Chapter 279 In Love?
Olivia sensed his gaze and looked up, meeting his eyes.
In that instant, her heart seemed to skip a beat.
She felt her ears getting hot.
Over there, Yara and David had already helped the two people up.
They were now checking on them with concern.
Both had fallen pretty hard and were clutching their waists, gasping for breath.
Olivia took one look and knew they'd hurt their backs.
With a somewhat helpless expression, she turned to get medicine for them.
She brought back two portions, handing one to David. "Could you help Mr. White apply this? The pain should ease up quickly after you rub it in."
The other portion was naturally for Evelyn, whom she would help herself.
Olivia was a professional doctor, so her technique was naturally fine.
But pain was real pain - even the most professional doctor couldn't make a patient immune to it.
Evelyn winced and grimaced. "Olivia, be gentler! You're about to break my back!"
Olivia found this amusing, but didn't lighten her touch.
Some injuries needed firm rubbing to work out the blockage and prevent the pain from settling there.
She took the opportunity to lecture Evelyn. "Mr. White had a point - you shouldn't drink when you're out alone anymore.
Especially after you go to Harmony City. I won't be there, so no one will look after you. You need to be more careful.
Otherwise, if something bad happens, there's no point regretting it. Do you hear me? Don't make me worry."
When Evelyn heard her mention Harmony City, she didn't dare talk back and could only say meekly, "I know..."
Then she sniffled. "Olivia, I actually don't want to go to Harmony City. I can't bear to leave you and Bianca."
This was all that bastard Alfonso's fault!
With just one word, he was separating them all and making everyone sad.
Olivia said helplessly, "I can't bear to leave you either, but it's okay. Even after you leave, we can video chat.
If I have time, I'll bring Bianca to visit you in Harmony City, or you can come back to Emerald City. You're just going to Harmony City - it's not like we're being separated by life and death. Don't be so upset."
Evelyn could only nod pitifully.
After applying medicine to both of them, everyone could finally go have breakfast.
Due to their hangovers, both Evelyn and Olivia didn't eat much.
Especially Evelyn - she'd drunk quite a bit more after getting back last night and still had a headache this morning, so right after breakfast, she went straight to her room to catch up on sleep.
As for Benjamin and Andrew, they weren't planning to stay long. They had matters to handle and were already preparing to head back to Harmony City.
Olivia couldn't convince them to stay, so she got up to see them off.
David helped Benjamin downstairs first.
Andrew didn't follow right away. Instead, he stayed a bit longer to say goodbye to Olivia and the others.
Olivia had been worried that Bianca would be very sad when he left.
But Bianca's expression showed no sadness about the separation at all. Instead, her face was full of happy smiles. She even waved to Andrew on her own initiative, saying, "Daddy, be careful on the road!"
Andrew gently rubbed her head and said, "Okay. Be good while I'm gone."
"Mm-hmm!" Bianca nodded. "Daddy, I'll listen to you and keep our promise. You have to keep your word too!"
Andrew chuckled and agreed. "Alright. Bianca, go find Yara first. I need to talk to Mommy for a bit."
"Okay!" Bianca cooperated readily and ran off with quick little steps.
Olivia looked between the two of them suspiciously and asked Andrew in confusion, "What promise did you make with her this time?"
Andrew's lips curved slightly upward, and he didn't hide it. "A promise about when we'll meet next."
Olivia was a bit surprised to hear this.
He'd even arranged that with Bianca?
Was he cleaning up the mess for her, making sure Bianca was okay first?
Olivia didn't ask, but her feelings were complicated.
Was this their final goodbye?
Olivia looked at Andrew and smiled stiffly. "Be safe on your way back."
Andrew stared at her and asked, "Besides that, nothing else to say to me?"
Olivia didn't know what else she could say.
After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Last night, when I was drunk, did I make a fool of myself?"
Originally, Olivia hadn't been too concerned about this.
But after seeing Evelyn's state today, she finally started worrying, afraid she'd done something embarrassing.
Especially since she'd had that ridiculous dream last night.
Given her current shameful feelings toward Andrew, maybe she really had clung to him and done something last night.
At this thought, Olivia felt her scalp tingle.
Andrew saw she couldn't remember and replied, "You didn't make a fool of yourself. You were very well-behaved when drunk - didn't make noise or cause trouble, just answered whatever you were asked."
Then, as if recalling something, a hint of amusement appeared in Andrew's eyes. "You won't go back on what you promised me last night, will you?"
