Olivia felt her newfound strength hit a solid brick wall.
"We are not done digging," Mr. Davis promised.
Olivia nodded, gripping her pen until her knuckles turned white, the fear resting just beneath her skin.
***
The following day, Olivia sat on the edge of the bed in her parents' rented house. She was emotionally drained from the meeting, yet strangely restless. She wanted to keep fighting,but she did not know what to do with herself now that the legal wheels were turning.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
It was a text from Leo.
Put your hair under a hat. Wear a big jacket. Dress comfortably. Meet me two streets behind the house, by the tree near the corner. Don’t use the front door.
Olivia stared at the screen. For a fleeting second, she felt like a teenager sneaking out of her parents' house to do something forbidden.
Then reality settled over her.
Still, there was something almost ridiculous about putting on a baseball cap and her father's oversized denim jacket to sneak out of the house in broad daylight. She pulled her hair up, tucked it under the hat, and slipped out the side entrance, walking briskly. She felt nervous, scanning the street, but a spark of adrenaline made her feel alive for the first time in days.
Two streets back, near a large oak tree, a dark gray SUV she had never seen before idled by the curb.
The passenger window rolled down. Leo sat in the driver's seat.
Olivia climbed in, glancing around the unfamiliar interior. "Whose car is this?"
"I borrowed it," Leo said, putting the SUV into drive. "It's not in my name."
Olivia gave him a look.
"I'm not taking chances with James having your parents' rental watched," Leo said, checking his rearview mirror.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm taking you somewhere beautiful," Leo replied, his tone easing into something softer. "Somewhere you can haveone day without lawyers, James, Amanda, lawsuits, or anyone asking you how you feel."
Olivia rested her head against the seat. "Is that even possible?"
"For a few hours," Leo promised, turning onto the main road, "we are going to pretend it is."
He drove them out of Charlotte, heading west toward the mountains. The tense knot in Olivia's chest remained tight for the first hour. She kept checking the side mirrors, watching the cars behind them, waiting for the illusion of safety to shatter.
Leo noticed. He didn't make her feel foolish. He just reached over, turned up the radio, and murmured, "We're clear, Liv. Nobody followed us."
Gradually, the rigid line of her shoulders relaxed.
They reached the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock area by early afternoon. The landscape was breathtaking—a vast, shimmering body of water surrounded by lush green mountains and towering granite cliffs.
They walked near the edge of the lake, the breeze cool against their faces. Leo kept his promise. He did not push her to talk about James or the meeting with Mr. Davis. He just let her breathe. They visited a small overlook, browsed a local artisan shop where Leo made a dry, sarcastic comment about a terrifyingly ugly wooden bear carving, and bought her a small, hand-painted ceramic mug.
He pointed out ridiculous things just to make her smile. Olivia found herself laughing—a real, unforced sound—multiple times. Every time she did, she caught Leo watching her, his icy blue eyes fixed on her face like he was trying very hard not to make too much of the moment.
She was becoming more aware of those looks. She was becoming more aware of the heat blooming in her chest whenhe stood close, or the way her pulse jumped when he guided her forward with a hand near the small of her back. She kept the feelings unnamed, but they were there, shifting beneath the surface.
As the afternoon waned, Leo drove them toward the foothills, parking outside a small, tucked-away building that looked more like an old farmhouse than a business.
There was no polished tourist vibe. A handwritten wooden sign readWhitaker’s. Inside, the air smelled divine—a rich, intoxicating blend of baked fruit, caramelized sugar, and butter. Mismatched plates clinked softly at the few occupied tables.
