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Olivia’s face lit up, and she eagerly reached out to grab his hand. “Yes! I’m never going back again. I’m going to live here—and be with you.”
Sawyer simply nodded, his movements stiff as he pulled his hand out of hers. “I’m going to leave now. Get home early,” he said abruptly.
He turned and walked away, his back straight as he headed toward his car.
Olivia stood there, stunned, her eyes following him as he drove off without a second glance.
He was a man who would never leave Olivia alone. Wherever she was, he was there.
But now, after all these years, she had returned, and he had left her standing on the street?
Olivia watched in disbelief as Sawyer got into his car, and drove off without a second glance. Her hands clenched into fists as her anger boiled over.
Her angry eyes shot daggers as she stared after the car, fuming with frustration.
Then, with a sharp flip of her heels, she marched back inside the restaurant. Not finding Elliot there, she stormed into his office.
Elliot jumped from his seat in surprise. "What’s wrong?"
She continued marching until she was standing right in front of him. “Didn’t you keep saying over the phone all these years that he’s still madly in love with me? Then what the hell is going on? Why is he acting like I’m a stranger?"
Elliot took a calming breath, his hand patting her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. "He must still be in shock," he said gently, sensing the rising anger in her. "You came back out of the blue. He’s probably still processing it. Give him some time."
Olivia breathed heavily, unable to shake off the humiliation. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself, then looked back at Elliot. “I’m just shocked. He loved me so much... why would he defend another woman in front of me?”
“It’s probably his coping mechanism,” Elliot explained. “What else can he do? He loved you, but you weren’t here. Now he’s trying to move forward. He’s still processing that past between you two."
Olivia didn’t fully believe him, but she didn’t have any other choice but to accept it for now. She needed to find a way to get Sawyer back on her side, no matter what it took.
Meanwhile, Sawyer sat in his car, staring at the picture on his phone. Two children stood hand in hand, smiling. The boy wore green striped pajamas, while the girl was dressed in pink. Her face lit up with a wide, joyful grin, while the boy simply gazed at her, his eyes filled with quiet affection. This was him and Olivia when they were ten years old. They had known each other their whole lives. Their parents were business partners and close friends. At sixteen, Sawyer had asked Olivia to be his girlfriend and they were together since then.
Until the fire happened and burnt Olivia.
"Mr. Stark," Henry’s voice broke through the quiet, pulling Sawyer out of his trance. "Congratulations. Ms. Olivia has returned."
Sawyer glanced at Henry through the rearview mirror and nodded without much expression.
“You don’t look as happy as I expected,” Henry remarked quietly, meeting Sawyer’s gaze. “Mr. Stark, can I just say…” he hesitated for a moment. “Ever since the fire at Miss Olivia’s house three years ago, her temperament has changed so much. I don’t even recognize her anymore. The way she behaves…” Henry trailed off, unwilling to speak the words ‘cunning’ or ‘vindictive’ aloud, but it was clear what he meant. “She’s become someone completely different.”
Sawyer closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, his mind racing. “At first, I thought it was just the trauma from the fire. She was burned so badly. But now, it’s been over three years. She’s not the same person anymore.”
Henry drove in silence for a while. Sawyer pressed the button to lower the window, feeling the cold night air rush against his face.
Henry glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Mr. Stark, now that Ms. Olivia is back, what about Miss Ellie?” he asked carefully. “Are you really going to give her money and send her away?”
Sawyer remained silent for a moment, his gaze drifting back to the photo of Olivia on his phone.
"Yes," he replied quietly. “That’s the deal I made with her. She had agreed to leave once Olivia is back."
“But, Mr. Stark,” Henry’s voice faltered, almost concerned. “Miss Ellie loves you so much. She’s going to be devastated when she hears this. We all have seen how much she’s in love with you. She’s going to be so heartbroken. I’m worried she might even fall into depression after leaving you.”
Sawyer’s hand reached for his chest, the sudden ache making it harder for him to breathe.
He cleared his throat, his eyes shifting back to the photo of Olivia on his phone. Then the memories of their childhood love flashed in his mind.
“That’s the only thing that can happen between her and me,” Sawyer answered coldly. “There’s no other option.”
Chapter 6 A Deal