Between Love and the Ex-wife's Revenge

The night was cold-cold as the ice that had long since settled in Olivia's heart. The dim lights of the living room barely illuminated the tension that hung in the air as she moved gracefully through the space, burdened by the invisible weight of her troubled marriage.

He-Harrison-the man for whom Olivia had sacrificed so much, watched her from a distance. Yet it wasn't admiration that glimmered in his eyes, but a subtle contempt that lingered in the shadows. Every word he spoke was a sharpened blade, every gesture a cruel reminder of his indifference.

"Olivia, can't you do anything right?" His voice sliced through the silence like a whip as she tried to balance the tray with trembling hands.

Olivia remained silent, her eyes lowered, concealing the pain that pierced her soul. Deep down, she knew something had shattered, but still clung to the hope that one day, he might love her. That hope, however, faded with each passing humiliation.

Harrison, meanwhile, couldn't take his eyes off the elegant woman gliding across the dance floor. Olivia noticed his wandering gaze, and her heart sank at the sight of the desire gleaming in his eyes-a desire that no longer belonged to her.

"Olivia, you're just a nuisance. You should learn some elegance from women like her," Harrison muttered, contempt thinly veiled, as he gestured toward the woman who had stolen his attention.

"But my love, I can be elegant like her... I can shine just as brightly... if only you-" Olivia hesitated, her words flickering like a candle in a storm.

"What about me, Olivia?" Harrison smirked, his eyes devoid of empathy.

"If you were just a little more compassionate with me... You've delegated all the mansion's responsibilities to me. I'm the one who cooks, who cleans. I don't feel like your wife-I feel like your maid!" Olivia burst out, the words spilling with the strength of someone who had kept her silence for far too long.

Her confession hung in the air. Harrison looked at her with a coldness that could freeze even the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

His scornful laugh pierced the room. "Compassionate? You expect me to feel compassion for a woman as insignificant as you?"

Olivia felt the last remnants of her hope collapse. The elegance she longed to embody, the brilliance she yearned to possess, seemed now more distant than ever- completely unreachable.

The moment plunged into tragedy as Harrison, with a defiant glance, left Olivia standing in the middle of the room and walked toward the enigmatic woman who had enchanted him. The music began, and with every spin, every shared laugh, Olivia's heart was torn apart.

Three years had passed since Olivia had bound her life to Harrison's-three long years in which he had done nothing but wound her heart with abuse and insults. To him, Olivia was no more than a dull presence-a woman who had appeared from nowhere, attractive only for the first few months. Over time, in his eyes, she had become nothing but a burden.

The next day...

"Olivia! Where's my breakfast?" Harrison shouted, his brusque tone echoing through the house.

"As always, Harrison... Olivia doesn't understand you need to leave for work early. I still don't know why you ever married that woman-she doesn't even have a last name. She's a peasant," grumbled Harrison's mother, Emma.

"Mom, I know it was a huge mistake. But our family name won't be stained much longer by her dishonor. Soon, everything will be ready for her to leave this house," Harrison declared coldly.

Emma smiled with satisfaction and stared at her son.

"But you'd better get a maid to help with the chores. If she's leaving, I'm not going to lift a finger in that kitchen."

"Mom, we can't afford a maid right now. Our business is in recession," Harrison replied dismissively.

The mansion's atmosphere was thick, poisoned by the toxicity of broken relationships. Olivia, meanwhile, continued to carry the burden of a crumbling marriage.

And yet, in that moment, the only thing on Olivia's mind was her husband's presence.

She loved him so deeply that she had given up everything that had once been hers. Despite being labeled a mere peasant, Olivia carried a secret of significant proportions-one she had never shared. Her deepest longing had always been true love: someone to love her for who she was, not for what she had.

That's why she had given herself entirely to Harrison Martens, a successful agricultural entrepreneur known throughout the country. At the time, however, both he

and his family were drowning in financial ruin. Despite their difficulties, they continued projecting a glamorous image to society-displaying luxuries and eccentricities they could no longer afford, desperately clinging to the reputation they had built over the years.

