Chapter 37
Chapter 37:
With her fingertips pressing lightly into her palm, Olivia spoke in a gentle, coaxing tone. “Girls are always charming. Please, Ryan—just let me see a few p>
Unable to hold out against her soft insistence, Ryan finally pulled the albums from the cabinet.
Stacked inside were several thick volumes, nearly all of them tracing Kailey’s life from the age of eight onward, with Ryan appearing beside her at almost every significant moment.
As Olivia continued turning the pages, her breathing grew gradually shallow and uneven. Kailey’s energy had been vivid and undeniable even in childhood. Several photographs showed a teenage Kailey laughing boldly as she leapt onto Ryan’s back without the slightest hesitation.
уo𝘂𝗋 dai𝗅𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝗌𝖾 𝘰𝘧 ոо𝘷𝗲ls о𝗻.с𝗼𝗆
Without warning, Olivia snapped the album shut.
Confusion flickered across Ryan’s face. “What’s wrong p>
“It’s nothing,” Olivia replied with a strained little smile, her fingers tightening around the cover. “My eyes are just tired. I want to lie down for a bit p>
Ryan glanced briefly at the clock on the wall. “Alright, get some rest. I have a little work to take care of. Call me if you need anything p>
Olivia gave a small nod. “Okay p>
As the amber light of dusk slowly filled the corridors, Aleena instructed the maid to prepare a guest room for Olivia. Her feelings toward the girl were neither warm nor cold—simply distant. Still, since Ryan had personally brought Olivia into their home, basic courtesy called for proper arrangements.
Later that evening, Sawyer stepped through the front door after a night of social engagements and stopped when he spotted his wife carrying a humidifier toward the guest room. “Do we have a visitor p>
Fatigue weighed heavily on Aleena’s shoulders after the long day, and she released a quiet sigh. “Kailey came back today. Shirley could tell she and Ryan had argued, so she called him back as well.” Her gaze drifted toward the room where Olivia still lingered beside Ryan. “What I didn’t expect was that Ryan would show up with a girlfriend p>
Realization moved across Sawyer’s face. “You think she might be his first love p>
Aleena offered only a casual lift of her shoulders in reply.
To her, whatever Ryan felt for Olivia seemed shallow—nostalgia dressed up as something deeper, rather than anything truly serious. But interfering in her brother-in-law’s romantic life felt entirely out of bounds, so she kept her thoughts to herself.
Once the guest room had been tidied and the last wrinkle smoothed from the sheets, Olivia stepped out of Ryan’s bedroom.
“Aleena.” A warm, easy smile spread across Olivia’s face as she walked over with practiced familiarity. “Ryan was just showing me some old photos. You’ve taken amazing care of yourself—you honestly haven’t changed at all p>
Aleena gave a quiet sigh. “No matter how carefully I take care of myself, time still wins in the end. Everyone grows old sooner or later. By the way, your room is ready. Feel free to turn in early if you’re tired p>