Charliefollowedher,buthisgazedidntleaveher.Whenshefeltslightlyuncomfortableunderhisintensestare,hefinallylookedawayandspoke,Ourweddingisinthreedays.
Oliviawastakenabackbyhissuddenmentionofthewedding,thinkinghewasgoingtotalkaboutkeepingtheirdistance.But thenextmoment,she realizedshewasmistaken.
AreyoustillgoingtocallmeMr.Williams?Hisvoicecarriedaslightamusement,butunderneath,therewasahintofgrievance.
Oliviawastooflusteredto payattentiontohisemotions.ThewordOliviathatheusedwaswhatcaughthermind.ItwasntthatnoonehadcalledherthatbeforeherfriendJennifer,herfather,andevenJoehadcalledherthat.ButwhenitcamefromCharlie,itfeltentirely different.
Shetriedtostaycalm,buttheblushspreadingtoherfacebetrayedherembarrassment.Hesawitallbutdidntstepback.Instead,hetookastepcloser.OliviadoesntevenhavemesavedasanythingbutMr.Williams,doesshe? No…no…Thistime,Olivia clearlyheardtheaccusationinhisvoice.Flustered,shewavedherhandsand,asshethoughtaboutthenote onherphone,theblushspreadfromherearstohercheeks.

Ifbefore,Charliesquestionseemedcasual,now,seeingherreaction,hiscuriosityaboutherphonesnotegrew.
Asshespoke,shedirectlytookoutherphoneanddialedhernumber.Theringtonesoundedabruptly,andshehurriedlytookoutherphonetohangupthecall.However,hewasquickenoughtostandbesideher, catchingaglimpseofthenoteonherscreen.
Futurehusband.
Whenhesawthosefourwords,asenseof satisfactionfilledCharliesheart.Hesmiled,stoppingherfromhangingupthecall,andbroughthisphone nexttohers.Hisscreendisplayed twowordsaswell.Wife.
Sherecoiledfromthephonelikeshehadbeenshockedbyelectricity,herearsreddeningevenmore.Sheweaklymuttered,Childish.

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Yes,Imchildish,Charlie didntmind,withdrawinghishandashewatchedherquicklyhang upthephoneandputitaway.Hechuckledlightly,IfOliviacouldremovethewordfuturefromthat,Imightbeevenmorechildish.
Oliviadidntrespond.Sheglancedaround,tryingtochangethetopic,butsuddenlyafigureappearedinhersight.Hewaspanting,seeminglyhavingrunover.Thejoyinhiseyesdisappearedinstantlywhenhesawthemanbesideher.Shewasstunnedforamomentbutquicklyregainedcomposure.Assheavertedhergaze,alltracesofemotiondisappeared.
Charliesensedherbriefmomentofhesitationandalsolookedtowardthedirectionshehadbeenlooking.HisgametJoescoldone.Headjustedhisglasses,thenloweredhisheadandlookedatOlivia.Doyouknowhim? Theslightliftinhistonemadeherpressherlipstogether.Afteralongpause,shenodded,Formerboss.
53.8% Chapter12 Joe,whohadwalkedover,feltasharppanginhisheartwhenheheardherplainformerboss.Heopenedhismouthtoexplainbut,whenhemethergazelikeshewaslookingatastrangerhecouldntsayaword.
Charlienoticedtheoddatmospherebetween thetwoofthem.

Perhapsbecausehisgazewastoodirect,hecouldnthelpbutgrowmorecautious,wonderingifthispersonwastryingtostealhiswoman.
Thoughtsswirlinginhismind,heshowednosignsofhisinnerturmoil.WasntOliviaasecretaryinEdinburghbefore?Howcomeyourformerbossishere?Couldntthishavebeendiscussedoverthephone?WhygothroughallthetroublefortheCEOtocomeallthewayhere? JoesfacedarkenedatCharlieswords,buthewasntheretoarguewithhim.Ignoringhim,hestareddirectlyat Olívia.
Oli…Olivia,Ineedtotalktoyouprivately.Couldyougivemeamoment? Theforcedchangeinhistonemadehisvoiceabithoarse.Hiseyeswerefilledwithuneaseashetriedtoforceasmile,fearingshewouldrejecthimoutright.Hisworrieswerequicklyrealized.
Sheshookherheadandkeptasocialdistance,hertoneformalasshespoke,Mr.Evans,ifyouhavesomethingtosay,sayitdirectly.Myfiancéisstillhere,itwouldntbeappropriatetobealonewithsomeoneelse,wouldit? Joesheartsank,andhissmilefroze.Hehadntexpectedhertobesodirectaboutthefiancépart.Afteralongpause,hespokeagain,Youreally…are gettingmarried? Hearingthisquestion, Oliviacouldnt helpbutscoff,thenthoughtforamoment.ShestillwantedtolookatCharlie,butbeforeshecouldspeak,hehadalreadynoddedknowingly.Youtwotalk,hesaidand
turnedtowalkalittlefurtheraway,squintingslightlyashewalked.