"Huh?" Olivia looked completely confused. "What did I promise you?"
Andrew saw she really didn't remember, and didn't seem surprised.
He didn't mind repeating it. "You promised that after I leave, you'll answer my calls, won't deliberately distance yourself from me, and won't trick Bianca into thinking she won't see me for a year or anything like that.
And also, to compensate me with a fiancée."
"What?" Olivia found the first part already unbelievable - when had she promised all that?
But by the end, she was completely dumbfounded.
Compensate him with a fiancée?
What kind of bizarre topic was that? Didn't he already have a fiancée?
Why would she need to compensate him?
Had she done something while drunk to wreck someone's engagement?
Olivia anxiously tried to recall what she'd done last night, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't remember.
Andrew didn't keep teasing her. Seeing she couldn't recall, he simply changed the subject. "Last night when you were drunk, I asked you a very important question. Now I'll ask you again. Suppose the Harmony City research institute is adding new positions and invites you to join their research and development. Would you go?
Do you want to be colleagues with Mr. McCoy?"
Olivia's train of thought stopped. She looked up at Andrew, surprise in her eyes.
She didn't answer directly, but said, "I probably couldn't go, right?
Places like research institutes gather all the top experts, almost all at Mr. McCoy's level.
Although I'm pretty good too, compared to them, I'm too young and inexperienced. How could I possibly get in?"
Andrew chuckled softly when he heard her self-praise.
As Olivia looked at him again, he said, "Don't worry about those factors. Just answer me - if you had such an opportunity, would you be willing?"
Since he put it that way, Olivia stopped thinking about whether it was possible and answered honestly with a smile, "If there really was such an opportunity, who wouldn't be willing?"
Joining that kind of top research institution would be a peak achievement.
If she could get in, the projects she'd participate in would definitely be epic-level in difficulty.
But that was what her heart desired, what she was pursuing.
She wanted to research things ordinary people couldn't do.
But like she said, she was too young right now.
If there really was such an opportunity, she thought she'd be willing to go even just to assist others.
Andrew was very satisfied with her answer.
He stepped forward, moved closer to her, hugged her, and said with a smile in his voice, "Looks like I understand you pretty well - I know what you want.
This way, everything I've done hasn't been in vain.
So it's settled - I'll go back to Harmony City first and arrange everything.
When the time comes, you'll have no worries left. We'll meet in Harmony City!"
Olivia's whole body stiffened.
Because of Andrew's sudden embrace, and because of his incredibly gentle voice.
This was the first time he'd taken the initiative to get close to her like this.
Andrew had always been self-controlled and maintained proper boundaries. Even after their relationship had gotten better and better and his temperament had become gentler, he'd never been like this.
Olivia felt her thinking couldn't keep up with this sudden turn of events.
And then there was what Andrew had said.
It's settled?
Settled what?
What had he done for her?
Olivia's heart was beating fast.
An incredible idea was forming in her mind.
Could it be what she was thinking?
Could she also go to Harmony City?
Olivia suddenly realized that her current joy wasn't about the research institute or the job.
It was about the person in front of her.
If she could go to Harmony City, wouldn't that mean she wouldn't have to be separated from him or her friends?
Olivia's mood became excited.
But then she made herself calm down.
Joining the research institute and working with Rodolfo - that was impossible.
If she could go, she would have gone already.
How could she start having unrealistic fantasies just because of a few words from him?
She couldn't let love go to her head!
Besides, she'd decided to focus on her career. She couldn't be impulsive.
Losing her mind over love was unacceptable!
Perhaps because two conflicting thoughts were battling in her mind, Olivia was so torn that her emotions showed on her face.
Andrew noticed and couldn't help but smile, his heart softening.
So honest - no wonder she was so easy for him to win over.
However, this time Andrew didn't plan to spell it out for her.
Anyway, he'd get her to Harmony City first, then talk about other things later.
Andrew left soon after.
He began putting into practice what he'd said before parting.
Less than an hour after the car left, Olivia received a message from him: [I'm at the airport.]
A few minutes later, another one: [About to board now.]
Then two hours later, he sent: [I'm in Harmony City.]
Olivia looked at several consecutive messages without replying, her expression quite peculiar.
Why did she have the feeling of suddenly entering a dating routine?
The way Andrew was acting really gave her the sense that he was reporting his schedule to his girlfriend.
As soon as this thought appeared, Olivia felt she must be crazy!