Chapter 258 - Silly Stick

During the remainder of their flight, the group huddled and talked about their options later once they landed.

After a few options on the plate, they decided to go along the flow and part ways like they normally planned.

As scheduled, Oliver, Ava, and Finn would go together in their car, while Wyatt and Aerith would go home together. Olivia and Emily on the other hand had arrangements of their own.

Wyatt convinced them there was no need to stress about who goes first or for them to come out as a group because the reporters would not dare attack a man such as Oliver Lin, which the man in the hot seat agreed to as well.

It didn't surprise them that the media would be waiting for their group's arrival.

Besides being known as Maxen's closest friends, Oliver and Wyatt were also shown in the paparazzi photo which surfaced days ago.

It was pretty obvious that their group were spending a vacation together, hence, giving the media an idea that they will also come home in a group.

The rest had an understanding that if Maxen dodged the media's questions, chances were, nothing would stop the reporters until they got the answer from other sources which were his closest friends.

True enough, everyone waited for them outside the arrival area after getting word that the friends would be arriving at a later flight.

As soon as Oliver's jet landed, and the group made their way to their waiting cars, the swarm of reporters camped outside the arrival area of the airport welcomed them with a red carpet of flashing lights and strings of questions.

"Mr. Lin!"

"Any comment on Prince Maxen's girlfriend?"

"Who's the girl in the photo, Mr. Lin?"

Oliver being Oliver, didn't spare a glance at the reporters. He was busy ushering his family to their car.

On their way, Ava cradled Finn in her arms while Oliver enveloped his wife and son with a protective cocoon, shielding his family from the onslaught of blinding flashes.

Thankfully, a line of guards, linked arm in arm, acted as their human barrier, shielding them against the swarm of reporters who fought each other to get a word from Oliver.

By that moment, the media was crazed unlike earlier when Maxen arrived. Everyone was desperate for answers and felt as if they had to force it out of Oliver Lin.

They pushed and squeezed each other, throwing questions in the air, hoping Oliver Lin's facade would crack and give them a hint of who Maxen's mystery woman was.

It was when a boom mic slightly tipped forward, almost hitting Ava's head had Oliver's reflexes failed to catch it on time.

Grasping the mic in his hand, he yanked it, and a girl with a lithe frame and pink cap on her head held onto it as if her life depended on the microphone.

Noticing it was a girl, Oliver let the matter slide instead of attacking the person who dared hurt his wife.

He might be ruthless, but he would never hurt a girl, especially after seeing how helpless his mother was in her hospital bed for years.

Oliver's grip on the mic tightened and veins adorned his forearm with his deathly grip.

He stepped forward, pushing the apparatus farther and farther until the girl with a pink cap was driven to backend of the line.

Nobody dared utter a word unless they had a death wish. Oliver Lin wasn't just known as the Lin empire's heir, but a man whom one should not dare cross. The reporters stood motionless and silent, watching the scene unfold.

Oliver finally released his grip on the microphone, leaving everyone stupefied in their spots. He took it as his cue to leave in peace, so he strode back to the waiting car.

In the silence of what should have been an ear-piercing moment, a smirk ghosted Oliver's lips as he boarded the car. He won't lie, incidents where he had to flex his omnipotence made him feel more alive than ever.

Inside the car's cabin, Oliver looked behind through the rear window and mused, "Not sure if we should thank that clumsy girl or not."

He hung his arm over Ava's shoulder, planting a kiss on her head. "Anything else that hurts?"

"Stop overreacting, sweetie. It didn't even touch a single hair of mine. Poor girl. She must be terrified."

Ava shifted in her seat and took a peek in the same direction, smiling at the floating pink cap amongst the sea of reporters.

Turning her attention back to her husband, Ava planted a kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she said.

Oliver responded with a smile, so Ava planted another kiss on his lips, and a silent understanding passed between them.

Snuggling her head on the crook of his neck, Ave took comfort in Oliver's sturdy c.h.e.s.t as she looked forward on the highway which led to their home.

If Ava felt peaceful, Oliver, however, couldn't stop looking behind him. There was this itch under his skin that he couldn't seem to shake off.

He glanced one more time on the rear window, and the ants under his skin disappeared upon seeing Uncle Jin stepping out of the car. He also noticed the reporters were packing up and dispersing in the arrival area as well.

Oliver finally relaxed knowing Olivia wouldn't be bothered by those flies just in case they would sniff something suspicious after spotting the Lin heiress in the airport. They surely would not attack her, right?

It was when his phone beeped and he received a message from Maxen that Oliver stopped overthinking. He closed his eyes for a second and braced himself for the days to come.

Back in the arrival area of the airport, Emily and Olivia parted ways, exchanging cheek kisses and bear hugs in the VIP lounge. Olivia winced as she witnessed her friend being attacked by the reporters outside.

As if Emily was used to it, Olivia was in awe when her friend never paused and kept pushing forward until she reached and boarded a car.

Olivia thought, it should be easier when it's her time to step out. Perhaps they don't even know who she was. Her reverie was cut short when a soft voice called her name.

She pivoted on her heel and her eyes gleamed with joy to see Shadow with Beauty in tow. The feline was the reason why Olivia had to stay longer because airport security had to check Beauty's paperworks.

Cradling Beauty in her arms, she strutted towards her car where Uncle Jin was waiting for her.

Wearing a white shirt with Mickey Mouse print on it, paired with tattered jeans and sneakers, Olivia strode out of the arrival lobby like a breeze.

She was comfortable with her clothes and with Beauty in her arms; she felt at ease even with the sight of a few reporters lingering in the arrival area.

From the corner of her eyes she saw a girl standing close to the gutter. Olivia winced when the girl tripped backwards after getting shoulder-bumped by another person.

"Watch out!" Olivia warned, extending a hand as if it would keep the girl from falling. However, just as she was a few steps away to help the girl, the microphone boom in the girl's hand swung towards Olivia's way.

Guns were immediately drawn in an instant, all pointed towards the girl with a lithe frame and wearing a pink cap.

The girl in the spotlight dropped the stick and raised her hands in surrender as she kneeled on the ground.

"Elsa!" someone gasped upon seeing what happened.

Elsa, on the other hand, was frozen in place. Her head was bowed the entire time, afraid that a bullet would pierce through her skull if she moved even an inch.

"Relax, it's just a silly stick. You don't have to scare her."

Elsa peered up and met Olivia eye to eye. Entranced, Elsa stood up without breaking eye contact with Olivia.

She soon realized she was so starstruck that she was still holding Olivia's hands.

It was then that her eyes snapped down to their clasped hands that she saw something she never imagined seeing in her entire life.

Right before her very eyes was the heirloom engagement ring of the royal family.