The Day I Went Silent Chapter 02
Her advisor fell silent for a beat, then gave her a call.
“What’s going on? Haven’t you loved him for years?”
Olivia froze, pulled back into distant memories.
The Sterlings and the Vances had been family friends for generations. Olivia’s parents, avid travelers, often left her in Julian’s care.
Julian would always rush to her school right after his meetings. Leaning against his Maybach in a tailored suit, his sharp, striking features drew countless stares.
Her female classmates would stare blankly at his face and ask her, “Is… is that your boyfriend?”
Olivia jumped in surprise and quickly denied it.
But once he brought her home, she couldn’t help but peek out and ask, “Julian, can I marry you when I grow up?”
“Watch your tone. Call me brother.”
Julian scoffed, putting out his cigarette. He pinched her cheek and tugged it lightly. “And don’t say things like that. My girlfriend will get mad.”
Olivia was stunned.
That was when she learned Julian had been in a fiery, secret romance behind his family’s back.
The woman was a glamorous actress—fiery, proud, and radiantly confident.
Olivia could only bury her feelings deep in her heart and dive headfirst into her studies.
Later, she graduated from college.
Julian had a massive fight with his parents and stubbornly went to register the marriage with Chloe.
She went on to pursue her master’s degree.
Julian and Chloe had Oliver, and the Vance parents finally accepted the marriage.
Sometime later, Julian and Chloe got divorced.
After such a wild and exhausting romance, Julian seemed tired. He accepted the strategic marriage arranged by his parents, only asking that his new wife take good care of Oliver.
Olivia chose to marry him without a second thought.
At the time, her mother tried to persuade her otherwise: “The Vances have high standards for their daughters-in-law, and Julian already has a child. Your life won’t be easy if you marry into that family.”
“The Sterlings don’t need you for a strategic marriage, so why must you do this?”
Because I love him.
Olivia didn’t say those words out loud. Instead, with bright eyes, she told her mother, “As long as I treat him and his child with all my heart, they will definitely accept me.”
But then came three years of marriage.
Oliver strongly disliked her.
When Julian told him to address her properly, the boy cried and rolled on the floor: “She’s not my mom!
She’s the mistress!
She’s a bad woman!
I don’t want her to be my mom!”
Olivia could only comfort herself by thinking he was just a child who didn’t know any better, and she continued to do everything she could to treat him well.
Yet he would still dump all the meals Olivia prepared into the trash, throw crying tantrums when she wouldn’t let him eat junk food, and even tell outsiders that Olivia was their maid, not Mrs. Vance at all.
Once, his teacher called to say Oliver was missing. Olivia was frantic, searching everywhere for him.
Just as she was about to call the police, Chloe walked in, holding Oliver by the hand.
“Mom just took me out to play. Why are you acting like a crazy woman?”
Oliver glared at her unhappily.
Olivia took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. “It’s fine to go out and play, but why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just didn’t want to!
I wanted you to worry to death!”
He made a face at her.
Chloe chimed in to smooth things over: “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Vance. I told Julian, but he probably forgot to tell you.”
Julian had known everything all along, yet he’d simply stood by and watched her spiral into panic.
The last thread of Olivia’s rationality snapped, and for the first time, she yelled at Oliver: “Is it fun for you to watch me panic!
Do you have any idea how worried I was about you!”
Oliver froze, opened his mouth, and burst into tears.
No one could soothe him, and the commotion eventually drew the Vance elders over.
Holding their precious grandson, they coldly ordered Olivia to kneel in the family shrine.
When Olivia refused, they had the bodyguards drag her inside.
Once the doors were locked, the family shrine was pitch-black and freezing.
Olivia had claustrophobia. She soon struggled to breathe, trembling as she managed to dial Julian’s number.
“Brother, save me…”
Hearing her call him that, he froze for a beat on the line.
A woman’s voice drifted over: “Julian, let’s take Oliver to Hawaii for his birthday this time, shall we?”
Julian replied to her briefly, his tone turning slightly impatient when he spoke to Olivia: “Alright, stop making a scene.”
“I heard what happened with Oliver. This is your fault. Stay in the shrine and reflect on your behavior.”
“Be a good girl, and I’ll let you out when I get back.”
But he didn’t come back all day.
Olivia began to suffocate, her heart racing as a sharp pain twisted in her abdomen.
She pounded on the door in vain, but no one paid her any attention.
Soon, her world faded into complete darkness.
When she woke up, she was in the hospital. The doctor told her she had lost her first child.
“Olivia… we’ll have another child.”
Julian held her, his voice trembling slightly.
Olivia opened her mouth.
She wanted to ask Julian why he hadn’t protected him, why he was always spending time with Chloe, and if he still had feelings for Chloe.
But the words died on her lips, turning into: “Really?”
“Really.
I promise I will treat our child well.”
Julian sounded so sincere, so earnest, that Olivia’s heart softened.
She was willing to believe him; after all, she had loved him for so many years.
When Olivia got pregnant for the second time, Julian indeed took meticulous care of her, vowing not to let anyone hurt her.
But when the one who laid a hand on her was Oliver, Julian’s attitude completely changed.
You only cherish a child because you love its mother. The truth suddenly dawned on Olivia.
Even though they were divorced, the one Julian truly loved was still Chloe.
She was just someone he settled for when he was tired, just a Mrs. Vance meant to take care of the child.
If it wasn’t Chloe, then anyone could be Mrs. Vance.
Olivia couldn’t bring herself to go on any longer.