The Day I Went Silent Chapter 24
Cloud Pavilion Club was exquisitely decorated, its atmosphere quiet and serene.
Julian sat by the window, his fingertips gently rubbing the side of his teacup.
The rising steam blurred his handsome, refined features.
The click-clack of footsteps approached, followed by a bag dropping onto the table, and then Olivia’s voice, suppressing her anger.
“I’m here.
Spit it out. What do you want to talk about?”
“Do you still remember this place?”
Julian wasn’t in a hurry to answer her. His gaze drifted out the window. “When you were still in school, I used to bring you here all the time.”
Of course Olivia remembered.
Back then, Robert and Eleanor had dumped her on Julian to look after. He would call her a burden, yet still diligently pick her up after school.
At the time, Julian had already started taking over the family business. He would pick her up and immediately rush to the Cloud Pavilion Club for business dinners.
Wearing her school uniform, Olivia would be placed in a private room to do her homework, occasionally receiving a slice of strawberry cake.
The waiter would tell her that Julian had ordered it especially for her.
Times had changed, and even though things had deteriorated to this point, those past memories weren’t fake.
Olivia lowered her eyes, her voice devoid of emotion: “Later, you started dating Chloe, and you never brought me here again.”
Julian paused, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes: “I’m sorry…”
“I grew up and worked entirely according to the Vances’ wishes. When I suddenly met someone like Chloe, I was drawn to her.”
“Actually, I didn’t even like her that much, especially after marrying you… I just couldn’t forget that feeling I had back then.”
“I knew early on that Chloe was no good, yet I still let her bully you…”
“From now on, let me make it up to you, okay?”
“Make it up to me?”
Olivia shook her head. “I don’t trust you anymore.”
“Let it go. Don’t touch the Sterlings, and I can still treat you like a brother.”
A deathly silence filled the air.
Julian suddenly laughed, his tone playful: “A brother?”
“Olivia, who the fuck wants to be your brother.”
Olivia was stunned.
Julian had always been aloof and disciplined. This was the first time she had ever heard him swear.
Julian leaned in slightly, looking straight into Olivia’s eyes: “I want you to come back to me, or else the Sterlings will suffer. Do you understand?”
“Olivia, my patience has its limits.”
Olivia clenched her fists. Anger flared up from the bottom of her heart, only to fade into a faint sense of powerlessness.
The two of them remained in this deadlock.
Julian wasn’t in a hurry. He poured himself another cup of tea: “Olivia, don’t be so stubborn.
You can’t outlast me.”
“Mr. Vance sure talks big.”
A deep voice suddenly rang out. Olivia froze, then snapped her head up.
The man was wearing an overcoat, leading a cute little boy by the hand. The dark green in his eyes was like the most dazzling and precious gemstone.
“Levi?
Meilani?
Why are you two here?”
Levi walked over and sat down on his own accord, flashing a smile at Olivia: “A certain lady said she’d be right back. I waited and waited but she never showed, so I had to come see for myself.”
His features were sculpted and his aura was cold, but when he smiled, his eyes curved, softening the sharp edge around him.
But based on what Olivia knew about him, beneath this breathtaking smile was definitely a raging storm.
She shivered slightly and quickly shifted her gaze to Meilani: “Why did you come along too?
Shouldn’t you be in class?”
Meilani was much more direct, pouting: “If I didn’t come, Mommy would be snatched away.”