I nodded, standing slowly as they finished.
I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked presentable, but inside I felt hollowed.
“Thank you,” I said to Nora and Lolita before slowly leaving my chambers and making my way to the dining room.
Entering the dining room.
They were all there.
Lennox.
Levi
Louis.
And-Anita.
Another Gift
Of course.
She was seated beside Louis, smiling with that ished. poisonous charm of hers, hands lightly wrapped around a teacup. She looked like she belonged there.
They all looked up at the sound of my heels against the marble floor-every single one of them- then just as quickly looked away.
Like I didn’t exist.
Like we hadn’t shared the same bed.
Like Lennox hadn’t kissed me until I forgot my own name.
My jaw clenched, but I said nothing. I sat at the opposite end of the long dining table without at word and reached for the silverware.
No one looked my way.
I forced myself to eat. A forkful of eggs. A bite of toast. I didn’t taste any of it. My throat was too tight, my stomach felt like puking.
I didn’t lift my eyes. I couldn’t. If I saw his face-Lennox’s-and the way he was undoubtedly avoiding mine, I might break.
And Anita? She laughed. Soft and fake and musical. Probably at something Levi said. Her manicured hand brushed his arm once. I didn’t look. I refused.
I kept eating. Bite after bite. A war on my own tongue,
Then the door creaked open again, and a nervous shuffle of footsteps echoed into the room.
I looked up.
A young female staff member stood at the entrance, her eyes wide, clutching something massive in her arms. Behind her, two more staff struggled to drag it in.
It was a gigantic teddy bear-easily the size of a person, plush and red with a satin ribbon tied around its neck.
“I-um,” the girl stammered, eyes flicking from the brothers to me. “This… this came for Luna Olivia
Silence.
All eyes turned to me.
Levi’s brow furrowed.
Louis leaned forward slightly, confused.
Lennox… didn’t even blink.
Anita’s eyes narrowed like she’d just sucked on a lemon.
The young girl looked like she wanted to vanish. “It was delivered to the front gate this morning. There’s a note but-uh-I didn’t read it.”
A note?
For me?
My fork clinked against the plate as I set it down and stood, walking toward the bear slowly. The room remained deathly quiet as I reached for the tiny envelope taped to the teddy’s paw.
My fingers trembled slightly as I peeled it off and opened it.
Their eyes burned into my back, but for once, I didn’t care.
I unfolded the note.
And read.
“I heard you had a fever last night, and I wasn’t there to be with you, so I sent teddy to you… he will keep you company… think of me as him whenever you are lonely”
My eyes widened as I stared at the note and then at the teddy bear.
Before I could understand what was going on, Lennox, who was seated in his seat, was right behind me and snatched the note from me. I watched him read it as his frown deepened. Louis snatched the note from him and read, and then Levi took it from him and read it, and then their eyes were on me-furious, angry,
“Who is he, Olivia?” Louis was the first to ask, seething with anger.
“How dare him?” Lennox growled. “First, he sent roses to you and now a teddy bear!”
Olivia’s POV
I was confused, stunned, and completely thrown off. Who the hell was behind these gifts? And how the hell did he know I had a fever last night?
“Olivia… don’t keep me silent… speak, Olivia… who the hell is he?” Lennox demanded furiously. His anger was palpable, suffocating.
I swallowed hard and lifted my eyes to meet his. “Lennox, like I said, I don’t know who the hell sent this. If I knew, I would have said so.
“Lies!” Louis growled, stepping forward until he stood right in front of me. His brown eyes had darkened with rage, and the sheer intensity of his glare sent a shiver down my spine.
“You’re lying, Olivia. You know who sent this,” he barked. “And you’re going to tell us who the hell that bastard is!”
My frown deepened as I looked at the teddy bear, then back at the three of them. Each one of them seething with uncontained fury. It clearly wasn’t from any of them. So, if it wasn’t… then who? Who would do this? Who would send this gift just to stir up trouble?
My gaze swept the room again… and landed on Anita.
She was smirking.
Smirking, as if this was all some entertaining drama she had front-row seats to.
“You!” I spat in anger, my chest heaving as I stormed toward Anita. Her smug expression only fueled my rage.
“You did this, didn’t you?!” I shouted, pointing at the teddy bear as if it were the smoking gun. “You sent that damn gift just to stir the pot, just to get me into trouble!”
Anita blinked, acting surprise, then her face twisted into anger. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t play innocent with me!” I snapped, and without thinking-without pausing-I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face.
The sound echoed in the room.
Anita stumbled back, her hand flying to her check in shock.
“You psychotic-!” she began, but Lennox was already beside me, grabbing my arm.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Olivia?!” he barked, his eyes blazing with anger. “You can’t go around accusing people and slapping them!”
“She deserved it!” I snapped, glaring at Anita. “She was smirking the whole time, like she wanted. this chaos. She enjoyed watching you three lose your minds.”
“Are you seriously accusing me?” Anita said, her voice trembling with anger as she stepped forward. Her eyes glistened, not with tears, but with pure rage. “I swear on my life, Olivia-I had nothing to do with that gift. Nothing!”
Louis was beside her in an instant. “I believe her, he growled at me, his dark eyes narrowed with disappointment. “You’re out of line.”
Levi stepped in too, his jaw tight. “Olivia, you need to calm down. This… this isn’t like you.
My heart dropped. The three of them… all staring at me like I was the problem. Like I was the villain.
But I knew what I saw, Anita was smirking. She did enjoy the chaos.
“I’m not crazy,” I spat, backing away from them all. “I know what I saw, I muttered, feeling like I was the only sane person in a room full of blind men. My throat tightened with frustration, my hands trembling with the urge to scream.
“You’re accusing Anita just to cover for someone else. I can see right through you,” Lennox said bitterly. “Tell me who that bastard is,” he repeated, his eyes narrowing.
My rage boiled over. “I don’t know! How many times do I have to say it?!” I snapped, still glaring at Anita. It had to be her. I knew it was her.
Louis pressed on. “You know who sent it, Olivia. You’re just protecting your little boyfriend!” = My brows drew tighter. “What the hell are you talking about?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.