Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Olivia lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She just couldn’t understand why her mom would do this.
She’d asked a thousand times, but the answers were always the same, vague and useless.
She was at her lowest when Neil came along. At first, she thought he was her knight in shining armor. But it turned out he was just another mistake.
‘If I hadn’t been such a wreck back then, would I have fallen for him so easily?‘ The thought gnawed at her.
Her head pounded like a hangover. Olivia yanked the comforter over her face and slept.
+28)
The next morning, the doorbell rang, sharp and insistent, snapping her out of her daze. She shuffled to the door like a sleepwalker, still groggy.
When she opened it, her eyes widened. “Did you loot a Walmart or what?”
“Quit gawking and grab some bags.” Grace shoved past her, plastic sacks rustling.
Olivia hauled in the rest, and within minutes, the living room looked like a disaster zone.
Grace glanced around the small but cozy apartment. “I thought you’d need more when moving to a new place. Looks like you’re already settled.”
Olivia smiled, stifling a yawn. “Felicity handled everything for me.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “Did you just wake up?”
“Yeah. I was still asleep when you rang the bell,” Olivia admitted.
Grace laughed, teasing, “That’s new. You used to be up before the sun,”
Olivia paused, a wry smile appearing. For years, she’d risen early to make Neil all kinds of breakfast, afraid his stomach would act up if he skipped meats.
Neil loved her vanilla bean rice pudding, but he never realized how much work went into it.
She scraped each vanilla bean by hand. For hours, she tended the stove–first simmering, then gently cooking it down, stirring until the dudding turned
perfectly thick and creamy.
Back then, watching him finish every bite had made the effort feel worth it. Now, the memory just belt a bitter bath she was wondered
really liked it at all.
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23:51 Mon, 23 Jun
Chapter 22
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Olivia couldn’t believe her eyes. Just yesterday, Felicity had mentioned Liam was swamped with work, jumping from one meeting to another against tight deadlines. There was no reason for someone that busy to be standing at her door at dawn.
Grace came bounding over at the commotion. “Well, well! Look who’s here,” she chirped, far too cheerful for the early hour. “Liam, morning.”
Liam stiffened, clearly not prepared for an audience during his quiet morning visit. Keeping his expression neutral, he passed Olivia a paper bag. “Felicity recommended this place,” he said. “Figured you’d enjoy it.”
Grace peeked over Olivia’s shoulder. “No way. Sunrise Dough?” She whistled. “People camp out for hours just to get their pancakes.”
Sunrise Dough was Pisloe’s most famous breakfast spot, known for their fluffy pancakes and honey–drizzled yogurt parfaits–Olivia’s favorite.
But as Grace said, it took two hours of waiting. Though Olivia craved it, she rarely got to indulge.
Olivia turned to Liam. “You didn’t actually wait in line for this, did you?”
Liam offered a faint smile, amused by her question. “It’s my friend’s shop. I get to skip the line.”
Grace stared in disbelief. ‘Did he just smile? I remember he’s always been so cold. Maybe Olivia was right–he really had changed,‘ she thought.
Olivia took the breakfast with a grin. “Thanks, Liam.” Then, remembering herself, she quickly moved aside. “Come in for a bit?”
Liam shook his head. “Can’t. I’ve got work waiting at the office.”
Olivia pursed her lips. “Well, bring Felicity next time you’re free.”
“Alright.” His response was quiet as he turned to go.
Just then, Olivia called after him, “Liam!”
He stopped and glanced back, waiting.
“About tonight’s family dinner…” Olivia said, her voice tinged with guilt. “I can’t make it. Work came up.”
Liam gave a casual shrug. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Your business comes first. No need to stress yourself over other people.”
The words settled warmly in Olivia’s chest. This was what real consideration felt like–something her mother and Neil had never shown her. To them, she’d always been expected to fall in line, her own desires never part of the discussion.
“Drive safely,” she said with a soft smile.
Liam nodded. “Will do.” With that, he took his leave.
As soon as the door closed, Grace draped an arm around Olivia’s shoulders. “You know,” she teased, “if I didn’t know better, I’d say the way Liam looks at you isn’t exactly brotherly.”
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