SWNOVELS Chapter 16-20
Chapter 16
Olivia had a task at hand, but she canceled it so she could meet the charming little boy.
In the morning, she changed into casual clothes and casually brushed her short hair behind her ears.
After entering college, she had always had short hair.
Before the start of the school year, she went to a nearby hair salon to get her hair cut. As the hairdresser touched her jet–black and resilient hair, he thought it was quite a pity to cut it. He recommended that she get a big wavy hairstyle, mentioning that her hair had the best texture he had ever seen. He thought it would be a shame to cut it.
Olivia insisted on getting her hair cut, so the hairdresser gave her a shoulder–length medium haircut. It was not as short as she initially requested, but it still looked very neat.
For all these years, she had been wearing this hairstyle. At that time, she did not think much of it, but later, she noticed that many people cut their hair in such a way that the end result was a hairstyle similar to hers. Apparently, there was even a nice–sounding name for this hairstyle. It was called “the first–love hairstyle.”
Olivia rarely got up so early. The servant downstairs was surprised when she saw Olivia.
The maid who specifically served Olivia was called Lily Bennett. She was a capable woman in her thirties.
After taking care of Olivia for a few days, Lily had already gotten a rough sense of Olivia’s temperament. She led Olivia directly to the dining room, poured a glass of milk for her, and then asked, “Would you like to wait for everyone to eat together, or would you like to have your meal first?”
It was currently half past seven in the morning. The Taylor family had breakfast at eight o’clock.
“When will Grandpa have breakfast?” Olivia asked.
“Mr. Taylor gets up early,” Lily said. “He usually comes downstairs around six o’clock to have breakfast. After eating, he goes out for a stroll.”
“I see,” Olivia said. Upon hearing that her grandfather had already had breakfast, Olivia lost enthusiasm. She decided to go ahead and eat.
Following that, Lily said, “Mr. Samuel, Mrs. Amelia, and Mr. David have
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already gone to the hospital. Only Mr. William is at home. Would you like to wait for a while, Miss Olivia?”
“William?” Olivia thought.
Olivia nodded and said, “Alright. I’ll have breakfast with William.” William was a very disciplined person who had a sense of punctuality. If he said he would have breakfast at eight o’clock, he would be at the dining hall at eight o’clock on the dot without being even a minute late. While William was coming downstairs, he frowned as if pondering something. However, upon seeing Olivia in the dining room, his facial expression instantly softened. His clear eyes curved into a gentle smile. “Olivia,” he called her.
William was really likable. Even though Olivia had only seen him twice and was unfamiliar with him, she could not help but feel a sense of closeness when faced with such a smiling expression.
She nodded and smiled at him, saying, “William.”
Upon hearing Olivia greet him, the smile on William’s face became even more pronounced.
As they sat down to have breakfast together, William brought up two matters. The first matter was about the shares that Liam announced the previous night. William said Olivia would have to meet with the lawyer later to sign some documents.
Olivia nodded, indicating that she understood.
The other matter was about Abigail’s dereliction of duty the previous night. William explained the details, including Grace’s involvement in devising the scheme.
“They have been dismissed,” William said. “Olivia, don’t worry. I won’t allow anyone to bully you.” William’s voice was gentle and pleasing, like the warm and intoxicating spring breeze. However, the words he spoke carried a chilling sense of menace.
“Olivia, forgive me that I can only dismiss them,” William continued. “It’s not a good idea to handle such matters privately in today’s society. However, as long as you wish, I can make it difficult for them to stay in Evervale. Even if they go to other cities, they won’t be able to get a suitable job.”
With just one remark, Olivia could ban them from getting a job in the future.
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Olivia was holding a potato wedge.
The Taylor family rarely had such a simple and common breakfast on their dining table. It was Lily who instructed the kitchen to prepare this after Olivia returned.
Lily was the one assigned by William to Olivia. William pre–arranged everything regarding the search for Olivia, including her room in the Taylor family’s home and Lily, who was dedicated to serving Olivia. Due to an urgent matter abroad, William had no choice but to go overseas. Otherwise, he would have personally picked up Olivia and brought her back to the Taylor family’s home.
Even though William was not in the country, he was well aware of everything happening to the Taylor family. He knew all the details like the back of his hand. It was just that he was too far away, so he could not intervene.
He would resolve all the matters when he returned this time around. Olivia was his younger sister.
He would let no one bully his sister.
After hearing William mention banning Grace from getting a job, Olivia said nothing. She simply took a bite of her potato wedge and chewed slowly before swallowing. Then, she said, “Isn’t she Emma’s assistant?” The implication was that if William handled Emma’s assistant this way, would Emma not be displeased?
William perceived the implied meaning in Olivia’s question. He did not directly promise that he would deal with Grace that way. Instead, he brought up another matter. “In the second half of the year, David will go to Gorshire for a year–long exchange program,” he said.
