Chapter 20 The Kiss of No Return
Her mother was laughing.
Not weak laughter. Not forced.
Real laughter.
Chris was laughing too, leaning back in his chair, his face lighter than it had been in days.
And sitting beside them—relaxed, familiar, like he had every right to be there—
was Leo.
He was leaning back casually, one arm resting on the chair, his posture easy. He smiled as Celeste spoke, listening to her like he had known her for years.
The sound of their laughter hit Olive like a shock.
It felt wrong.
Like a scene from another life—one she wasn’t part of.
Olive stood there, unmoving, her hand still gripping the door. Her heart dropped hard, straight into her stomach.
The weight she’d been carrying suddenly doubled.
What… is he doing here?
Her mother was the first to notice her.
“Olive,” Celeste said warmly, still smiling. “You’re back.”
Chris turned too. “Ate already?” he asked casually.
Then Leo looked at her.
Their eyes met.
His smile softened—just slightly—as if he’d been waiting for her to appear.
And in that moment, Olive felt everything crash together at once.
Shock. Confusion. Anger. And a fear she didn’t want to name.
She stepped fully into the room, the door closing softly behind her.
Her voice came out calm—but tight.
“Why is he here?”
Leo straightened the moment Olive spoke, the smile fading from his face.
“Oh—Olive,” he said quickly. “I heard your mom was hospitalized, so I came to visit.”
Chris looked between them, completely at ease. “He brought fruits and juice," he said, nodding toward the table. “The ones good for Mom’s heart.” He smiled gratefully. “Thank you for that, Leo.”
Celeste nodded, her expression soft and warm. “Yes,” she said kindly. “I’m happy Olive found a great guy.” Then she looked at Olive with a teasing smile. “So… when will you two be official?”
Olive froze.
Her chest tightened so suddenly it almost hurt. Her thoughts scattered, alarms going off all at once.
Before she could stop herself, instinct took over.
“Leo,” she said sharply, already stepping toward him. “Come with me.”
She didn’t wait for an answer.
She turned and walked out of the room, her steps fast and firm. Leo hesitated only for a heartbeat—then followed her.
“Olive—?” Celeste called, confused.
But the door had already closed behind them.
Celeste turned to Chris, worry slowly replacing her smile. “Did they have a fight?”
Chris shrugged, unsure. “I… don’t know.”
—
The rooftop door shut behind them with a dull, heavy sound.
The city noise below was distant, muffled by the height. The wind was cooler up here, brushing against Olive’s skin, but it did nothing to calm the fire burning in her chest.
She took two steps forward.
Then turned.
Slowly.
Her eyes locked onto Leo’s—not wild, not emotional—but sharp. Controlled. A mix of anger and fear she was barely holding together.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
Her voice was low, tight.
“You don’t just show up,” she continued. “Not after everything I said. Not after I told you to stay away.”
Leo opened his mouth—but she cut him off.
“And don’t you dare involve my family,” she added, her voice trembling despite her effort to keep it steady. “You don’t get to walk into my mother’s room and act like you belong there.”
The wind picked up slightly, lifting a few strands of her hair. Her hands were clenched at her sides.
“I don’t know what your intentions are,” Olive said, swallowing hard. “But you are crossing lines you have no right to cross.”
She stared at him, waiting.
Leo spoke first, his voice calm, careful—as if one wrong word might break her.
“I just wanted to check on your mom.”
Olive let out a short, bitter laugh.
“Check on her?” she said sharply. “How dare you say that when we’re not even close. She just met you once.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hold herself together. Her hands were shaking now.
“And the surgery bill,” she added, her voice cracking despite her effort. “You paid it, didn’t you? Was it you? Why?”
Leo didn’t answer right away.
He watched her—really watched her—as if reading everything she wasn’t saying.
“I saw you stressed,” he finally said quietly. “So I helped.”
That was it.
No long explanation. No defense. No conditions.
And somehow, that simple sentence broke her.
Olive felt it all at once—anger, confusion, gratitude, resentment, relief. She hated him for stepping into her life without permission. For lying. For scaring her. For being someone she couldn’t understand.
And yet—
He was standing there, eyes steady, concern written plainly on his face.
Not pity.
But concern.
Then, it began. Her strength cracked.
Tears spilled down her cheeks before she could stop them.
For almost ten years, she had been strong. The breadwinner. The one who carried everything quietly. The one who never asked, never leaned, never depended.
She didn’t know how to receive help.
Especially not like this.
Her chest tightened. Her knees weakened.
She swayed.
Before she could fall, Leo stepped forward and caught her, his arms firm and steady around her waist.
“Olive—”
She looked up at him.
Their faces were suddenly close. Too close. She could feel his breath, warm and real. Her heart was thumping so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
And before fear could return— before logic could stop her—
She kissed him.
It wasn’t planned.
It wasn’t graceful.
It was raw. Impulsive. Honest.
For a split second, Leo froze in shock.
Then his hands came up slowly, gently cradling her head as he kissed her back. Not rushed. Not demanding. Just deep enough to say I’m here. Just careful enough not to break her.
The city noise faded. The hospital below disappeared. The fear loosened its grip.
For that one moment, the world went quiet.
Then Olive pulled back, breathless.
Reality rushed in.
Her eyes widened, and she stepped away from him abruptly, wiping her face with trembling hands.
“I—” Her voice failed. She shook her head. “I can’t… I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Olive stood immediately and rushed to the rooftop door.