Chapter 94 Banquet
Olivia lay on the carpet with Leo, drawing together. The colored pencils made a soft scratching sound as they moved across the paper.
Leo kept switching between red and yellow, completely unaware of the bit of paint smudged on his little face.
"Mommy, look, the sun's smiling face has to be nice and round!" He held up his drawing like it was a treasure.
Olivia smiled and wiped the paint off his face. "Yes, the sun you drew is the cutest."
They kept drawing until past nine in the evening. Leo yawned, rubbed his eyes, and said he was sleepy.
Olivia picked him up, carried him to his room, tucked him in, and gently kissed his forehead.
As she stepped out of the bedroom, she remembered she hadn't finished checking her phone from the afternoon.
When she picked it up, she saw several missed calls from Emma and a voice message.
She played the message, and Emma's urgent voice came through. "Liv! Call me back quick! The Harrison family's party—Luca, that jerk, is definitely going to be there!"
Olivia's grip on the phone tightened, and her heart skipped a beat.
Luca would be there?
She had done everything to avoid any place where she might run into him, but it seemed unavoidable now.
Then again, after all this time, she wasn't the same Olivia who used to lose control over him. What's the big deal about seeing him? They had nothing to do with each other anymore.
She called Emma back, and the call connected quickly.
"You finally called back!" Emma sounded a bit anxious. "You know Luca's going, right? Want me to come with you tomorrow?"
"No need," Olivia said calmly. "I've forgotten all about the past. I'm just going to network a bit. No reason for you to tag along."
"Forgotten?" Emma didn't sound convinced. "Don't lie to me. It's Luca. Can you really stay cool seeing him?"
"I really can," Olivia said with a smile. "All I think about now is starting my business and taking care of Leo. I don't have time for anything else." She paused, then added, "It'll be fine, don't worry."
Emma still wasn't reassured. "Alright, but if anything happens, call me right away. I'll come rescue you."
"Got it, thanks," Olivia said before hanging up. Deep down, she felt a tiny bit of unease.
After all, Luca was someone she'd been tangled up with for so long. Saying she felt nothing would be a lie, but mostly, she felt at peace.
Now, she just wanted to focus on her career and take good care of Leo. Nothing else mattered.
The next morning, Emma showed up at Olivia's place full of energy.
"Leo, my sweetie, I'm here!" Emma opened her arms wide as soon as she walked in.
Leo, who was building blocks in the living room, ran over and hugged her legs. "Godmom!"
"Did you miss me?" Emma picked him up and kissed his cheek.
"Yes!" Leo wrapped his arms around her neck. "Godmom, I drew a new picture. Wanna see?"
The two started messing around in the living room. Olivia watched them, a smile creeping up on her face.
Around ten in the morning, the doorbell rang.
Olivia opened the door to find Sophia standing there, holding a fancy big box.
"Ms. Ross, your dress and accessories are ready," Sophia said as she came in and placed the box on the couch.
Emma, curious, leaned over. "Wow, is this the party dress? Open it, let me see!"
Sophia smiled and opened the box, revealing a champagne-colored mermaid dress. The neckline was adorned with tiny pearls, and the skirt had layers of delicate tulle, looking elegant and classy.
"Oh my gosh, it's gorgeous!" Emma's eyes lit up. "Jason really went all out. This dress must cost a fortune."
Olivia was surprised too. She hadn't expected Jason to prepare something so stunning.
"Jason specifically said to pick a style that suits you best," Sophia explained while taking out matching diamond jewelry. "He also said champagne looks amazing on you, and he wasn't wrong."
Emma teased, "Liv, be honest. Does Jason have a thing for you? He's so thoughtful."
Olivia gave a helpless smile. "Don't make stuff up. We're just friends and business partners."
"Friends are this considerate?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "I don't buy it. Look at the details—even the accessories match perfectly."
Sophia chimed in with a laugh, "Honestly, at first, I thought you two were a couple. Jason's tone changes when he talks about you."
"It's really not like that," Olivia clarified. "He's just a nice guy who looks out for his friends." Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she quickly changed the subject. "It's almost time. I should go change."
Olivia went into her bedroom, put on the dress, and looked in the mirror. She couldn't help but pause.
The dress fit perfectly, highlighting her figure. The champagne color made her skin look even fairer, and her whole vibe felt elevated.
She added the matching diamond necklace and earrings, simply fixed her hair, and stepped out of the bedroom.
"Wow, Liv, you look stunning!" Emma exclaimed.
Sophia nodded in agreement. "It's perfect. It's like it was made for you."
Olivia smiled shyly. "Thanks."
"Alright, we should head out. The party starts at two, and it'll take some time to get there," Sophia said, checking the time.
Olivia said goodbye to Leo. "Sweetie, Mommy's going to a party. Be good at home with Godmom, okay?"
"Okay! Come back soon, Mommy!" Leo waved his little hand.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of him," Emma assured her with a pat on her chest.
Olivia left with Sophia, got into the car, and headed to the party venue.
The event was held in the top-floor ballroom of a five-star hotel, decorated with luxury and grandeur.
As soon as they walked in, they could feel the strong business vibe—elegant guests mingling, glasses clinking.
"So many big shots here," Olivia whispered to Sophia.
"Yeah, the Harrison family's name attracts a lot of industry elites," Sophia replied quietly. "I'll introduce you to a few important people. It'll help with starting your business."
Olivia nodded and followed Sophia.
"That's Clara over there. She runs a high-end design brand and has a lot of influence in the industry," Sophia said, pointing to a lady in a red dress nearby. "Her brand aligns with the design direction you're aiming for, and she has tons of connections. If you can build a relationship with her, it'd be a huge win."
Olivia's eyes brightened. She had heard of Clara's brand and always admired her design philosophy.
"I'll introduce you," Sophia said, leading her over.
"Clara, hello," Sophia greeted with a smile.
Clara turned around, a flicker of admiration in her eyes as she saw Olivia. "And who's this?"
"This is Olivia. She's also in design and incredibly talented. She's always admired your work," Sophia introduced.
"Oh? A designer?" Clara looked Olivia up and down. "You've got a great presence. What kind of design do you do?"
"Mainly high-end clothing and accessories," Olivia answered politely. "I've always loved your brand's design philosophy—simple yet stylish."
"Good taste," Clara said with a smile. "Not many young people are into high-end design these days. Would you be interested in joining my company? I can offer you great resources."