OLIVIA

"Mom, we forgot to get Coco."

I furrowed my brow. "Who's Coco?" I asked, a bit confused.

"It's the puppy I saved earlier. I named her Coco," Hannah explained.

We weren't too far from the hospital, and I could have asked the Uber driver to go back, but I didn't. I had been so anxious the whole time we were with Noah, especially in the hospital when almost all the medical staff kept commenting on how much my daughter resembled him.

"Hannah, don't ever do that again, do you understand? It's too dangerous," I scolded her, remembering the stunt she pulled to save the puppy.

I knew how kind and caring my daughter was, but I didn't want her to risk her life. I couldn't imagine what I would do if something happened to her.

"I know, Mom. I'm sorry. But the car wasn't going fast. It didn't hit me. I was just startled, that's why I fell and got these bruises," she reasoned.

"I don't care. It's still dangerous. Don't ever do that again, promise me," I said, my voice serious.

Hannah bit her lip and nodded. "Promise, Mommy."

"But... Mom, what about Coco? We left her in Doctor Morgan's car," she asked again, her concern for the puppy still evident.

Even though Noah gave me his number, I had no plans of contacting him again. Besides, Margareth would definitely not agree to keep a dog in the house-dogs can be noisy and might disturb her and the neighbors.

"Hannah, we can't keep Coco. Margareth might not like having a dog in her house," I explained.

Hannah lowered her head, looking disappointed. I knew how much she wanted a dog; she loved playing with them whenever we saw one on our walks in the park.

"After your surgery, I'll work hard to buy a house for us. Then, I'll get you a dog," I promised, hoping to comfort her.

"But that's not Coco," she muttered sadly.

When we got home, the disappointment was still visible on her face. I decided to distract her by playing with her so she could forget about the dog.

"Mom, did you hear the doctors and nurses saying I look like Doctor Morgan? It makes sense since he looks like Dad too," Hannah suddenly brought up.

I froze in my seat. "Hannah, listen to me, sweetie... Don't let anyone know that Doctor Morgan looks like your dad, especially not the people at the hospital," I told her firmly.

She looked at me with innocent eyes. "But why, Mommy?"

I sighed. "Because people might misunderstand, and it could affect Doctor Morgan's reputation. He's unmarried, and we can't put him in that kind of situation."

Hannah nodded and returned to her drawing. I glanced at it-she'd drawn a dog, one that looked strikingly similar to the puppy she had saved earlier. It wasn't perfect, but I could tell what she was trying to depict.

I couldn't bear to see the sadness on my daughter's face as she finished her drawing. So, I made a bold decision. I was going to call Noah.

I grabbed my phone, excused myself from Hannah, and went to the balcony to make the call about the dog.

"Hello, who's this?" a woman's voice answered.

I froze for a moment. It was a woman. My mind went blank, and I couldn't find my voice.

She said "Hello" a few more times before I regained my composure.

"Sorry, wrong number," I muttered quickly.

I was about to hang up when she spoke again. "No, you're not. You're calling Noah, right? He's in the shower. I'll tell him to call you back later."

"Okay, thank you," I replied quickly, then ended the call.

I sat in the chair on the balcony, trying to clear my thoughts. It was getting late, and Noah was still with her. She was probably Noah's girlfriend.

The woman's voice was warm and calm, which made it clear that Noah had a good relationship with her. She didn't even question why I was calling him so late.

It was no surprise that Noah had a girlfriend. Besides being good-looking and having a successful career, he also came from a great family.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air. I raised my head, letting my gaze drift toward the sky.

I knew I shouldn't let it bother me. Noah and I were a thing of the past. We were never actually in a relationship. If I hadn't blackmailed him, he never would have agreed to sleep with me.

I was pretty sure Noah had long forgotten that night-that one time in his life when he'd slept with a fat, ugly girl like me. I was nothing but a stain on his reputation.

As I stood up, a wave of dizziness hit me. My blood sugar was probably low, a result of the hypoglycemia I developed after giving birth. It flared up whenever I was overly tired, anxious, or stressed.

I almost dropped my phone when it suddenly rang, and I saw the caller ID. It was Noah.

I took a deep breath before answering.

"Hello, may I know who's calling and why did you call?" Noah's voice came through the line.

Before I could speak, I heard a woman's voice in the background.

"Be gentle, Noah. You're being too harsh."

