From the beginning to the end, Quiana Sutton's expression did not change at all. She ate breakfast slowly and methodically, as if nothing could affect her emotions, as if the online discussions were not about her.
Oliver Gale had experienced her indifferent personality, but he didn't expect her to be so heartless and callous to this extent.
Julian said that Quiana agreed to a hidden marriage with Durrell because she was after his money and status.
But in Oliver's view, this girl seemed uninterested in everything. Money, status, reputation, none of it could stir her emotions. She seemed to care about nothing, not even herself.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"Quiana, can I ask you a question?"
Quiana glanced at him: "What do you want to ask?"
"Did your parents know about your hidden marriage to Durrell back then? Were they really okay with it?"
Upon hearing this question, Quiana paused with the cup in her hand. She clearly felt a sharp pain spreading from her heart. Normally, she didn't feel anything, but as soon as this was mentioned, it was like the pain of breaking bones and extracting marrow.
She put down the cup, smiled self-deprecatingly, and spoke with an unspeakable emptiness and loneliness,
"They're all gone. I'm just a solitary soul. If they have any objections, they can convey it to me in a dream."
Oliver felt a bit apologetic; he hadn't expected this to be the truth.
Although he didn't specialize in psychology, he had dabbled somewhat because of Durrell Landon.
Now, he somewhat understood why this girl was so cold, to the extent that it could be called cruel.
Her whole body seemed to be covered in thorns. If anyone got close to her, not only would others get hurt, but she herself would be bleeding profusely.
Durrell Landon, who had not spoken until now, suddenly spoke: "Who proposed the divorce back then?"
Quiana admitted very directly: "I did."
Durrell: "Why?"
Quiana briefly calmed herself: "Naturally, I was tired of being a stand-in for someone else."
"Stand-in?"
Durrell looked at her without understanding.
For a moment, Quiana looked at Durrell with a hint of envy. It's nice to have amnesia; you can forget everything you've ever done. She spoke slowly:
"Because the person you liked was Evelyn Windsor, but Evelyn Windsor left you and went abroad. To relieve your loneliness, you found a stand-in."
Durrell didn't believe it at all:
"You and Evelyn Windsor are completely different types of women. Your acting skills don't seem to be at the pinnacle either. If I were truly in love with Evelyn Windsor, how could I possibly choose you as a stand-in?"
Oliver Gale expressed strong agreement.
"Quiana, there must be some misunderstanding here."
Quiana: "..."
How could Durrell's own words be false?
She didn't feel like arguing with an amnesiac and someone unaware of the truth,
"If you don't believe it, then wait until your memory returns, and you'll understand naturally."
After saying that, she looked at Oliver Gale:
"Since you're a doctor, you know that mere stimulation is not enough. If necessary, it's better to prescribe him some medicine."
After saying that, she wiped her mouth, stood up, and seemed ready to leave.
After Quiana Sutton left Imperial View Manor, Oliver Gale stretched lazily, a signature smile reappearing on his face: "Durrell, I couldn't tell that you would engage in the whole stand-in thing? I thought you weren't that into Evelyn Windsor, but I didn't expect you liked her enough to find a stand-in."
Durrell glanced at Oliver, a hint of danger in his eyes: "Don't tease me."
Even if she hadn't lied to him, if he had indeed said those words to her, that didn't mean he truly thought that way.
He wasn't interested in participating in variety shows, yet he joined one anyway.
He was even less interested in finding a stand-in, yet he did so.
In Quiana Sutton's case, he did things he would never normally do.
Meeting Durrell's gaze, Oliver leaned back, his tone unexpectedly grave.
"But Durrell, if you really like her, then you might be in for some suffering."
Although they hadn't spent much time together, he could tell she wore a mask, lost in the bewilderment of this world, not easily moved at all.
Durrell's face remained calm, but he was lost in thought for a long time before he finally spoke: "So what? As long as I don't consent to the divorce, she will forever be my wife."
Oliver fell into silence, suddenly worried that Durrell might follow the same path as his father.
Soon after Quiana left, Durrell's phone rang.
It was a call from Evelyn Windsor, but he still didn't pick up.
Oliver wasn't in much of a hurry and even ordered the servant to pour him a cup of tea.
As if he was waiting for some entertainment to unfold.
On the fifth ring, Durrell finally pressed the answer button.
"What is it?"
His voice carried its usual lazy sensuality, and Evelyn, upon hearing it, was caught in a daze for a moment, taking a long pause before speaking:
"Durrell, I heard you were in a car accident and got hurt. How is your health now?"
Durrell's expression remained calm:
"Not fatal."
Evelyn heard the distance and indifference in Durrell's tone and couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety, quickly speaking:
"Durrell, I know I left without saying goodbye and went abroad; you were angry. I came back this time because I wanted to make it up to you. Can you forgive me?"
Upon hearing this, Durrell laughed softly, a hardly noticeable hint of sarcasm in his tone: "Miss Windsor, you're overreacting. We never had any relations, so wherever you wanted to go, there was no need to report it to me."
Evelyn felt slightly broken when she heard the words "Miss Windsor"; he used to call her Evelyn, never so formally as Miss Windsor.
An image of his gentle face flashed in her mind; she found it a little hard to believe that these words, so cold to the bone, were spoken by Durrell.
"Durrell, are you mad at me?"
Oliver didn't know what Evelyn was saying to Durrell, but he clearly saw a slight upward curve at the corners of Durrell's lips, a faint, indifferent smile escaping his throat.
"Miss Windsor misunderstood, I am not angry. If there's nothing else, I should rest now."
After saying that, he hung up the phone.
Listening to the busy tone in her ear, Evelyn was momentarily taken aback.
She could clearly feel that something between her and Durrell was quietly changing.
But she was unwilling to accept it.
She had seen the bright green mountains, the vast starry skies, and met all kinds of people. In her mind, no one could compare to Durrell.
So, after achieving success and fame, she came back...
Everyone said she was the most suitable for Durrell, and she had always believed it too.
She had outstanding looks, an excellent family background, and remarkable abilities. Besides, she was the only woman who could get close to him. She couldn't think of anyone more fitting for him than herself.