Once the agreement was finalized, Oliver and Czarina would finally be able to be together in the open.
Ever since his mother passed away, the person Oliver hated seeing most was her estate lawyer.
As expected, his brows knitted tightly.
"I don't care what you're plotting with my mother's will. This pregnancy of Czarina's cannot have any accidents. She was the most important person to my brother."
He didn't wait for my response. He strode to the foyer, changed his shoes, and with a loud bang, slammed the door behind him.
The housekeeper came over holding the shattered photo frame.
"Madam... you never had the heart to put this photo away before. Are you really throwing it out?"
I gave a soft laugh. My heart tightened, then loosened all at once.
"It was thrown away long ago."
Five years ago, on a stormy night, Ryan—his older brother—was in a multi-car collision with Czarina.
That same night, Oliver had a high fever but insisted on rushing to the hospital.
I cried and tried to stop him.
"Oliver, you're burning up. There are plenty of doctors there—you won't be able to help..."
For the first time, he glared at me coldly.
"How would I not help? That's my brother and sister-in-law. Not everyone is as heartless as you."
"When your mother was dying, you could pretend you didn't see it. You knelt at my mother's feet instead. Lydia, I'm not like you."
He walked out.
And I followed after him in the rain, ending up at the old Romulo residence.
His mother handed me a bank card again.
"Lydia, let's make a deal. This thirty million will be your payment for marrying Oliver for five years. Your mother's illness needs this money too. During these five years, I need you to watch over Oliver... and keep an eye on Czarina for me."
"After five years, no matter what happens, you'll be free."
Back then, I didn't understand. I'd secretly loved Oliver for five years—how could I ever walk away?
But three days later, when he returned from the hospital and announced the news of his brother's death... everything changed.
He said, he wanted Czarina to bear his child.
That child would be the eldest son of the Romulo family in name—his brother's child.
I stood up and instructed the housekeeper to take down the huge wedding portrait hanging in the bedroom.
But the moment she removed it, several men came in carrying another massive wedding portrait.
The groom was still Oliver. But the bride... was now Czarina.
Czarina walked in, hand gently stroking her flat stomach.
"Lydia, I'm sorry. My condition has been unstable lately. The doctor said having more items that show my intimate connection with Oliver will help me recover."
"You have great taste. Help me pick a few more photos."
Her finger scrolled down and down—she couldn't even finish flipping through the endless wedding albums.
She glanced at me, smiling faintly. "By the way, why are there no photos of you and Oliver in this house? Did you hide them somewhere?"
Right then, Oliver entered and directed the servants to mount the new frame.
Only afterward did he speak.
"Czarina will be staying here until she gives birth. For her health, we'll arrange the house according to her needs."
"So put our photos away. If she has another episode and hurts herself after seeing them, it'll be on you."
"We don't have photos anymore."
I said it beneath Czarina's triumphant gaze.
Oliver had forgotten—forgotten that he was the one who burned our wedding albums himself during one of my desperate breakdowns.
I once mourned it at midnight...
We had been just one photo away from completing the album.
He parted his lips, about to speak, but before he could—Czarina grabbed my wrist. Her nails dug into my skin.
She gently traced the jade bracelet on my arm, eyes glowing with envy.
"Mom treated you well... She even gave you the family heirloom."