Olivia looked up and stared at William in astonishment.
William responded with a gentle smile, his tone casual. “He’s an adult. now,” he said. “He is no longer a kid. He should face the consequences since he dares to lay a hand on his sister.”
Upon saying that, William extended his hand, wanting to pat Olivia’s head.
Olivia instinctively pulled away. William’s left hand paused in mid–air for a moment. It tensed up. He then slowly withdrew it.
Knowing that his sister was still distant from him, William felt somewhat disappointed. However, the sense of heartache was stronger.
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He said, “Olivia, you’re my sister. In my heart, you’re just as important as David. This is your home. Here, no one matters more than you. If you encounter anything that upsets you, say it directly. You don’t need to hold back. I’m here. I’ve got your back.”
Olivia turned her head. A teardrop fell into the bowl with warm cereal. Upon seeing this, William sighed and lifted his hand again to pat her head.
This time, Olivia did not pull away.
As William touched his sister’s soft head, his eyes became slightly teary. “Remember, no one should ever make you feel wronged,” he said. Upon hearing these words, Olivia did not speak. Instead, she smiled subtly.
She thought, “So this is what it feels like to have an elder brother.
“It turns out that returning to the Taylor family’s home has its plus points after all. Grandpa and William are here. They genuinely accept me and love me.”
The servants in the dining room had left. William recounted to Olivia what happened after she went missing at age five.
“After you went missing, the entire Taylor family was in chaos,” William said. “Mom almost went mad. She had psychosis. She would rush up to any little girl around your age and call her ‘sweetie.‘ And then there was David, who was less than a year old then. He was still being breastfed. He was nearly suffocated to death by Mom once.
“Grandpa exhausted every possible means. He even slapped Dad, but you just couldn’t be found.
“Mom’s condition worsened a few months later, and she couldn’t recognize people. There was no other option to deal with Mom’s condition, so Dad brought Emma back.
“Mom treated Emma as if Emma were you, holding onto her without letting go even for a second. This situation continued for a long time.
“After having Emma, Mom’s condition gradually improved, but she still couldn’t recognize people. It wasn’t until three years later that she slowly started to recover.“/
Olivia was at a loss for words.
William talked for a long time, and he shared a lot of things.
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Olivia could sense the chaos in those years and Amelia’s sadness.
After knowing everything, she suddenly did not know how to face Amelia.
Deep down, she longed for her mother, but after returning to the Taylor family’s home, everything Amelia did left her deeply disappointed. Gradually, she stopped expecting anything from Amelia.
But now, after hearing about these things, she suddenly did not know what to do anymore.
Olivia understood medicine, so she could better empathize with Amelia’s pain at that time. Without Emma’s presence, Amelia might not have held on until now.
“Since I went missing for eighteen years, I can’t delude myself into
thinking that everything could return to the way it was at the beginning,” Olivia thought.
“Olivia,” William suddenly spoke up, looking at her earnestly, “I’m telling you all these things not for Mom’s sake but for yours.”
“Me?” Olivia said. She looked astonished.
“Yeah,” William replied. He suddenly smiled. His gentle gaze was like the warm spring breeze. “I’ve said so much just to tell you that all of us, including Mom and Dad, who have let you down in many ways, once loved you a lot. The current outcome is merely a result of various accidental factors coming together to cause mistakes.”
William’s voice was mellow. He sat by the dining table with his legs crossed, exuding a natural aristocratic demeanor.
He was born into wealth and privilege. He was raised in an affluent environment since childhood. As he grew up, his looks and abilities were outstanding.
Someone like him should clearly be an arrogant and aloof person that did not empathize with other people.
However, he possessed the gentlest heart in the world. He was able to empathize with other people and understand the subtlest feelings that other people had.
Even if Olivia had never shown any expressions in front of him, he could still sense the loneliness deep within her heart with one glance.
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Chapter 17
William’s words still echoed in her ears.
“I’m telling you these things not to make you forgive Mom and certainly not to ask you to tolerate her,” William said. “I just want to let you know the truth behind everything. I hope you can dissolve past grievances.” Olivia fiddled with the chain in her hand. In the middle of the chain hung a small pendant with the character “Taylor” engraved on it. Because of this pendant, she did not change her last name after her grandfather found her.
It was also because of this pendant that she was subsequently found and brought home by members of the Taylor family.
William said he hoped Olivia would not have any grievances, but he was overly concerned. Olivia did not have any grievances at all.
So many years had passed since that incident took place. She had gone missing for eighteen years, and this was a definite reality that could not be changed. “Since it is an incident that has occurred and cannot be undone, what’s the point of holding onto grievances?” she thought. “It would just add unnecessary trouble.”
Olivia had never blamed Samuel and Amelia. She just felt a slight disappointment toward them.
