Sophia came to the birthday party as Ava's best friend.
She was more than a little embarrassed when this went down tonight, and Emma wanted to rush over and strangle her as she watched her come down the stairs.
Although she has a rather nasty mother-daughter relationship with Olivia, she is, in the end, her own daughter.
It doesn't matter how deep the family conflict is; we can't be bullied by outsiders, or we'll lose the face of the Smith Family.
Besides, what's Liam's status?
The young master of the Johnson Family, how can you let someone else steal such a good marriage?
Emma was already angry, and when she saw Liam nervously running over to hold Sophia, fearful that she would be given a hard time, her anger went straight to the sky.
However, Ava pressed the hard words just as they reached her throat.
"Mom, I'm more angry than you are right now; thanks to me treating Sophia like a friend, I didn't realize she was secretly stealing Olivia's man.
"I've already scolded her when I was changing earlier; she said that she wasn't good enough for Liam in her capacity, that she didn't have the luxury of marrying into the Johnson Family, and that Liam wouldn't marry her."
Ava mentioned that Olivia had thrown them in the pool tonight.
"Olivia already made Liam mad when she threw Sofia into the pool tonight, and Olivia broke off the engagement.
"What if you and Dad reprimand and spite him, and he breaks off the engagement in a fit of rage?
"Olivia did save his uncle's life, but if he has to back out of the marriage, there's no way the Johnsons are going to force him to die because of Olivia's one act of kindness.
"Withdrawing from the Johnsons will make it difficult for Olivia to get married in the future."
Hearing the word "withdraw", Emma forced herself to calm down.
Recently, her chest hurt from Olivia's anger, but fortunately, she had Ava, her smart and calm daughter, by her side, which made her a lot happier.
Emma forced herself to hold back the depression in her heart and couldn't help but complain, "Olivia, this girl is completely crazy tonight, too brainless, canceling the wedding. Can you just say cancel?"
Ava warmly relieved her, "Mom, don't worry, Olivia has this temper. Has she gotten into less trouble?
"It's just a matter of scaring Liam; it'll pass in a few days."
Emma nodded, agreeing with that in her mind.
It's true that Olivia's temper has gotten weirder and weirder over the years. Especially after that incident in high school, she wasn't close to anyone, and her whole personality changed drastically; the only thing that stayed the same was her feelings for Liam.
There's no way she's canceling the wedding. It's just a gamble.
...
Liam waited in the living room for a while for fear that the Smith Family would give Sophia a hard time, and when he came out with Sophia, Olivia was nowhere to be seen at the door.
The chauffeur goes to the car, and the two wait at the door, Sophia in Liam's arms.
"Liam, Olivia, she really hates me."
She pressed her entire body against Liam, her face full of aggression, "I told her I wouldn't take her Mrs. Johnson's spot; why won't she just leave me alone?"
Liam was annoyed inside, too; he hadn't planned on exposing Sophia tonight.
Impulsive indeed.
But that's just the way he is; he can't see his favorite people being made to suffer in public.
Not to mention, Olivia's been so arrogant lately that she dared to go cold turkey with him for two months and bully Sophia in front of him.
How is he going to frustrate Olivia if he doesn't come out in defense of Sophia? How can he teach her a lesson? How will she learn?
Irritated, Liam doesn't have much patience to calm Sophia.
He drew his arm out and took her in his arms, his voice gentle, "I know you've been aggravated, and your birthday is coming up, so I'll satisfy you with whatever gift you want."
Sophia gathered her tears, "Can I have any gift I want?"
Liam nodded, "Yes."
Olivia certainly suffered a lot during her time back.
Sophia joyfully hugged him around the waist, "Then when the time comes, you'll be the best gift of all when you free up your time for five days to spend with me."
"Good."
Liam sees her with a look of contentment in her heart and eyes, and a little ripple flashes through his heart as he lowers his head to kiss her.
No sooner had the kiss fallen than Sophia wrapped her arms around his neck and asked tentatively, "Liam, what if Olivia isn't mad this time? What if she really does want to call off her wedding to you?"
"It won't happen."
Liam never considers such hypotheticals.
"That's her temper; she gambles every time."
He'd like Olivia to be tough for once, but Olivia's love for him is a sticky, can't-shake-it-off kind of thing.
She really wasn't right tonight.
It should just be gas; she'll be fine on her own in a couple of days. Olivia's got a great capacity for self-healing.
He's used to it.
Sophia's eyes flashed, and she said nothing more.
...
The address Lucas gave was a private club.
Serenity Club on Main Street, the most stylish wind and moon place in Cedarburg, has classical style decoration and a rich cultural atmosphere across the footbridge, which can be glimpsed in the exquisite, classical, elegant, and noble style.
Olivia came by once.
She was sent abroad after her high school entrance exams and came back last year. Liam promised to pick her up, but in the end, he didn't go, saying he had a social engagement and couldn't leave with an important client.
Ava says she just got back from the Serenity Club and met Liam there.
After five years apart, she misses Liam so much that she goes to see him as soon as her suitcase is dropped off.
The Serenity Club was a membership club, and she couldn't get in without one.
It was also a coincidence that Ava was back again, saying she had left something here and had come back to get it just in time to bring her in.
Now that I think about it, it wasn't a coincidence. Ava did it on purpose.
Ava deliberately lured her to the clubhouse, deliberately let her see Liam and Sophia's closeness, and deliberately irritated her; she wanted her to fall out with Liam; she didn't want her to marry into the Johnson Family.
