Chapter 76: I Will Protect You!

Olive had no male friends, but she teased Elvis on the phone.

"Yeah, there are so many handsome guys in the Ivory Council. I met some today."

Elvis was silent for a few seconds, then chuckled low and provocatively. "Oh, really?"

Olive knew he was angry and stopped teasing him. "I lied. They're not as handsome as you."

Elvis smiled. "Little liar. Lying doesn't suit you, does it?"

"Mr. Augustine, you're the most handsome man to me. Other men's handsomeness is none of my business," she declared.

Elvis was pleased. He knew he shouldn't interfere in her life, but she was intelligent and beautiful, and he knew many men would want her.

"Olly," he whispered. Olive rarely heard him call her that; he usually called her Mrs. Augustine.

"What?" she asked.

"Olly, I don't like boys who study medicine. Don't get close to them."

Olive laughed. "Mr. Augustine doesn't like boys who study medicine, but likes girls who do? What an irony!"

"Olly, I'm serious. My brother studied medicine. He's been a medical genius since childhood."

This was the first time Olive had heard him mention his family. North had told her Elvis had only been in LA for seven years, and she'd thought Mrs. Samantha was his only relative.

"Mr. Augustine, you have a brother?"

"Stepbrother. My mother passed away when I was young. Mrs. Augustine is my stepmother," Elvis explained. Olive shivered; his background was similar to hers.

"So, his father, stepmother, and medical-genius brother lived together, while he lived with his grandmother in LA?" Olive mused.

Elvis, usually reserved, had never revealed this before. He rarely spoke about his family.

"Mr. Augustine…"

"I don't want to talk now. Study hard and take care," Elvis said, hanging up.

Olive stared at her phone, angry. He'd called her and then ended the call so abruptly.

She put her phone down. The man who often slept in the room had returned. His footsteps were very light, and Olive felt frightened.

She saw a flask of instant noodles in his hands. Olive's stomach grumbled; she'd only had a small lunch and hadn't eaten dinner. She was very hungry.

The man was reading a medical book. His fingers were long, slender, and beautiful—the kind a pianist or doctor might have. But Olive wasn't interested in his hands; she wanted the noodles. He didn't seem in a hurry to eat them.

She approached him. "I'm sorry to bother you. Do you want to eat your noodles? I haven't had dinner. Could I have them? I'll return them tomorrow morning."

Without looking up, he said, "Take them."

Olive gratefully grabbed the flask and hurried back to her chair. Her phone rang—it was Mr. Augustine.

"Hello, Mr. Augustine," she answered.

His low, lovely voice said, "Come out."

Olive's eyes lit up. She quickly put down her fork and rushed out. She saw Elvis's Rolls Royce Phantom parked nearby. He was leaning back in the car, wearing a gray shirt that looked magnificent on him.

She wasn't lying; he was the most handsome man she'd ever seen.

"Mr. Augustine, I'm here!" she announced.

Elvis got out of the car. Olive ran to him and embraced him. He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist. She rubbed her face against him. "Mr. Augustine, why did you hang up on me? Were you afraid I'd comfort you?"

They knew each other well, and it was rare to see Elvis vulnerable. "I've forgotten what I said, so should you."

Olive nodded obediently. "Okay. But never forget what I'm going to say now: I don't want to comfort you."

Elvis frowned. "Okay?"

"From today on, I'll always protect you."

He playfully spanked her waist. "Protect me? You?"

"Mr. Augustine, don't underestimate me. There are three of them, but there are three of us—Grandma, you, and me. I'm not afraid of any medical geniuses. If they dare to bully you, I'll definitely protect you."