Olivia’s expectations were not high. She did not need them to dote on her. “If they could be a little bit more fair and polite, that’s good enough for me,” she thought.
After meeting with the lawyer, Olivia went to see Andrew.
Andrew had already prepared at home. This thoughtful young boy prepared several paintings he had drawn himself and asked Zoe to make more snacks that girls enjoyed eating.
Zoe could not help but tease Andrew when she saw him caring so much about someone for the first time. “Do you know what girls enjoy eating?” she asked.
Andrew shook his head. He did not know, but he could look it up online.
The amount of time he was allowed to surf the internet was limited. His phone and watch could not access the internet. Hence, he had no choice. but to plead with Zoe to look it up for him.
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Andrew’s chubby little finger pointed at Zoe’s phone. With a serious expression, he said, “Zoe, use your phone to search for the kind of food girls enjoy eating.” Worried that Zoe might not know how to type, he thoughtfully reminded, “You can use voice input.”
Zee was almost overwhelmed by Andrew’s cuteness.
She had been caring for Andrew since he was a few months old. Even though she was familiar with him, she would still be charmed by his sudden childlike speech and occasional quirky and imaginative ideas. Sometimes, Zoe would secretly wonder what kind of mother could give birth to such an adorable little rascal.
“This little rascal is intelligent, cute, and incredibly good–looking,” she thought.
“I know how to type,” Zoe told Andrew. Then, she sat on the sofa. Right before Andrew, she used handwriting input to type a line of words. [What kind of food do girls like to eat?]
A list of answers popped up below. Coffee, chocolate, cake…
Andrew had already learned many words. Seeing these answers, he grinned, opening his attractively–shaped mouth and revealing a row of adorable little white teeth. He said, “So, Olivia and I like the same things.” He quietly raised a little finger and inwardly added another thing that he had in common with Olivia.
The previous two things that he had in common with Olivia were dancing and drawing. Another was now added. It was food.
With everything arranged, Andrew obediently sat on the sofa, waiting for Olivia to arrive.
“Everything is wonderful,” Andrew thought. “The only thing that is not wonderful is Dad, who is sitting beside me.”
Andrew was a little displeased. He thought, “I’m meeting up with a friend. Why is Dad getting involved?”
“Dad, aren’t you going to work?” Andrew asked. He wanted to drive his bothersome father away.
Daniel glanced at Andrew and crossed his legs. He could tell what his son was thinking. He directly addressed it. “You want me to leave, huh?” he asked.
Andrew did not say anything. He just pouted his rosy little mouth.
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Daniel bent over, looked directly at Andrew, and said, “Olivia is an adult. Adults should entertain adults. Olivia will not be happy with only you as the child here.”
Upon hearing that Olivia would not be happy, Andrew immediately became nervous. He curled up his chubby fingers into fists and asked, “What should I do then?”
Daniel straightened up, lazily stretched his long legs, and said in a casual tone, “Well, that’s the reason I’m here with you.”
Andrew was deeply touched.
He thought, “It turns out that Dad is so thoughtful.”
Seeing that the time was getting close, Daniel went to the room and changed into a different set of clothes.
When Zoe came out of the kitchen carrying snacks, she encountered Daniel, who wore a pink shirt.
If it weren’t for Zoe’s extensive experience and steady grip, the plate in her hand would probably have fallen and shattered on the floor.
Zoe thought, “Oh my! What’s happening to the world?
“Mr. Sullivan even wore a pink shirt.
“Even though Mr. Sullivan looks as handsome and imposing as ever in the pink shirt, it is quite a departure from his usual image.”
Zoe quickly placed the snacks on the table. Then, she hurriedly left. She returned to her room and whispered about Daniel’s unusual behavior to Sophie White.
Sophie nodded in agreement and added, “Not only that, Mr. Sullivan even sprayed some cologne.”
Zoe was dumbfounded.
She thought, “This world is so surreal!”
Olivia arrived at the Sullivan family’s home. Daniel held Andrew’s hand, and went out together to welcome her.
Seeing Olivia, whom he liked, Andrew instantly turned into a little. cannonball and wanted to rush into her arms. Unfortunately, he could not break free from his father’s grasp. He could only stand in place with his father.
Olivia knew Andrew’s identity, but she never expected that Daniel would actually be at home.
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She did not know much about the business world, but she often saw pictures of Daniel in newspapers and magazines. Some of the female students in the laboratory would occasionally talk about him and go head over heels for him.
She thought, “He’s such a busy person, yet he stays home to accompany his child.”
For a moment, Olivia’s fondness for Daniel grew stronger.
“Mr. Sullivan,” Olivia greeted first.
Daniel’s reaction was a bit off, seeming somewhat surprised as his gaze remained fixed on her.
Olivia subtly furrowed her brows, wanting to move a step backward. However, at that moment, Andrew had already pounced forward. Because Andrew was still holding onto his father’s hand, this caused Daniel to move a few steps ahead as well. Daniel was almost about to be pressed against Olivia’s body.
