Olive had lost count of how many times she had rolled her eyes because of Darius and Riana's singing and humming loudly in the backseat. Oh, not to forget Yossie, whom Olive had tried to seat between her two noisy friends, but she had also joined in the deliberately created excitement.Darius said, "Let's not make it quiet. Besides, Mr. Thomas didn't object, right, sir?"Thomas was asked, and his response was just a smirk. He even agreed and slightly increased the volume of the car's audio. That only fueled Olive's irritation further. Her arms had been crossed over her chest for a while now."Just enjoy the moment, Liv," Thomas said with a chuckle. "They're having fun. They're not uptight and know their place. Besides, this is outside the office, so it's fine if they're relaxed like this.""Annoying, you know that, sir," grumbled Olive."Why don't you just say you want to be alone with me but can't because they're here? Isn't that it?"Olive

"Mom," Thomas called out. This time, he sat down comfortably while propping himself up. Talking to his mother on the phone was always fun, even though he had to ask this and that, including health and her daily life back in their hometown. Sometimes Thomas wanted to visit his mother there, with a sudden surprise. Just to avoid her persistent complaints about not being visited by Thomas.Like now.Since he entered the apartment, his phone had been ringing loudly. His mother's name appeared on the screen, and he immediately answered it. He didn't want to be disobedient by not responding to her calls. Don't worry, Thomas was in the living room. He hadn't even gone to the bathroom yet to change his clothes."Did you hear Mom's words, huh?""I heard, Mom," Thomas chuckled. "Until Mom wants to eat beef soup in Kauman’s market, right? I heard all of Mom's stories. The other day, Mom went to the doctor with Mrs. Ginem. Two days ago, Mom attended a religious

Late at night, after Thomas had dropped off Olive from the gathering."Sit here, Liv," her mother commands. A cigarette still lingers in her hand, and the smoke is still wafting, accompanied by a half-full coffee cup. Her mother claims that smoking without coffee doesn't feel right, though Olive can't quite fathom the correlation.She's not a fan of either of those things. She's a bit puzzled, to be honest, why her mother is so fond of smoking and drinking coffee. But her face still glows, shimmers, and looks naturally beautiful. Supposedly, cigarette smoke can make wrinkles more visible, but not for her mother. What's her secret, anyway?"Mom, aren't you working?" Olive asks with a hint of suspicion. It's already eight in the evening. Her mother is usually getting ready to head to the café to make some money."I took the day off today."Olive's brow furrows. "I know your schedule. Today isn't a day off." She takes a seat beside her mother. The evening breeze that's been playing with

Marta was incredibly frustrated. The image of Olive descending the stairs felt like a nightmare. And the man she had worked so hard to persuade to sit next to her, have dinner with her, and didn't mind if there was a hint of annoyance from the man towards her, just left to chase after Olive!Oh my God!She wanted so badly to step forward, drag Olive back upstairs, or unleash a barrage of disgusting words to make Olive stumble. But she realized her position. What would she gain if she continued? Even though her desire was overwhelming, Marta still cherished the name she had carried for so long. Could she stoop so low just for love?Although she had done a bit of it already.She massaged her temples gently. Her head was throbbing again. Her stomach felt a bit queasy too. Ah, she remembered. Since returning from the gathering event, she hadn't slept soundly. Her appetite had also waned. Her activities had been disrupted. She even found herself crying because this time her broken heart ha

The doctor's note clearly stated she needed to rest for three days. But being a hard worker and unable to stay still at home, Marta was back to work on the third day. It was the last day she was supposed to rest."Huh? You're back to work? Are you sure you're fully recovered?" Thomas asked, quite surprised to find Marta sitting at her desk. As usual, after checking in on the second floor, Thomas preferred taking the stairs. It allowed him to greet the staff along the way."I am, sir," Marta smiled, her eyes, which had been admiring Thomas, now shifted to Thomas's belongings. His helmet and jacket seemed to have become his regular accessories in his hands. "Always riding a motorcycle now, sir?"Thomas just smiled. "Using our car might make me late, Marta."The word 'our' that Thomas just mentioned was like an arrow that pierced Marta mercilessly. But what could she do? This man had already decided where his sympathies lay. What could Marta do? Fight for it