Chapter 4 Deep Hatred

• Nicole gave a faint smile, pretending not to recognize Oliver. She deliberately averted her gaze, refusing to look at him. It felt as if she’d been stabbed in the back by a sharp dagger—painful, yet she forced herself to endure the suffocating feeling.
• “Oh gosh, Nicole, could you show Oliver around the wedding venue for a bit? I forgot to call my secretary earlier,” Shania said, then turned to Sadie. “Sadie, can you grab the brochure from marketing? I left mine in my room.”
• “Yes, Miss Shania,” Sadie replied, immediately leaving with Shania.
• Now only Nicole and Oliver remained. They exchanged glances—Oliver’s gaze was intense and searching, while Nicole’s eyes were filled with hatred and anger.
• “Sorry, I have to go,” Nicole said, turning to leave. But Oliver reached out and grabbed her arm, unwilling to let her walk away.
• “Let go!” Nicole snapped, forcefully shaking off his hand.
• Oliver withdrew, not pressing further. “Shania asked us to look around. Be professional, Nicole,” he said, his tone calm and cold.
• Nicole steadied herself, wiping away a tear threatening to fall. “Fine. Let’s walk around and check out the venue.”
• She walked ahead, surveying the area Shania wanted to rent. Unfortunately, the ground was still wet from the rain. Nicole’s heels slipped and she nearly fell, but Oliver instinctively caught her—only to slip himself. They tumbled together onto the uneven ground.
• Oliver shielded Nicole’s head, protecting her from injury. When they finally stopped rolling, Nicole found herself lying on top of Oliver. For a moment, neither of them moved. Their position was intimate, their eyes locked as if lost in a vast ocean.
• Nicole froze, speechless, her silver eyes meeting Oliver’s dark brown ones. Time seemed to stop as their gazes lingered.
• Neither realized how long they stayed like that—Oliver’s strong arms still wrapped around Nicole’s waist. The world around them faded away.
• Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
• “Oliver? Nicole?” Shania called, having just finished her phone call. She was stunned to see them on the ground, their position far too close for comfort.
• Nicole and Oliver immediately broke eye contact. Nicole scrambled to her feet, struggling a bit, and Oliver quickly stood to help her up. With his tall, sturdy build, it was easy for him to steady her.
• “Thanks,” Nicole said flatly, stepping away from him. Her dress was soiled from the dirt, but she tried to remain composed, her expression cold as she turned to Shania.
• “Next time, use your head when picking a wedding venue! Why choose outdoors? Weather like this is terrible for an outdoor party. See? I slipped and fell because of your ridiculous idea!” Nicole snapped.
• Shania rolled her eyes, refusing to take the blame. “You’re the one who wasn’t careful. Why wear heels? You should’ve worn flats.”
• Nicole shot Shania a cold glare, barely holding back her anger. For reasons she couldn’t explain, her hatred for Shania felt deeper than ever, but she struggled to keep it in check.
• “Miss Nicole?” Sadie had just returned with the brochure, surprised to see the stain on Nicole’s white dress. “Sadie, get me the flip-flops from the car. The ground is too slippery for heels,” Nicole ordered coolly.
• “Yes, Miss,” Sadie replied, quickly hurrying off.
• Soon, Sadie returned with the flip-flops, and Nicole changed out of her heels.
• Nicole gave Shania and Oliver a frosty look. Oliver remained silent, but his gaze never left Nicole.
• “If you want an outdoor wedding, at least pick a season with decent weather. Not now,” Nicole said icily.
• “So you’re telling us to postpone the wedding?” Shania shot back, matching Nicole’s cold tone. Her stepsister’s words clearly struck a nerve.
• Nicole sighed sharply. “Shania, no wonder you barely graduated. I’m telling you to rethink the outdoor concept, not postpone your wedding,” she replied firmly.
• Shania bristled at the insult, about to retort, but Oliver quickly interjected.
• “Nicole’s right. The weather isn’t suitable. We can’t have an outdoor wedding like this,” he said, trying to diffuse the argument.
• Shania sighed, frustrated. As much as she wanted it, she knew Oliver and Nicole were right. The weather was simply too bad.
• “Fine, I’ll reconsider the wedding concept,” Shania said flatly.
• Nicole glanced at her watch. “I don’t have time for this. I need to get back to the hotel.”
• “Why not come back to the mansion, Nicole? Dad’s been asking about you,” Shania said.
• “Tell Dad I’ll visit soon, but not today.”
• “Do you have a boyfriend now, Nicole?”
• Shania’s question made Oliver glance at Nicole, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
• Nicole managed a faint, graceful smile. “There’s no reason for me to share my personal life. Sorry, I can’t stay. I have to go.”
• She turned and walked away, leaving Oliver and Shania behind with her assistant. Oliver’s gaze lingered on Nicole’s retreating figure, silent as she mentioned having a “boyfriend.”
• “Ugh! My stepsister is so annoying, Oliver. If she weren’t related to me, I’d never want to see her,” Shania grumbled.
• Oliver didn’t respond. He was surprised by how much Nicole had changed. The quiet, reserved girl he once knew had become cold and untouchable, as if she’d built an impenetrable wall around herself.
• He looked at Shania. “How did you end up as Nicole’s stepsister?” he asked, genuinely curious. He’d always thought Nicole was an only child.
• “Alexa Tristan, Nicole’s mother, died nine years ago from a serious illness. Not long after, Nicole’s father married my mother. Nicole and I are only a year apart. I was already around before Nicole’s mother died. Actually, my parents had been having an affair behind her mother’s back for a long time.”
• “So don’t be surprised if Nicole hates me. She still can’t accept me. It was hard enough just getting her to come back to London. She always found excuses not to return. If you see her here now, it’s only because my father forced her. Without him, Nicole would never have come back.”
• Oliver was left speechless. He hadn’t known Nicole’s mother had died. After high school, he’d left London for college in Boston and lost touch with Nicole’s life.
• “When did Nicole move to Switzerland?” he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
• “Not long after her mother died,” Shania replied, hugging Oliver’s arm. “Enough about my annoying stepsister. I don’t want to talk about her. Her life isn’t interesting anyway. Let’s go—I want a romantic dinner with you.”
• Oliver nodded, following Shania. But it was clear from his expression that something Nicole had said still weighed heavily on his mind.