Chapter 3 That Man Wasn't Miles

"What are you doing out here?"

The man's voice was low and warm, laced with a gentle tenderness that carried a hint of indulgence.

It was the tone Miles used to use when Olivia was upset, coaxing her out of her anger.

Even now, filled with sorrow and anger, Olivia still couldn't help but cling to a thread of hope for him.

A woman's heart softened easily, especially for the one she loved.

The earlier argument had left her chilled to the bone, but a single spark of his warmth could melt away all her resentment in an instant.

She spun around and threw herself into his arms, clinging tightly. The tears she'd been holding back broke free, streaming down her face.

Her voice trembled with sobs as she mumbled, "I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fight with you... I just couldn't drink that medicine. It's so bitter, so strange, so disgusting... The doctor said it could make me age faster, maybe even kill me!"

"Olivia?" the man murmured, placing a warm palm on her shoulder. He gently squeezed her thin arm, his touch silent but full of comfort.

The warmth of his touch chased away the cold gripping her body.

Wrapped in that sudden sense of being cared for, Olivia couldn't stop crying.

She buried her face against his chest, her body shaking with sobs.

"I really... don't want this..." she murmured over and over, her voice breaking. "I don't want this..."

The world around her blurred through her tears, her sorrow swallowing her whole. Her forehead pressed against the curve of his neck, her face nuzzling closer with each breath.

Her tears slipped past his collar and soaked into his skin, scalding like drops of fire.

The man's body stiffened briefly, his brows knitting together. After a moment's hesitation, he gently placed a hand on her hair, resting his chin atop her head. His voice, low and hoarse, asked, "Why are you crying? Has someone hurt you?"

His embrace was solid, his tone so gentle it felt like a safe harbor, inviting her to pour out her heart.

Olivia's defenses crumbled.

Clutching his shirt, she sobbed, her voice quivering. "I didn't mean to... But the medicine is so bitter, so foul. The injections hurt so much. Every time they take my eggs at the hospital, it feels like they're carving a hole in me... It hurts so much; it's unbearable... I'm drowning in endless pills and needles every day... I can't do this anymore..."

For the first time, she let out all the pain she'd bottled up over the years.

Once, she had hated pills and needles more than anything. Yet, for Miles, to give him the child he so desperately wanted, she'd swallowed countless pills, endured countless injections, and tried IVF and artificial insemination—everything.

Every visit to the hospital was a torment. Even on the drive there, her stomach would twist in fear. She couldn't help but wonder what new pain the doctors would inflict this time.

Olivia had once believed marriage would be a fairy tale, a life of joy with her prince. Instead, her world had been swallowed by a grim haze of syringes and pill bottles, devoid of light.

She'd never spoken of these burdens before, not wanting to bare her wounds or burden Miles. But tonight's fight had ripped open her scars, making her sacrifices feel like a cruel joke.

Hearing her hoarse, broken sobs, the man paused, his brows furrowing tighter, his chest heaving with suppressed anger. He fought to keep his voice steady, masking the fury beneath. "Why didn't you say something before?"

His voice dropped even lower, softer now, brushing against Olivia's ear like a soothing whisper, making it tingle.

"I don't know if I can say something like that..." Olivia lifted her head, dazed, her voice uncertain.

Her eyes, blurred by tears, looked like they were covered in mist. The redness spread from her cheeks to the tip of her nose as she stared up at his neck. Through the blur, she fixated on the prominent curve of the man's throat.

Her head spun from crying so hard and being oxygen-starved, and she didn't remember that Miles' neck wasn't this long and his Adam's apple wasn't this striking.

All she could think about was—Had Miles really changed his mind? After pushing her so hard to take that medicine, was he now saying she didn't have to?

"Of course you can."

The man's deep-set eyes lowered, locking onto her face. His naturally cool, commanding voice carried a warm, gravelly undertone, laced with the authority of someone used to being in control.

"You can speak up about anything you don't want to eat or do. In the Davis family, no one can force you."

Olivia froze, stunned by his words. She blinked through her tears, staring at the curve of his throat, her voice small and trembling. "Really? I don't have to take the medicine anymore?"

"You don't have to do anything."

He reached out, brushing a strand of hair stuck to her tear-dampened lips. His gaze lingered on her swollen mouth as he promised solemnly, "From now on, whatever's troubling you, just tell me. I'll take care of it."

His words sent fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. Sobbing, she threw herself against his neck. "Thank you..."

Her heart, so recently hollowed by despair, suddenly felt full again.

She had thought Miles no longer cared, that his love had faded. But now, she felt he still cherished her.

Olivia berated herself for not trusting him enough. She suddenly felt she should have been open about her feelings from the start. If she had, maybe they wouldn't have argued and wouldn't have hurt each other the way they had tonight.

Sniffling, she wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling against him playfully, like a kitten cozying up to its owner.

She was used to this kind of affection. However, she was oblivious to the way the man's body tensed the moment she pressed closer.

His face went taut, and he instinctively lifted his chin to keep her from nuzzling too close. In doing so, he fully exposed the long curve of his neck to her.

Olivia shifted slightly, her warm breath brushing against his skin like a wet feather. Her small nose brushed against his neck, back and forth.

His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily. He moved to push her away, but Olivia was impossibly clingy, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her body pressed into his.

Still half-crouching, she wedged her petite frame between his parted legs, her soft waist grazing his most sensitive spot. Her hands clung to him, twisting and burrowing as if she wanted to meld into him.

The man's eyes darkened. His breathing grew heavy. Every brush of her body sent electric shocks down his spine. His breath hitched. His grip on her waist tightened sharply, veins bulging along the back of his hand. His penis seemed about to burst out.

But Olivia was oblivious to his restraint.

To her, Miles was too good—too perfect—and she didn't know how to express her gratitude.

"You're too good to me, sweetheart..." she murmured, rubbing her tear-streaked face and runny nose all over his shoulder. She sniffled hard and tilted her head up, eyes half-lidded, trying to kiss him.

But as she tilted her face, her nose brushed against a sharp, high-bridged nose, and a jolt of realization hit her.

She'd kissed Miles in this position countless times, but never once had her nose bumped into his.

Her eyes snapped open, meeting a strikingly handsome face. A pair of deep, piercing eyes stared back at her.

She stared in disbelief, her pupils dilating, her throat tightening around a silent scream.

Stammering, she whispered, "Daniel..."