Behind the glittering façade, Olivia hid her true identity and the extent of her sacrifices, convinced that one day she would receive the love she so deeply craved.

Remembering the cruel words her husband had hurled at her during the corporate dance, Olivia decided to surprise him. That afternoon, she transformed herself completely: she let her hair down, applied makeup-an art she had never mastered due to her humble life-and wore an elegant dress, though nothing too modern or flashy. She made sure that her reflection in the mirror radiated beauty. Her heart burned with hope-hope that she might win back her husband's affection.

She gathered a few dollars she had saved, planning to take him to dinner at an upscale restaurant, and headed straight to Harrison's company. She entered unannounced. However, all eyes turned to her-not with admiration, but with mocking laughter and whispered ridicule. Everyone sneered at her appearance.

Though a hollow feeling crept through her body as the stares pierced her, Olivia pressed on toward her husband's office. She was about to knock when a strange sound stopped her-noises from within. Intrigued, she froze, her hand suspended in the air, torn between the door and the ominous sounds coming from inside.

And in that instant, Olivia's heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

The sounds were moans-the brutal evidence of her husband's betrayal.

Without a second thought, her body trembling with grief, she burst through the door... only to find the most devastating sight she could have imagined: her husband was cheating on her in his office, right there, with another woman.

When the woman noticed Olivia standing at the door, Harrison quickly covered her and turned to his wife with disdain, scanning her with a mixture of reproach and mockery.

"What are you doing here? And dressed like that?" The woman beside Harrison laughed openly at Olivia. Chapter 1. The Fall

"What's going on here?" Olivia asked, her voice cracking.

When she recognized the woman, she realized it was the same one she had met at the dance.

"What you're seeing, my dear. There's another woman in my life-one who looks nothing like you. So please, get out of my office," Harrison replied coldly.

"But Harrison! How can you do this to me? What did I do to deserve it?"

"You're just a simple woman, with nothing that catches my attention. Look at you- how you're dressed, how you've done your makeup. You look like you walked straight out of a circus," the man snapped in anger.

Humiliation and betrayal twisted inside Olivia's broken heart as she struggled to hold back her tears. The surprise she had been promised had turned into a nightmare from which she couldn't wake. The reality of her marriage was crumbling before her very eyes.

Olivia ran out of the company. Tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. The pain was unbearable-yet the helplessness hurt even more. She loved him. She loved him with such intensity that even the word love felt insufficient.

She arrived at the mansion, still clinging to the hope that her husband would explain himself-that he would react to her discovery and choose to stay with her. That was what she longed for the most.

But Harrison chose to resolve the situation sooner than expected. That night, he arrived with a white envelope. Inside it were bold, cold divorce papers.

"Harrison, you've come home early," Olivia said, hopeful that he was having second thoughts.

The man threw the envelope at her chest. She barely managed to catch it.

"What's this, honey?"

"Are you blind?" Harrison replied mockingly. "Sign it and get out of my house."

"What? No, Harrison-please, my love, don't do this to me. I'll do whatever you ask. Just don't leave me."

"To stay with you, you'd have to be born again. Now go, Olivia. I don't want you in my mansion another minute."

He began pulling all her things from the closets and throwing them on the floor. Olivia, her tears blinding her, picked them up one by one. Inconsolable, she wanted to beg him again-but her husband dragged her across the floor in front of his family's mocking eyes. They all humiliated poor Olivia at that moment, and she felt her soul being mercilessly torn apart, without a shred of compassion.

"No! Harrison, please!" Olivia begged on her knees in front of the mansion's door-just before it was slammed in her face.

No one opened it.

They turned off the lights and left her out there-utterly heartbroken.

The light of the setting sun tinged the sky with warm hues. After nearly twelve hours of travel, Olivia opened her eyes and realized she had finally arrived at her destination- the city where she had been born, the place she should never have left. At least, that was what she thought in that moment.

