The Day I Went Silent Chapter 15
Olivia didn’t know Levi’s exact identity; she had only heard Dr. Winston mention in passing that he seemed to belong to some financial syndicate and had a mysterious background.
In her eyes, Levi was definitely not a simple man. An ordinary person wearing that expression couldn’t achieve such a paralyzing effect.
Olivia only felt her palms sweating slightly: “Mr. Carter, what a… what a coincidence.”
“It’s no coincidence.”
Levi stepped closer, tilting the umbrella in her direction. “I’m here to take Ms. Sterling out for a meal.”
Faced with this situation, Olivia could only bite the bullet and agree.
She and Levi walked down the street, with a tiny Meilani sandwiched between them.
The black umbrella overhead still tilted thoughtfully in her direction, letting a few snowflakes fall onto Levi’s shoulders.
Olivia said in a low voice, “Mr. Carter, you don’t need to waste any effort on me. Right now, I just want to focus on my studies.”
Levi replied politely, “They don’t conflict.”
Olivia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. After a moment of hesitation, she showed him the ring finger of her right hand, which bore a faint indentation: “I’ve been married, and I’ve raised a child.”
Even though the child wasn’t biologically hers; Julian had never wanted her to have a child.
A hint of surprise flashed through Levi’s dark green eyes, but he immediately repeated, “They don’t conflict.”
Olivia: “.”
How did that not conflict?
She felt she was being as earnest as possible: “You’re such a great catch, I’m not good enough for you…”
Levi’s footsteps came to a halt.
He turned to look at Olivia, the surprise in his eyes deepening, mixed with a hint of disapproval: “Why wouldn’t you be good enough for me?
Just because of a less-than-successful marriage?”
Olivia choked up.
“How… how do you know my marriage wasn’t successful?”
The moment she asked, Olivia regretted it.
If it had been successful, she wouldn’t have gotten a divorce.
But Levi said, “When I first met you, I didn’t think you were someone with low self-esteem.
But when you mentioned this marriage, you were obviously very unhappy.”
Olivia was rendered speechless.
It was far more than just being unhappy.
In just three short years of marriage, she was left covered in scars, completely losing herself.
When she first arrived in California, she hardly dared to look in the mirror.
She didn’t dare to meet the eyes of the haggard, lifeless version of herself in the reflection.
It took her a long while to find her voice again: “Yes… but I don’t need a new relationship to prove that I’ve moved on.”
“I’m doing perfectly fine on my own.”
Levi smiled, like ice and snow melting away: “Of course, you are wonderful, Ms. Sterling.”
“I am the one pursuing you; you don’t need to feel burdened by it.”
“You don’t need a new relationship to prove yourself. I just hope you won’t completely refuse to accept me because of your last one.”
Olivia fell silent for a moment, then asked, “What if I really have PTSD and don’t want to date at all?”
Levi let out a helpless sigh: “Then I’ll just have to go back and curse your awful ex-husband all night, and try harder to pursue you tomorrow.”
Olivia burst into a chuckle.
Meilani looked up with a tender, confused little face: “What does pursue mean?
Is Aunt Sterling going to be my mommy?”
Levi picked him up and gave him a kiss: “If I succeed.”
With a face full of slobber, Meilani looked eagerly at Olivia: “Then Aunt Sterling, please say yes quickly.”
Levi was much taller than Olivia, forcing her to tilt her head back just to look into his eyes.
The snow was still falling, swirling down in thick flurries.
Yet Olivia felt the biting cold dissipate slightly, as if even the sharp edges of the snowflakes had softened.
That night, Olivia got on a video call with Eleanor and Robert Sterling.
Rolling around on her bed, her cheeks flushed, she said, “I think I’m in love.”