Olivia winces slightly before she drops her gaze, her posture folding in on itself by the smallest breath. It’s subtle, but it’s enough to stoke the fire already burning in my chest.
I exhale, forcing my voice to remain even. “Anything that needs doing can be handled by someone else,” I say coolly. “I’ll see to it. Olivia’s break should be exactly that—a break.”
Claudia’s hesitation melts into something resembling delight. “Well, that’s…very generous of you, Nathaniel. We certainly wouldn’t want to refuse such a kind offer.”
It sickens me, the way she so easily shifts from indifference to enthusiasm the moment something benefits her. But I hold my composure, my hand slipping down to entwine with Olivia’s, grounding both of us.
“I only want what’s best for Olivia,” I say, letting my gaze linger on Claudia for a moment longer than necessary. “And I won’t tolerate anything less.”
Claudia’s smile falters, just slightly, before she recovers. “Of course,” she replies quickly. “We want what’s best for her too.”
The words land with a hollowness I doubt she even hears. But I don’t correct her.
Olivia squeezes my hand, and I look down at her, catching the glimmer of gratitude in her eyes.
“Come,” I murmur, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “You need rest.”
She doesn’t argue. She lets me take her small overnight bag from the floor, slinging it over my shoulder as I wrap an arm around her, guiding her toward the door. Claudia trails after us, her chatter light and insincere.
“Rest well, sweetheart,” she calls out as we reach the door.
I say nothing, though the venom in her tone is obvious to me, even if she tries to hide it behind a smile. When I open the door and step outside with Olivia, Claudia’s voice takes on a new tone—admiration.
“Oh, what acar!” she exclaims, her gaze locked on the sleek lines of my Aston Martin parked in the driveway. “Someone’s doing very well for himself.”
I glance back at her briefly, the flash of greed in her eyes only deepening my disgust. She doesn’t care about Olivia’s exhaustion or comfort—only what she can gain from this arrangement. But I keep my focus on my precious girl, guiding her to the passenger side and opening the door for her.
She hesitates, her expression distant, before climbing in. I lean down, buckling her seat belt carefully before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her stillness remains, an air of resignation about her that makes my chest constrict.
“You’ll feel better soon,” I promise, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “I’ll make sure of it.”
She nods faintly. I step back, closing the door gently before turning to Claudia again.
“I’ll bring her back later if that’s what she wants,” I say, my tone measured. “Goodbye, Mrs. Bennett.”
“Oh, you must come by the diner,” she says quickly, her smile too bright. “We’d love to show you around. I’m sure you’d beveryimpressed with how we run things.”
I don’t bother responding. I simply slip into the driver’s seat and start the engine.
Claudia is already forgotten the moment I look at Olivia.
She’s the only thing that matters now. And I’ll make sure she understands that.
No one will ever take advantage of her again.
The road stretches before us, winding through clusters of trees and the occasional clapboard house, but my focus is on Olivia. She sits quietly in the passenger seat, her hands resting limply in her lap, her slender fingers curling slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
She’s been quiet since we left, but I can feel her unease radiating off her like a fragile thread stretched too thin.
When she finally speaks, her voice soft and hesitant. “I’m sorry about my mom.”
The words twist something in my chest, a slow, simmering fury that I have to swallow down before I can respond. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, careful to keep my voice measured. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
She glances at me, her brow furrowing. “Still… She was so?—”
“Dismissive,” I finish for her, my tone sharper than I intend. I soften it immediately, adding, “But that’s not your burden to bear. My only concern is you.”
Her gaze lingers on me for a moment longer before she turns back to the window, her shoulders relaxing slightly. I let the quiet settle between us again, content to watch her from the corner of my eye.
