199 - Chapter 199
Side Story 21.
His mind was practically boiling over. But the moment Olivia heard that he was trying to make money off of that, she realized that Ansen Wilhelm was already living in hell. Olivia knew very well what that hell was.
"Do you want to get back on your feet?" "......" "Shall I tell you how?"
Olivia took another sip of her coffee. The cold, bitter taste of the coffee reminded her of the Herollington University campus.
It's surprisingly accurate to say that you never know what will happen in life.
Did you expect this day to come back then? You too, me too.
"Go back to the beginning. Start over from there."
Ansen's expression, which had been blankly staring at Olivia, crumpled like a crumpled piece of paper.
"...Go back to the beginning?" "Yes." "Where is the beginning?" "Well. I guess you'd call it rock bottom." "Rock bottom?"
Ansen flared up.
"Do you know where I'm standing, Olivia? Even knowing what Noah Astrid did to me, can you tell me to go to rock bottom? I'm already standing on the edge of a cliff!"
The secretary flinched at his outburst. She immediately turned to Olivia, asking with her eyes what she should do.
Olivia gestured to her as if to say it was okay, then turned back to Ansen.
"The edge of a cliff? You're saying you're standing on the edge of a cliff?" "Yes!" "Well. I don't think so."
Ansen screamed, looking like he was about to go crazy.
"Olivia!!!"
Something breaking was heard from outside, but the door didn't open.
The secretary was restless and didn't know what to do, but Olivia maintained a calm attitude. She raised a finger, pointed at Ansen, and opened her mouth.
"That fancy suit." "......" "The first-class ticket you insist on." "......" "I heard you're staying in a hotel suite here too."
Ansen stopped breathing and glared at Olivia, but Olivia didn't stop.
"Is that what you call the edge of a cliff?"
No.
The edge of a cliff isn't like that.
"Give up your entire lifestyle and go back to the absolute starting point." "Stop it." "If you don't have the funds to start a business right away, save as much as you can on living expenses and do whatever you can. Whether it's using your body or selling your knowledge. There's nothing to be ashamed of." "I said stop talking!" "Why? You interfered with even that, didn't you? You trampled on my struggles to live, very thoroughly."
Ansen couldn't say a word.
"What Noah did to you? Is that why you're in such a disadvantageous position?"
Olivia shook her head slightly. She took a deep breath to dilute her long-standing resentment, then continued.
"Wear the clothes you've been wearing for years. Use a dormitory on the outskirts instead of a suite, and use a third-class seat instead of a first-class seat."
Ansen stared at Olivia darkly, his mouth shut. Olivia let out a hollow laugh at his fierce gaze. Then, she nodded as if she understood.
"Why? Can't you stand that? Do you think you're not the kind of person who should do that?" "......" "But if it were me, I'd rather endure that."
Olivia stood up. Then, she picked up the documents she had been reading, walked over to Ansen with a click-clack, and handed them to him.
"Even if I were given a choice now, I would rather endure a poor life and plan for the future than enjoy a wealthy life by selling my shame and decency."
Ansen's face turned pale as he realized what the documents were.
"Th, this is......"
Olivia threw Ansen's writing down on the table.
"Spring flowers and love. If you wanted to package the time we spent together with such words." "......" "You shouldn't have thought about making money with something like this, at least."
Her soft words completely shattered Ansen Wilhelm's last stronghold.
"You should have never thought about interfering in my life again."
Her eyes, resembling the tranquility of the campus, showed a firm determination that she would never allow him.
After saying those words, Olivia held out her hand to the secretary. The secretary placed a white envelope in her hand, and Olivia dropped it in front of Ansen.
Ansen's eyes fell to the envelope.
The moment he saw the white envelope, he realized that the unknown sense of déjà vu originated from a certain memory. He realized it.
"It should be enough to cover the cost of returning to Pulder. Depending on what kind of ticket you buy and what kind of life you live, it might even be enough for a month's living expenses."
Olivia stared at the envelope, her face pale.
The words she had whispered to her.
'Let's do as we do now. I'll pay more attention so that your living expenses aren't cut off.'
Just as Ansen recalled that day, Olivia seemed to recall that day as well.
"But unfortunately, it will be difficult for me to pay more attention to your living expenses."
The two people's eyes met.
Olivia smiled very brightly. Was it because she had become Noah's wife that she resembled a lion showing its teeth?
Perhaps, the pitiful and weak woman had never existed from the beginning.
"May this be the end of our relationship." "......" "I won't go far, Mr. Wilhelm." "......" "Goodbye."
It was a cold dismissal.
It was a firm order not to interfere in her life again.
Ansen realized that day why Olivia hadn't received all that money. He would rather die than receive that money.
Ansen left the envelope as it was and stood up. Then, he barely moved his steps like a person crossing a swamp and looked back.
Olivia was looking out the window. Her figure felt as distant as an insurmountable mountain range.
This is really the end.
Ansen moved his lips, but in the end, he had no choice but to turn around.
Meanwhile, Noah, who was waiting for Ansen to come out from beyond the door, was experiencing the magic of feeling like 1 minute was 1 hour.
If Olivia hadn't asked him not to come in no matter what, he would have already pushed his way in and slammed the guy to the ground when Ansen screamed and called out Olivia's name in the room.
Noah stared at the door and thought.
I have to kill that bastard.
This time, I must kill that bastard and make it impossible for him to interfere in Olivia's life again.
How long had that eternity-like time passed?
Finally, when the door opened and Ansen Wilhelm came out, Noah, who had been fiercely sharpening his knives, reflexively narrowed his eyes.
Huh?
Ansen Wilhelm walked away, looking like a person who had lost his soul. He didn't even see Noah, as if he hadn't seen him, and just passed by. Noah's gaze followed Ansen's steps.
His imposing demeanor, as if he had come to pick up money he had deposited, had withered like grass suffocating in a drought. His shoulders were strangely hunched, and his drooping hands shook weakly. The eyes he glimpsed were black and empty like the sky after spitting out snow.
He was like black ashes left after completely burning his body.
The desire to see blood directly disappeared like evaporation.
Noah realized that he didn't need to do anything.
His black lion must have attacked only the vital points of the bastard without a shred of mercy. Blood must be gushing from the wounds that had been bitten and torn to pieces.
Noah, who was staring at Ansen's last moments with shaded eyes, took his hand out of his pocket. After seeing Methone follow Ansen, he turned around without regret.
He had a feeling that this was the end with Ansen Wilhelm.
Olivia was standing by the window, looking at the boundless sea and the Magic Dome.
Noah quietly sent Olivia's secretary out, then walked towards her.
The sunlight reflected on the blue horizon dyed her silhouette in gold. Olivia's silhouette, wrapped in a blurry light, felt thinner than usual. Even now, it was the same, his heart ached just looking at her, and he was worried even by the blowing wind.
But Olivia is strong.
No matter what crisis comes, Olivia will not collapse like Ansen. She will take a deep breath and open her eyes wide. Instead of shedding tears and lamenting her fate, she will start moving stones with her bare hands. Even if her hands and feet are soiled with dirt, she will not lose her dignity.
That's the difference between Olivia and Ansen.
Although he realized it late, it was precisely in that respect that Noah was fascinated by Olivia.
Noah hugged Olivia from behind. Her upright back softly relaxed and leaned against his chest.
