Olivia: Loving You in Ruins

A thin mist shrouded the mountain slopes surrounding the small town of Ironwood. The chilly morning air stung her skin, and the breeze carried the soothing scent of pine and damp earth.

On the second-floor balcony of a luxurious villa perched atop a hill, Olivia stood holding a cup of hot coffee in one hand, while her other hand held her cell phone to her ear.

She wore a pastel purple knee-length dress that elegantly hugged her slender figure. Her long black hair flowed freely behind her, fluttering in the breeze.

Her gaze was fixed on the expanse of green forest stretching as far as the eye could see, while a voice came through her phone.

"So?" The man’s voice sounded calm from the other end. "Are you really sure?"

Olivia gave a small smile. "You called me this early in the morning just to ask that again?"

"I’m serious, Olivia." The tone of Reinhard Garland’s voice made Olivia’s smile slowly fade.

"You and Ethan are getting engaged in a few months." Reinhard paused briefly before continuing. "I just want to make sure you’re not doing this because you feel pressured."

Olivia looked down, gently swirling the coffee cup in her hand, watching the dark liquid swirl inside. Of course she knew what her brother meant.

Three years ago, just before taking her last breath, their mother made a request—one Olivia could never refuse, to accept an arranged marriage with Ethan West, the son of their family’s old friend.

At the time, Olivia could only nod in agreement, even though she still had someone she loved. Someone who brought color to her life. Someone who made her heart race just by seeing his smile. But in the end, she chose to leave it all behind. A decision that, to this day, still cuts deep into her heart.

"Olivia." Reinhard's voice snapped her out of her reverie. The man sighed softly. "Are you still thinking about him?"

Thud!

Olivia fell silent. The cold mountain breeze blew across her face. In her mind’s eye, the figure of a man she hadn’t seen in years appeared.

His slightly tousled black hair. That warm gaze that used to always make her feel safe. Olivia could still feel it. Her heart still beat faster every time she remembered him. But Olivia just laughed bitterly. "You’re joking, brother. That was already long passes.”

“But…”

“Come on, Brother. Our story is over.”

She watched the birds flying frantically in the distance. "Maybe by now he’s found someone much better than me," she murmured. Although when she said those words, it felt like a knife stabbing right through his own chest.

On the other end of the line, Reinhard was silent for quite a while. Then a heavy sigh could be heard. "I just don’t want you to torture yourself just to fulfill Mom’s wishes. Marriage isn’t something to be taken lightly, Olivia. It’s a lifelong commitment."

Olivia bit her lower lip. "I know."

"I just want you to be happy, Sis," Reinhard murmured.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Reinhard cleared his throat softly. "Well, never mind. Anyway, be careful over there," he said, launching into his usual advice.

"I hear the weather’s been unstable, please don’t get sick. And don’t go along with any of the crazy ideas that come out of Vivian and Valent’s mouths."

Olivia chuckled softly. "Hey, you haven’t even spoken to them since we’ve been here."

Reinhard snorted. "Heh. No need. Listening to their ramblings would just give me a headache," Reinhard grumbled.

Olivia chuckled softly. Her body jerked slightly when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind. But her surprise gradually faded as the familiar scent of cedarwood washed over her senses. "Ethan! You startled me," she exclaimed.

The man rested his chin on Olivia’s shoulder. His reddish-brown hair looked a little disheveled, and his shirt was slightly damp with sweat. His tall frame enveloped Olivia’s petite body in his embrace.

"I heard someone was talking about me," he whispered, loud enough to be heard over the phone. "Good morning, Rein," he greeted.

Reinhard snorted on the other end. "Ethan."

"Bro, don’t worry." Ethan tightened his embrace. "I’ll take good care of Olivia."

Olivia held her breath for a moment. She didn’t know when Ethan had come to stand behind her. She didn’t know how much of her conversation with Reinhard he’d overheard. Olivia glanced at Ethan out of the corner of her eye. His smile still looked as relaxed as usual.

After chatting for a few minutes, Reinhard finally ended the call when his assistant arrived with his meeting schedule for the day.

Olivia put her phone in her pocket. Then she turned to Ethan, brushing his hand away from her waist. "Have you been here long?" she asked hesitantly.

"Not really."

Oh, great! An ambiguous answer that’s making me even more nervous, Olivia thought to herself. She tried to read his expression, but he looked completely unfazed.

"I actually wanted to ask you out," he said, finally letting go of her.

"Where to?"

Ethan shrugged. "The supermarket. We’re almost out of snacks."

Olivia’s eyes widened. "Huh? Weren’t there still plenty left yesterday?"

"Well, there’s only one bag of potato chips and your box of chocolate left. Those Soren siblings even managed to finish off three bags of chips and two boxes of cookies in a single night. They’re literally like hungry ghosts." Ethan shook his head.

Olivia laughed out loud. "Don’t talk about them like that. They’re your cousins, remember?"

Ethan just rolled his eyes lazily.

"All right then, I’m going to change first. You too... Go take a shower. You stink!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Even if I stink like this, your boyfriend is still handsome, right?" Ethan replied with a grin.

Olivia nudged his shoulder. "Ugh, yeah, yeah. Go take a shower already. Otherwise, all that dirt will cover up your good looks. I’m going to change and get ready!”

Ethan pouted. "Don’t take too long getting ready, Love. Or the supermarket will close before we get there," he replied as he walked off to his room.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia finally came down from upstairs. She had changed out of her dress into a simple tank top, jeans, and a denim jacket. An outfits she found comfortable for running errands.

The villa seemed deserted. She couldn’t see any of her friends or her boyfriend. They were probably already waiting for her in the car.

Olivia walked without rushing, she sighed softly when she heard a faint sound coming from the villa’s living room.

A large TV there was still on. "Ugh, they’re so forgetful," she muttered.

"It must have been one of the twins who left the room without turning it off," Olivia grumbled. Olivia picked up the remote from the small table next to the door. But before she could turn it off, a news report that was airing caught her attention.

"...a man reportedly attacked and bit a member of his own family to death..."

Olivia frowned. She stepped closer to the screen.

A reporter’s face filled the screen.

"The suspect went on a rampage while being apprehended and caused the deaths of two police officers."

Chaotic scenes filled with police tape appeared on the screen. Several medical personnel could be seen coming and going from the scene.

"According to a neighbor’s testimony, the man had been complaining of a high fever some time before he began exhibiting extremely aggressive behavior. In addition, several residents in the same neighborhood are reported to have experienced similar symptoms, namely a sudden onset of high fever."

Footage of several patients being carried away on stretchers was shown in succession. The anchor continued her report.

"Authorities suspect this case is linked to a new, as-yet-unidentified virus. As of now, the origin of the virus is still under investigation."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "A new virus? Give me a break," she muttered.

She shuddered slightly. Something called a new virus could often be the start of a pandemic.

Olivia picked up the remote and turned off the TV. The room was now silent again. Unbeknownst to her, several thousand kilometers from where she stood, in a hospital filled with patients suffering from high fevers, someone had just opened their eyes.

Eyes that no longer looked human.