She took a taxi to the remote McGregor family mansion. Her father-a mystical and secretive billionaire-and her mother, a noble-class woman, eccentric and striking, both held fortunes hidden deep within the folds of their lives.

The imposing residence loomed in the distance, surrounded by sprawling grounds and lush gardens.

The taxi driver dropped her off at the entrance. Olivia, staring at the mansion's majesty, felt a deep connection to her roots. She stepped forward, pushing through the creaking doors-as if the house itself recognized her return.

Inside, the first person she saw was her mother, Elise, whose warm face lit up as she opened her arms to her.

"Honey! I'm so glad you're back home."

"Mom, I missed you so much."

"I know, my love. I can see it in your eyes. But your home has always waited for you."

Elise gave her a compassionate look and hugged her daughter tightly, welcoming her to her rightful place. Beside her, Ernest McGregor also opened his arms to her. Olivia was the apple of both her parents' eyes.

Two Years Later

Olivia immersed herself in the news, tension building in the air as the grand ball for agricultural entrepreneurs approached. Her family had been listed as special guests-after all, the MacGregors were once again the annual winners of the prestigious Best Company Award. Thanks to Olivia's skilled management over the past two years, the family's reputation had soared.

The situation couldn't have been more different for the Martens. Their shares were plummeting, and the shadow of ruin loomed over them. As the MacGregors prepared to shine at the gala, the Martens faced a decline that threatened to erase their onceglorious legacy in the agricultural sector.

"Daughter, are you sure you want to go to that ball?" Elise asked, touching her daughter's shoulder as she noticed her resolve.

"Of course, Mom. MacGregor Industries is going to receive the highest recognition, and I'll be there to accept it-if you'll allow me."

"Of course, my love! Nothing would make me happier than seeing you receive such a well-deserved award. Ever since you came back, everything has changed for the better. Now you're the sole heir to our multimillion-dollar fortune. No one will ever humiliate you again."

Olivia stared at her mother. Her words were true. Whoever dared to hurt her now would need the courage to face her new self. She was no longer the submissive woman who had once been humiliated in the Martens' mansion. No-now, she was imposing, mystical, and calculating.

What her mother didn't know was that deep within her, Olivia harbored an overwhelming desire for revenge.

"Will my father go with us, Mom?" Olivia asked as she put her suitcase away.

"No, my love. It's just the two of us going for now. We'll stay a couple of months at the headquarters in Houston. I know the Martens will be there-I don't want you to feel bad about that."

"Not at all, Mom. All I want is to see their faces."

Olivia adjusted her suit and walked straight to her private plane with her mother. A couple of hours later, they arrived at the city's main airport. Olivia felt the air of that place penetrate her bones-too many stormy memories invaded her mind, giving her even more strength to continue.

The night of the ball arrived, marking Olivia's official return. She looked radiant. That simple, inelegant woman was nothing but a bad memory now.

Her shiny, silky blond hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Her blue eyes stood out beneath long lashes, and there were no dark circles beneath them. Her body was wrapped in a stunning red dress with a sweetheart neckline, and her neck was adorned with a dazzling diamond necklace. Each stone was worth a fortune.

Her confident steps and majestic presence revealed Olivia's true reality. Yes, she came from peasant origins-but now, she was rich and eccentric. Her fortune was immense, her inheritance enviable, and her beauty overwhelming.

In the hall of the annual businessmen's ball, at a table reserved for special guests, sat the Martens-always pretending to be more than they were, dressed in the most expensive suits and wearing false smiles.

Harrison had become the most sought-after bachelor in town. The secret relationship he had with the woman he chose over Olivia ended bitterly-she stripped him of his last properties and left with another man, returning the pain he had once inflicted on his ex-wife.

"These parties are pathetic, Mother," Harrison muttered, clearly bored.

"You used to love them. You came here just to see all the beautiful women," Emma replied, taking a delicate sip of her fine champagne.

"That was a different time, Mom."

At the table sat Harrison, his mother, father, and younger sister. They were engaged in idle conversation when, suddenly, the room fell silent. The echo of two pairs of high heels cut through the air, drawing everyone's attention.

