Chapter 9 Days passed, and Olivia hadn't uttered a single gentle word to Harrison. The silence gnawed at him. Her final words-"You'll never see me again"-looped through his mind like a curse he couldn't shake. Every time he thought of them, his chest felt tight and suffocating. Irritated, he grabbed Emily and shoved her into the car, then leaned in and kissed her, harsh and impatient. Emily gasped, flinching. "H-Harrison, that hurts. Please... not like this." But her delicate whimpering only fueled his frustration. His kisses turned punishing, his touch all bruising edge-this wasn't affection. It was retaliation. He wasn't making love to her-he was trying to burn out the rage that Olivia had left behind. By the time it was over, Emily lay curled on the seat, sobbing quietly, cradling her stomach. "Harrison... what's wrong with you today?" she whimpered. "You're going to break me.... Harrison glanced down and saw a smear of red between her legs. His first reaction wasn't concern-it was disgust. "I'll have someone take you to get checked." "Come with me," Emily pouted, her lower lip trembling with expectation. Normally, that soft defiance would've made his heart melt. But today, Harrison felt... nothing. Just an overwhelming urge to get away from her. "I've things to do. I'll have my assistant take you. Go shop or whatever after." He handed her a black credit card and turned away. Emily hesitated, then slowly nodded. Harrison got in his car and, without even thinking, drove back to the estate he once shared with Olivia. The moment he stepped into the living room they once shared, something cold stirred in his chest. He showered and changed into a fresh shirt-one he instantly recognized. It was the one Olivia had bought just last month-white, tailored, with a tiny hibiscus embroidered at the cuff. She always said hibiscus symbolized her. Every shirt she gave him carried one-her silent way of saying: I'm with you. Watching. A smile tugged at his lips... then vanished. Chapter 9 16.51% That was last month. Which meant she hadn't bought him anything since. He opened the closet-no new clothes. The feeling of unease deepened. He walked downstairs, and his eyes landed on a half-built LEGO sculpture on the coffee table-a tiny green dragon-half-built, just waiting. Suddenly, a memory hit him: Olivia and Lily sitting there, giggling as they built it together. Olivia's voice, soft and patient, explaining each step to their daughter. Next to the sofa stood a display shelf-neatly packed with over 3,000 LEGO builds, each a frozen memory. Olivia loved building with Lily. It was their thing. Ever since Lily could hold a block, they'd spent their weekends building side by side. "Daddy," Lily would chirp, pride glowing in her eyes, "Mommy says we're gonna fill this whole shelf with LEGO-3,650 of them-one for each day of ten years. That's her gift for you!" The memory hit Harrison like a punch straight to the chest. He pressed a hand to his chest, gasping for breath. Was this it? The piece that had been missing all along? Was that why everything felt off? He had ignored Lily. Ignored Olivia. Gotten swept up in Emily's games. And now, something precious was slipping through his fingers. Once the anger cleared... when clarity returned... He'd fix this. He'd bring Olivia back. And as for Emily? That little fantasy had run its course. Chapter 9