Olivia Sparks

Shifting left and right, Olivia wiggled in her seat in the rented limousine that picked her up from the airport.  She was practicing the words she never thought would roll out of her tongue but would still say as soon as she would see Maxen. She embedded every word and punctuations in her head again and again although she didn't need to because those words came from the chambers of her heart. "I'm sorry." Fudge. She hated how it tasted in her tongue, but she reminded herself that it won't hurt to admit her mistake and that what would definitely hurt was Maxen getting tired of her constant jealousy. It was four in the afternoon when they reached the hotel in Manhattan but the sky was already dark, the neon signs and building lights gave the city a different life—blinding, invigorating, tempting. This was why everyone wanted a bite of the Big Apple. However, looking up, Olivia couldn't see a single star, making her frown. She wasn't used to seeing a starless sky after staying for almost a year in Nisia.  Holding her breath, Olivia's frown creased deeper as soon as the car drove up the hotel's roundabout. The thought of meeting him in a few hour's time intensified the pulse in her nerves.  Exhaling through her pursed lips, she alighted the limousine leaving behind Shadow to deal with a cart full of Olivia's luggages. Upon reaching her hotel suite, Olivia plopped on the couch. Fishing her phone from her purse, she dialed Emily's number, pulling the phone away from her ear to check the time when the call was forwarded to the latter's voicemail. "Hey, Ems. The eagle has landed. Hmm… what else? Wish me luck? I'll call you soonest I can. Thank you so much! Take care. Bye."  Ending the call, Olivia leaned her head on the edge of the backrest, turning her head to the window where the stunning view of the city could be seen. Shortly after she arrived, a soft knock followed by a beeping told Olivia that Shadow had arrived.  Leaving the luggage cart inside, the pair of bellhop left the room the same way they entered—like a wind sweeping by, quiet and invisible. Without being told, Shadow left the luggages by the bedroom door that Olivia pushed inside. It was a corner room which had a peeping view of Central Park, but it was too dark for her to make out of anything except for the trail of light posts that looked like tiny ants from her vantage point.  Perching her bottoms on the edge of the bed, Olivia took a moment to gather her thoughts before heading into the ensuite to take a nice, long, and much needed warm bath. Dinner time was done when Olivia arrived in the ballroom hall where the gala was being held.  Using her face as the invitation, the organizers let her in a breeze. By the stage, Jack jolted from his spot. He was Maxen's eternal plus one because the latter was terrible at remembering names.  However, after seeing Olivia enter the hall, he didn't know if he should be relieved that a new plus one would replace him, or His Highness would disappear into the night and elope with her, ditching another special engagement that was scheduled half a year in advance. One would never dare question where Jack's loyalty lay as he cupped his pocket, taking out a tin and clearing his throat. "Excuse me, Your Highness." "Yes?" Maxen's eyes squinted, his mind in overdrive over thinking that he must have shook hands with the wrong person or given someone the wrong name, but was surprised when Jack opened the tin resting on his palm. "Would you like some mint?" "What? Does my breath stink?" "No, but maybe you wanted to have some. Here take it." Maxen raised a single eyebrow at Jack and rejected his offer, pushing back the latter's outstretched hand. "Thank you for your offer, but as I said, I don't need it." Jack opened his mouth to protest, but he was interrupted when Maxen looked over his shoulder. He heard people behind him murmur about the "Lin Heiress".  True enough, standing a step away from the door was his baby, in a gown that made him put his fist in his mouth. Dazzling under the chandelier light, his baby was wearing a silver gown with a V-neckline that was too deep for his liking. Thankfully, she matched it with an ostrich shawl that covered her cleavage a little. He caught himself holding his breath as he blinked twice or even thrice just to make sure he was seeing her in the flesh, thousands of miles away from where he left her pretending to sleep hours ago. "Wait a minute. Was that why she was acting? So she could surprise me?" Maxen uttered. He was so taken aback that it took him a while to gather his bearings. It was when realization hit him like a truck when another guest made his move, standing next to her in an attempt to make a small talk, even offering a flute of champagne which she ignored. "Somebody needs to get disciplined tonight," he sneered, a corner of his lips twitched. Pivoting in his spot, he was impressed to see Jack with palm facing up, still holding out the mint for him to take.  "Thanks." He raised one mint in a toast, passing his flute to Jack, leaving his not-so-eternal-plus-one-after-all behind. Maxen waded through the sea of people, his gaze never leaving Olivia's spot. He did his best to ignore those who tried to speak to him, lifting his palm up in a stop. "Bathroom," he excused, so they would let him go, which worked all the time. The closer he got to her, the faster his heartbeat was. He had his fair share of ladies who would surprise him by showing up in the same event that he was invited, offending him in the process.  But not his Olivia. He could feel himself harden, each step more painful than the last, as his pants tightened. However, it was all worth it, especially when he saw how her eyes scanned the room, looking for him. "You have to punish your baby girl, bro. Show her who's the boss," a tuxedo-wearing chibi Maxen urged him on his left shoulder. "But… but… Your Highness, please hear her out. She's here to make amends with you—to say she's sorry and she'll try her best to keep her jealousy at bay," the chibi Maxen in a white robe contested. Maxen cleared his throat as he was a leap away from Olivia, turning the blabbering chibis on his shoulders into a puff of smoke. A small smile formed on his face upon seeing her breath hitch when finally, she found him. Their eyes making contact, sending fireworks in the ballroom hall. Her eyes followed his every move, raising a brow when he reached in his suit jacket's inside pocket, and fiddled with his phone.  When he saw her check her purse, he went ahead, smirking as he walked past her which left a blinking and stunned Olivia in her spot. [Maxen: Coatroom. Now.] Scanning the area, looking for the coatroom, she saw his silhouette walk towards the hallway which led to the powder room.  Olivia's foot dragged her to the place like a moth drawn to a flame, and her heart rammed in her c.h.e.s.t like a charging bull, seeing a slightly ajar door along the hallway.  Looking behind her, she checked one more time if anyone could see them, and was relieved that it was a blind spot. Suddenly, she had to purse her lips to keep herself from gasping when she was yanked inside; the door closing behind her. Gold-speckled hazel eyes pierced to clear blue ones. C.h.e.s.t to c.h.e.s.t, she took a step backwards when he took a step forward, hissing when her back kissed the cold wall, trapping her between it and Maxen's towering frame. "I'm sorry," her lips quivered as she spoke the words that filled her mind for almost twenty-four hours. Her eyes glassed as it pooled tears for the rest of the words she forced herself to speak. She didn't know it was harder to say it in person but was thankful that she was able to get it out of her c.h.e.s.t. "I'm sorry to put a strain in our relationship. I can't help it. I can't help but feel insecure every time I meet someone from your past. This jealousy eats me up because I know I'm a foreigner in my own homeland and I always feel like I'm an outcast, a stranger, even to my own family." The slight force of Maxen kneading her waist made her arms fly, wrapping it around his neck.  She brought his face closer to hers, pressing their foreheads together, pleading under her breath, "Let's work this out, baby. Please be patient with me." "I am. Always. I promise."  Sealing her lips with his promise, they kissed for an extended period of time, taking both of their breaths away.  A knock on the door alerted them, but instead of pulling apart, Maxen cupped her nape, deepening their kiss. He stroked his tongue against hers, eliciting a m.o.a.n from Olivia, which was his cue to let his baby breathe.