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Chapter 40
Dylan sneered, “Isn’t that exactly what it was? You used to beg me to eat the food you made. If that wasn’t something you were proud of, why were you
so eager to do it?”
Olivia replied sharply, “Back then, I must’ve been out of my damn mind–practically throwing myself at you, acting like some desperate maid, spoiling you with no boundaries.
“Even when you treated me like crap, I just put up with it–and I kept doing it for three years.
“I admit, that was all on me. It had nothing to do with you. I was the one who let you walk all over me, so I don’t blame you.
“But now? I’ve finally come to my senses. I’m done being pathetic. If you still want to force me to be your maid and wait on you, then you’re the one being pathetic, and if I curse you out, you totally deserve it.”
She turned to leave, but Dylan grabbed her arm again and said, “You got me hooked on your cooking, and now you’re just walking away? How can you be so irresponsible?
“Listen, you’re the one who spoiled my taste buds–so now it’s your responsibility to keep cooking for me.”
Olivia was so furious that her breath hitched. She thought she was over him, but he still managed to piss her off.
“Do you even hear yourself right now?” she barked. “Sure, I used to ask you to try my food, but did I ever force you? Did I ever shove it down your throat?
“You’re the one who chose to eat it. Why should it be my problem that you got used to eating it?
“I’m used to taking money out of the bank, but if one day I’m broke and there’s nothing left to withdraw, am I gonna yell at the bank for ‘getting me used to it‘ and demand they keep giving me cash?
“I’ve seen shameless people, but you really take the cake. Seriously, you’re unbelievable, saying crap like that.”
She was so mad that she swore out loud and kicked at Dylan.
Dylan dodged just in time, avoiding the blow. His face was a storm of emotions as he retorted through gritted teeth, “That’s not the same.
“You went to the bank to get money on your own, but I only ate your food because you brought it to me. That was temptation–so, of course, you have to take responsibility.”
Olivia was quiet for a moment and then rolled up her sleeves.
Dylan’s eyes lit up. “You’re gonna cook? Be a lamb, and I’ll help you in the kitchen.”
He honestly believed that offering to help was some kind of generous gesture. In his mind, if she knew what was good for her, she’d play along so they could both walk away feeling good about it.
But Olivia said, “No, I’m about to beat you up. Be a lamb, and I’ll avoid your face.”
Dylan’s screams echoed through the villa.
Olivia had fought in real matches before; she knew exactly how to make it hurt without leaving any obvious marks.
Not wanting to hear his screams, she yanked off his tie and stuffed it in his mouth. He could only let out muffled groans of pain.
After about ten minutes, Olivia finally cooled off. She gave him one last kick and walked out. She stopped by a nearby restaurant for a quick dinner and
then drove over to her own villa.
She really didn’t want to see that idiot Dylan again. She was afraid she’d lose control and beat him up all over again.
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She parked in the garage and then took the elevator straight to the third floor.
As soon as she stepped out, the motion sensor lights in the hallway flicked on, so she didn’t realize the lights on the first floor were already on.
62%
She headed into her bedroom and took a shower in the en suite bathroom. Figuring she was home alone, she walked out of the bathroom completely
naked.
Then she let out a startled scream–someone else was in the room. When she saw who it was, her eyes filled with shock and a mess of emotions.
She couldn’t help but think, ‘Julian? What’s he doing here? I only texted him yesterday morning to break things off, and now he’s here. Did he get on a plane the moment he read that text?‘
Julian stood up and walked over to Olivia. His handsome face was cold, and the pressure he gave off filled the room, making the air feel heavy and
suffocating.
Olivia instinctively backed away. She wanted to slip into the bathroom and grab a towel to cover herself.
Even though she’d done it with Julian before, standing there completely naked while facing him still made her feel embarrassed.
If they were both naked, it wouldn’t be so bad. But being the only one without clothes made her feel like she was on trial, and it was seriously
uncomfortable.
But Julian was already in front of her. He reached his arm around her and pulled the bathroom door shut.
Olivia’s back pressed against the door–she had nowhere left to run.
Julian braced his arms on either side of her, making sure she couldn’t escape. Then he looked down at her, his deep eyes filled with anger and accusation, but more than anything, there was pain and sadness.
“What did that message you sent me yesterday mean?” he asked, his voice low, hoarse, and trembling a little.
Olivia’s heart clenched. It felt as if someone had grabbed hold of it, and an indescribable feeling welled up inside her. She turned her head away, not
daring to meet his eyes.
She pressed her hands against his chest and tried to push him away, but he didn’t move an inch. She could only say, “Can you please move? Let me put some clothes on first. I can’t think like this.”
Julian stared at her for a few seconds, then pulled his hands back and took a step back. Even at the height of his anger, he still kept his self–control–and his respect for her.
Olivia spun around, opened the bathroom door, slipped inside, and locked the door behind her. She grabbed a bathrobe and put it on. Wrapped in the soft fabric, she felt a little safer–but her thoughts were still all over the place.
She sat down on the edge of the bathtub and covered her face with both hands, unsure how to face Julian again. Just that calm question from him was too much for her to handle.
While unsure
She’d thought they’d parted on good terms–things had been great while they were together, and when it ended, she’d not only paid him; she’d even given him a little extra as a tip.
Everything had gone so smoothly, but he suddenly showed up at her door, which was confusing.
Anyone who didn’t know better would probably think Olivia had toyed with the feelings of some innocent guy and that she was a heartless player who had dumped him after using him.
Olivia sat there for ten minutes, but her mind was still a complete mess.
“Come out and talk. Hiding won’t fix anything,” Julian said outside the door. His voice was still so intense, and it made Olivia uneasy.
She yanked at her hair and gritted her teeth. “What am I even scared of?” she muttered. “It was just a business deal between us. I paid him. I don’t owe
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him anything. So why am I freaking out?”
She took a deep breath, stood up, and opened the bathroom door.
Julian glanced at her damp hair and said quietly, “You should dry your hair first. It’s getting chilly–you don’t want to catch a cold.”
He led her to the vanity, picked up the hair dryer, and quietly began drying her hair–just like he used to do every single day back on Silvermoon Island.
All the courage Olivia had just mustered faded away. The more considerate he was, the more she felt like a heartless jerk.
AD