The distance was so close that Olivia could even smell the cologne on Daniel’s body.
Olivia instinctively wanted to pull away but was concerned about hurting Andrew. Hence, she had no choice but to stand in the same spot motionlessly.
She thought Daniel would pull away.
The female students in the laboratory mentioned that despite being a single man who was rich and successful, Daniel had a lack of indulgence in physical desires or romantic relationships. There was no sight of women around him. There was not even a female companion.
All of them speculated that Daniel might be attracted to men. They guessed that his son was probably conceived through in vitro fertilization.
It was just that due to the reactions of outsiders and the reputation of the Sullivan family, he suppressed his desires with difficulty.
With this in mind, the girls in the laboratory became even more excited. They enthusiastically fantasized about Daniel being paired with various male celebrities. But regardless of whom Daniel was paired with, without exception, he was always considered the dominant partner in the relationship.
Olivia was not interested in these matters. It was just that she had a
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strong memory. Hence, she rarely forgot the things she heard.
Daniel did not pull away. Instead, he moved in the direction of Andrew’s pull and ended up getting even closer.
He locked as though he could not break free from the strength of a four–year–old boy.
Being so close, Olivia could clearly see Daniel’s face. He looked handsome and dignified. His eyes were deep and filled with complex emotions.
“Ms. Taylor,” Daniel said. His voice was slightly hoarse. It carried a hint of indescribable charm. “Have we met somewhere before? You look quite familiar, Ms. Taylor.”
His breath was hitting her face as he spoke.
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Chapter 18
Olivia could not bear it any longer. She moved slightly to the side to pull away from Daniel.
Seeing her clumsy and rigid movement as she pulled away, Daniel’s eyes showed a trace of sadness. However, he quickly regained his composure. His expression was back to normal. He let go of Andrew and moved backward.
Now that Olivia got farther away from Daniel, she finally sighed in relief. She was completely relaxed.
“It’s probably because I have an ordinary face that lacks distinctive features, so you find me familiar,” Olivia said as she bent down to lift Andrew into her arms.
With Andrew in between her and Daniel, Olivia’s expression relaxed somewhat.
She thought, “It’s strange, though. This Daniel is entirely different from what I heard in those rumors.
“Everybody says he likes to wear black clothes, but he’s wearing a pink shirt today.” Olivia had always had a soft spot for pink. She especially liked men wearing pink clothes.
She felt that it would soften the masculine vibe. Still, this pink shirt on Daniel did not neutralize his cold and stern demeanor and accentuated his powerful and imposing presence even more.
“Ordinary face?” Daniel said as he chuckled. He lowered his head to touch the pink–diamond cufflinks on his sleeves. “Ms. Taylor, you’re too lacking in confidence about your appearance,” he continued.
Olivia thought, “Is he complimenting me?”
Olivia smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“Well, I should be the one to say thank you,” Daniel said with his hands in his pockets, his narrow eyes glancing sideways at Olivia. “You don’t like kids, yet you agreed to Andrew’s mischievous invitation and came over to accompany him.”
She thought, “When did I stop liking kids?”
Olivia felt that Daniel was acting strangely. His tone was somewhat
sarcastic.
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She was not someone without a temper. It was just that she dealt with Daniel courteously out of consideration for Andrew. Unexpectedly, Daniel’s behavior became more and more inappropriate.
“I really like kids,” she said. Her tone was unpleasant.
“Is that so?” Daniel said as he chuckled twice. His voice suddenly turned serious. His gaze toward Olivia carried a piercing sense of intensity that was uncomfortable to look at. “Would a person that abandons her husband and child like kids as well?”
Olivia thought, “What exactly is he talking about?”
Olivia’s temper flared up as well. She coldly said, “Whoever you accuse of abandoning her husband and child, go look for her then. Don’t take your anger out on me for no reason. I’m just here as a guest invited to come over. If you do not welcome me, I’ll leave right now.”
Daniel carefully scrutinized Olivia’s expression. He frowned slightly, and his gaze was filled with doubt.
Andrew wrapped his chubby arms around Olivia’s neck. He thought, “We’re initially welcoming Olivia with so much excitement. Why did it turn into an argument?”
Caught between his father and his beloved Olivia, Andrew felt so torn that he was on the verge of tears.
Andrew’s little face was buried in Olivia’s neck.
Olivia sensitively sensed a trace of dampness. Then, she immediately realized that her tone during the conversation had been too harsh. Hence, she had frightened Andrew.
She immediately felt sorry and comforted Andrew in her arms, paying no attention to Daniel. She immediately carried Andrew into the house. Daniel stood at the same spot. He was motionless. He simply gazed at Olivia’s back as she walked away. He was lost in thought.
