Chapter 44


    Vincent’s anger


    My mind went nk, and all I could do was stare helplessly.


    Vincent’s voice was a strange mix of suspicion, shock, and uncertainty. “Are you… Is that Olive’s


    scarf?”


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Aaron nced at me with a casual smile on his face. “Is it? I don’t know, I just found it in my room.”


    I was going to kill him…


    As his words sunk in, I felt the temperature in the elevator drop by a few degrees. The air felt like it was


    thinning, and I was too light–headed to turn and look at Vincent’s expression.


    Vincent’s voice lost all of its humor. “You better start exining…”


    Luckily, Daisy chimed in. “Aaron, stop messing around.”


    Then she turned to Vincent and said, “Olive left it in my room. I was gonna give it back earlier, but when


    Aaron saw it, heined about feeling cold and just put it on.”


    Vincent paused again, but his voice was still tense when he finally replied. “Take it off.”


    Aaron didn’t move.


    So Vincent repeated himself, growing more and more irritated. “I said take it off.”


    Aaron smiled, raised his chin slightly, and chose to provoke


    him: “What if I don’t wanna?”


    Vincent immediately let go of me and reached out to yank it off of Aaron, but just then, the elevator


    doors opened. Alex and one of his friends were standing on the other side of the door, stunned by the


    situation.


    Vincent was just reaching for the scarf, but it looked like he was grabbing Aaron by the cor and


    getting ready to swing at him.


    The two guys got into the elevator and pulled Vincent and Aaron apart, then they asked Daisy what


    was going on.


    She stayed silent.


    Vincent was held by his shoulders, and once he calmed down a little, he said again, “Give it back.”


    Aaron ignored him. Instead, he tilted his head slightly to look. at me with an innocent expression. “I’m


    still feeling kinda cold, Olive. Could you warm me up with a hug?”


    I gave Vincent my hand: “Let’s just go.”


    But Vincent didn’t move, so I let go of him and walked out alone.


    After a few seconds, I heard his footsteps behind me.


    Vincent hit the ignition, backed out of the parking space, and drove onto the road without saying a


    word.


    I clutched at my seat belt. “Slow down. You’re scaring me.”


    His knuckles were white around the steering wheel, and his


    jaw was tightly clenched.


    “It’s just a scarf,” I said. “I don’t get upset when you give other girls your clothes.”


    He was silent for a few minutes. He slowly started to let off the gas, but he still didn’t say a word.


    At first, I felt incredibly guilty, but now that I was in the car with him, all that was left was an


    indescribable feeling of cool satisfaction. Just a taste of my revenge was more exhrating than I’d


    imagined…


    It was almost midnight when we finally got home. As soon as we stepped inside, he stormed into our


    bedroom and mmed the door.


    I’d never seen him so angry before, and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. I happily went into the


    kitchen to cook some pasta, and I even popped my head into the bedroom to let him know dinner was


    ready. I paid no attention to his sour mood.


    Once I was done eating, I cleaned up the kitchen and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Then


    I went to the bedroom to grab my nket and pillow, but Vincent grabbed the edge of the nket


    before I could leave.


    “What are you doing?” He asked.


    “You don’t want to see me right now, I get it. I was gonna sleep on the couch.”


    He frowned. “It’s cold there- Don’t bother. Justy down.”


    The truth was that the idea of sleeping in the same bed as him


    made me sick.


    He tugged at my nket again, and I tried hard to hide my disgust behind faux confusion. Eventually,


    he lost his


    patience, and he practically threw me onto the bed and crushed my body under his.


    I’ve been with him long enough to know what he wanted from me, and I was so terrified that I


    desperately pushed him away. “I’m still on my period-”


    Vincent gritted his teeth and red at me. “Then let me use your mouth!”


    “What did you just say…?” I was appalled.


    But his expression didn’t change. “I know you’re lying about your period–that’s fine–but you don’t need


    to be so cold! You always lead me on and you never stop to think about my feelings! We don’t need to


    have sex, but you won’t even put your hands on me! I’ve never heard of a girlfriend who acts as you


    do…”


    I matched his sneer as I locked eyes with him. “I know better than anyone that I have issues with


    intimacy, but I told you this when we started dating. If it bothers you so much, we should break up.”


    ‘Why bother putting up with two women?‘ I wanted to say, but I held my tongue.


    I didn’t want to have the final showdown with him. Not yet.


    He went quiet, and after a few seconds, he calmed down and let go of me. “I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s


    me. I just… I love you


    52.20%


    too much and I get really jealous sometimes. This won’t happen again, okay? Don’t be angry…”


    How could I not be?!


    But I forced a smile. “It’s fine. Just get some rest.”


    It wasn’t until I got to work the next morning that I saw an unread message from Aaronst night.


    Amorris: He didn’t do anything to you, did he?


    HeyOlive: no.


    I didn’t want to me Aaron for what happened, so I didn’t mention it.


    Amorris: That’s good. I was worried about you


    Amorris: I’m sorry


    Amorris: I wasn’tpletely sober when I woke up yesterday.


    I wasn’t thinking straight. Won’t happen again


    HeyOlive: it’s okay, i know it won’t


    I originally wanted to add “Because we’re done.”


    But then I thought about it, and I knew damn well I’d go to him again…


    Amorris: So are you free tonight…??


    HeyOlive: oooh i’d expect nothing less from mr. tomcat


    HeyOlive: it really amazes me. after all the fun we had yesterday, you’re still hungry for more


    Amorris: :‘) It’s nothing like that, I just wanted to take you out to eat lol


    HeyOlive:… oh. awkward. sorry.


    Then something different happened. He sent a voice recording.


    Amorris: “I mean, of course I thought about having you in my bed again, but I didn’t wanna say it. I


    really did just wanna invite you to dinner. My friend opened this new Italian restaurant. He hired an


    authentic gourmet chef and flew the ingredients straight from Italy. I didn’t want you to miss the grand


    opening.”


    He was speaking quietly, which made his voice sound mellow and clear. I could hear his smile in the


    first half of the message, and I was reluctant to decline his invitation.


    Amorris: Let me make it up to you darling


    HeyOlive: alright, i’ll go


    Amorris:


    Amorris: What time do you get off tonight? I’ll pick you up


    I sent him the time my shift ended. Then I texted Vincent to let him know I’d be workingte on an


    experiment and wouldn’t be able to have dinner with him.


    But Vincent didn’t reply until noon..