Chapter 375

Olivia Kensington and Charlotte Kensington were cousins.

Though orphaned at a young age, Charlotte had been raised in the Thornton family as their own. The family patriarch, William Thornton, doted on her excessively.

So while Olivia might have been fatherless and motherless, within the Thornton household, she held a position of privilege.

What was the Kensington family?

In Harborview City, they weren’t even considered middle-class. Their home was a modest four-bedroom apartment in the suburbs, and their primary income came from running a small grocery store.

Olivia had once been like any ordinary girl—graduating college, working entry-level jobs, and slowly climbing the corporate ladder.

But thanks to her cousin Charlotte, everything changed.

Charlotte had secured her a position at Sterling Holdings. She even arranged for Alexander Kensington to personally escort Olivia to work.

So despite her humble background, Olivia was treated like royalty within the company.

She reveled in this status.

Sometimes, she even deluded herself into believing she truly was a high-society princess.

Only during phone calls with Charlotte did reality crash down on her—the vast gulf between them.

Because of the Thornton family’s influence, Charlotte could pick and choose among the elite bachelors of Harborview.

Initially, Charlotte had set her sights on Ethan Blackwood, the uncrowned king of Harborview’s business world.

But since Ethan was already engaged, Charlotte had settled for Liam Sterling instead.

Even a man like Liam was beyond Olivia’s reach.

That was the difference between them.

They shared the same surname, Kensington, and were close in age.

Yet Charlotte moved effortlessly through high society, looking down on her relatives and treating Olivia like a disposable pawn.

Olivia had nothing.

Nothing at all.

She needed to secure her future.

Alexander was out of the question—the Thorntons would never allow him to marry her.

So Olivia pinned all her hopes on Julian Montgomery.

If she could marry Julian, she would finally ascend to the upper echelons of society.

She refused to lose to Charlotte.

One day, she would make sure her cousin didn’t dare look down on her again.

Lost in these thoughts, Olivia stepped out of the elevator.

She had been too busy texting Charlotte to notice her reflection.

Now, she headed straight for the company’s logistics department.

Once there, she grabbed the microphone, adjusted her voice, and announced:

"Attention, everyone. This is Olivia Kensington. As a valued member of this company, I feel it’s my duty to warn all the women here—beware of Sophia Montgomery!"

Her voice dripped with venom.

"This woman is shameless! She nearly destroyed my cousin’s engagement, and now she’s set her sights on our company’s young master!"

"Sophia is the kind of woman who chases after any man in sight. Sisters, we must stand together against her!"

The entire office fell silent.

Then, murmurs erupted as employees rushed toward the logistics department.

Olivia stood in the conference room, still ranting.

When people saw her, they burst into laughter.

Olivia froze. "What’s so funny?"

Just then, Sophia entered.

Her expression was icy as she demanded, "Olivia, what do you think you’re doing?"

Olivia ignored the laughter now. She sneered. "Sophia! Did you really think hiding for a week would make me forget what you did?"

"You placed that chair behind me on purpose! You wanted me to sit on it and get hurt! I was hospitalized for two days because of you!"

Sophia crossed her arms. "Then sue me."

Olivia’s eyes flashed. "You think I won’t?"

Before she could continue, her tone suddenly shifted. "Julian! You’re here!"

She turned dramatically toward the door. "You were out of town last week, so you don’t know what happened!"

"That murderer Sophia nearly killed me!"

"She set a trap—placed a chair where I’d sit, and it stabbed me right in the—"

Julian cut her off with a disgusted scoff.

"Julian, don’t laugh!" Olivia pouted. "Do you even know what kind of woman Sophia is?"

"My cousin told me all about her scheming ways. She uses every dirty trick to seduce men!"

"Julian, she’s got you fooled!"

Julian finally snapped. "I don’t know if Sophia’s ugly, but you certainly are right now."

"You’re the ugliest woman I’ve ever seen. How dare you show your face in this company?"

"Alexander brought you in, didn’t he? Well, he’s visiting his grandfather in Kingsbury. I won’t bother him—I’m firing you myself."

"Olivia Kensington, get out. Now."

Olivia stood frozen.

Then, she burst into tears. "Julian—"

"Don’t call me that. Get lost."

Her sobs cut off abruptly.

Someone outside the room took pity on her. "Miss Kensington, maybe check your face first."

Olivia fumbled for her phone and snapped a selfie.

Then she screamed.

The image showed her reflection—streaked makeup, smeared eyeliner, and foundation running in dark rivulets down her cheeks.

She looked like a horror-movie clown.

In her rage after seeing Sophia in Julian’s car, she had cried all the way up the elevator.

Her cheap makeup couldn’t withstand the tears.

She had been too busy texting Charlotte to notice.

Now, instead of humiliating Sophia, she had been publicly fired—and exposed as a laughingstock.

Her painted face would haunt the office gossip for weeks.