Edwin brushed off the comment and addressed Olivia more seriously.
âIâm not against you two being together.
But he vanished for over a month last time, and now heâs headed abroad again.
Do you even know who heâs meeting there this time? This isnât right! You probably think itâs merely friends with benefits kind of thing.
Since youâve been married before, perhaps you donât take it as seriously now that you meet up occasionally.
But Olivia, casual dating is one thing, commitment is something entirely different.
This is Dylan weâre talking about!â
Laura implored Edwin to halt his critique.
Nonetheless, Edwin was direct in his approach.
He turned to Olivia with a gentle voice.
âItâs actually quite simple.
If you are okay with Gina sharing his attention, then wait-â until sheâs no more.
If you and Dylan are still together then, you should build a life together.
But currently, everything is so uncertain.
If Dylan truly cares about you, why would he go abroad now? Shouldnât he ensure such issues are not repeated? Could he not have his parents fly here instead? Why must he go overseas?â
Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he added, âOf course, you could choose to take a chance and believe in him.
The time youâve spent with Dylan could well justify it.
But as your brother, I wish youâd take fewer risks in life.
â
Olivia, no longer the young woman who could easily rebound from heartaches, listened intently.
She had indeed endured much for love.
Touched by her brotherâs concern, Olivia responded quietly, âBrother, I understand.
â
Edwin then donned his coat and approached her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
âYouâre a big girl now.
The decisions are yours to make.
Remember though, Iâll always be by your side and support you, no matter what.
â
As he prepared to leave for work, Mark called out, âSkipping breakfast, are you? Arenât you hungry?â
From the foyer, Edwin replied, âLauraâs taken care of it.
She made me two eggs and sent them up to our room earlier on.
â
Laura, caught by surprise by his comment, remained speechless.
The air hung heavy with an awkward silence.
Mark teasingly asked Cecilia, âWhen are you going to bring my breakfast the bed for a change?â
While Cecilia was bringing the tea over, her eyes caught the shimmer of the diamond ring on Oliviaâs finger-a stunning blue diamond.
Cecilia held Oliviaâs hand, examining the ring intently.
Reflecting inwardly, she noted Oliviaâs age at 33, acknowledging that she was, like Edwin had implied, not a little girl anymore.
Olivia, reading her motherâs thoughts, spoke softly.
âMom, Iâve given it a try to move on, but itâs hard.
If not him, then it wonât be anyone else.
Iâm prepared for any disappointment.
â
To accept Dylan was to accept Ginaâs presence in their lives, a fact that Olivia found deeply uncomfortable yet helpless.
Edwin, always direct, pushed the matter, but Olivia felt powerless.
Ginaâs father once saved Dylanâs life, and he owed them that much; so Dylan was naturally expected if Gina was really at her death bed.
Olivia couldnât do anything about it.
Tears filled her eyes as she expressed her feelings, feeling wronged by the situation.
Eventually, Mark turned to Laura with a heartfelt request.
âLaura, please talk to Edwin when he returns tonight.
â