The Wife He Ignored Became A Legend

Olivia, daughter of the Duke of Wade, concealed her true identity and married Grand Duke Sebastian Miller out of love three years ago. She believed he would eventually love her back. That hope died inside the rubble of Saint Sophia Cathedral. When the church collapsed with a thunderous crash, she lay buried under broken stone and timber. Through her blurry vision, she spotted Sebastian rushing through the debris. She called his name. He ran straight past her, frantically digging for Violet, his childhood friend. Bricks dislodged by his frantic efforts flew back and struck Olivia, triggering a second collapse. After the rescue, Violet spun a story that Olivia had blocked her escape and talked about dying together. Sebastian turned on Olivia in accusation before she could even defend herself. Then came the blood rite. A healer claimed Violet needed Olivia's blood to survive. When Olivia exposed Violet's smooth, unbruised stomach and demanded to know how someone supposedly crushed to death could jump up without a scratch, the healer crumbled and confessed Violet made him do it. Sebastian fired the man on the spot, but the damage was already carved into Olivia's heart. She demanded an annulment. He called her childish. She said it again, louder. Back at the Miller estate, Margaret—Sebastian's mother—grabbed Olivia's hair and accused her of harming Violet. When Olivia pushed her away in self-defense, Sebastian walked in at exactly the wrong moment, cake box and gift bag in hand. Margaret put on a wounded act. He apologized to his mother, handed Olivia the box, and watched her open it to find a berry-covered cake. Three years of marriage, and he never knew she was allergic to berries. Margaret smashed the cake into Olivia's face and called her a pathetic orphan. Olivia slammed the annulment papers against Sebastian's chest and walked out, leaving behind every dress, shoe, and ornament the Miller family had paid for. She stepped through the gate in nothing but her undergarments as a luxurious carriage pulled up. Frederick, her uncle, stepped out and helped her inside while Sebastian and Margaret watched from the doorway, assuming he was her new lover.

Back with the Wades, Olivia threw herself into Frederick's arms and wept with regret over the years she had wasted. Then she made a decision: instead of crying over a man who never saw her, she would focus on her career and join the family's architecture guild. She started at the very bottom as a designer. At the Wade family banquet, she stepped out of a carriage in a stunning gown and every head turned—including Sebastian's. He could not help but walk toward her. She ignored him entirely. Violet, burning with jealousy, confronted Olivia and later staged a fall into a fountain, screaming that Olivia had pushed her. A maid stepped forward and testified to the truth: Violet tried to push Olivia and fell in herself. Sebastian, for the first time, made Violet apologize. But when he tried to pull Olivia back, she sneered and reminded him he was still too gullible, still falling for Violet's performances every single time. At the architecture guild, a supervisor named Laura handed Olivia an impossible project with a lecherous steward named William, hoping to humiliate her. William placed his hand on Olivia's thigh and whispered an invitation to his estate. He reached for her waist. Moments later, Sebastian kicked the door open, ready to rescue her, and froze. Olivia had William pinned to the table, one arm twisted behind his back, demanding to know if the service was satisfactory. The attendant screamed and ran. Sebastian stepped beside her and told William to try laying a hand on her again. Afterward, he pulled Olivia close and confessed he had sent gifts every year—gifts Violet had intercepted and hoarded, wearing them in public and claiming Sebastian bought them for her. When they confronted Violet together, Sebastian tore open her drawers and wardrobe to find three years of stolen presents. He ordered her to return everything and move out that same day. Olivia watched it all, unmoved, and told him she wanted nothing Violet had touched.