Chapter 226 - Quick Detour (2/2)
After her powder room break, she was on her way to the hotel's restaurant when she passed by the indoor courtyard and saw a familiar figure: a girl with a hair whose color matched the leaves of autumn—it was not hard to miss.
Aerith was standing by the edge of the pond, offering a rock to another child. The two seemed to be playing with the rocks, throwing it into the pond to create ripples on the surface.
Suddenly, a small smile that reached her eyes painted Olivia's face. Did the two children just enter a growling match when Aerith made more ripples than her playmate?
For a stolen peek, Olivia and Aerith's eyes met and the little one waved at Olivia, gesturing for Olivia to come closer.
As if magnetized, Olivia's feet dragged her to where Aerith stood.
”Oh,” she let out a soft gasp when Aerith slammed her little body on her to give Olivia a big bear hug. C.a.r.e.s.sing Aerith's hair, Olivia asked, ”Where's your father, Little One? How could he leave you here?” she grumbled her question, annoyed that Wyatt further proved how irresponsible he was.
Aerith shrugged, and it made Olivia purse her lips in disdain. Kneeling down so their eyes would meet, Olivia brushed Aerith's hair to the side, tucking it behind her ears. ”I'll ask your dad later if I could bring you with us, okay? Do you like shopping, Little One?”
Aerith's eyes grew wide with excitement, and a faint blush of pink painted her freckled cheeks.
Angling her head, Olivia raised a brow at Aerith's playmate. She felt protective of the little one, especially after seeing her playmate curl fingers around the pebble after losing the pebble throwing game.
Standing up to her full height, she wanted to scare the child just a little to give Aerith an advantage with the backing of an elder against a bully in the playground—one she didn't have growing up isolated from her family.
A sinister smirk curled Olivia's lips, but just as she lifted a foot to take a step closer to Aerith's playmate, she saw the child drop the pebble into the pond with a plop followed by a shadow looming over them.
Looking over her shoulders, Olivia kept her eyes emotionless as she faced what either could be her blessing in disguise or worst nightmare.
”Mr. Connor Ma.” The name rolled out of Olivia's lips effortlessly. She pivoted on her heel and pressed Aerith's body against hers. She wasn't sure if she was protecting the little one or using her as a shield.
”Lovely to see you, Ms. Olivia Lin… or should I call you Crown Princess Olivia?” Connor Ma grinned. Tipping his head to the side, the creases on his face smoothened and his arms spread out in a welcoming hug. In a split second, Aerith's playmate came dashing to Connor Ma's arms.
”Just call me Olivia. Oh, and this is my niece, Aerith Ang, Wyatt's daughter. I'm sure you've met him before.”
”Indeed. I was speaking with him in the lobby before I came here. I believe he had to meet Prince Maxen, so I had to keep my conversation with him short.”
Olivia forced a smile and nodded as Connor Ma spoke. She did not like making small talk but with the presence of the two children, and the thought of her image earlier as she was about to bully the child in Connor Ma's arms, urged her to explain herself. ”I was on our way to our meeting and I saw Aerith playing with your…” Olivia paused, unsure of the right word to say. The man was in his sixties and she was not a hundred percent sure of the relationship between the two.
Connor Ma beamed and looked down at the little child in his arms, patting the little shoulders beneath his hands. ”My son. His name is Hunter.”