Divorced: The Hidden King Rises

Ch.8 - The Girl with the Firefly Clip

Hayden University. Finance Department.

The afternoon sun spilled across the courtyard in front of the teaching building.

A girl lowered her phone and let out a soft sigh.

She had beautiful blonde hair.

It cascaded over her shoulders, contrasting perfectly with her plain white dress.

She looked fresh. Radiant.

An emerald hairclip was pinned in her hair—shaped like a firefly. It shimmered faintly in the light.

She clutched a few thick finance textbooks to her chest and just stood there, silently.

Olivia Wells.

The eldest daughter of the Wells family. Nicholas Wells' only child.

She was a top student at Hayden University, majoring in finance.

The guys walking past were all stealing glances at her.

Some even turned their heads after walking by.

She was too striking—the undisputed beauty of the campus.

The most popular girl in school.

Another girl came running up to her.

She was pretty, too—refined features and a tall frame—but standing next to Olivia, she seemed to fade into the background.

"Who was that on the phone, Princess?" the girl asked curiously. "You look like something's bothering you."

This was Emma Page. Olivia's best friend and the daughter of a lesser-known local family.

Olivia sighed again. She looked up at the blue sky, her eyes full of melancholy.

"Emma, my father found me another man."

"Another one?" Emma's eyes widened. "I thought he wanted you to get close to the Governor's son? Is that over?"

Olivia shook her head with a bitter smile. "He told me to switch. Apparently, this one is in the hospital."

"The hospital? What's the deal with that?"

Olivia didn't answer.

She bit her lower lip. Her eyes grew slightly red, her voice laced with grievance.

"Emma... why can't he just let me fall in love on my own?"

Emma opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

"Why can't I just study finance in peace? Why does he always push me toward those 'elite' kids?" Olivia's voice trembled. "Am I just a bargaining chip to him?"

Emma went silent.

She understood the feeling all too well.

Being born into a wealthy family meant you never had to worry about food or clothes. You had resources and status that ordinary people couldn't imagine. But sometimes, you weren't in control of your own life.

Especially for girls. When it came to marriage, choice was a luxury they rarely had.

Alliances were how the elite maintained their interests. And girls like them were just bargaining chips on the negotiating table.

Emma was the same. She was already engaged to the heir of another family. They had only met a handful of times.

But that was their fate.

"Let's go." Olivia took a deep breath. Her voice regained its calm, though it sounded exhausted.

Emma followed silently.

………

The BMW X5 pulled up to the entrance of St. Mary's Hospital.

Olivia pushed the door open and stepped out. She looked up at the top floor of the building, her expression growing more bitter.

The VIP ward.

The kind of place only the ultra-wealthy could afford.

And the man she had to meet today was right there.

Emma walked up beside her, trying to comfort her. "Maybe he's your type this time? What if he's hot?"

Olivia's lips quirked. The smile was forced.

"Every single one of them is either greasy or a playboy ruined by excess." Her voice was full of weariness. "What would be different this time?"

Emma had no comeback.

Because most of the time, that was exactly the truth. How many of those wealthy heirs were actually decent?

Olivia stopped talking. She took a deep breath and started walking forward.

There was a small plaza in front of the hospital, shaded by several plane trees.

Benches for resting were scattered beneath them.

As they were crossing the plaza, a violent coughing sound caught their attention.

Olivia looked over. An old man was sitting on a nearby bench, clutching his chest.

He was deathly pale.

A second later, he bent over and vomited.

"Oh my god!" Emma instinctively backed away several steps. She covered her nose and mouth, her face full of disgust.

Olivia didn't hesitate.

She sprinted forward and grabbed the swaying old man.

"Sir! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

The old man slumped against her shoulder. His lips were purple, his body trembling. He looked like he could pass out any second.

Olivia didn't care about anything else. She used all her strength to support him. The hem of her white dress was stained with dirt, but she didn't even notice.

In the chaos, the firefly hairclip slipped from her hair and hit the ground.

"Let me help."

A gentle voice reached her ears.