When Emma saw who it was, a chill ran down her spine, and she nearly fainted. It couldn't be true!

"What is that woman doing here-and dressed like that?" Emma sneered, staring at Olivia, who was walking in, arm-in-arm with her mother. Elise was already known in the social sphere, but her daughter had always kept her distance from public life.

When Harrison saw her, his legs went weak. What had they done to his ex-wife? She couldn't be the same woman who once lived with him-this was someone entirely different. She couldn't possibly be the Olivia he had married.

"That woman shouldn't be here," muttered Joshua Martens, Harrison's father.

"That's not Olivia. Obviously not!" Harrison stammered, unable to believe his eyes.

"If it's not her, then she looks exactly like her," said Megan, his younger sister.

They were all completely captivated as Olivia and her mother walked closer-about to pass right by them. When they did, Olivia, fully aware she was walking past Harrison, ignored him completely, as though he didn't exist. Still, Harrison recognized the perfume-one she used to wear on special occasions. As the spectacular woman walked by, the fragrance overwhelmed him, dragging him back to the past he had left behind.

"It's her!" he said, stunned.

Without thinking, Emma pushed her way through the guests and grabbed Olivia's arm, furious, unable to believe that her former daughter-in-law-once just a "worthless peasant girl"-stood before her like this. She yanked her toward her with rage.

"What are you doing here, you filthy thing?!" she shouted.

Olivia looked her up and down with pure disgust, yanked her arm free with force, and faced her head-on.

"What's the matter, ma'am? Do I know you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Don't play dumb, Olivia, you peasant. Get out of here. This event is for socialites, not someone pretending to belong to high society like you!"

Olivia turned to her mother, who was already laughing at Emma's ridiculous comments.

"Ma'am, I believe you've mistaken me for someone else. Excuse us. Come on, daughter, we've got things to do," Elise said smoothly.

Olivia raised an eyebrow and looked her former mother-in-law up and down-she was so insignificant now. She took her mother's arm again and the two women made their way to the table that had been reserved for them.

The ceremony unfolded as expected. The Martens couldn't take their eyes off Olivia. Their astonishment grew even more when the host of the dance stepped up to the microphone to announce the winner of the annual award.

"The winner of this year's award is MacGregor Industries, and to celebrate, we welcome its owner, the lovely Mrs. Elise MacGregor, and her beautiful daughter, Olivia MacGregor, the new CEO."

The two women walked confidently to the front, smiling as they accepted the award. Harrison exchanged a glance with his mother. He looked terrified. He felt sick to his stomach. Realizing who his ex-wife truly was shattered him. He had been so wrong to hurt her-believing she was a woman without value. Yet there she stood, shining with her own light, revealing a truth he had never seen during their marriage.

"Will my father come with us, Mom?" Olivia asked as she put her suitcase away.

"No, my love. It's just the two of us for now. We'll stay a couple of months at the headquarters in Houston. I know the Martens will be there-I don't want you to feel bad about that."

"Not at all, Mom. All I want is to see their faces."

Olivia adjusted her suit and walked straight to her private plane with her mother. A few hours later, they arrived at the city's main airport. Olivia felt the air of that place penetrate her bones-too many stormy memories surged in her mind, giving her even more strength to carry on.

The night of the ball arrived, marking Olivia's official return. She looked radiant. That simple, inelegant woman was nothing but a distant memory now.

Her shiny, silky blond hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Her blue eyes stood out beneath long lashes, and there were no dark circles beneath them. Her body was wrapped in a stunning red dress with a sweetheart neckline, and her neck was adorned with a dazzling diamond necklace. Each stone was worth a fortune.

Her confident steps and majestic presence revealed Olivia's new reality. Yes, she came from peasant roots-but now, she was rich and eccentric. Her fortune was immense, her inheritance enviable, and her beauty overwhelming.

In the hall of the annual businessmen's ball, at a table reserved for special guests, sat the Martens-always pretending to be more than they were, dressed in the most expensive suits and wearing fake smiles.