I gripped the phone tighter, clenching my jaw. An image of Noah and the woman in his bed flashed in my mind.

I couldn't believe Noah was calling me while she was right there, probably flirting with his girlfriend.

"Hello?" Noah asked again, his voice more insistent.

"It's me, Dr. Morgan," I finally managed to say. "I just wanted to ask about the dog my daughter saved earlier."

There was a brief silence before Noah answered.

"I took the dog to my place," he replied flatly.

"Are you free tomorrow? Can I pick up the dog? My daughter really likes the dog..." I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I won't be available tomorrow," he said. "I have a business trip. I'll contact you next week."

"Okay," I muttered, pursing my lips. "Sorry to bother you."

Just as I was about to end the call, Noah's deep voice came through the receiver again. "May I know your name, so I can save your number?"

"Olivia," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Olivia... Hmm, okay."

After the call, I went back to the living room where my daughter was. She looked so sleepy, her eyes barely open. I picked her up and carried her to her room, gently patting her to sleep. I placed her favorite pink rabbit doll in her arms, tucking her in.

As I was tidying up her things, I noticed her finished drawing. I sighed.

I couldn't wait for next week. But for now, I would just buy my daughter a new dog tomorrow.

NOAH

I promised my family I would make time for them. After Hannah's checkup, I headed straight to my house in Atherton.

My initial plan was to spend the whole day with my family, but I texted my sister to let her know what happened today and that I would be late.

Fortunately, the tests were completed before it got dark, so I could still spend some time with them.

I brought the dog with me since Hannah and her mom forgot to pick it up. I'll leave the dog in Atherton because I have a business trip tomorrow. I already arranged for someone to take Milo so my family can care for him while I'm away.

While I was taking a shower, I heard my phone ring. I asked my sister, who was in my room, to answer it for me, just in case it was a call from the hospital.

"Who called?" I asked my sister after finishing my shower.

She grinned. "It's a woman," she teased.

"I told her you were in the shower and that you'd call her back. She didn't tell me her name," she added.

I grabbed my phone to check who called. The number wasn't saved, so it might have been a patient or a guardian. I dialed the number while drying my hair with a towel.

It took a while before she answered. "Hello, may I know who's calling and why did you call?" I said as soon as she picked up.

My sister leaned closer. "Be gentle, Noah. You're being too harsh," she said in a playful tone.

I shook my head. The girl didn't respond right away, so I spoke again. "Hello?" I said, my voice more insistent.

"It's me, Dr. Morgan," she finally replied. "I just wanted to ask about the dog my daughter saved earlier."

I froze for a moment as I heard her soft voice. She sounded like Emma, but maybe I was just imagining it because I'd been thinking about her a lot lately. Still, their voices were so similar.

"I took the dog to my place," I replied flatly.

"Are you free tomorrow? Can I pick up the dog? My daughter really likes the dog..." she asked.

"I won't be available tomorrow," I said. "I have a business trip. I'll contact you next week."

"Okay," she murmured. "Sorry to bother you."

"May I know your name so I can save your number?" I asked before the call ended.

"Olivia," she said softly.

"Olivia... Hmm, okay."

"Is she your patient? She sounded young and pretty. Is she single? Next time she calls, be nice to her. Is this her dog?" My sister fired off a series of questions as soon as the call ended.

I tossed my phone onto the bedside table and went back to drying my hair.

"Madison, when did you become so gossipy?" I asked, not wanting to answer her.

"I'm just concerned about you," she replied innocently.

I smiled faintly and threw the towel on the sofa. My short black hair was tousled, slightly falling over my forehead.

"I didn't know you had X-ray vision now. You can tell if someone is pretty just by listening to their voice. Since you have that talent, why don't you quit our company and work at a special center? You'd be a great fit with your new 'powers,'" I said sarcastically.

Madison ignored my remarks. "Is she pretty?" she asked instead.

"Ugly," I said simply, sitting on the sofa and opening my laptop to check some medical records.

She gave me a knowing look. "She must be pretty," she concluded, then passed by me and sat next to me.

"Olivia is a nice name. Do you have her picture? Let me see."

My forehead furrowed as I turned to her. "When did you become like Mom?" I said.

She just grinned at me.

I sighed. "She's not my patient, okay? Her daughter is. Hannah, her daughter, has congenital heart disease."