Olivia looked up. A man in blue-and-white striped hospital pajamas was walking toward them quickly.

He wasn't stunningly handsome, but he had pleasant features and a steady, reassuring presence.

He didn't waste any time. He stepped in and supported the old man from the other side.

"I'm heading inside anyway. I'll help him in. You go get a doctor." The man's voice was calm and orderly.

Olivia nodded without hesitation.

She turned to Emma, who was still standing at a distance. "Pick up my hairclip!"

With that, she sprinted into the hospital.

Emma bent down to pick up the firefly clip, muttering to herself. "She still cares about this thing even now... she really does love fireflies."

The old man was quickly moved to the emergency room.

The doctor said it was just a sudden bout of hypoglycemia. He'd be fine after some rest.

Olivia let out a sigh of relief. Then she remembered the man who had helped.

She turned around and found him standing in the hallway, waiting quietly.

"Thank you," Olivia said politely as she walked over. "What's your name?"

The man gave a small smile. "Ryan Sinclair. And you?"

Olivia hesitated for a moment.

"Just call me Olivia."

She didn't give her last name. She didn't want to.

Every time she introduced herself as a Wells, people's attitudes shifted instantly—becoming respectful yet distant.

She hated that feeling.

Ryan didn't push. He just nodded.

They started walking inside together. Olivia realized they were heading in the same direction.

The elevator. The top floor. The VIP ward.

She remained silent, her mood sinking.

Ryan seemed to sense something. He didn't force a conversation; he just walked beside her quietly.

Emma had been left downstairs in the plaza. Olivia told her not to follow.

So they walked in silence to the top floor.

Olivia shot a surprised look at Ryan.

The VIP ward was incredibly expensive.

Ordinary people couldn't afford to stay here. Who is this guy?

Noticing her gaze, Ryan spoke up.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just a firefighter. I got hurt on the job, and someone arranged for me to stay here."

A firefighter?

Olivia was slightly stunned. Her impression of him improved even more.

She checked with the nurse. There were only three VIP rooms on this floor.

Room 1 was Ryan.

Room 2 was empty.

Room 3... was the son of a finance company owner.

Olivia walked to the door of Room 3 and stole a glance inside.

Then, she froze.

A man was lying on the bed. He looked like he was in his early twenties, but he was incredibly obese. His fat was piled up on his face. His skin was sallow, and his eyes were puffy—the telltale signs of a life of excess.

He was leaning against the headboard, playing on his phone with a lollipop in his mouth. Everything about him oozed sleaze.

Olivia pulled back, her lips pressing into a thin line.

She turned to look at Ryan, who was standing not far away.

The sunlight from the hallway window fell on him.

He was looking down at his phone, his expression calm, his presence steady.

If only the person Father wanted me to meet was him...

But how could that be possible?

Her father would never let her near a firefighter.

Olivia stood in the hallway, motionless.

Ryan looked up and saw her. He was confused. "Aren't you here to visit a patient? Why aren't you going in?"

Olivia was silent for a few seconds.

Instead of answering, she asked a question. "Tell me... what is the meaning of life?"

Ryan blinked.

"If you can't control your own life... if you're always being led by others, even if they're family..." Olivia's voice was very soft. "Is there any point in living like that?"

Ryan was stunned for a moment.

He thought of Elise.

She used to control everything about him. But now, he had broken free.

"Then break free," Ryan said seriously. "Find your own way to live."

Olivia lowered her head and thought for a while.

Then she looked up and smiled at Ryan.

It was a brilliant, radiant smile—like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

Ryan's heart skipped a beat as he looked at that smile.

She was beautiful when she smiled. Bright. Warm.

It was an aura he had never seen before.

"Ryan, I'm glad I met you today," Olivia said. "I hope you recover soon."

She took a step forward and gave him a light, gentle hug.

Then she turned and walked toward the elevator without looking back.

Ryan stood there, the girl's soft, delicate scent still lingering in the air.

He scratched his head and muttered, "Weird. Why did she just leave?"