Chapter 745: Invite Him to Dinner

Olive raised her face and looked at him. He was still sleeping. A little joy filled her heart; waking up in the arms of the person she loved most was beautiful. She slowly raised her hand. A large hand suddenly reached out and grasped hers. Elvis opened his eyes.

Olive hadn't expected it. Elvis stared at her. “Mr. Augustine, were you pretending to be asleep?” she asked, embarrassed at being caught.

Elvis wrapped his arms around her. His heart felt soft and sweet. How many mornings had she not woken in his arms? He took her soft, white hand, kissed it, and pulled her close. “I just woke up,” he murmured, “Don’t move. Let me hold you and sleep a while.” He closed his eyes again.

Olive smiled. “Mr. Augustine, the sun’s already drying your… well, you know. Get up! Don’t be lazy.”

Elvis buried his face in her hair, nuzzling it. “I’m having my beauty sleep, lady.”

“Mr. Augustine, you’re a lady? Why would you need a beauty sleep?” Olive laughed.

Elvis held her tightly, reluctant to let go. His phone rang.

“Mr. Augustine, your phone rang all night and now again this morning! You’re really busy,” Olive remarked.

Elvis frowned, reaching for the phone on the bedside table. It was Peterson. His confidant knew he and Olive had spent the night at the hotel.

Olive pushed Elvis away, sitting up. “Mr. Augustine, answer the phone. Go save your ‘beauty.’”

The warmth of his embrace vanished, and the drowsiness faded from Elvis’s eyes. He answered the call.

“Hello, Master. It’s not good; something’s happened to Naomi,” Peterson’s voice was urgent. Olive heard him, as the call was on speaker. “Naomi’s parents demanded money and want to send her back to Clement. She doesn’t want to go and is distraught.”

Elvis remained silent for a few seconds. “Understood. I’ll be there soon.” He hung up.

Olive knew he was leaving, so she went into the bathroom. Elvis followed. She handed him his toothbrush. “Mr. Augustine, brush your teeth quickly.”

He took it, saying indifferently, “Don’t worry about Naomi. I can handle her.”

Olive never doubted Elvis’s ability, but she wondered why he kept Naomi close. “Mr. Augustine, are you really not going to tell me about you and Naomi?”

Elvis looked into her bright eyes. Did she want to hear about the girl who’d saved his life in the snow years ago? He didn’t dare tell her. Olive was too intelligent and decisive. Mentioning another woman would undoubtedly upset her; she’d made it clear she wouldn’t tolerate any infidelity.

He couldn’t risk losing Olive’s favor. “Olive, give me a little more time. I need to find out something.”

Since he wouldn't tell her, Olive didn't push. “Alright. I’ll go with you. Naomi seems desperate, but it’s fine.”

On the ninth-floor rooftop, Elvis held Olive’s hand as they approached the gathering crowd. Naomi, in a white dress, stood precariously on the balcony, delicate and vulnerable against the fierce wind. Her parents were there, their eyes filled with greed. They were frantic at the prospect of losing the money Clement had promised.

“Naomi, say something if you need to. It’s dangerous! Come down. Your parents love you. We can’t live without you.”

“Naomi, we’re not forcing you. Clement’s treated you well. Why cause trouble? Come home and live a good life with him.”

Naomi looked at them, eyes red with despair. She shook her head. “I don’t want to go back. You don’t know how Clement treated me. Did Clement promise you more money?”

Her father smiled. “Naomi, Clement’s our son-in-law. He should give us money.”

Her mother chimed in, “Naomi, I heard you met a rich man. Is it true? Is he richer than Clement? I was thinking of changing son-in-laws.”

Her father pulled her back. “What do you know? Those rich men are old, with families and children. Naomi would just be a mistress. Mistresses don’t have much money. Then where would we get money?”

Her mother disagreed. “I heard mistresses are the richest! Serve the man well, and you’ll get plenty.”

“Really?” Her father pondered.

They both looked at Naomi eagerly. “Naomi, how is this rich man treating you? Where is he? Invite him to dinner, so we can…