That day, she followed Ava inside. Ava pointed her to Liam's compartment and pushed the door in; the table was full of mess, and she could tell a group of people were eating and drinking.
Presumably, the show had broken up, and it was only Liam and Sophia when she went in.
Liam drank to his face, that full redness not knowing how much he'd had, and he took Sophia in his arms, his chin resting on her shoulder as Sophia shyly leaned into his embrace.
She was impulsive then, ran over to separate the two and pushed Sophia.
Liam was mostly sober, and he was surprised at the first sight of her, then his face changed when he saw Sophia, who had fallen to the floor.
Back then, Sophia didn't dare provoke her.
She was Liam's first love anyhow, and she had to test Liam's attitude towards her as his first love first.
So, that day, she would still be careful to explain.
"Olivia, don't take this the wrong way, Liam; he was so drunk and overwhelmed that he leaned on me to sober up."
Liam looked at Sophia then and echoed her words.
"Yes. I was dizzy earlier, and Sophia lent me her shoulder to lean on."
Olivia cursed herself for being stupid more than once when all she had to do was calm down and see that something was wrong.
It's a shame; she had full trust in Liam at the time; she trusted him so much that she believed anything he said.
She also believes that Liam will not betray her.
After all, they liked each other so much back then.
She trusts Sophia; she helped Sophia a lot in high school, and she trusts Sophia not to be heartless enough to covet her man.
As a result, she's blinded by trust, and while they're secretly dating, she foolishly envisions a future and stupidly asks Liam to take more care of Sophia.
It's stupid.
...
Unable to get into the clubhouse without a membership, Olivia sent Lucas a message and then waited by the side of the road, lost in thought, when she suddenly heard someone call out to her.
The visitor wears glasses and is svelte. Olivia recognizes him as Noah's assistant, Mason.
Last year, Liam wanted out of the marriage, and she didn't want to let it go, but being desperate, she had the audacity to go to the man in charge of the Johnson Family, Liam's uncle Noah.
She was lucky to have saved Noah that year and got a promise from him, which she used to beg Noah to convince Liam.
When Noah speaks, Liam really doesn't dare to talk about withdrawing from the marriage.
What comes by force really doesn't last.
Mason's gaze swept over her red, swollen cheeks, his eyes behind his lenses flashing in shock and quickly regaining their composure.
"Olivia, please follow me."
The night was filled with color, and the black Bentley was parked on the side of the road in a low-key manner.
Mason pulled open the backseat door and turned slightly sideways, reaching out toward Olivia, who bent down to get in, only to get in and realize there was someone else in the car.
Noah.
The overhead lights were on in the car, and the dim light tilted over the man like a gilded light.
His features are hazel-colored, but you can still discern a three-dimensional handsome silhouette with a high nose, a superior jawline, and even a sexy knot in his throat.
The man who held most of Cedarburg's economy had an impeccable face, but he had a businessman's air about him.
Just sitting there quietly, the reserved and cool aura already makes people feel oppressed.
Olivia had just sat down in a formal manner when the car door was closed from the outside, and within the narrow space, her usual arrogance retreated, and she spoke respectfully.
"Uncle."
In fact, Noah is only thirty-two this year, only eight years older than her, but Noah is Liam's uncle, and she has always followed Liam.
Noah had a tablet resting on his folded legs; he was reading an email when he heard Olivia call out to him, his fingertips lolling as he slowly turned his head.
"Uh-huh."
Putting aside the oppressive feeling of being seated in the car, Olivia had always found his voice beautiful, low and cool, thick and magnetic, like the deep dark tones of a cello, with a crunchy penetrating power.
Unfortunately, he's a man of few words, a man of few words, and it's easy to get cold feet.
He stopped with a "hmmm," and Olivia had to initiate the conversation.
"That, Lucas ..."
Seeing his brow furrow lightly, Olivia realized something was wrong and reacted extremely quickly to change her tone.
"Where's Lucas?"
It's not her fault that calling Lucas has been rather awkward.
Lucas and Noah were good friends; they were the same age, and it made sense for her to call out to Lucas after Liam as Uncle Noah.
But Lucas is Amelia's fiancé, and she's Amelia's best friend, so it's a bit of a complicated relationship.
She only met Noah when she called Lucas, and now that she hadn't seen Lucas, she casually asked.
It's a bit rude to call Lucas in front of Noah.
Olivia changes her tune just in time, fearing more embarrassment and no longer caring where Lucas has gone, and without waiting for Noah to open his mouth, gets right to the point.
"Uncle, I begged you once last year when Liam wanted to cancel the wedding. You helped me, and I know I shouldn't bother you again this time, but I can't help it."
Olivia sat upright, her hands crossed between her knees; she hadn't bothered to put on any makeup since she'd fallen in the water, and her small, plain face was pale, the slap marks becoming more and more obvious.
Noah's ink-like eyes landed on those two red marks; the bottom of his eyes couldn't see half of his emotions.
Olivia's lashes drooped slightly, and she didn't look at him, her tone a little pleading.
"I want to break off the engagement with Liam, and he's too scared of you to go back on it. Uncle, I won't bother you; just tell Liam that you won't interfere with us anymore."
Liam would voluntarily withdraw from the marriage as soon as Noah stopped bothering her.
He hated her so much that he would dump her immediately if he had the chance.
Olivia was waiting for a response after she finished speaking, and her heart began to drum; she was just about to look up when she suddenly heard Noah ask:
"What happened to your face? Liam hit it?"