OLIVIA

I remembered Noah mentioning last week that he was busy and wouldn't be available to meet until this week to hand over the puppy.

At this point, I had no intention of getting the puppy from him anymore. I wanted to avoid any interaction with Noah as much as possible, especially now that I knew he had a girlfriend. It seemed best to stick to my initial plan of keeping my distance.

Though I knew that, whether Noah had a girlfriend or not, it was still impossible for us to be together.

After my call with Noah, I spoke to Margareth the following day, asking for her permission to get a pet since Hannah had been asking for one for so long. To my surprise, Margareth agreed right away. She understood how much Hannah wanted a pet. I promised that I would train the dog well so that it wouldn't cause any trouble for her or the neighbors.

Once I had Margareth's approval, I went to the pet shop and picked out a dog for Hannah. I chose a round, plump, white Shih Tzu. When I brought the dog home, Hannah was thrilled, but I could still see a hint of disappointment in her eyes. The dog I brought wasn't Coco, the puppy she saved. It seemed that some things simply couldn't be replaced.

Hannah named the dog Mochi. It was a well-behaved dog, always wanting to lie down on my slippers.

"Olivia, are you okay?" Ella's voice snapped me back to reality.

I smiled faintly. "I'm okay, just thought of something."

After lunch, we went back to our respective tables and got back to work.

I stepped out of the restroom when I noticed Alice. Her face was pale, and she looked unwell.

"Alice, are you sick?" I asked as I approached her.

She nodded softly. "Yes, I had my period and I'm dealing with dysmenorrhea." She explained.

"Did you take any pain meds?" I asked, concerned.

She shook her head. "I don't take painkillers. I don't want to become dependent on them."

I nodded in understanding, then noticed the lunchbox she was holding. "Are you just eating now?"

"No, it's not for me. It's for Isabel's boyfriend. He's having surgery, and Isabel assumed he wouldn't have time to buy lunch, so she asked me to deliver it to him." Alice explained.

"Oh, okay." I just said.

Just as I was about to leave, Alice suddenly cried out in pain. I rushed over to her and helped her sit in the nearest chair.

"Olivia, are you busy? Can I ask you a favor?" She asked, her voice strained.

"I am. I'm heading to Palo Alto for a client meeting," I replied.

Her eyes widened, a glimmer of hope in them. "Since you're going to Palo Alto, could you drop this food off at the Palo Alto Medical Center? That's where Isabel's boyfriend works."

I hesitated, wanting to reject the favor, but seeing the pain on Alice's face, I couldn't bring myself to. I sighed. "Fine, just send me the details."

When I arrived at the hospital, I checked Alice's message. To my surprise, the details she gave me were the same as Noah's clinic.

Could it be Noah? Or maybe there's another doctor using the same room? I tried to calm myself down, rationalizing that it could be someone else.

I went to the specified room, my heart racing with anxiety. Please don't be Noah, I prayed silently. But all my hope shattered when I heard his voice.

"Come in," he called in a deep, commanding tone.

I hesitated before stepping inside. Clearing my throat, I said, "Isabel, your girlfriend, asked me to deliver this food to you." I spoke like an automaton, trying to keep my composure.

Noah was absorbed in typing at his desk, his face showing the strain of a long surgery. He was dressed in his white doctor's coat, the fabric crisp and professional. His eyeglasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and his dark hair was slightly tousled from a long day. As he glanced up and met my gaze, his tired eyes softened briefly before turning cool and distant.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Girlfriend? How come I didn't know I had one?" he asked, his voice deep and slightly cold.

"Isabel is my boss, and everyone at the company knows she's been seeing someone recently," I explained, trying to keep my voice steady.

Then, I remembered the woman I heard with Noah on the phone last week. Could it have been Isabel?

"Anyway, I've already done my part. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now," I said, eager to avoid further interaction.

But as I turned to leave, Noah suddenly grabbed my hand. Before I could react, I stumbled and ended up in his lap. His grip tightened around my waist, and with his other hand, he gently pinched my chin, pressing his thumb against my soft lips.

"Olivia, please... do me a favor," he murmured softly.

Without waiting for my answer, he lowered his head and kissed the thumb that was pressed against my lips.

My eyes widened at his sudden action. His strong brow bone and the bridge of his nose brushed against mine. Our breaths mingled, creating an electric, intimate moment.

I was completely consumed by his presence, his powerful aura making my mind go blank. Panic surged through me, and I instinctively tried to push him away, but the hand around my waist only tightened.

I was completely stunned.

"Ah! What are you guys doing?!" A woman's scream shattered the moment, snapping me back to reality.

Noah raised the hand that had been on my waist, pressing the back of my head against his chest as he looked at the girl standing in the doorway.

"Ava, I'm off duty. You have no right to interfere with my personal affairs," Noah said coldly, his voice firm.

The woman's voice cracked with frustration. "Is she the reason you rejected me? What's so special about her? Our families have known each other for years, and my father is your mentor! I'm the one who's more suited for you!"

Noah didn't even acknowledge her. His gaze remained sharp and impassive. "Leave. And close the door behind you."

Though I couldn't see her, I could feel the intensity of her glare sending a chill down my spine. I heard her footsteps storm out of the room, slamming the door behind her in a fit of rage.

