Scentless Begonia, Sleepless Love

Back then, Ethan nearly starved himself for love, almost earning the title of the man who would defy the world for a beauty.

Later, things between him and me completely imploded.

Strangely, Sophia didn’t leave—she stayed by his side for seven full years.

“Miss Bennett, you must be mistaken,” she said lightly, as if brushing away a speck of dust. “What happened back then had nothing to do with me.”

She calmly instructed staff to clean up the mess and bring fresh dishes and seats, as if nothing had happened.

Ethan gave a cold snort, then turned to me with open disdain.

“Olivia, you and your mother did those things, yet you want to fling your filth onto someone else?”

“If I’d wanted to marry Sophia back then, all it would have taken was one word from her—why bother with any schemes?”

On that point, he wasn’t wrong.

The Carter family had originally been set to marry my half-sister, Claire Bennett. But on her eighteenth birthday, she jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. Rumor had it my mother killed her for the inheritance.

I never knew if it was true.

But the Carters didn’t want an illegitimate daughter like me in their home, so they called off the engagement.

Later, when the Bennett family’s fortunes collapsed, my mother took the marriage contract to their door several times, demanding they honor it.

At the time, eighteen-year-old Ethan was head over heels for Sophia.

So in their eyes, the only villains could be me and my mother.

“You said it yourself—back then. So why can’t you marry her now?”

I turned to Sophia, my tone deliberately sharp. “Is it that the Carter family doesn’t want you either?”

My words hit home. I clearly saw her palm tremble.

“My parents adore Sophia,” Ethan cut in. “It’s only a matter of time before we marry.”

Her eyes lit up instantly, shimmering with tears.

I arched a brow and gave a cool nod.

“Then I wish you two a lifetime of happiness—and a quick first child.”

Ethan straightened at my words, a strange emotion flickering in his gaze.

“Thanks in advance, Miss Bennett.”

Sophia’s voice stayed soft and genteel, her “Miss Bennett” deliberate. To me, it was all an act.

A few of Ethan’s friends, eager to join in, offered their congratulations.

“So, Ethan, when’s the proposal?”

He glanced at me. “Today. Once I win the Eternal Diamond, I’ll propose to Sophia.”

My eyes snapped to him.

The Eternal Diamond—my mother’s keepsake.

The night I left home, my mother had fought desperately to stop me, begging me to stay and protect my father and the Bennett family. I hadn’t listened.

In my past life, I’d learned the hard way—what happened to the family was none of my concern.

“Why should an illegitimate daughter guard the Bennett family?” I’d thought.

We parted on bitter terms, and for the next seven years, with the Pacific Ocean between us, we didn’t exchange a single call.

This time around, my mother had died of lung cancer from years of smoking.

By the time I returned from the United States, she was already lying in the morgue.

She’d left a letter willing the Eternal Diamond to me. But I was too late—everything of value on her had been stolen.

I’d asked Daniel Foster to help me find it, but there was never any news.

Until I spotted it at this charity gala’s auction.

I hadn’t waited for Daniel to return before coming here myself—only to discover it was the Carter family’s event. By the time I thought to leave, it was already too late.

During the first half, I hadn’t raised my bidding paddle once.

“Got yourself a white guest pass just to eat and drink for free?”

“Olivia, how far you’ve fallen.”