Olivia talked about how Hugh had once spent afternoons playing basketball with his classmates, his backpack had been stuffed with love letters in secret, and how he had led Olivia to safety on that stormy night when the power went out in the library.
As she spoke, Olivia leaned in closer to Hugh and Serena, her smile bright.
"The power went out, and there was a typhoon outside. I was so terrified. If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would've done. You took me out, shielded me all the way to the dorms, and even gave me your jacket…"
Serena listened intently. For some reason, her heart tightened. That was a side of Hugh she had never seen, a side of her ally she never knew.
She looked up at him.
He was much older than her, with more life experience. High school must have felt like a distant memory to him. Did he ever miss those carefree days?
She was lost in her thoughts, and her mind drifted.
But Hugh's eyes grew colder. When Olivia brought up those supposedly romantic moments, he cut her off in a flat tone.
"The power went out during the typhoon. If you hadn't taken my deskmate's notes, we wouldn't have rushed out looking for you. We were cramming for exams.
The room fell silent.
Olivia stopped speaking. A flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.
She didn't expect Hugh to remember what happened during high school. And he even remembered in such detail. Couldn't he at least give her a little room to embellish the story?
Serena tilted her head, confused. So all that talk about a wild and romantic high school memory was just about retrieving some notes.
Before she could fully process it, Hugh continued, "Olivia, I know you've been through bankruptcy and a divorce, but don't sugarcoat the past. Pinning your hopes on other people or clinging to fantasies won't help you. It's better to focus on building a solid future now that you're back."
She wasn't particularly fond of Olivia. However, considering Olivia's relationship with Hugh, she was willing to set that aside and treat Olivia with proper courtesy.
What exactly was Hugh upset about?
Upon hearing her use the word "we", it finally eased some of Hugh's frustration. He slowly calmed his emotions and found a suitable excuse.
"I want to hear you talk about your mom's work."
Letting more people know about Amber's art was what mattered most. And she could only feel proud if such a great ally of hers appreciated Amber's work.
Without hesitation, she nodded. "Alright. I'll have someone else show Olivia around. I'll take you to see my mom's work."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Game Over No Second Chances