When Olive Steele woke up, it was completely dark outside the window. The desk lamp was on giving
off a dim and soft light. A man was working on his desk and there was a faint laughter in the living
room.
The desk was small. It looked like it was fetched from a secondhand market nearby. The study in this
villa, however, was huge. It was very comfortable to work, browse the internet, read books, or even
sleep in the sofa here.
She felt guilty for making him shrink in that small corner.
All in all, Mrs. Hoyle was right about one thing. She was not helpful to his career.
Therefore, she tried so hard to manage things so as to not hold him back. He had a bar so high, almost
beyond her reach and she made it her drive.
He said he wanted to live a good life with her. So, she tried so hard to make herself an excellent
woman instead of becoming a burden.
Mrs. Hoyle didn’t know that she could give him happiness and tranquility other couldn’t. She wanted
nothing from him. His wealth and property were no tempting for her. His happiness was all she cared
about.
The slight noise on the bed alerted him to put the documents down and come over, “You’re awake?”
“Did I sleep for a long time?” she asked with a hoarse and sleepy voice.
Her sleepy eyes made him soft, “Only a few hours. Hungry?”
Olive Steele rubbed her stomach, “A little.”
“Wait here. I’ll go get some foods for you. Don’t go out of bed.”
He treated her like a patient, but the stubborn Olive Steele wouldn’t listen. Soon after he went out, she
got up got out of the bed. She writhed in pain when her feet landed on the floor.
Her feet were injured. She didn’t know whether it was a bad or light injury. She didn’t even know how
she managed to endure such a long distance at that time.
She was glad that she pushed herself, it was a wise decision for her. The doctor’s words worried her.
She was unwilling to let her man sad because of his mother. Therefore, although Mrs. Hoyle hated her,
she still tried her best to save her.
Perhaps, this way, Mrs. Hoyle would love her too.
She looked at the clock on the bedside. It was nearly ten o’clock.
Alan Hoyle left some foods for her in the hot jar. He was in the kitchen when he saw her limping out. He
couldn’t help saying, “I told you not to get up. Why are you here? Why don’t you listen to me?”
Annie who was sitting on Mr. Steele’s lap clapped her hands, “Mom, you don’t listen well.”
What a child. Olive Steele smiled at her and sat down after Alan Hoyle pulled a chair for her.
Mr. Steele asked with concern, “Is it serious? Why are you so careless?”
“It’s nothing, Dad. Don’t make a fuss. It will get better in two days.” Olive Steel comforted him. Chloe
Malan was the one suffering from a great deal of injury, hers was nothing.
“You should eat more. Your mother stewed it for you.” Alan Hoyle filled her bowl with pig trotter’s soup.
“Let’s try. Shall we?”
When Chloe Malan was injured, Mrs. Steele made the same soup for her.
But, Olive Steele personally was not a big fans of clear soup. She liked it braised in soy sauce. Her
likings were different.
After two bites, she felt like she couldn’t go on eating. But, Alan Hoyle was watching her. She had to
continue and at least ate half of the served rice under his watch.
After she done eating half of her meal, she rubbed her belly.
It seemed that Alan Hoyle was giving her a weight gaining diet. She was at least 90 pounds already. If
she kept eating, she would be fat.
Women were suckers for beauty. She couldn’t get fat. It would look ugly.
Not that she was afraid of him abandoning her, but she was afraid that he would lose his face. People
were constantly looking at him, she couldn’t afford becoming an ugly wife.
There was nothing wrong with being people’s pleaser.
She watched TV with her parents for a while and went back to the bedroom. Annie went to sleep with
her grandparents tonight. The little girl didn’t compete with Alan Hoyle for bed tonight.
However, when she went back to bed, she couldn’t sleep at all. Alan Hoyle was back at work. He
worked overtime at the desk under the desk light. He looked beautiful, but realistically, he was putting
more effort on his work.
Alan Hoyle sighed and turned around, “If you keep looking at me, I can’t concentrate on my work.”
“Do you have eyes behind your head?” she asked. She didn’t know how he knew that she was looking
for him.
“I just know that you’re looking for me. I can feel it.”
Olive Steele pouted and said, “Okay, cut it. You’re the one who can’t concentrate. You can’t blame me
for that. If I don’t look, how long do you need to finish your work?”
“Soon. Why? Do you want me to hug you to sleep?” Alan Hoyle laughed.
“No. It’s just that you told me once you couldn’t stay up late. It’s twelve o’clock now.” she reminded him
of the time.
“I’ll be done in half an hour.”
“Okay. I won’t look at you or bother you.” she turned around and gave him her back. She had to do
some works herself. She just hoped that he didn’t overworked himself.
Alan Hoyle smiled, put down his documents, and stood up. He went to bed, slide the quilt and lied
down. He hugged her tight and nested his head on her shoulder. The scent of her body filled up his
nose, “You have disturbed me. What should I do?”
“Bulshit.”
“Let’s sleep. I’ll accompany you.”
“What about your work?”
“I can do it tomorrow. It’s impossible to get it done in one sitting.”
Olive Steele turned around and patted his face, “Alan, you’re falling from grace.”
He held her hand and kissed it gently, “I’m willing to fall from grace to your embrace.”
She had heard this so many times, but still, her heart was touched. She felt peaceful. She could hear
his heartbeat. She wondered how his words could easily touch her.
She snuggled into his arms and hugged his waist. After a while, she asked, “Why didn’t you ask me
how your mother passed out?”
“Chloe told me already.”
That woman was not evil at heart. She just had a temper.
“Chloe, she didn’t mean it—”
Olive Steele was about to explain something, but he interrupted her, “You fool. I don’t blame her. I know
it’s my mother who went too far.”
It was an old fashioned way to let the old lady know that money was not everything in this world.
Olive Steele sighed. She didn’t know when she was going to get along with Mrs. Hoyle and now, there
was Chloe Malan. Both his sons fell in love with women she didn’t like. Her pride was badly offended.
“Tell me something about your mother.”
There was an old saying; to win a battle, you had to know what you’re up against.
For a moment, she was afraid of his reaction for he rarely mentioned his mother. But, some things
remained exist even if they weren’t spoken out loud. A suppressed bad thing could be made poise for a
while, but it wouldn’t last a lifetime. The only way out was to face the positivity.
Alan Hoyle hesitated a little and said, “My mother gets her temper because my late father spoiled her
too much. At that time, whenever we made her unhappy, my father had to sweet talked her again and
again and punished us physically. At that time, in my father’s eyes, my mother was always right. Even if
she was wrong, she was always right.”
“It turned out that your father spoiled you mother too much.” Olive Steele learned a thing.
“Yes. She is arrogant and self-centered. She gives people headache.” Alan Hoyle rubbed his temple
looking helpless.
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