Olivia Sparks

"Okaaaay," Olivia dragged the last syllable under her breath. "Let's not escalate things. Max and I are in the early stages of… the thing going on between us and we are more in the getting to know each other part."

"I call that bull with a capital S.H.I.T. You spent the night together, god knows how many times you did it. Trust me, Livi. You skipped that getting to know each other part."

"Eli." Olivia's shoulders dropped. She tried to come up with an explanation but she was rendered speechless. "You're into this kind of thing too… casual, fleeting, relationsh.i.p.s."

"But you're not. I know you at the back of my head. Plus, you're the type of girl that men bring home to their moms. Prim, proper, intellectual. Promise me, Livi." Eli didn't beat around the bush.

"Mmm?"

"Promise me that at the first sign of trouble, you'll get out and run as fast as you can away from Maxen. I know you're smart and you'll know if something is up for sure because we all know he has a bad reputation with the ladies. He may say he's serious now but until when? I don't want to see you bottling up a heartbreak again. You deserve happiness, stability, peace of mind… everything. You owe that to yourself, Livi."

"Oh good Lord. Can we change the subject? I don't want to talk about this anymore." Olivia pulled her hand away when she started to feel a cold sweat trickle on her back and the atmosphere in the living room suffocating her.

Worried that that morning was his best chance to talk with Olivia, Eli pressed on, "I know you, Livi. You don't let random strangers in your bedroom. You…" Eli arched an accusing brow and his eyes bore into hers. "You don't even let me in your bedroom. We don't have to go around in circles. Please, be honest with yourself too. You like him and you're giving him a chance which is ok as long as you don't put your guard down."

Exasperated, Olivia's voice raised a decibel higher as she asked, "Then what is this talk all about if you're okay with it?"

Eli looked around the living. They were deep into their conversation that they didn't realize the rest of the crowd had scattered away to give them privacy. He released Olivia from his clasp and puffed a breath through his mouth.

"I'm just worried about you. You didn't hear anything from me when you were dating Lance Go or when your engagement with him fell apart because I knew you don't want people to meddle with your affairs. But this time, I can't stand on the sidelines and teether all the time because I know, a hundred and one percent, even if Maxen is damn serious about you, the moment Uncle Henry finds out you are dating a Sui, all hell will break loose. And that guy," he pointed towards the bedroom door, "That guy will fight tooth and nail for you. Who knows, if Henry locks you up again, Maxen might turn the country upside down just to find you."

"That. That is absurd, Eli. I don't get it. Why is everybody over romanticising Maxen and I? You said it yourself, he's dated a lot of women before me that I have to be careful. Then, you'll tell me he's serious. Which is which? And for the record, Henry Lin doesn't have a say in my life. Not since. Not now."

Eli, who had the patience of Budda, took a sharp breath at his cousin's obliviousness. He paused for a while to line up his train of thoughts. Patting Olivia's hands, he asked, "You don't get it, do you?"

"I dooon't. That's why I'm asking." She played with her earrings, twisting and pulling it from her earlobe. Eli then knew that she's starting to get uncomfortable.

"Livi, everybody's talking about 'O Sui' which I found out was you all along. Yeeeey!" Eli waved his fists in the air before a scowl painted his face. "Or maybe not," he continued.

Olivia's lithe frame shook with mirth. She tried her best to hold her giggles but failed. The hilarity of the name and the story was by far the funniest thing she ever heard.

Clutching her stomach, she laughed until she dabbed the corners of her eyes from her tears. "I think I peed my pants."

Hearing her bell-like laughter after what felt like forever and a day, Eli laughed with much gusto too until they came down from their euphoric high.

"Listen to me, Livi."

"Ok, 'O Sui' is all ears," Olivia quipped. Eli shook his head at her nonchalance regarding the situation and felt responsible to inform her of the basics.

"First of all, nobody takes the Sui name lightly, Livi. Second, a bachelor prince plays around until he's ready to settle down. And the news of Maxen who went around pulling strings for a nameless and faceless lady was the first sign that he is… ready.

"That's big news to the rest of the country and probably the whole world. The last bachelor descendant of the Sui Family finally found the love of his life. I bet in your line of work you've already seen how the stocks surged before it closed last night.

"But it doesn't matter to me, because my priority is you. With Maxen's notoriety, you can't blame me if I have to nag you. You know what they say, old habits die hard. He may be smitten with you now but who knows what lies ahead in the long run."

Eli felt his throat dry from all the talking which Olivia noticed too so she walked to the kitchen to get him a glass of water.

Walking back, she said, "Okay, I get it. Thank you, Eli. I appreciate your advice. I really do."

Olivia hid her frustration with a smile. Although she's thankful for his concern, she felt it would still be her call at the end.

In all honesty, Olivia was allergic to hearing words of advice from family members. It was something that she didn't like but she could not turn a deaf ear to, so all she had to do was endure the painful and awkward situation that she was in.

She's used to living alone and making decisions on her own but everything changed the second she stepped foot in the country where they would visit her every other day.

"Aaaah…" Eli said, he could feel his throat moistened at the rush of the water. "I'm taking my leave. I have an appointment with a client too. My love, Livi, don't forget what I said."

Olivia bobbed her head and gave Eli a hug. "Love you, Eli."

"Love you too, my love."

She walked Eli out of the apartment, still in the birthday gown she picked, and waited until his entourage entered the lift. Walking back, she let all his words sink in to remind herself to slow down too. She had a feeling that with Eli knowing the beef between her and Maxen, her auntie and grandma would soon know too.

Inside the bedroom, featherlight footsteps stole Maxen's attention as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. A warm smile painted his face upon seeing Olivia with a few pieces of clothing in her hand. Just when she was about to turn into the en suite, Maxen gestured for her to come closer which she did.

He coiled his arm on her waist and let her sit on his l.a.p, mouthing 'father' to tell her who he's been talking to.

The curious cat that she is, and her thirst for information, she pressed her ear on the phone that it was now sandwiched between their ears.

Maxen didn't mind her intrusion at all. He was busy rubbing the pad of his thumb on the mark in Olivia's t.h.i.g.h.

The two stifled a laugh when the king raised his voice, seemingly annoyed at Maxen's callousness to his schooling.

"I never remember raising a petulant child! How could you lie to the organizers that you got sick."

"Relax, Your Majesty. It was true. I was sick. Love sick to be exact." He chuckled.

"MAXEEEN!"

Olivia flinched when a loud thud echoed from the other line. She sent Maxen an evil glare and mouthed, "That's your fault."

Maxen stuck a tongue out before placating his father. "It won't happen again. You have my word."

The silence in the other line told Maxen that the king was in the middle of contemplating something that Maxen could not say no to and he knew the king would not divulge it over the phone too.

"I'll see you at home tonight, son. Good-bye."

"That's it?" Olivia pried, puzzled at how the conversation abruptly ended.

"That's it." Maxen moved his hand from her t.h.i.g.h to her lips.

He brushed his index finger on her cherry-colored lips, his eyes magnetized at the sight. He could never get enough of it. He could never get enough of her.

Slowly, he inched closer to her lips and waited. He waited for Olivia to meet him halfway and let him know that she wanted him too.