Harrison had become the most sought-after bachelor in town. The secret relationship he had with the woman he chose over Olivia had ended bitterly-she had stripped him of his last properties and left with another man, returning the pain he had once inflicted on his ex-wife.

"These parties are pathetic, Mother," Harrison muttered, clearly bored.

"You used to love them. You came just to see all the beautiful women," Emma replied, taking a delicate sip of her fine champagne.

"That was a different time, Mom."

At the table sat Harrison, his mother, father, and younger sister. They were engaged in idle conversation when, suddenly, the room fell silent. The echo of two pairs of high heels cut through the air, drawing everyone's attention.

When Emma saw who it was, a chill ran down her spine, and she nearly fainted. It couldn't be true.

"What is that woman doing here-and dressed like that?" Emma sneered, staring at Olivia, who was walking in arm-in-arm with her mother. Elise was already known in the social sphere, but her daughter had always kept her distance from public life.

When Harrison saw her, his legs went weak. What had they done to his ex-wife? She couldn't be the same woman who had once lived with him-this was someone entirely different. She couldn't possibly be the Olivia he had married.

"That woman shouldn't be here," muttered Joshua Martens, Harrison's father.

"That's not Olivia. Obviously not!" Harrison stammered, unable to believe his eyes.

"If it's not her, then she looks exactly like her," said Megan, his younger sister.

They were all completely captivated as Olivia and her mother walked closer-about to pass right by them. When they did, Olivia, fully aware she was walking past Harrison, ignored him completely, as though he didn't exist. Still, Harrison recognized the perfume-the same one she used to wear on special occasions. As the spectacular woman walked by, the fragrance overwhelmed him, dragging him back to the past he had so carelessly discarded.

"It's her," he whispered, stunned.

Without thinking, Emma pushed her way through the guests and grabbed Olivia's arm, furious-unable to believe that her former daughter-in-law, once just a "worthless peasant girl," now stood before her like this. She yanked her toward her in rage.

"What are you doing here, you filthy thing?!" she shouted.

Olivia looked her up and down with pure disgust, yanked her arm free with force, and faced her head-on.

"What's the matter, ma'am? Do I know you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Don't play dumb, Olivia, you peasant. Get out of here. This event is for socialites, not for someone pretending to belong to high society like you!"

Olivia turned to her mother, who was already laughing at Emma's ridiculous comments.

"Ma'am, I believe you've mistaken me for someone else. Excuse us. Come on, daughter, we've got things to do," Elise said smoothly.

Olivia raised an eyebrow and looked her former mother-in-law up and down-she was so insignificant now. She took her mother's arm again, and the two women made their way to the table that had been reserved for them.

The ceremony unfolded as expected. The Martens couldn't take their eyes off Olivia. Their astonishment grew even greater when the host of the dance stepped up to the microphone to announce the winner of the annual award.

"The winner of this year's award is MacGregor Industries, and to celebrate, we welcome its owner, the lovely Mrs. Elise MacGregor, and her beautiful daughter, Olivia MacGregor, the new CEO."

The two women walked confidently to the front, smiling as they accepted the award. Harrison exchanged a glance with his mother. He looked terrified. His stomach turned. Realizing who his ex-wife truly was shattered him. He had been so wrong to hurt her-believing she was a woman without value. Yet there she stood, shining with her own light, revealing a truth he had never seen during their marriage.

Olivia had settled into the headquarters of her vast company. She would only be there for two months-just enough time to finish her pending business. It was almost time to leave when she heard a knock at her office door.

She wasn't expecting any visitors. Curious, she opened it, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was standing on the other side.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, facing Harrison.

"Good afternoon, Olivia. I've come to talk to you."

The woman hesitated to let him in, but the vulnerability in her ex-husband's eyes made her relent.

Harrison entered Olivia's office with the caution of a man stepping into hostile territory. The air was thick with unresolved tension-years of arguments, silences, and unhealed wounds. Olivia, though curious, kept a composed expression, prepared to hear him out.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Olivia said, crossing her arms. "Especially not here, in my company."

