Chapter 97 Reunion
Luca instinctively dodged, his tone cold. "I'm a bit tired. I'll head back to my room to rest."
Watching Luca go straight upstairs, Windy's gaze turned icy in an instant. Deep down, she thought viciously, Olivia, you'd better know your place and stay away from Luca. If you don't, I won't let you off!
The next morning, Olivia was woken up by the sound of the doorbell.
She rubbed her eyes and checked the time. It was just past 7 a.m.
Who could be here so early?
Opening the door, she froze when she saw who was standing there.
"Jason? What are you doing here?"
Jason was holding breakfast, a gentle smile on his face. "I finished my meeting and thought about how you ran into Windy last night. I was worried you might be upset, so I came to check on you. I brought your favorite breakfast. Come on, try it."
Olivia felt a warmth in her heart and stepped aside to let him in. "Thanks, Jason. You didn't have to come all this way so early."
"No need to be so polite with me," Jason said as he walked into the living room and placed the breakfast on the table. "How was the party last night? Meet anyone interesting?"
"Yeah, I met Clara. She runs a high-end design brand. She gave me her card and said we could work together in the future," Olivia said with a smile.
She didn't mention the clash with Windy, not wanting to worry Jason.
"That's great. Clara has a lot of influence in the industry. Connecting with her will be a big help for starting your company," Jason said, relieved.
Just then, Emma walked out of the bedroom, yawning.
Seeing Jason, she paused for a moment before flashing a teasing smile. "Well, well, Dr. Compson, here so early? Looks like you really care about our Liv."
Jason smiled awkwardly. "I just wanted to check in. Since you're both up, I won't bother you. I've got some stuff to handle, so I'll get going. If you need any help, just give me a call."
He glanced at Olivia, his eyes full of warmth. "If you run into Luca or Windy—don't confront them. Stay safe, okay?"
"Got it. Thanks, Jason," Olivia nodded.
After seeing Jason off, Emma immediately leaned in close to Olivia, winking playfully. "Liv, be honest. Did something happen between you and Jason while you were abroad? Look at how good he is to you! Helping with work, checking on you, even bringing breakfast this early. It's obvious he's into you!"
Olivia smiled helplessly. "What are you thinking? We're just friends. He's always looked out for Leo and me."
"Friends?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, right. Friends don't go out of their way like that. The way he looks at you? Come on, it's obvious. Don't fool yourself."
"Alright, enough of that," Olivia cut her off. "I'm planning to check out some locations for a studio today. You said you found a few good spots. Are you free now? Let's go take a look."
At the mention of the studio, Emma got excited. "Of course I'm free! I've been ready for this. Those locations are awesome—good traffic, lots of people around. They'd be perfect for you."
After a quick breakfast, the two headed out to see the spots.
The places Emma picked were in a downtown creative hub. The vibe was great, with lots of studios and companies nearby.
"Look at this one. It's spacious, has good lighting, and the rent is reasonable," Emma said as she led Olivia into an empty room.
Olivia looked around. "This place is really nice. It'd be great for a design studio."
She already had some ideas in mind. This space could be used for design work and even have a display area for her creations.
"So, are we settling on this one?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, let's go with this," Olivia nodded. "Next up is renovation and finding investors. I can handle the design for the renovation myself. For investment, I'm thinking of talking to Clara to see if she's interested."
"I'm with you all the way!" Emma patted her shoulder. "If you need help with the renovation, just let me know."
As they were talking, Olivia suddenly felt a bit off. "I'm going to the restroom."
The restroom at the end of the hallway was dimly lit. As Olivia pushed open the frosted glass door, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure out of the corner of her eye.
Those familiar broad shoulders, narrow waist, the crisp black suit, and the faint scent of cedar—it was Luca.
Olivia's heart clenched, as if an invisible hand gripped it tight. Her breath caught in her throat.
Why was he here?
For five years, she had avoided any place where she might run into him. Yet, here in the creative hub where she was choosing her studio, they crossed paths.
Without a second thought, Olivia turned to leave, her steps so quick they almost stirred the air.
"Olivia!"
Luca's voice was low and sharp, laced with suppressed anger.
He had been discussing the hub's layout with the person in charge when he caught a glimpse of that familiar figure. His whole body froze.
It was her.
The woman who disappeared for five years, the one he'd been searching for all this time.
She was back, showing up in the hub where he was inspecting a branch office. Dressed simply in a white shirt and jeans, her hair loosely tied up, she looked calmer than she did five years ago. Yet, he recognized her instantly.
Seeing her turn to run without hesitation, a fire of anger erupted in Luca's chest.
He strode after her, his long legs closing the distance in a few steps. His tall frame blocked her path, trapping her in front of him.
"Trying to run?" Luca's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at her, emotions swirling in them—shock, anger, and a trace of joy and grievance he didn't even notice himself. "Five years. You've been gone for five whole years. And now, seeing me, all you want to do is hide?"
Olivia was forced to stop. She kept her head down, avoiding his gaze, her voice deliberately cold. "Mr. Vettel, please step aside. I have things to do."
"Things to do?" Luca grabbed her wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush her bones.
Just then, a few people entered the restroom. Hearing the noise, Luca's expression darkened. He pulled Olivia into a nearby stall and locked the door behind them.
The small space forced them close together, their breaths mingling.
Olivia could clearly feel Luca's oppressive presence and the faint cedar scent on him.
"Luca, let go of me!" Olivia struggled to push him away.
But Luca held on tighter, pinning her between the wall and himself, his gaze deep and intense. "Let go of you? So you can keep flirting with other men? Are you with Jason now?"
Olivia looked at his face, so close to hers, her heart filled with disgust. "Luca, can you stop being such a jerk? Jason and I are just friends."
"Friends?" Luca leaned in, his nose almost touching hers. "Friends care about you this much? Friends go out of their way for you?"
His eyes dropped to her lips, burning with intensity. "Do you think you can escape? You ran five years ago, but now, I won't let you do that again."
Olivia's heart raced, not from excitement, but from tension and disgust.
"Luca, we're done. What you're doing right now is pointless."
"Done?" Luca let out a cold laugh, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek. "I didn't say it's over, so it's not over."
His touch carried a strong sense of possession, making Olivia deeply uncomfortable.
"Let go of me, or I'll scream!" Olivia snapped.
Luca didn't care. Instead, he leaned closer to her ear, his voice low. "Go ahead, scream. Let everyone see how the woman who abandoned her husband is all over me now."
His warm breath on her ear made Olivia shiver.
Luca was still the same—overbearing and unreasonable, just as he always was.