Chapter 640

He hasn't touched a woman in three years. Compared to Olive, Clara seemed harsh and mean. Elvis frowned, glancing at Clara. "Enough," he said, "eating like this will make you fat."

Clara was about to ask Olive for foie gras when she heard Elvis's indifferent voice. Her pupils constricted. What did he just say? Fat? He called her fat! Wasn't Olive his love, his fairy? How could he abandon his gentlemanly demeanor and insult a girl like that? Olive raised her clear eyes to Elvis, clearly surprised he'd spoken up for her. Their eyes met. The image of her sitting on his lap, hugging his neck, kissing him, flooded Elvis's mind. He felt crazy, enchanted by this little maid. Irritable, he stood, left the room, and went outside for air.

Olive followed, intending to find North, but around a corner, she heard a familiar voice—Everly's. "President Augustine," Everly said, "I've surrendered, but seeing Olive beside you rekindles my fighting spirit. I want to be with you." President Augustine? Had Elvis met Everly while getting some air? This man was a tempter in every way.

Olive cautiously peeked around the corner. She saw Elvis's tall, handsome figure with Everly. Everly reached for his sleeve, gazing at him admiringly. "Mr. Augustine," she said, "you like me, don't you? Even a little? Otherwise, you wouldn't have dated me. You looked at me tenderly, hugged me..."

Olive curled her fingers. She knew he'd dated many women in the past three years, but she'd never imagined such scenes. Hearing Everly describe their intimacy, she felt a knife twisting in her heart. Before, he'd said his relationships with other women were fake. It turned out that was a lie. Those relationships weren't fake at all. Olive felt naive. He'd locked her in a closet to listen to his encounters with other women—how could that have been fake? With a gloomy expression, she turned to leave.

Then, Elvis's cold voice reached her: "No, I don't like you. Not at all." Olive stopped. Everly shook her head, unable to accept this. "How could that be, Mr. Augustine? I'm sure you like me. Although you're always indifferent, I always feel you see someone else through me. Have you forgotten? You often complimented my nails, looked at my hands. Look, I still have that pink polish—your favorite set."

Olive turned. She saw Everly's nails—a pink manicure strikingly familiar. North had taken her to get that same manicure! Maybe Elvis was attracted to Everly because her nails resembled Olive's.

Everly continued, "Mr. Augustine, although you looked at me tenderly, hugged me, even sat in my bedroom, we didn't do anything. Even though I loved you and hugged you, you remained still. The night you were photographed, you just smoked all night in my apartment. No one would believe this. Everyone says you date many women, but I know you've never been close to them. You haven't touched any woman."

Olive's body trembled; her pupils constricted. He's never touched another woman?

Everly continued, "Mr. Augustine, I know there's a woman you'll never forget. She's deep in your heart; no one can replace her. So I conceded defeat and broke up with you. I knew your other girlfriends were like me—unable to enter your heart, unable to have your love. The only thing that makes me jealous is the woman you always think of. I thought I lost to her, but then I saw her. She's superficial; I don't care for her. Except for her pretty face, who knows what she thinks? Mr. Augustine, open your eyes. That woman doesn't deserve you."

Olive had heard the truth. This was the truth of the past three years? The women were all fake—just shadows of her. Three years after her absence, he'd remained in place, searching for her shadow in the crowd. Everly was right. Olive was Elvis's dearest love, a love time couldn't erase. In three years, he hadn't forgotten her for a second; he'd never betrayed her. He was, and always would be, her Mr. Augustine.

Tears welled in Olive's eyes. During those three years at Visionary, she'd nearly died, experiencing hardship, loss, confusion, bitterness, and resentment. But now, everything was healed. She felt it had all been worth it. Time passed, but their story remained beautiful. They were still as they were when they first met, irreplaceable.

Elvis remained expressionless, unaffected by Everly's emotional confession. He pursed his lips, pulled his sleeve from her grasp, and looked toward the door. "Who's there?" he demanded. "Come out!"

There was no response. Elvis frowned, stepped forward, grabbed the slender arm of the person at the door, and pulled. It was Olive.