pter 14
Chapter 14
Olivia bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears. But they still spilled down her cheeks. ‘Does he have to go there? Does he have to use my deepest pain. against me?‘
A shadow flickered into Olivia’s line of sight, blurry at first. She blinked and saw Liam. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.
Liam approached her, his voice soft. “Sorry I’m late.”
The room fell into an uneasy silence. The girl glanced at Neil, who stood there, his lips pressed into a tight line, an aura of cold intensity around him.
“Just a bad apartment hunt,” Liam said, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to Olivia. “No need to cry over it. Come on, I’ll show you some better places.”
Olivia took the handkerchief and looked at him gratefully. “Thanks, Liam,” she said quietly.
Liam glanced around the room. “This place isn’t good enough for you anyway,” he said. His eyes met Neil’s, and the air crackled with tension.
Olivia nodded and turned toward the door. “Let’s go.”
“Right,” Liam replied, guiding her away.
Neil’s face fell. For the first time, he felt Olivia slipping away from him. And it was the first time she’d walked away without even looking back.
The girl whispered, “Neil, didn’t everyone say Liam hated his stepsister? But the way he’s looking out for Ola… Well, I don’t think-”
“Shut up!” Neil Snapped, his usual charm gone.
The girl fell silent, her eyes wide. She’d known Neil for months, but this was the first time she’d seen him so furious–like a beast, stripped of his usual elegance and grace, and left with only raw emotion.
In the car, Olivia had finally calmed down, but her eyes were still red and puffy.
Liam glanced over at her. “If it hurts that much, just let it out,” he said quietly.
Olivia shook her head. After a few deep breaths, she managed a weak smile. “Love should bring happiness. But looking back on all these years with him… it feels like I’ve spent most of them crying.
“Every time I cried, I’d find a way to pull myself together and act like nothing happened. I thought he might feel bad for me, or at least see how mature! was trying to be.
“Turns out I just gave him more reasons to treat me like I was nothing.”
She trailed off, glancing nervously at Liam. He sat there, still as a statue, the sunlight from the window casting a warm glow on his perfect features. But as always, his face was an unreadable mask.
Olivia felt a pang of embarrassment. ‘Why have I said so much? He probably doesn’t care at all.‘
She forced a bitter smile and said, “Sorry, I’m talking too much.”
Liam finally turned to look at her. “What do you actually like about Neil?”
10.40
QUIT, & QUIT
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Chapter 15