Noah finally released his hand from the back of my head. Our eyes met, and I saw the mockery in his gray eyes. It only then dawned on me that he had been putting on an act-using me to get rid of Ava.

"How long are you planning to sit on my lap, Olivia?" His voice was husky, laced with a magnetic pull.

NOAH

Olivia tried to get up and leave, but I wouldn't let her. I tightened my grip, not allowing her to move even an inch.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement as I watched her struggle against my hold. She looked frightened, her attempts to break free only making her more desperate.

She gritted her teeth slightly and said, "Dr. Morgan," in a warning tone.

Finally, I released my grip on her. She quickly stood up and took several steps back, putting some distance between us.

She took a deep breath. "Dr. Morgan, please have some self-respect," she said coldly, then turned and walked away.

"Self-respect?" I muttered, a smile tugging at my lips as I watched her disappearing figure.

As I was driving out of the hospital, I spotted a girl walking along the road, dressed in a light blue long dress. A faint, familiar scent lingered in the air, slowly drifting toward me.

I couldn't help but notice how her skin seemed to glow with a dazzling whiteness-impossible to ignore. It sparked an uncanny sense of familiarity within me.

The image of kissing her, even though I had only kissed my thumb pressed against her lips, lingered in my mind. I could still feel the delicate softness at the corner of her lips, the faint, sweet fragrance that lingered in the air, and the way her waist felt in my hand, as though I could hold it effortlessly.

She was probably cursing me in her mind for acting like a jerk earlier.

I honked the horn a few times. She startled like a cat, jolting and warily glancing at my car as it pulled up beside her.

I rolled down my car window, letting her see my face, and then I said, "Get in."

"No need, Dr. Morgan," she said coldly.

"I don't want to repeat myself," I replied, my tone firm.

She ignored me and started to walk away, but I called after her, "Don't you want the dog anymore? If not, I'll just throw it away."

She quickly slid into the car, and I couldn't help but smirk. Got you.

"But I still have a meeting to attend," she said after getting in.

"Just enter the address in my GPS," I replied coolly.

She sighed and reluctantly typed the address into my GPS.

After dropping her off at her client's company, I decided to wait for her. Since I had the entire day free and my schedule would likely get busier in the coming days, today seemed like the perfect opportunity to give her the dog.

The look on her face when she stepped outside and saw me standing by my car was priceless. She clearly hadn't expected me to wait-let alone wait until she finished her meeting.

"Why are you still here?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief, her eyes wide with surprise.

I couldn't help but tease her. "Don't you want the dog anymore? Should I just throw it away?" I said with a slight smirk, enjoying the reaction I was getting.

She narrowed her eyes, giving me a death glare that made it clear she wasn't impressed. I chuckled softly, amused by her reaction, and then I opened the car door for her, gesturing for her to get in.

As we reached my penthouse, I chuckled when I noticed Olivia turn around, clearly trying to avoid seeing the password as I entered it on the door.

I stepped inside first, with Olivia following closely behind. I led her into the living room before heading to the kitchen to fetch her a drink.

I saw Milo running toward us, and at first, I thought he was coming to me. But I furrowed my brow when he suddenly darted straight to Olivia. He sniffed her, wagging his tail eagerly.

Olivia looked surprised by the dog's reaction, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she crouched down and entertained him.

"I didn't know you had a dog," she muttered, still looking a bit surprised.

"Why? Don't I look like someone who'd have one?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, hesitating for a moment. "You keep saying you'd throw the dog away, so I assumed you didn't like them."

I sighed, a faint smile tugging at my lips. "I didn't like them before, but someone does... so I had no choice but to adopt this one." My voice lowered as I thought of Emma.

"I'll just leave you with Milo," I said, gesturing toward the dog. "I'll go get your dog."

I let them play together for a moment before walking toward Milo's room, where the dog Hannah had saved was. I hadn't named it yet, since it was meant to be Hannah's pet. I decided it would be best to leave that decision to her.

"Take it," I said, handing the dog to Olivia.

I also passed her a paper bag filled with dog food and treats. "I bought too much," I remarked casually.

Olivia cradled the dog in her arms, and it whimpered softly, it was calm and well-mannered.

"Thank you," she said quietly, avoiding my gaze. "You've gone through a lot of trouble."

She hesitated for a moment before asking, "How much was all this?"

I had no intention of making her pay for it, but if that was what she wanted, I would respect it. As I looked at her, I couldn't help but notice how often she wore blue-it was the same color she had worn the last time, too.

Strangely, there was something about her that felt familiar, as if I had seen her before. But in the seven years I had spent living in the UK, if I had crossed paths with her, it would have been impossible for me to forget someone like her. With her beauty and demeanor, she was the kind of person who would leave a lasting impression.

The sense of familiarity had been nagging at me ever since I first saw her in the hospital.

I raised an eyebrow slightly as she handed me 50 bucks. I took the cash from her, letting it slide between my fingertips.

She intrigued me.

I sent her to the elevator, and when the doors were about to close, I reached my hand out to stop it.

I stared at her intently. "Olivia, have we met before?" I asked.

She looked nervous.

"Ah... I already told you, we came to you for a consultation before because my daughter has a heart condition," she repeated the same answer as before.

"I wasn't asking about that time," I said, narrowing my eyes slightly.

"No, we've never met before," she said firmly, her voice clear.