Chapter 54

Olivia

I was so lost in my thoughts that I completely failed to notice the figure approaching. Suddenly, a tap on Nathan's shoulder and a familiar face brought me back to reality.

We turned around, and there stood Jenifer, her eyes filled with surprise and curiosity and a hint of something that felt a little darker whenever she glanced over at me.

“Nathan, Olivia,” she greeted us, a trace of something in her voice that I couldn’t quite read. “I didn't expect to see you both here. What a lovely surprise.”

There was something in the way that her voice fluctuated when she said that she didn’t expect to see both of us here that made me a little nervous. However, I chalked it up to my own nerves and instead put on a stiff smile.

Nathan's grip on me relaxed slightly, his smile never wavering. “Jenifer, hello,” he responded, his voice warm — genuinely warm, and not a fake warmth — as he spoke to his adopted sister. “Yes, we thought we'd attend the event together.”

“Oh— How nice.” Jenifer’s strangely bug-like eyes slid over to me. “That’s a pretty dress. Is it new?”

“Y-Yes,” I replied, forcing a smile as I looked down at my dress. “Nathan bought it for me.”

Jenifer shot Nathan an inquisitive glance before turning back to me. “Well, it’s nice. It’ll look good in pictures. Which, by the way, we should take now.”

I was a bit taken aback, but Nathan seemed prepared. “Right,” he said, nodding. “I almost forgot.”

Before I could say anything, Jenifer waved a photographer over. The three of us posed, with Nathan in the middle, for several pictures. Reluctantly, I stood beside Nathan, my body tense, as the camera flashes illuminated the facade we were meant to uphold.

After the photo session, Nathan turned to face Jenifer and smiled. “Those will look nice in the newsletter,” he said. “Thanks, little sis.”

“No problem. It’s important for public relations. I’m sure mom and dad will want to take pictures soon, too.” Her eyes glanced over at me, and she paused for a moment, licking her lips. “And Olivia, of course.”

Once again, I was made to feel strangely uncomfortable by Jenifer’s choice of words. Had she forgotten that I was supposed to be in a “relationship” with Nathan, or was she deliberately trying to make me feel excluded?

“Or not,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. “I’m not the most photogenic—”

Suddenly, Nathan jerked his head up and looked over to the right, causing my voice to falter. I followed his gaze to see Colin standing by a tree a little ways away. He was with a few older gentlemen in suits, and was staring at Nathan.

He must have been using their Mindlink to call him over.

“Sorry,” Nathan said. “Dad’s calling me. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Without another word, Nathan walked away, leaving me alone with Jenifer.

An awkward silence settled between us, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability in her presence. My nerves got the best of me, and I found myself offering a feeble apology for the hunt.

“I’m really sorry about your dress, by the way,” I said quietly. “I feel awful for ruining it.”

Jenifer simply shrugged, a casual nonchalance in her demeanor. “It’s just a dress,” she said. “Besides, I told you that I never wore it anyway. At least it had a good time before its ultimate demise.”

Her response, although funny enough to crack a smile on my part, did little to ease my unease, as her eyes seemed to be holding a hidden agenda.

Then, with a peculiar smile playing upon her lips, she suddenly asked an unexpectedly probing question that took me by surprise and made me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

“So, Olivia,” she began, her tone innocent yet laced with that tinge of something unreadable, “when is the baby due?”

My heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by the directness of her inquiry.

A surge of discomfort coursed through my veins, but I couldn't fathom why Jenifer's interest in the due date would elicit such a strange reaction within me.

Swallowing, I answered with a hesitant voice. “September.”

Jenifer's smile took on a strange quality. “Oh,” she said, her voice coming across in an odd way that made me inexplicably uncomfortable. “That’s interesting.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, cocking my head.

Jenifer simply shrugged. “Nothing,” she replied, smiling. “I was just curious. Well, enjoy the event.”

Before I could say anything else, Jenifer suddenly walked away. Now, I was completely alone.

A sense of unease settled within me, as if an unseen puzzle piece had been revealed, yet I struggled to understand what it all meant.

Chalking it up to Jenifer just being a curious and somewhat strange girl, I decided not to let it get to me.

Nathan returned, a few moments later, breaking my train of thought.

“Where’s Jenifer?” he asked, looking around.

I shrugged. “Not sure. She just walked away.”

“Oh.” Nathan looked a little disappointed, but said nothing. There was a moment of silence between us before he spoke again. “You feeling alright?”

I was a bit taken aback by his question, and mustered up the courage to confront him about it. “Are you asking me that now to look good for the cameras, or because you genuinely want to know how I’m doing?” I asked, my voice tinged with frustration.

Nathan's brows furrowed, a flicker of confusion mixed with annoyance crossing over his features. He sighed, and then seemed to change the subject.

“There’s going to be a luncheon at my family’s place soon,” he said. “It should just be another hour or so before we head over there.”

My eyebrows raised in surprise. “A luncheon?” I asked incredulously. “You didn’t tell me about any of this. It’s not fair to suddenly hit me with all of these events and not give me any warning whatsoever, Nathan.”

Nathan looked at me for a few moments, his eyes slightly narrowed. “I’m sorry. But you knew what you were signing up for, Olivia,” he said. “This is part of the fake relationship we agreed upon,” he retorted, his words cutting through the air like icy shards.

His words landed heavily on me, exacerbating the hurt and uncertainty that had been festering within me. “Well, at least tell me ahead of time in the future, so I can have some time to prepare myself.”

Nathan let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course,” he said. “I’m sorry for springing it on you.”

My childhood friend’s words were apologetic, but it didn’t really seem genuine. I couldn't help but feel betrayed by his dismissive attitude, as if my feelings were mere collateral damage in the charade we were playing.

It felt as though there was a festering bitterness between us, all caused by our relentless bickering and misunderstandings. And now, I didn’t know how long it would take for us to break through the icy wall that was formed.

In the back of my mind, I secretly wished that Alvin was here. If only the third member of our trio was here to help us navigate these rocky waters. Maybe then, Nathan and I could find a way to finally get along.