Zoe was indoors. She was unaware of what had happened. When she saw Olivia carrying Andrew, she immediately walked over and said, “How could you let the guest carry you, Andrew?”
Andrew raised his head, revealing a damp little face.
Zoe was surprised. She thought, “Oh dear. Why is he crying?”
Olivia sat on the sofa, holding Andrew in her arms. Zoe brought tissues, wanting to wipe Andrew’s tears.
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Andrew quickly turned his head, not wanting to let Zoe wipe his tears. He then turned to Olivia and said endearingly in a soft tone, “I want Olivia to wipe.”
“You little rascal!” Olivia said as she tapped his nose playfully. She then took a tissue to wipe his tears.
Andrew obediently raised his little face and remained still.
Zoe stood at the side, watching this scene with astonishment. She thought, “This is the first time Mr. Andrew shows such affection for a
woman.
“In the past, Mrs. Sullivan brought home so many women, hoping that one would become Mr. Daniel’s wife and take care of Mr. Andrew. Those women were gentle, adorable, knowledgeable, and sensible. There were various types of women.
“However, there wasn’t a single one that Mr. Andrew liked. He avoided all of them without exception.
“And this Ms. Taylor in front of me. Mr. Andrew has only met her once, yet he clings to her like this.”
Olivia gently wiped Andrew’s smooth face. As she looked at the slightly teary corners of his eyes, she regretted her previous impulsiveness even more. She thought, “I should have controlled my emotions.
“It’s strange, though. He’s just a little boy whom I’ve only met twice, yet I’m willing to endure grievances and control my emotions for his sake.
“If things were able to start all over again, even if Daniel were to act even more out of line, I would endure it as long as I wouldn’t frighten Andrew.”
Andrew’s face was soft and smooth. As Olivia touched it, she found herself unable to stop touching it.
Andrew felt sheepish as a result of being touched. His cheeks were flushed.
He blinked his attractive eyes, raised his head, and asked, “Olivia, would you like to see my painting?”
“Sure,” Olivia said as she nodded.
Andrew happily pulled her up. He then ran to a room upstairs.
This was a beautiful children’s room. It was filled with small toys. Various adorable child paintings were hung on the walls.
Andrew grabbed hold of Olivia’s hand and introduced a painting. “This is
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Peppa,” he said.
15 vaschera
Olivia recognized this pig. As she looked at it carefully, she got a little perplexed. “Why is it blue in color?” she said. She remembered that it was a pink pig.
Andrew stretched out his chubby little hand and pointed to a spot in the lower right corner of the painting. “This is what children see through the glass,” he said.
“Is the glass blue in color?” Olivia asked.
“Yup,” Andrew replied and nodded vigorously.
“You’re so smart,” Olivia said.
That compliment left Andrew feeling bashful. His cars were flushed.
“He’s just a little child, yet he feels bashful,” Olivia thought.
The more Olivia looked at Andrew, the more she loved him. “How I wish he were my own child,” she thought. “I really want to take him away.”
After seeing the painting, Andrew invited her to play Kinetic Sand.
Andrew had a room with pink Kinetic Sand, which could be used to build castles, airplanes, and ships.
Olivia took off her shoes. She then went into the room barefoot to play Kinetic Sand with Andrew.
As both worked together, a mighty and magnificent castle was built. There was even a beautiful gate.
Olivia propped her chin and looked at the gate. She felt that something was missing.
“I got it,” she thought. “An inscribed board is missing.”
She then lowered her head, wanting to look for a pen to write a few words on the gate.
However, she did not manage to find a pen. Instead, she saw a big foot coming toward her.
She was stunned for a moment. That big foot then stepped on her foot.
It did not hurt. The other party probably did not exert any force. Instead, that person merely pressed his leg against hers….
The warm skin–to–skin contact made her shiver uncontrollably.
She did not wear socks. She was barefoot. There were fine grains of sand on her instep. That big foot was firmly attached to her instep
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motionlessly.
Olivia suddenly felt annoyed. She raised her gaze angrily. Just as she was about to say something, she heard the other person talk with a tone of voice that sounded as if he was giving a perfectly reasonable explanation for his action. “Give way,” he said. “There’s no space around to stand.”
Olivia suppressed her anger just like that.
This room was not spacious. It was meant for children to play. The castle and the gate had already been built at the center of the room. There was no space at all. There were only two corners left to stand.
Andrew occupied one corner, while Olivia occupied the other corner. There was no space left, yet this man still squeezed into the room. Olivia lifted her head to glance at him. She did not give way. Her message was very clear. She hoped this man would be more self–aware and leave the room as soon as possible.
Daniel lifted her eyelids and glanced coldly at Olivia, taking in her emotions.
“Hmph, she is still as easily irritated as before,” Daniel thought.
Ignoring Olivia, he then turned to Andrew and asked, “You built this castle, huh?”
