She touched them with trembling fingers and asked shakily, âWas this the reason you didnât want to go home?â
âNo,â said Dylan in a hoarse voice.
A lie had come out of his mouth.
Olivia had only been with two men, but she was not naive.
She knew what was going on in Dylanâs mind.
He probably thought it would be better for her to return to Raphael.
She said nothing about his dishonesty.
Instead, she placed a gentle hand on his body and whispered, âCome home with me, Dylan.
â
He looked deeply into her eyes.
Gently disentangling himself from her, he lowered his head and asked, âAre you sure?â
Olivia remained silent.
Her expression was icy, yet the warmth from Dylanâs hand was a stark contrast.
She lifted her gaze to meet his.
Two years had slipped by since his mysterious disappearance following the accident.
In that time, Leyla was born.
She was now a little girl who could both walk and talk!
To Olivia, these two years paled in comparison to the decade they had shared before, but an unfamiliar coolness lingered between them.
Before the accident, Dylan and she had no secrets, sharing every part of their lives.
Now, however, she sensed Dylan was keeping something from her.
Meanwhile, Dylan saw a change in Olivia too.
She was no longer the fragile girl he once knew.
She had taken the reins of the company and steered it competently.
In short, Olivia had matured.
She was independent and strong.
After what felt like an eternity, Dylan leaned in, possibly for a kiss.
But suddenly, he paused, opting instead to pat the dog beside him and introduce, âMeet Gina! Say hi to Olivia, Gina.
â
Much to Oliviaâs amazement, Gina extended her paw towards her.
Olivia gently grasped the paw and turned to Dylan.
âSheâs adorable! Can I be her mom?â
Dylan remained silent, his thoughts unreadable.
Noticing the odd tension between them, Olivia stroked Ginaâs fur softly and then wrapped one arm around Dylan, resting her cheek against his stomach.
The closeness of their contact was palpable.
Dylan, ever thoughtful, knew he had been somewhat distant with Olivia.