Harrison averted his gaze, a gesture that betrayed his discomfort.

"Olivia, I needed to talk to you. I've been thinking a lot about everything that happened between us," he began, his voice heavy with sincerity.

Olivia remained silent, her face unreadable.

"I know I made mistakes-mistakes that hurt you more than I could ever truly understand. But I've also realized what you meant to me, and..." He paused, his voice faltering. "I realized that I never stopped loving you."

Olivia raised an eyebrow, her expression dripping with disbelief.

"After everything you did, now you show up to profess your love?" she replied, her tone laced with disdain.

Harrison sighed, acknowledging the weight of her words.

"I know it's hard to believe, Olivia. I lost the most precious thing I ever had, and now I understand that I can't live without you."

His words lingered in the tense silence of the office as Olivia absorbed his confession.

"Well, Harrison, what do you expect me to do with all of this?" she asked defiantly.

"Olivia, I want your forgiveness. I want a chance to talk about us again. And... why not? To win you back."

Olivia laughed bitterly. She looked him over from head to toe and began to circle him with slow, deliberate steps.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" she asked coldly. "I've always known you never loved me.

Where did this sudden 'love' come from?"

"I don't know what you mean, Olivia. Maybe it was a mistake coming here," Harrison said, shaking his head and turning toward the door. But she stopped him.

"No, Harrison. Coming here wasn't the mistake. Everything you're telling me is the mistake. But if you really want to hear the truth, then listen carefully-I don't believe you. Not one word. I'm completely sure your motives are different. I know your company is bankrupt and about to collapse. You came here because you need a lifeline."

Her words struck him like a slap. How did she know? She was far more cunning than he remembered-no longer the naive woman he once took for granted. But he denied it anyway.

"Olivia, that's not true. I'm speaking to you from the heart. But I understand that you don't want to talk to me. I caused you too much pain."

"Harrison," she said coldly, "just so you see that I can still be generous-I'll help you." Harrison raised his head in confusion. His eyes met hers with anticipation.

"I'll help you," she repeated, "as long as you give me your company."

"I'm not following. What do you mean, Olivia?"

"You heard me. I want your company. I want you to work for me. I'll pay you a generous salary-as CEO even. One that will let you live comfortably while your company regains some ground."

Her offer was like a dagger to his pride. He had never imagined that the woman who once swore eternal love to him, the one who had once been at his feet, would now speak to him this way.

"I will never do that, Olivia!" he snapped. "You're humiliating me!"

"I didn't humiliate you. You humiliated yourself-walking in here with your cheap lies, thinking I'd melt at your feet."

She looked at him with contempt as she fidgeted with her fingers, then slipped a beautiful diamond ring back onto her hand with slow, deliberate grace.

"Olivia, look me in the eyes," Harrison said, stepping closer. "Tell me you don't feel anything for me anymore."

She said nothing. She stared into those gray eyes-the ones that once made her heart race. A part of her wanted to throw herself into his arms, to kiss him until she couldn't breathe. But she couldn't let herself. He had hurt her deeply. He had betrayed her. And now he was back-not for love, but because he had finally discovered her true identity.

"Harrison," she said quietly but firmly, "you have to understand-I'm not in love with you anymore. Now, please leave. If you decide to accept my proposal, you're welcome back. If not, don't ever set foot in my company again. Because I swear, I'll call security."

Harrison felt his pride crumble beneath her words. She had humiliated him beyond repair. And so he turned around and walked away-at least for now. He had no idea that the building housing his company was about to be auctioned by the bank.

It was likely he would return-on his knees-begging his wife for a second chance. After all, she had everything a man like him could ever want or need.

Meanwhile, Olivia was brimming with pain-and with a thirst for vengeance that she no longer cared to hide. She wanted him to feel just a fraction of the agony he had caused her. She wanted to see him humiliated, just like the Martens family had once humiliated her.

She had always had power. But after her divorce, she came back stronger than ever- with a multimillion-dollar inheritance that could set the whole world on fire.