Andrew was delighted when he saw his father. He smugly showed off his end product to him. “Olivia and I built it,” he said. “It’s beautiful, right?” “It’s beautiful,” Daniel said with a gentle tone. He was not at all as imposing as he was before. Instead, there was a sense of grievance and sadness about his demeanor. “I want to play as well,” he said.
“Are you serious?” Olivia thought.
Children were straightforward. “Since Daddy wants to play, let’s play together then,” Andrew thought. He then beckoned to Daniel and said, “Let’s build a big plane, Daddy.”
“Alrighty, Andrew,” Daniel said. Before Daniel finished talking, he had already sat down next to Olivia.
He pressed himself against her closely.
Olivia glared angrily. Daniel raised his eyelids and said, “Well, there’s no space.”
“Jeez, this annoying man!” Olivia thought as she gritted her teeth.
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Chapter 19
Olivia Taylor folded her legs beneath her, aiming to distance herself from Daniel Sullivan. However, before she could move, Daniel had already shifted away. He was not a man to overstep boundaries, always pushing the line just enough to annoy but never enough to infuriate. Olivia was no fool. Despite her lack of experience in love, she’d observed enough couples at school to have a fair idea of what a relationship entailed. She understood that personal experience did not necessarily guarantee a deep understanding of relationships. Sharp–minded individuals like herself could discern the essence of relationships without direct involvement.
She had a hunch about what was playing on Daniel’s mind. Why else would a man relentlessly tease a woman? Olivia had no romantic interest in Daniel, and given her relationship with Andrew Sullivan, she had no desire to complicate matters further. In response to Daniel’s behavior, she decided to clarify that she harbored no feelings for him.
After mulling things over, Olivia lifted her gaze, prepared to voice her thoughts. But before she could do so, she heard a man’s resonant voice break into her thoughts. “Miss Taylor, I apologize for my behavior earlier.” His words were lightly spoken but wrapped in a chilling coolness. The swift change in his tone left the impression of a different man altogether, and his voice became oddly detached.
Olivia was confused. She looked at him, unable to comprehend his sudden shift in demeanor. She stared at him with wide eyes, lost for words. Daniel’s gaze lingered on her momentarily before he averted his eyes. He began to speak again, his words directed not just to her but seemingly echoing to an absent person. He said, “Miss Taylor, you remind me of someone I used to know, hence my earlier attitude.”
“An old acquaintance?” Olivia glanced at Andrew Sullivan. She surmised the person in Daniel’s account must be Andrew’s mother. The widespread assumption about Andrew’s mother was that she was deceased. Considering that it was the peak of the power struggle within the Sullivan family, it was understandable that Daniel might not have been able to provide adequate care.
With these thoughts in mind, Olivia softened her manner, feeling a pang of sympathy for the motherless young boy. She also felt a twinge of embarrassment, thinking she had been quick to judge. No matter how
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glarive she was, Damist, who had seen his fair share of beauties, would not have fallen for her er brst sugh she had been too self–absorbed!
In summiraat. Ramisi arcmed at seas, as if he was there merely to play in this candions with his som His casual manner didn’t diminish his arten–rail–ama Even as he sat on the sand, his shirtsleeves were rolled up and his slender hands ding into the sand. Instead of making a massive airplane asulpums, as Andrew had suggested, he began drawing in the sand. The Anastupe slid across the flat surface of the sand, and with only a few canal strobes, a captivating and elegant face was drawn.
As evening neared, the setting sun’s warm, dappled rays caressed his face, highlighting his remarkable features. His expressive eyes were hidden with his head lowered, revealing only his prominent nose. From Olivia’s viewpoint, she could clearly see his concentrated expression and composed demeanor. Even as he was seated in the sand, this man radiated an authoritative presence and a royal aura that distinguished
Looking at Daniel Sullivan’s handsome profile, Olivia Taylor suddenly became entranced. She felt as if she had seen him somewhere before. His proble, eyebrows and eyes, and even his aura seemed to be etched in her mind, but they were etched too deeply for her to notice without searching carchilly. Unable to extricate herself from the emotions in his gaze, Olivia Taylor shuddered, and her palms were sweaty,
she swayed and reached out to brace herself against a wall but found a pan of hands had already caught her. She looked up to see Daniel’s worried gaze and rightly clenched jawline, Before she could fully understand what had transpired, Daniel had released her. His previous concern vanished instantly, making her wonder if she’d misinterpreted it. “Careful, Miss Taylor,” he said flatly,
“Thank you” Olivia responded politely. However, seeing her detached demeanor. Daniel’s eyes cooled further, and he responded with an icy tone. “No need for thanks. I wasn’t worried about whether you would fall
I just didn’t want you to ruin my sand art.”
Ruin his sand art? “I apologize, I will be careful, Olivia said, a bit taken aback. She must have misunderstood. Why would Daniel Sullivan worry about her? They were hardly friends. They were acquaintances who had grown familiar. If not for Andrew Sullivan, their paths wouldn’t have Crossed.
