THREE : OLIVIA

OLIVIA

Dinner was finally over, but my mind refused to slow down. The clinking of dishes being cleared, the faint shuffle of the maids’ footsteps, even the low hum of the chandeliers above—it all blended into a background noise I barely noticed. My thoughts, however, were loud, relentless, and merciless. Adrian. His presence. That magnetic pull I couldn’t explain.

I was about to excuse myself, make a graceful retreat to my room, and hide from the storm raging in my chest when Dad’s voice stopped me mid-step.

“Olivia, sit for a moment,” he said, leaning back in his chair. His eyes were calm, but I could feel that faint trace of his usual authoritative weight.

I froze, trying not to let the panic show. I glanced at Adrian, who didn’t even look up from his phone, his thumbs moving rapidly over the screen. The glow from the device accentuated the sharp lines of his jaw and the serious curve of his lips. How can someone look so… untouchable, so untouchably calm, while my world is falling apart? I thought bitterly.

“Is there any problem?” I asked cautiously, raising a brow at Dad.

“No problem,” he said smoothly. “I just wanted to talk to you about your new arrangements, to make everything a little easier for you.”

I sat back down, my fingers fidgeting with the napkin in my lap. “Okay,” I murmured, trying to sound casual.

“First,” he began, “I’ve arranged your transfer to your new school. Given your excellent history and grades, you can take some accelerated courses and potentially graduate in half a year instead of a full school year.”

I blinked. “Wait… really?”

He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I want you to have every opportunity, Olivia. I know this is all sudden, but I want you to feel welcome here.”

My chest tightened. Part of me wanted to cry, part of me wanted to scream with disbelief. Everything is too much. Too fast.

“And that’s not all,” Dad continued, leaning back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him. “I thought you might like a little… homecoming gift.”

My curiosity peaked, but I tried not to let it show. “Homecoming gift?” I repeated.

“Yes,” he said. “For starting this new chapter of your life… something that’s yours, something you can drive to school, to work, wherever you please.”

Before I could respond, Dad gestured subtly to the door, and Adrian, who had finally put his phone away, got up and led the way outside.

I followed hesitantly, my heart hammering in my chest. The cool night air hit me, a soft breeze brushing across my skin. And there it was—my jaw almost dropped.

A sleek, jet-black sports car gleamed under the estate lights, polished to a mirror-like finish. The curves were flawless, the headlights cutting through the dark like twin eyes, and the interior looked just as luxurious as the exterior.

This is… insane, I thought, taking a tentative step forward. My hands itched to touch it, to feel the smooth metal under my fingertips.

“It’s… beautiful,” I breathed, hardly believing it.

Dad nodded, watching me closely. “It’s yours. A gift for coming here, for taking this step. I thought it might make the transition easier.”

I swallowed hard, overwhelmed. “I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied, his tone softer now. “Just… enjoy it.”

Adrian stood a few feet away, arms crossed, leaning casually against the car. He didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance at me. And yet, just the way he was standing there made my heart skip a beat. The curve of his shoulders, the way his muscles subtly shifted under the fabric of his shirt—it was impossible not to notice.

I cursed myself silently. He’s my stepbrother. He’s my stepbrother. He’s my stepbrother.

But saying it didn’t help. It didn’t stop the way my pulse throbbed, the way my thoughts kept returning to him, the way every nerve in my body seemed to ache with some inexplicable, forbidden yearning.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to step closer to the car. My fingers brushed over the polished surface, the cold metal grounding me slightly, though not enough to quell the chaos inside.

Dad’s voice cut through the quiet again. “You should take a spin tomorrow. Get comfortable with it. And Olivia…” He hesitated, then added, “Drive safely.”

I nodded, trying to steady my shaking hands. “I will. Thank you… for everything.”

Adrian still didn’t speak. He simply leaned against the car, arms crossed, his face unreadable. And yet, the sight of him, the proximity, made my chest tighten in ways I didn’t want to acknowledge.

Why am I feeling this? I thought bitterly, glaring down at the ground to stop myself from looking at him again. I’ve literally known him for thirty minutes, and I’m already…

I couldn’t even finish the thought without shivering.

The tension was unbearable as we returned inside. The house, which had felt grand and intimidating earlier, now felt suffocating in its silence. Adrian didn’t speak a word, Dad tried to make small talk, and I sat quietly, pretending to be interested, while my mind replayed every moment from dinner. Every glance, every subtle movement, every time his eyes had met mine.

Impossible. I can’t forget him.

I tried to distract myself, moving to inspect the small gadgets Dad had left in my room, the fancy robe draped over the chair, the array of perfumes and accessories meticulously arranged on the dresser. But nothing could distract me from the memory of Adrian leaning against the sports car, the effortless way he existed, and the undeniable pull he had over me.

When I finally crawled into bed, my hands fidgeting with the sheets, my eyes refused to close. I could still see him clearly—his stoic expression, the faint light reflecting off his dark hair, the faint tension in his posture that hinted at life beneath the calm exterior.

I had to admit it to myself.

No matter how hard I tried to pretend, no matter how I told myself he was my stepbrother, no matter how I cursed the universe for putting him here, right in my path…

I wanted him.

And deep down, I knew that trying to resist wasn’t going to be enough.

As I closed my eyes and hugged the pillow to my chest, I whispered to the darkness of my room, to the shadows that filled the corners of this new, luxurious life:

Adrian… you’re going to be impossible to forget.

The following morning. I got up in a soft bed, it took a minute to remember that I am now in my father's mansion and I have a room that is far bigger than my former one.

I sat up in bed to call my mum. The call rang for almost a minute before it finally connected.

"Good morning, mum." I said, in a steady tone.

"Olivia, good morning. How was your night?" She asked, her familiar voice sounding a little bit worried.

"It was good mum, I'm fine. You don't have to be so worried, I can literally hear the worried tone." I told her.

"Can you blame me, this is the first time you have been so far away." She replied.

I smiled and stood up from the bed, slipping my feet into the fluffy slippers before walking out to the small balcony.

"I understand, but I am fine. I will make sure to call you every morning and send a message every night. So you don't have to worry." I told her.

"Yes, just like we agreed. Do not miss a day, okay." She said.

I nodded. "Yes mum."

After a few more minutes of small talk, me yapping to my mum about how big the house was. We finally said our goodbyes.

I looked out to the open space of the mansion, the pool, the gardens.

Until I saw something, or rather someone. Adrian, swimming in the pool. The sun glistening on his wet skin as he did a butterfly stroke, his muscles straining as he moved.

I found myself staring, until he stepped out of the pool. He was wearing a boxers that clunged to his skin and fully exposed him, he might as well be naked with all that I was seeing. I was definitely drooling now.

He was about to look in the direction of the balcony so I darted straight into my room, why? Because I am guilty of ogling his godly, seductive body.