Chapter 572: [Bonus - ] No one divorces in the Zhu family
Meanwhile, while Silas was spending his time with his cousin, Olivia and Grandma Zhu sat quietly in the room. Grandma Zhu stared at her daughter-in-law in dismay as if she didn’t like what she just heard just now.
"Olivia Zhu." Grandma Zhu’s stern voice pierced the silent air after a moment. She clutched the end of the armrest she was sitting on, eyes on the woman sitting on the long couch. "Is that really what you want?"
"Yes, Mother." Olivia slowly lifted her eyes to the Old Madam. "That’s what I want. I’m sorry that I can’t control my husband anymore. But I did a lot of thinking and consideration before coming here. I know you will not be pleased about it and worse, get angry. However, this is what I truly want."
"I want to divorce Leon and cut all my ties with the Zhu family," she continued, finding more courage to speak her mind. "This had nothing to do with the entire Zhu family. You’ve always been kind and welcoming to me, Mom. And I know how ungrateful and spiteful I sound right now. But... my hatred toward your son is beyond repair. Just the thought of him makes me sick. He turns my stomach."
Olivia took a deliberate pause to refrain from breaking down. "I don’t want to raise my son as a Zhu anymore. I want to raise him without any trace of his father. Leon didn’t deserve him."
"He’ll take my family name and I’ll raise him on my own," she added, forcing a smile on her face, but failed miserably. "Also, I don’t want him to be tied to the complicated family matters this family is facing. I’m not trying to offend you, Mom. But we both know this family can break or make them. I don’t want to risk it."
At this time, the Zhu family was very traditional. It had always been like this ever since Olivia married the family. Even though Grandma Zhu was friendly, Olivia still struggled with the pressure of appearing a certain way. The expectation from their relatives and from everyone around them was close to unrealistic.
Being a part of the Zhu family was already pressuring in itself. And Olivia had to be perfect just so she wouldn’t put shame on the family. People were expecting them to excel, after all. Her concern solidified after hearing that Dominic was showing interest in the family affairs.
Olivia had been with this family long enough to know that Dominic was setting a standard for the new generation. It wasn’t just a prediction, but was the inevitable future. Therefore, she was worried Silas would be pressured or forced to keep up with his cousin. Before anything like that could happen, Olivia wanted to save her son from that inevitable future.