Daniel’s sand art was now complete. However, after that, he seemed to
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have suddenly lost his patience. He appeared irritated, though he voiced no complaint. Unable to sit still longer, he stood abruptly, towering over Olivia. His eyes burned with suppressed anger. “Splendid! Just splendid, Miss Taylor,” he muttered, each word forced out through clenched teeth as he stopped his emotions while studying Olivia and searching for any change in her expression while saying all that. He was, unfortunately, greeted only by her composed gaze. In the end, Daniel’s anger faded to empty laughter. He turned and left without another word.
Left alone, Olivia bent to examine the sand art closer. The woman depicted had a face similar to hers but softer, more naive. A casual observer might mistake it as a portrait of Olivia. Still, a keen observer would notice the vibe was utterly different one delicate and captivating, the other distant and frosty.
Outside, Daniel Sullivan crossed paths with Zoe Carter, who had arrived with some fruit. She was about to greet him courteously as always but noticed his tight–lipped expression and rigid jawline. Having been a part of the Sullivan household for many years, Zoe had developed a fine sense of Daniel’s mood through his subtle behavioral changes, and she could tell he was incredibly vexed. She wisely decided not to greet him in his current state. She stepped back, shrunk into herself, and held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice her presence. Only after Daniel had gone did she dare breathe again.
Zoe decided against delivering the fruit and retreated to her room to gather her thoughts. It had been a while since seeing Daniel this enraged. The last time she’d seen him so angry was about four years ago when he had just brought young Andrew home. She wasn’t sure what exactly had occurred to Daniel, but his temper had grown increasingly unpredictable since then. He naturally had a cold temperament, giving people a sense of being hard to approach and exuding an indifferent aloofness. When he was angry, it seemed as if the surrounding air pressure dropped, giving others an immense sense of oppression.
During those times, Zoe learned to tread lightly, reducing herself to a whisper and being as inconspicuous as possible. Now, the feelings of anxiety and dread she had four years ago were resurfacing.
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Chapter 20
When Olivia visited, she even brought a gift for Andrew, but the sudden arrivai of Daniel thwarted her plan, and she was unable to give the gift. After playing in the sand and giving themselves a good wash, they were seated on a couch in the little boy’s bedroom as Olivia retrieved the gift from her bag.
“Wow!” Andrew marveled at the sight of the gift bag. A sense of anticipation lit up his eyes as he looked up at Olivia.
She placed the gift bag on the sofa.
Unsure of how to ask directly if the gift was intended for him, Andrew resorted to a bit of duplicity. With feigned innocence, he asked, “Olivia, what’s this?”
Retrieving the gift from the bag and nudging it towards Andrew, she answered, “It’s for you.”
With shock and joy in his eyes, Andrew stammered. “There’s so many! Are they all for me?”
Olivia had given many gifts before, but this was the first time she felt satisfied. Seeing the little boy’s astonished expression brought her immense joy.
“Hmm.” She nodded. “I wasn’t sure what you would prefer, so I bought a variety of things.”
She stuffed a gift into the little boy’s arms and said, “Open it up. Do you like it?”
Andrew gazed at the gift on the couch with excitement as his face was filled with immense joy. “I like it. Even if I don’t open it, I still like it.”
The little boy’s words touched Olivia as she leaned over and hugged him. “Why are you so adorable?” she exclaimed.
Andrew flickered his precious eyes with a look of happiness that he could no longer suppress.
He could tell that Olivia liked him very much!
After accompanying the little boy for the entire evening, Olivia planned to return later than intended. Still, considering how weird Daniel was, she didn’t stay for dinner and left instead.
However, Andrew was sad to see her go, so he stood at the door and
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wrapped his arms around her for a long while, not letting go of her.
If it weren’t for his not looking cute with tears running down his face, he would have cried from the start.
The Taylor Family’s villa was far from the city, and there was no car near the neighborhood. Olivia stood at the villa’s gate for a while before taking her phone to call a cab.
She usually spent her time in the laboratory and rarely went out. Whenever she had something to deal with in Charm, the company would send a car to pick her up, so there were few opportunities for her to drive. Because of that, she did not buy a car.
However, even though she always felt there was no use in owning a car, she suddenly wanted to buy one.
“With a car, I can always come here to see Andrew. I can even bring him out to play,” she thought.
Then, she suddenly thought of something and giggled with her head lowered.
All of a sudden, a silver–gray Porsche parked in front of her. At first, she thought her driver had arrived, so she did not think much about it and opened the door to sit in the back seat.
When she sat down, the car did not move.
Surprised, she lifted her head to find Daniel in the driver’s seat.
