttered, "It's getting late, so I'll send Olivia home. I shall excuse myself since you'll be talking business."

Everly almost clapped at Keith's coolness. Yet Olivia seemed troubled.

She knew that Keith was adding fuel to the fire, and if she went with him, Ethan would destroy the Rogers Family. She planned to stay, but he hauled her away.

Worried, she looked at him. "Keith, you…"

He gave her a gentle look and placed a finger on his lips. She left with him without glancing at Ethan's expression. She could still picture his displeasure.

Panicked, she lectured Keith, "You shouldn't have gone against him openly. He's a tough nut. Remember? You were lucky to have escaped the car crash unhurt. Keith, you knew my predicament. I can't possibly love-"

He took her other hand and glanced at her tenderly. "Olivia, I know. But I'm an adult. I know what I'm doing. Ethan can be volatile, but he's not tyrannical. If he's angry at me, he will come at me, but he will leave my family out of it. I thought through the consequences before I asked you out."

Frowning, she wanted to explain that Ethan was different from what everyone thought of him. At least, in the past, Ethan would go mad if anyone laid a finger on her.

Once, a senior at school cornered her in an alley and confessed to her. After she rejected him, he started getting handsy around her.

The next day, she heard that the senior had drunkenly fallen off a building in a freak accident and died horribly.

The deceased's family blamed it on Olivia, making a scene at the school and slapping her across the face. Soon, their residence went up in flames a few days later, and the entire family perished.

She had thought it was a terrible coincidence until she found Ethan scattering white powder in his garden. She went up to take a better look and was shocked to learn that those were ashes.

The family of that senior was not only dead but reduced to ashes.