Chapter 25 His Unexplainable Generosity
Leo shook his head, clearly uncomfortable with the praise. He glanced at Olive, his expression gentle. “I’m just glad everything turned out fine.”
Olive had taken the day off, asking a friend to cover her shift so she could personally assist with her mother’s discharge. Once everything was packed, she handed Celeste her bag.
“Wait for us in the lobby,” Olive said. “I’ll just check with billing to settle any remaining balances.”
“I’ll come with you,” Leo said immediately.
She didn’t argue.
In the days that followed, Leo hadn’t changed.
He was still attentive. Still gentle. Still always close, without being overbearing. That was the only side of him Olive truly knew. She hadn’t seen his darker world—hadn’t been to his home, hadn’t met his family. He had told her he would introduce them once Celeste recovered.
Now that she had… Olive didn’t know what came next.
At the billing office, Olive approached the counter and gave her mother’s name. “I’d like to check if there are any unsettled bills under Celeste Navarro.”
The billing officer typed for a moment, her fingers clicking softly against the keyboard. Then she printed a document and slid it across the counter.
“Please settle this at the cashier,” she said.
Olive took the paper.
Her breath caught.
The amount printed at the bottom made her stomach drop. It was huge—almost half of what the surgery itself had cost.
Leo leaned closer. “How much is it?”
Olive didn’t answer right away.
She stared at the paper, her thoughts slowing. She felt like she was dragged into a different world, full of silence. “How could I pay this? Where the hell would I get money from?”
“Olive,” Leo said gently, resting a hand on her shoulder. “We should go. Your mom and brother are waiting.”
She jolted. “I—I need to pay this first.”
Then she noticed something.
Her hand was empty.
The billing form was gone.
She looked up.
Leo was smiling, one eyebrow raised. “It’s settled.”
Her heart dropped. “You paid it?” she asked. “When? Why?”
“Just now,” he said calmly.
Only then did Olive realize how long she had been spacing out—long enough for him to take the form, walk to the cashier, and pay without her noticing at all.
She pressed a hand to her forehead. I really need rest, she thought.
“No,” she said firmly, turning to him. “I should’ve paid that. That was my mother’s bill—my responsibility. You already paid for her surgery. This is too much.”
Her voice shook, thick with embarrassment. “This isn’t right.”
Leo didn’t argue.
Instead, he placed a reassuring hand at her back and gently guided her away from the counter.
“We’ll talk about it later,” he said quietly. “For now, let’s go home. They’re waiting.”
Olive fell silent.
As they walked toward the lobby, guilt pressed heavily against her chest. She owed him—far more than money. And that scared her.
Because she knew what it felt like to drown in debt.
He hadn’t asked for anything in return. He hadn’t rushed her. But that didn’t make it feel right.
What if one day he changes his mind? What if he uses this against us?
Olive swallowed hard.
She knew one thing now.
She had to talk to Leo.
Because this was no longer something small—and she couldn’t afford to ignore the consequences.
When they arrived home, Leo helped Chris unload their things from the car while Olive stayed close to her mother, one careful step at a time. She kept a steady hand at Celeste’s elbow, guiding her slowly, making sure she didn’t strain herself.
Inside the house, the lights felt warmer than the hospital’s. Familiar. Safe.
As they walked toward the bedroom, Celeste leaned closer to Olive, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. A playful smile curved on her lips.
“So…” she whispered, eyes twinkling, “what’s your status with Leo now? Are you official?”
Olive let out a soft laugh and shook her head, her cheeks warming. “Not yet, Ma,” she said gently, placing a hand on her mother’s arm to stop her from teasing further. “Rest first. That’s what matters.”
Celeste smiled, satisfied—for now.
Once she was settled comfortably in bed, Olive adjusted the pillows behind her back and tucked the blanket carefully around her shoulders. She moved slowly, deliberately, the way nurses did when they loved their patients a little too much.
“Rest, Ma,” Olive said softly. “You had a long day.”
Celeste nodded, already drifting. “You worry too much,” she murmured—but there was comfort in her voice.
When Olive was sure her mother had fallen asleep, she quietly stepped out and closed the door.
Leo was in the living room, sitting on the couch, hands resting on his knees. He looked up when she appeared.
“Can we talk?” Olive asked.
Leo stood immediately. “Of course.”
She gestured toward the garden, and he followed without a word.
They sat on the small bench outside, the wooden surface cool beneath them. The night air wrapped around them—quiet, calm, broken only by distant sounds from neighboring houses. A single porch light cast a soft glow over the garden.
Leo turned toward her, waiting.
Not interrupting. Not rushing.
Just listening.
Olive clasped her hands together and stared at them for a moment. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs, then slowly let it out.
“About the bills,” she began.
Her voice wavered slightly.
She paused, gathering courage.
Leo raised one eyebrow just a little, a silent encouragement to continue.
“I think…” Olive said carefully, lifting her eyes to meet his, “we need an agreement.”
She swallowed.
“Something formal,” she added. “About how I’ll pay you back.”
Leo shook his head right away. “There’s no need for that,” he said calmly. “You can pay anytime, Liv. No pressure at all.”
“That’s exactly the problem,” Olive replied—her tone gentle, but firm. “I don’t want it to be like that, Leo.”
She shifted slightly on the bench, turning fully toward him now. “The amount is too big to treat casually. I can’t just… pretend it’s nothing. I’m really bothered by it.”
She held his gaze, steady this time. “So to settle this properly, we need an agreement.”
Leo studied her in silence.
For a long second, neither of them spoke. Then he let out a quiet sigh and leaned back slightly.
“If that’s what you want,” he said at last. “I’ll agree.”
He looked at her seriously. “But let me be clear—there’s no pressure. I’m not forcing you to pay. I did this willingly. It’s not an issue for me, even if you don’t.”
Olive already knew that.
For him, the money meant nothing.
But for her, it meant everything.
“I’ll prepare something,” she said. “I’ll give you a copy so you can comment on it.”
Leo nodded, accepting her words without resistance. “Alright.”
A small weight lifted from Olive’s chest.
At least this—this part—was finally clear.
A thought suddenly crossed Olive’s mind.
“Your wound,” she said, turning toward him. “Is it fully healed already?”
Leo didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he reached down and lifted the hem of his shirt.
Olive froze for half a second—then leaned closer.