He was no longer wearing the previous pink shirt but had now changed to a white one. He did not wear a suit, and a few buttons on his shirt were left open, revealing his tight and sturdy chest. His arm rested on the steering wheel, giving off a lazy and laid–back aura.
He glanced at Olivia through the rearview mirror and spoke in a slightly mocking tone without any trace of warmth, “Miss Olivia, do I look like your chauffeur?”
Olivia’s first reaction was realizing she had gotten into the wrong car.
What came after was an apologetic feeling.
Usually, if it were a friend driving the car, she would sit in the passenger seat. She would only sit in the back seat when a driver was driving her.
Daniel had clearly misunderstood her.
“I am sorry. I thought my ride was here,” she explained, placing her hand on the door, ready to leave.
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However, a quiet but crisp sound was heard before she could open the door.
Daniel had locked the door!
Olivia Laised her eyes and gave the man in front a dubious gaze, “Mr. Sullivan, I am getting out of the car”
“I will send you back home” Daniel stepped on the accelerator and sent the car flying in an instant.
Given the situation, Olivia could no longer reject his offer, so she thanked him.
The atmosphere inside the car was very quiet as the two people did not speak a word to each other, but Olivia’s emotions were not as calm. It could even be said that she was now lying on a bed of needles. She was always calm and collected, but strangely, Daniel could always break her composure, causing her to reveal her embarrassed and ejected looks.
Few cars were around the villa, so there was no traffic, but Daniel was driving slowly.
Olivia never had a driving license, much less touched a car, but even she knew the pace was too slow!
“Who drives a car at 20 miles per hour on a wide open road?” she could not help but wonder.
However, Daniel was not her chauffeur, and it would not be nice of her to request him to drive faster. She could only take out her phone to cancel her previous appointment with the cab.
When she opened the page where she had previously booked a ride, she could not help but curse herself while looking at the white BMW on
screen.
It was all because she got so distracted that she went into the car without looking at the license plate, which was why she got in the wrong car. Perhaps she was staring at her phone for a long while, causing the man driving in front of her to be annoyed. “Ms. Taylor, it seems like you are treating me like your driver,” Daniel said coldly.
Olivia was still reeling from the frustration of getting in the wrong car, so she could not react to his words and only gave a dumbfounded “yes.”
Listening to her, Daniel smirked and suddenly spoke profoundly, “It is fine, Ms. Taylor. I can tell that you probably hate me and feel that there is no conversation between us, which is why you have been on your phone
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the whole time. It is my fault that I don’t take good care of my guests. I am too boring and not as pleasing as Andrew.”
Olivia was left speechless.
“This man is saying all kinds of nonsense.
“Also, does he know that he is an adult? Why is he comparing himself to Andrew?” she thought.
Because of that, she was also infuriated. “Whatever. You can be mad for all I care,” she thought.
She no longer wanted to make amends with him.
She got a call when she lowered her head and continued looking at her phone.
She answered the call and asked, “Who’s there?”
It was Liam.
Liam went fishing with an old friend today and discovered his friend had a wonderful grandson. Immediately, he thought of his granddaughter and wanted to pair up the two.
“Olivia, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” It sounded as though Liam was gossiping about her.
She shook her head. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“I see,” Liam continued. “Did you have a boyfriend before? What kind of boys do you like?”
Olivia smiled. “I have never dated anyone before, but I like boys with a nice and gentle personality.”
She did not squirm even when she knew that her grandfather wanted to introduce her to someone. Instead, she directly put forward her requirements.
She had never thought about dating someone before, but after seeing Andrew, she suddenly wanted to marry as soon as possible so that she could have an adorable baby like Andrew.
“Is there any other requirement?” Liam kept on asking.
“Hmm.” She thought about it, and just when she was about to answer… Her body suddenly stumbled forward violently, causing her head to
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bump straight onto the front seat.
Daniel had suddenly picked up speed!
She rubbed her forehead and glanced at the tachometer, which was up to 80 miles per hour!
She was confused and felt that Daniel was simply a strange man.
“Grandpa, I have something to deal with right now. I will talk to you when I get back.” After hanging up the phone, she lifted her head and looked at Daniel. “Mr. Sullivan, you can put me on the side of the road. It’s easier for me to get a cab here.”
“What is the problem? Do you think I am driving too slowly? Ms. Taylor, are you that eager to go to that blind date of yours?” The man’s tone was as cold as a winter breeze.
Olivia frowned and said impatiently, “It’s none of your business, Mr. Sullivan.”
The car jerked to a stop on the side of the road. The sharp brake caused the tires to slash across the road, making an ear–splitting sound.
“He is crazy!” she thought.
“Get out of the car!” Daniel had an icy tone that went along with his cold face and suppressed pain in his eyes.
After Olivia exited his car, he angrily smashed the steering wheel.
“Hmph, she hasn’t dated before?” he said.
“Who am I then? Who am I?” he screamed inside his heart.
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