Chapter 169 Red Roses, No Card
Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Morrison had complained about her son Max—how he never came home, married to his work, unreachable by phone.
So when Max walked through the door last night at eight PM, Olivia nearly dropped her fork.
By the time she managed to extract herself and Jack around nine-thirty, the boy had migrated to the floor beside Max, chattering about dinosaurs.
That's how she ended up this morning with Dr. Morrison announcing Max would walk Jack to kindergarten.
"Dr. Morrison, that's really not necessary—"
"Nonsense! Max needs to get out." The older woman was already ushering a sleepy Jack toward the stairs.
---
Half a block later, Olivia tried again. "You can head back. I'm sure you have work—"
Max smiled slightly. "I'm on vacation, not busy. And I'm not putting on an act for my mom—I genuinely like Jack."
Olivia smiled back. "The kindergarten really isn't far. Just a few steps. You really don't need to walk us there."
Jack looked up, eyes bright. "Mommy, my legs are tired. It's such a long walk."
"Then you walk for a bit, and I'll carry you for a bit."
Jack turned to Max and threw his arms around the man's legs. "I want Uncle Max to carry me. Uncle Max is really strong."
"Jack, don't—" But Max was already scooping him up.
"You're not bothering me." Max settled Jack on his hip. "Your mom's the one we're inconveniencing."
There was no winning this. Olivia fell into step beside them, hyperaware of how they looked—a woman, a man, a child. The picture of normalcy.
Max chatted easily with Jack about dinosaurs while Olivia maintained a careful half-step distance. When they reached the kindergarten, Jack threw his arms around Max's neck. "Bye, Uncle Max!"
As Jack ran inside, silence fell between the adults.
"Thank you," Olivia said. "I'm sorry—kids don't have boundaries."
"He's four. That's normal." Max smiled. "Honestly? It was nice."
They started walking back. "I should get to work—"
"Let me drive you. My car's in the garage."
"The subway is only a few stops—"
"My mom will kill me if she finds out I let you take the subway." His smile was patient but desperate. "You'd be doing me a favor."
Olivia understood that impulse. "Alright. Thank you."
They'd gone another block when a horn blared.
Olivia jumped, heart hammering. Max's hand came up instinctively, positioning himself between her and the street. "You okay?"
"Fine." She forced herself to breathe. "Just startled."
---
Inside the Maybach parked by the roadside, Ethan lit another cigarette, his deep, sharp eyes now bloodshot.
He'd already smoked through half a pack this morning, enough that his throat was raw and his lungs burned. He lit it anyway, dragging the smoke deep until it seared.
That hand. Hovering protectively at the small of Olivia's back.
He wanted to rip it off.
Years of longing—five fucking years of it—crashed over him all at once. The wanting clawed at his insides, made his heart race and his blood boil hot beneath his skin.
God, he missed her. Missed her so much it felt like dying.
He wanted to get out of this car right now. Wanted to cross that street, grab her, pull her against him and never let go. Wanted to kiss her—hard, deep, everywhere—until she was gasping his name. Wanted to watch her come apart beneath him, see those eyes go hazy and desperate the way they used to. Wanted to hear her whimper "Ethan" in that broken, needy voice that used to drive him insane.
Wanted her to say she loved him.
His hand tightened on the steering wheel until the leather creaked.
But he stayed in the car.
He leaned back against the seat, cigarette clamped between his lips, cheeks hollowing as he pulled hard on it.
Too hard. The nicotine hit his lungs like fire and he choked, coughing harsh and painful in the enclosed space.
When the fit passed, he grabbed his phone with shaking hands and aimed it at Max through the tinted glass.
He took the photo.
Sent it to Jackson: Find out everything about this man. One hour.
Jackson squinted at the image. An ordinary-looking man. Nothing special about him.
He had no idea why Ethan wanted him investigated, but he knew better than to ask. "Got it. I'll have someone on it right away."
"And that kid." Ethan's voice dropped lower. "You'd better get a DNA test on him."
---
By eight-forty, Olivia reached Atelier Rose, composed on the surface.
"Morning, Liv!" Amy called from reception. "Someone sent you flowers!"
That's when Olivia saw it.
Two dozen red roses in elegant crystal sat on her desk. The blooms were perfect—deep crimson that only came from expensive florists.
Olivia picked up the roses and examined them thoroughly but didn't see any card.
She'd been at the company for a year and had never received flowers. Why would she suddenly receive a bouquet of red roses today?
Could it be from Max Morrison?
The thought flashed through her mind for only a moment before she quickly dismissed it.
Impossible. She'd only just met Max yesterday. How could he possibly send her flowers?
Besides, in outsiders' eyes, her current image was that of a single mother. Aside from Sophie, even Frank didn't know the child wasn't her biological son.
She hadn't explained to Dr. Morrison either, so the Morrison family, including Max, all thought the child was hers.
And she was a woman who'd given birth to a child. Max was a company executive. How could he possibly chase after her with flowers after just one meeting?
If it wasn't Max, then who could it be?
Another person flashed through Olivia's mind, but she quickly dismissed that too.
Impossible. Even more impossible that it was Ethan.
She knew exactly how proud Ethan was.
Eight years ago, when Ethan had set his sights on her, forget sending flowers—he hadn't even said a single sweet word. He'd used forceful, domineering methods to forcibly confine her by his side.
Now, in his thirties, Ethan was even less likely to do something as romantic as sending flowers.
"You know what?" Olivia picked up the vase. "These are too pretty to keep to myself."
"What are you doing?"
"Sharing." She started pulling stems, pressing them into surprised hands around the office. Amy got the remaining dozen.
She couldn't spend the day staring at anonymous roses, spiraling into paranoia.
---
At three in the afternoon, Frank and Sophie returned.
Frank walked over to Olivia's side and smiled. "Olivia, there's a gala tonight. Come with me."
"Frank, I still have to take care of Jack tonight. Could I possibly—"
Sophie interjected, "You go ahead. I'll help you pick up Jack and take care of him."
Olivia hesitated for a long moment before asking, "What kind of gala is it? Who will be attending?"