Chapter 249 - Institution Escapees (2/2)

Reassuring Eli, Olivia beamed at him. ”Let's carry on. You still have a wedding to attend later. Who's getting married anyway? Ollie and the gang had to move their flight for the bride and groom.”

”An old friend,” Eli kept his answer succinct. It was true though, that Maxen was an old friend, so he was glad that he didn't need to pile a lie on top of the white lies he'd been saying all day.

”Oh.” The vowel rolled out of her mouth before she could string her words to make a coherent sentence.

She felt left out that the rest knew the couple except her, and she hated it. She hated how isolated she was growing up.

Olivia wanted to blame the world but somehow, she pointed a finger at herself too. Years ago, she could easily book a flight to Nisia but she refused to do so.

Grandma Lin begged her to come home but she was stubborn as a donkey who refused to be led by the reins.

Back then, Olivia thought, what was the use of forcing her way into her family's lives when they chose to abandon her in a foreign land?

She felt a knot tighten in her c.h.e.s.t but she still smiled at Eli. Turning her insecurities into a puff of smoke, Olivia stood and ironed her gown with her hand.

”Let's go,” she said, hooking an arm with Eli's. ”Your intern said everything's ready. I don't want you to be late for your friend's wedding.”

”Trust me, Livi darling, the bride will never be late. Everyone else is simply early.”

Olivia scoffed at Eli's words. Her cousin surely loved the dramatics from the way he dressed to the way he spoke.

She brushed off his words and let Eli escort her out of the bedroom, stopping short at what she could guess was a trick to the eye.

”Where are...the people?” Olivia's voice tapered off as she looked left and right, but not another soul was in sight and a pin could be heard dropping at the silence engulfing the expanse of the place.

”They're…” Eli swallowed and continued, ”at the back.”

Olivia could not help but notice how his lips quivered. He looked as if a dam of tears would flood from his eyes any moment from now.

”What's going in, Eli? You're a mess.” She reached out for Eli's hand and she wasn't surprised to be frozen by his fingertips that were cold as ice.

”I'm okay. Just a little bit emotional,” Eli admitted, fanning the tears with his hand as if it would dry the blobs away.

”Stop it. You're making me cry as well.”

”No!” Eli's eyes widened. ”Don't cry, Livi darling. You'll ruin your make-up.”

”I had a waterproof mascara, silly,” Olivia slapped Eli's belly with the back of her hand and the two snorted in unison.

They were lucky that there was no other person in the room or else the cousins would be mistaken for a pair of institution escapees.

Olivia laughed when Eli jogged in his place to shake off the remaining tension in his body. ”Whoooo!” Eli breathed out his nervousness.”Are you ready?” he asked.

”Always,” Olivia responded, her pearly white teeth exposed as she smiled from ear to ear.

As they reached the double doors that would lead to the woody backyard, Eli halted Olivia, turning her back against the door.

”On three,” Eli said.

Suddenly, Olivia didn't like the way Eli said it. It reminded her of her argument with Maxen the other day.

In a snap, her mind went into haywire as she involuntarily counted to three.

Two. Maybe she should stop counting?

But before she could count to three, she felt a blow of cold air c.a.r.e.s.s her back as the double doors opened.

Time stood still, and everything moved in liquid motion—natural and slow.

Initially, a surge of confusion sn.a.k.e.d through Olivia's veins when Eli stepped into the shadows without a word, leaving her in her spot. However, the audible gasps behind her jolted her.

Her hand flew to the crown on her hair to keep it in place as she subconsciously pivoted in her spot to have a peek of what's beyond the door.