"Oh, is she married?" The disappointment in her voice was evident.

"Why don't you just meet Isabel? After all, her family is close to ours," Madison suggested after realizing she couldn't push me on Olivia.

"I've already met her. We even exchanged numbers," I told her.

"So you can tell Mom that I've already done what I promised her," I added.

I knew this was why my sister was here-she needed information to pass on to our mom.

Madison looked at me intently, then grabbed my phone from my bed and started scrolling through the messages we exchanged.

"Noah, are you busy today? I have two concert tickets."

"Busy."

"Noah, I have a friend who has a heart problem. Can I consult you about it?"

"Registration."

"Noah, I heard you're off this Saturday. Let's watch a movie together."

"On duty."

My sister slapped me on the shoulder. "What kind of conversation is this, Noah Ezekiel?"

I chuckled. "At least I replied."

"Can you make an effort to get to know her? Mom promised you that after you got married, she'd give you more shares in the company, and your future wife would get a share too," she said, trying to convince me.

I shook my head. "I'm content being a doctor. I don't need more shares in the company. You and Lucas are already doing a great job running it."

"Tss... I know you like being a doctor, but I also know that if you wanted to, you could easily run the company. You just don't want to hurt Lucas," my sister said, a knowing look in her eyes.

She had a point. We never treated Lucas as anything less than a real brother. That's why I'd never fought for the CEO position.

"But Mom wants you to settle down. She's doing this not just for herself, but for you too," my sister said, her voice filled with genuine concern.

I simply nodded in response.

"Can you at least tell me what your 'type' is? If you don't like Isabel, we can introduce you to other daughters of our family friends," she pressed, still not giving up.

"Big breasts, slim waist, long legs, fair skin. Oh, and I don't like girls who are too thin or too glamorous, and they can't be too short either. Preferably around 168 cm," I said, listing off the usual traits I tell to others.

She started listing girls who might meet my standards, and I couldn't help but smirk. But my smirk quickly faded when she mentioned a name.

"Emma Cooper."

My expression soured, and I felt a tightness in my chest. I slammed my laptop shut and pointed to the door. "Leave," I said, my voice cold and steady.

OLIVIA

A week had passed in the blink of an eye. We secured another major client, and I was determined to close this deal. Once it was finalized, it would be a huge help with my daughter's surgery, in addition to the deal I closed with Mere and Line.

"Hey, guys, have you heard the news about Isabel?" Jessica asked as we wrapped up our team meeting.

"What's the scoop?" Ella asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Isabel has a boyfriend," Jessica replied, her tone dripping with intrigue. "From what I've heard, it's an arranged marriage. The guy's family comes from a powerful background in the US, particularly in California. And get this-the family lives in Atherton."

Everyone's eyes widened in amazement. Who wouldn't? Atherton is an exclusive, affluent town in California, famous for its luxurious homes, sprawling estates, and high-profile residents.

I couldn't help but think of Noah. His family also lived in Atherton.

I might not approve of Isabel's work ethic, but her personal life is none of my business.

"If Olivia could charm someone as powerful as Isabel's boyfriend, then I wouldn't have to work so hard. I could just live off you," Jessica teased, shaking my arm playfully.

I smirked at her. "Just so you know, I already have a child. So, you can forget about that dream."

Even if Hannah weren't part of my life, what Jessica was suggesting still felt impossible. I had never seen myself as attractive or charming. Even though I got compliments from people-sometimes even strangers-after losing weight, I still struggled to see myself that way.

Maybe it was because of the humiliation I faced when I was overweight. It left me with an inferiority complex and chipped away at my self-confidence.

"So what if you have a child?" Jessica insisted, lifting my chin to meet her gaze. "What the world really lacks now is natural beauty."

She smiled, her tone light and teasing. "If I were a man, I'd definitely be into a girl like you-gentle, beautiful, and naturally stunning."

Then, without missing a beat, she casually placed her hand on my waist. "And your waist... it's so slender. How do you manage to keep your body like that?"

I gently patted her hand and chuckled. "Alright, enough of this. Let's wrap up this meeting, apply what we've discussed, and finalize everything in our next one."

Since it was already lunchtime, we all decided to grab a bite together. As we sat down at the restaurant, I remembered to check my phone-it had been on silent during the meeting.

But when I saw Noah's missed call, I suddenly lost my appetite.

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.