Chapter 76

OLIVIA

I TOOK a deep breath and finally stood up after fixing my hair. I took a few steps away from the mirror to observe my overall look. I just arrived home from the university and office but had to prepare to leave once again this evening because Chase asked me to visit his Aunt Melissa to drop off some food and souvenirs he bought for her when he was in Singapore.

I couldn't figure out why Chase had asked me to do this instead of him, but I guess it was part of my job as his wife. Even though I was still mad at him for continuously lying to me, I still needed to treat him right and pretend that I didn't see a thing in his office.

"It won't take that long, Liv. Just drop off the things and have a little chit-chat, then go home," I said to myself while still looking at my reflection in the mirror.

I grabbed my sling bag and the big paper bag where Chase put the food and souvenirs for his aunt.

I huffed, and even though I'd been trying to compose myself, I was unable to do so because I recalled how I behaved in front of Melissa when I visited Chase's father.

"Damn it," I said and winced.

You can do this, Liv.

I went out of the house and Mathias approached me right away. He took the paper bag in my hand and carried it himself when we were walking towards the car.

"Do you know what time Chase will be home?" I asked him curiously.

"He did not tell me about me, Madame."

"Fine..." I sighed, thinking how Chase and I were slowly drifting apart.

He was so busy with his sinking company and lying to me, while I couldn't look him in the eye knowing that he'd been lying to me all this time and keeping me in the dark.

At some point, I came to understand what he would feel once he learned that I'd been lying to him too; that I kept him in the dark and used his resources for my own benefits; that I pretended to be Reese Jones and used his love towards that woman.

I cleared my throat and shook my head. I tossed the negative thoughts aside as I knew I needed to focus on visiting his aunt.

Mathias sent me to Melissa's home and walked me to the main entrance. He rang the doorbell, and a maid welcomed us. My eyes roamed around the elegant house of Chase's aunt. Compared to Maxwell's residence, I thought this one was way bigger. I had to say it was like a modern hotel.

It felt as if there was a big lump in my throat when I saw Melissa, who was descending the stairs. She was wearing an apple green colored coordinate dress with a headband in her hair. She dressed like a normal teenager, and despite being old, I had to admit that her beauty was truly evident.

"Good evening, A—Aunt Melissa," I greeted her and, damn it, I just stuttered!

"Good evening, Reese." She offered me a thin smile as she approached me.

Her aura was so powerful that my heart was racing so fast simply by looking at her.

I inhaled sharply and showed her the paper bag in my hand.

"Uhm... I... I came here because Chase wanted me to personally deliver his gifts to you, Aunt Melissa..." I said, shyly.

"I know, sweetheart. Chase called me earlier and told me you would be dropping by," she said. "Let's go to the living room so we can talk." Then she turned to her maid. "Bring us some tea and cake, Jill."

She led the way in her living room, and with every step I made, I kept breathing heavily. There was something in her aura that sent me something like a warning. I didn't know if it was just me, but I felt like she was not someone I could hang out with...

Or maybe I was just so ashamed that I treated her badly in Chase's father's office?

"How are you doing, Reese?" she asked when we settled into her enormous living room, where there was a fireplace across the couches.

"I'm fine, Aunt. Thanks for asking."

"That's good. Chase seemed very happy after he married you. He always smiles whenever I meet him. Thanks to you."

The maid served the tea and cake as requested by her. Melissa handed me the tea, and I thanked her. I sipped on it and I liked its taste.

"It's one of the most famous teas in China," she said.

"It tastes great. Thank you..."

"I heard from Chase that you're pursuing a career in the fashion industry. Is that true?"

I nodded shyly in response.

"That's nice. Having a business of your own is really important. Women weren't born to depend on men, Reese. We have to pave our way to success without anyone's help."

My expression softened when she said those encouraging words. It was like she had an idea about what I'd been going through. Truly, her words caught my heart.

"I wonder what you and my brother talked about when you visited him in his office. You seemed perplexed when I saw you exiting out of his office."

"Oh!" My eyes widened. I recalled what happened that day, and I wasn't sure if I had the guts to tell her what exactly we talked about. "I was just so pressured at that moment, Aunt Melissa. I am juggling between studying hard, starting up a business and being a great wife to my husband, and there are times that I can no longer handle everything all at once."

She nodded as if she understood what I said. "Well, life can truly be hard if you carry everything all at once, sweetheart."

"I know..." I offered her a thin smile.

"I want to be true to you, Reese." She inhaled sharply and looked at me intently. "The first time I saw you, I already disliked you and your family."

I stiffened. It was as if I was slapped in the face, and I stayed speechless after that.

"I still think my nephew deserves someone even better than settling with a woman who left him hanging at their supposed wedding, let alone brought shame into his family. But I had no choice because Chase loves you so much..."

Hot tears formed on both sides of my eyes and my chest started tightening as I heard those words from her. I knew I made a mistake when I first saw her in Ernest's office, but I didn't know that she really disliked Reese even before I came into the picture.

Why didn't everyone want Reese to be with Chase?

Even though their words were meant for the real Reese Jones, I found it difficult to ignore everything because I was currently playing her role in Chase's life, and because I love him, I couldn't help but feel affected whenever his family spoke ill of me or Reese.

"I... I'm sorry if you feel that way, Aunt. I assure you, I am trying my best to be enough for Chase. I want to be a great wife whom he can rely on during the hardest times of his life, and I want to become independent too, which is why I am starting my own career..." I bit my lower lip and lowered my head as I held back my tears. "If there is something that I lack, I will work hard to fill the gap. In that way, when the right time comes, you will start to like me... but I understand it is not something I can force..."

"Don't worry as I'm not going to play the villain role here. I am also a woman, and it's difficult when people dislike me too. I just hope you can change my impression of you and good luck on the career path you are taking."

"T–Thank you, Aunt..."

"Keep in mind that you are already bearing our family name, even though we don't want to. Be mindful of your actions and I hope you can always consider my nephew in every decision you make. After all, you are nothing without him," she said.

A pang of anxiety went through me as I heard those words. That, out of all of them, made me feel worse.

"I understand, Aunt Melissa." I blinked my tears away and finally stood up. "I... I should leave now. Chase will go home anytime and I must prepare dinner for him."

"Go ahead. Treat my nephew better, Reese. Have a good evening," she said.

I only nodded in response and then walked away.

I sucked in a breath as I walked to the main door of the house. My lips were quivering and my tears were on the verge of streaming down, but I kept my emotions at bay as I knew it would only cause trouble if anyone saw me crying because of her.

Chase would only get mad at his aunt once he found out about this, and I didn't want that to happen.

"Mathias, let's go," I told Mathias as he waited for me in the lobby.

My tears fell, but I wiped them immediately and pretended as if nothing really happened here.