Chapter 131 Staying Overnight
Olivia's heart tightened, and she quickly said, "No, he's probably just busy. He'll come see you tomorrow."
"Oh." Leo sounded a bit down. "I drew a picture today. I wanted to show it to Uncle LO."
"It's okay. You can show it to him tomorrow," Olivia comforted him. "Sweetie, go to sleep now. Mommy will bring you something yummy tomorrow."
"Okay! Good night, Mommy!" Leo's eyes lit up, and he obediently said goodbye.
"Good night, sweetie."
After ending the video call, Olivia lay in bed, unable to sleep.
Her mind was filled with everything that happened today—Luca's apology, the way he looked at her, and the memories that seemed to linger in every corner of this house.
She didn't know what Luca wanted, nor did she know if she still had even a tiny bit of feelings left for him.
After a long while, she finally drifted into a hazy sleep.
In the middle of the night, a faint noise woke her up.
She opened her eyes and, by the moonlight streaming through the window, saw a dark figure standing by her bed.
Olivia's heart nearly stopped. She was about to scream when someone grabbed her wrist.
"Don't scream. It's me," Luca's voice came through the darkness, hoarse and tinged with the smell of alcohol.
"What are you doing?" Olivia was both scared and angry, struggling to push him away. "How did you get in?"
"The door wasn't locked properly," Luca said in a low voice. "I just wanted to see you."
His gaze lingered on her face, moving from her forehead to her eyes, then to her lips, with an intense, undisguised possessiveness.
Over the past five years, he had seen her countless times in his dreams, but every time he woke up, there was no one there.
Now, she was right in front of him, within reach, and he couldn't control himself.
Olivia could feel him getting closer, his warm breath on her face, mixed with a faint smell of alcohol that made her uncomfortable.
"Luca, don't do this. We're over," she said, her voice trembling with panic.
"I know," Luca's voice was deep. "But I still can't help missing you."
His lips slowly moved closer, and just as they were about to touch hers, Olivia turned her head sharply.
Luca's lips landed on her cheek instead. The warm sensation made them both freeze.
A rush of emotion surged through Luca, igniting a fire of desire within him. He wanted to get closer, to hold her tight, but seeing the resistance in her eyes, he forced himself to hold back.
He slowly straightened up, his voice filled with helplessness and bitterness. "I'm sorry. I lost control."
With that, he turned and left the guest room, gently closing the door behind him.
Olivia lay in bed, her heart still pounding. The warmth on her cheek seemed to linger.
She clutched her chest, breathing heavily, her mind a complete mess.
She didn't know what Luca wanted, nor did she know what to do.
The next morning, Jason had the driver park the car outside Olivia's apartment complex early.
He held a bouquet of fresh sunflowers in his hand, the petals full and vibrant—Olivia's favorite flower.
He had thought about it all night and decided to try one more time. There was an important business event tonight, and he wanted to invite Olivia to go with him.
If she agreed, it would mean she still had a place for him in her heart.
When he reached Olivia's door, he knocked, only to see Emma open it.
Jason's face darkened instantly, his brows furrowing. The hope in his tone was quickly replaced by wariness. "Why are you here?"
Emma turned around, saw the flowers in his hand, and raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "I could ask you the same thing. Bringing flowers to see Liv?"
"She's not home?" Jason ignored her comment, glancing inside the apartment, his heart sinking.
"Nope," Emma said, putting away her phone, her smile fading a little. "She didn't come back last night. Said she was cooking for a friend, and I haven't heard from her since."
"A friend? What friend?" Jason's voice rose slightly, his heart feeling like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand.
He knew Olivia's social circle too well. Since returning to the country, she has only hung out with him, Emma, and people from her studio. What "friend" would she cook for and stay over with?
"How would I know? She didn't say much," Emma replied, a bit surprised by his tense reaction. "Why are you so worked up?"
Jason didn't answer. His mind was a mess.
Who was this friend? Could it be Luca?
The thought alone made his face turn even grimmer. His fingers tightened around the bouquet, knuckles whitening, even bending the stems out of shape.
Or could it be that mysterious LO who had been anonymously supporting Leo?
That person had saved Leo before and kept tipping on Leo's livestreams. Could Olivia be with him?
All sorts of guesses swirled in his head, making his chest heave with emotion. His eyes were full of anxiety and unease, his breathing growing rapid.
He was so scared—scared that Luca would hurt Olivia again, and scared that another man might come into her life and push him away for good.
This was the first time Emma had seen him like this. Jason was usually calm and gentle, always keeping his cool even in urgent situations. She had never seen him lose it like this.
"Jason? You okay?" Emma nudged him. "You look awful. Are you feeling sick?"
Jason didn't respond, staring blankly at Olivia's door as if he hadn't heard her.
"Jason!" Emma called again, louder this time.
Jason finally snapped out of it, blinking hard. Realizing how he must look, he took a deep breath to calm the storm in his chest.
"It's nothing. Sorry, I zoned out for a bit," he said, forcing a smile that looked worse than crying. The flowers in his hand had wilted a little. "I'm just… worried about her."
"Worried about what? Liv's not a kid," Emma said, rolling her eyes. "She's smart. What could happen? Maybe her friend needed help, and she got held up."
Jason nodded, but he still couldn't shake off the unease.
After a few seconds of silence, as if making up his mind, he looked at Emma and said, "Are you taking Leo to kindergarten today? I've got nothing to do. I can take him."
Emma paused, sensing there was more to his words, but she didn't press. "Sure, saves me a trip. I'll go get him now."
Soon after, Emma came out holding Leo's hand.
Leo was wearing a blue school uniform, carrying a cartoon backpack. When he saw Jason, his eyes lit up, and he broke free from Emma to run over. "Uncle Jason!"
"Morning," Jason said, crouching down to pat his head. His fingers felt a bit cold as he tried to keep his tone natural. "How about Uncle Jason takes you to kindergarten today?"
"Yay!" Leo nodded happily, a big smile on his little face.
On the way, Jason drove while occasionally glancing at Leo in the backseat, wondering how to bring up the topic.
"Leo, when Mommy called you last night, did she mention whose house she was at?" he asked cautiously.
Leo shook his head, playing with a charm on his backpack. "Nope. Mommy just said she had something to do and told me to listen to Aunt Ella."