Eugene replied, “I know that. Olivia also told me that she would’ve ceased to exist without you, which is why she’s been hesitating to tell you. In fact, she already said yes to me the last time you came over. Honestly, George, you’re my love rival, but you’re also a savior to me.
I’m really grateful to you for that, so I hid when Olivia told me to. Even though I feel jealous seeing you two getting thick together, I know that you sincerely mean her well. There’s no fairness when it comes to relationships, so I can only say sorry for all the things you’ve done for her. I love her very, very much. If you insist on separating us, you might end up losing her!”
George felt a particular dislike for his last remark. “Are you so sure that I’ll lose her and not that she’ll go with me?”
“No, that’s not it. Olivia says you have a condition that she has to meet. If you ask her to go with you, I think she’ll do so, but I’d say she won’t be happy since you and I are equally important to her. There are some things that I can never give her no matter how hard I try, such as complete trust and dependency. That time when North got abducted by Anna, she’d rather make an overseas call to you than reveal her vulnerable side to me,” replied Eugene.
“Likewise, there’s one thing that you can never give her no matter what, which is the feeling of burdenless and rightful confidence. She doesn’t feel any pressure around me and can do whatever she wants, whether it’s quarreling with me or even blowing up at me. But when she’s around you, she feels indebted and guilty toward you!”
George fell silent. In reality, he also sensed that Olivia had been minding her Ps and Qs in front of him, especially after she returned to her home country. She always treated him with respect as if he were her parent; even when she acted mischievous or spoiled, it would look as though she were doing it in front of her own brother. She really didn’t appear as natural as when she was with Eugene. His eyelids drooped. Can I only be a brother to her but not a boyfriend?
Looking at the man, Eugene continued, “George, North is my child with Olivia, so it’s best for him that Olivia and I be together as a couple. He’s been very mature, and he often says things that surprise me. I know that he wouldn’t have been such a great kid without you, aside from the fact that he’s more mature than other children because he sees that Olivia’s alone. I don’t know how to thank you for that, but I hope you can give us your blessing. I think Olivia would certainly want that.” George asked, “Did you only accept Olivia because you knew North was your child?”
The man replied, “Actually, I’d fallen in love with: her before I knew this. Knowing that North was my son only quickened the pace at which I was. courting her. In fact, George, I think of you as my brother-in-law, and I mean it. I don’t want to come to blows with you because that isn’t what Olivia would want to see. I know I’m not good enough in your mind’s eye, so I’ll do my best to get my business here sorted out to give Olivia an undisturbed living environment.”
Speechless, George didn’t say anything else. No words could outweigh the fact that Olivia didn’t love him. He thought he could have a good fight. with Eugene with everyone else gone, but he didn’t expect the man to be so humble and even ingratiating. Despite his resentment, he had. nothing left to say.
Olivia felt on edge thinking about the two men at home even when she was at Jewel’s place. Soon, she took Jewel back to the 59th floor.
However, as the trio entered her apartment, she found that George was sitting alone on the couch, whereas Eugene was nowhere to be seen. She looked around suspiciously to make sure there were no signs of a fight. They couldn’t have destroyed all the evidence, could they? ‘George, where’s Eugene?”
