Olivia
“What the hell?” Yeah, what the hell?
I looked at Karen as her eyes were slightly widened and her mouth was wide open. Not just her, even I was shocked myself. I never expected Blake would show up so suddenly in my house and when I thought he was just taking me to dinner, it turned out he confessed he wanted me. Come to think of it, he never really explained what his reason was. Only saying he’s gone crazy having me out of his sight which actually…he never explained anything. Possibly because I refused to listen and I didn’t want to get involved with him anymore.
“And what are you going to do now?” she asked worriedly.
“Well, maybe I will just act normal for the time being. He hasn’t done anything to me yet except…kissing me.” When I recalled the memory, I could feel my cheeks were burning up.
“You’re blushing, babe.” What I could do with it? My body surely still wanted him. My mind was saying no yet my body was saying otherwise and it pissed me off. I felt my hand being held by Karen’s warm hand as I turned my eyes to her and she was smiling. “It’s never easy, to begin with.”
I knew that. I was just…pissed because I was about to move on and Blake appeared out of nowhere like he could sense I was starting to forget about him and he made his move to make sure I won’t forget about him.
I hated this. This situation I was currently into. I hated it when I was about to do something good to myself and something bad stumbled my way. Like fate was laughing at me.
“Olivia? Are you sure you don’t understand what Blake’s motive is?” she asked trying to make sure.
“I don’t know.” He only said he wanted me. He said he could go crazy without having me beside him. Was he…in love with me? If that was the case, why he abandoned me? And with him dropping his adoption on me, I was still a family. There’s nothing changed between us.
“I don’t want to make you, even more, confused or even getting your hopes high but…maybe he’s in love with you,” Karen stated. That was the craziest idea I had in mind. Some part of hoping it would not happen but the remaining part…hoping that he was indeed in love with me.
But we couldn’t be together. Blake was still a family, he was my uncle, and we shouldn’t be together. Although he had broken my heart, I didn’t want to ruin his life.
I looked back at Karen. “What should I do?”
She sighed. “I honestly don’t know as well.” Right. I knew that because my situation was really unique. “But, how do you feel about him?”
If I remembered again, about what Blake did to me. Despite how he threw me away cruelly, he was the one who saved me and took care of me. At least until my father appeared and gave me away to him. I was grateful to Blake and a few years back; I began to feel something to the older man. At that time, towards my stepfather. Whenever I closed my eyes or trying to look for other reasons; it only led me to one answer.
I looked straight to Karen. “I love him. That’s why it’s hard for me to forget about him. Even to hate him.”
“Oh, babe.” Karen pulled me close as she wrapped her hands around me. Hugging me tight and she was rubbing my shoulder like she was trying to calm her down. “It’s going to be okay. I’m always your number one fan, to you and Blake. I love seeing you with him. I adore how you two are perfect for each other. It makes me think that you two are the true definition of a twin flame, not a soulmate anymore. You two were born for each other, made for each other, everything a couple wanted. But it’s still hard because you guys are still family. You and him might be not related but in the eyes of the society; you two are family and it sucks.”
I smiled at her hold. True, it sucks. It made me think about how come I didn’t meet him normally? If I could turn back time, I would refuse his offer to take me in as his daughter and went straight to the orphanage. At least I knew his name and I could look for him when I got older.
But no one could change that. Like Karen said. Blake and I were not related but we were still family. He was my uncle. I was his niece.
“You’re right. That’s what bothering my head when we were together back in Vegas.” I remembered Blake wanted me so much to the point we almost broke the barrier between us. We almost fucked. Blake stopped because he saw me not ready yet and I bleed out. Did that make me still a virgin? Maybe I was but I understood one thing.
I didn’t want to ruin his life and made him miserable. I had seen a lot of great men who were brought into his downfall because of a woman. They might be loved her, but society will not. People saw her as the source of his destruction. And I would be soon if I was together with Blake and I did not want that.
“I can’t be with him, Karen,” I stated. I wanted to cry when I said that.
“I understand, Liv.” She laughed nervously. “You’re too nice for your own good. Sacrificing your own happiness just because you don’t want to see the man you love deeply fall to the darkness.” Karen let me go and looked at me. “You could run away with him. Far away from here, and maybe to a different country.”
I laughed at her suggestion. “You are crazy.”
“Maybe he could if he’s serious. Who knows? Like you said, Blake is always full of surprises.” She was right and that scared me the most. I didn’t know what Blake might be doing next. He never betrayed his words. When he dropped his adoption on me; he meant it and never once regretted it. He said that himself. And when he said he wanted me; he was serious. I didn’t want to think about what he was going to do to get me back.
I wanted him to understand our situation. He might be had dropped his adoption but we were still family. Was he willing to sacrifice everything so he could have me? That was at high risk.
“Come on. Just stop thinking about that now. You should worry when he’s starting making his moves. You can’t control it anyway,” she said. I guessed I should forget about him. For now. “So, how’s Javier?” Well, that was quick.
“Well, he’s nice.” The truth on Javier owning Premium Soul almost slipped from my tongue. “I might be joining his club.”
“I agreed. You’re too skinny and he better increasing your weight and woo you as well,” she joked as I elbowed her.
“We’re not into that, okay?”
“You might be. The cure to forget the love you couldn’t have is by having another man. Come on, Liv. I can tell Javier is a good man and he’s manly enough to accept his relationship with his ex isn’t working. Why don’t you try out with him and see where it would lead you?”
Karen had the point. I had the chance now and Javier was a good guy. I could see it when I was trained by him yesterday and I would be seeing him again today. I didn’t know where it would lead both of us but it didn’t hurt to try. After all, I never had a boyfriend and Javier…could be my very first one.
“How about you invite him to your birthday party? I’m sure Cindy and Taylor will be happy having him around,” she suggested. If I did that, Javier would be the first guy I had ever brought home.
“But what am I going to tell them about him?”
“You could say he’s a friend and your trainer, and my colleague as well.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Right after we talked, we headed to her BMW. It was time for us to part ways. Karen had work and I would go straight to the gym. As usual, she dropped to the gym first and she headed out to the studio.
I walked into the building, passing the handsome receptionist like yesterday and into the changing room on the second floor. I was relieved because I didn’t see the girl group anymore. They annoyed me and they had made it clear that they didn’t like me at all. Because I was poor and I got Javier’s attention for an hour. Such spoiled and lazy girls who didn’t know what’s going on in this world and only relied on their daddy’s money.
While I was changing my clothes, I thought of Blake. I knew how rich Blake was. After all, he owned a big company and was known to the entire country. But I never spent the money he gave me and asked for more. I saved it and I was relieved for doing that. Because I could use it now. I spent it to make myself look better. To be the better version of myself. To showed him that I could stand by my own feet and he didn’t break me.
As for today, I wore a black T-shirt with white short pants, complete with my favorite Adidas sneakers. Once I was done, I put my bag inside the locker after I pulled out my phone and wallet and locked it.
I stepped out of the dressing room and almost bumped into Javier. “Whoa! Easy, lady.”
“S-Sorry.”
“No problem.” I closed the door and looked at him. He was wearing his usual gym uniform and he smelled…nice. “So, you’re ready for today?”
“Yes.” Javier led me to his room by putting his large hand on my smaller waist. Usually, I would feel uneasy if there was a man casually putting his hand on me. But with him, I felt protected and saved. I was thinking if this meant something but I didn’t want to put too much hope on Javier now. I just met him and I barely knew him. There must be a history behind his muscles and hopefully, he would be just as normal.
Not the man who wanted to take revenge. Not a man like Stewart.