Olivia Sparks - Volume 1 Chapter 118 Take My Cake
“I thought that was Finn’s first birthday gift?”
“No. Well, it took a while to finish the project, but yeah. It’s for Ava and you’re the second person to know about it. The first one is her, of course.” Oliver tipped his glass to Maxen before drinking it, scrunching his face when it hit the back of his throat.
“I’m not shocked. Everyone’s talking about how smitten you were to her, but it’s weird because she rarely talks when she’s around and when she does open her mouth, she comes off as snotty. Don’t tell her I to” Maxen’s speech was interrupted when Oliver shot up from the sofa.
“Sweetie, are you okay?” he asked, walking in long strides to where Ava was. She was hugging the door frame, swaying to an invisible music.
“Why are you still here, Ollie? Who’s with Finn?” Her eyelashes fanned as she tried to keep her eyes open.
Ollie scratched the back of his head when Ava’s explicit instruction was for him to keep Finn company through the night echoed in his ears. “He’s with the nanny. Don’t worry about him. How about I put you back to bed?”
“But Finn might look for me look for us. I got him a toy. Hik! It’s in the bag.”
“Don’t worry about him. He’s fast asleep. Do you know who’s looking for you? Me. Your husband. Now let’s go. The master bedroom is empty.”
However, instead of walking towards the master bedroom, Ava dragged her feet back to where her gal pals were.
So in a last ditch effort to distract Ava, Ollie asked, “Water? Do you want water? It’s in the master bedroom.”
“No, my stomach hurts. No more water. I want to sleep here. We’re having a slumber party, remember? Hiiik.”
Following the direction where Ava’s finger was pointed, Oliver couldn’t help but scowl.
Frozen in his spot, he watched as his wife left him and went inside the bedroom where the gal pals retreated that night.
And when Ava’s shadow disappeared in the darkness of the bedroom, he went back to where Maxen was and saw the guy fast asleep on the sofa while sitting down.
How on Earth could someone do that?
Turning on his heel, he mused, “I guess the master bedroom’s mine tonight then.”
He was a step away from entering the master bedroom when he turned around and checked in on the girls one last time.
Oliver popped his head in between the frame and the door and saw three ladies sharing one bed with Ava and Olivia sandwiching Emily in the middle.
He could not help but chuckle at how weird their ensemble was, for a look at their outfits were telling how the three were a bunch of mismatched friends.
Featherlight tiptoes roused Maxen from his hunched slumber, but instead of catching the person, he laid down on the sofa and caught up with more sleep.
…
Back in Shibumi Hotel, a team of housekeeping staff entered Wyatt’s hotel room. And as if something they have seen the same thing before, the team went about and helped him out of his handcuffs.
“Go away,” he said in an almost whisper. His wrists were sore, and his soul was empty. He’d been thinking about Emily’s smile the whole night just so he could not feel the numbing ache in his arms.
And when the staff was not fast enough for him, he roared, his voice jolting Emily outside. “I said get the f.u.c.k out! Now!”
The staff beelined towards the door, their cart creaked as they pushed it out of the hotel room.
When the last staff stepped outside and closed the door, Emily gave them a handsome tip for their help.
She turned on her heel, wiping the tears on her face, hating herself for helping Wyatt again.
Inside the elevator, she repeatedly told herself that this would be the last time she would help him.
She was in the lobby when she smelled the freshly baked buns which tickled her nose. So she followed the scent and ended up in the hotel’s patisserie at the left side of the lobby.
Upon scanning the place, her eyes landed on the last box of Japanese cheesecake on the shelf, and so her foot followed the trail that led to it.
TICK!
Two white sleeves reached out for the same golden box, retracting their hands at the same time too.
They exchanged small smiles before they reached for the same item again.
Emily was midway of reaching out again but retracted her hand and let the man have the box of cheesecake.
She was exhausted over fighting for something that didn’t want to stay with her, so if someone wanted that cheesecake, then they could have it.
Anyway, the shelf was full of other pastries, so she should not focus on something that caught her eye at first sight.
To her surprise, when she turned her back to scan for something else, the man behind her handed the box of cheesecake to her.
“Oh. Are you sure?” she asked as she pressed the box on her chest.
Pushing his eyeglasses up on his nose, the man replied, “I was helping you reach out for it earlier. I’m here for coffee.”
“Oh.” She straightened her back and lifted the box. “Thanks.”
The two exchanged smiles before Emily walked to the counter and waved for the cashier to punch in her box of cheesecake.
While waiting, she drowned herself with the hushed voices of people talking inside the patisserie.
“Good morning, Chief!”
“Hi. Hi.” She heard the man behind her reply. As if her ears had a mind of its own, it subconsciously listened to the conversation behind her.
“I heard you’re finally taking that month-long vacation, Chief.”
“Hmm.”
“Nice. Are you what? Travelling? Staying at home?”
“Cuba. Medical Mission.”
“Hi, madam.”
Emily turned her head to where the men were talking and asked, “Yes?”
“Madam.” The cashier cleared her throat, informing Emily that she’s the one calling out to her.
“Oh. Yes. Yes. Here, take my cake,” Emily rambled. She just let the words roll off her tongue. She bit her bottom lip and trained her eyes on the floor when heat of shame pooled and burned her ears red.
When the crinkled sound of the paper bag crossing the countertop snapped her from her trance, it didn’t take a beat for Emily to snatch it from the cashier, bolting out of the hotel.
“What. The. Heck,” she cursed as she caught her breath upon alighting a cab. “I didn’t pay. I didn’t pay for the cake.”