Bought by the billionaire I met in the rain

Chapter6

THIRD PERSON’S POV

He walked down to his car the moment Olivia disappeared into the dark. The sandwich was still in his hands, and he hadn’t thrown up yet. He thought of throwing it away, but he hadn’t had a real meal in years.

He developed trauma-induced food aversion after his mother died. Since then, everything he tried to eat ended in vomiting. He had even experienced syncopal fainting in the past because of months of not feeding properly. Every bite had been a struggle, every meal a challenge.

He got into his car and sat inside, staring hard at the sandwich. The more he looked at it, the more he felt the urge to eat it, but he couldn’t; he couldn’t bring himself to do it because it had been given to him by a stranger. He finally summoned the courage and unwrapped the sandwich carefully, noticing how neatly it had been wrapped.

His first bite came clean and sharp. The taste of the sandwich was second to none, especially considering the fact that he had not eaten real food in years. He took the second bite, then the third, with growing eagerness. Each bite brought a strange comfort, a small spark of life that he had not felt in a long time. He continued until he had finished it all.

A little smile touched his face as he opened the small fridge between the two front seats and brought out a cold bottle of water. He washed down the life-giving taste, feeling his body align with a satisfaction that had been missing for years.

“I will find you,” he whispered to himself, his eyes brightening with approval and a strange sense of determination.

He thought of how angels visited people and healed them. He called his encounter a miracle, a small miracle in the middle of his long, lonely night. But as he tried to live in the moment, his eyes caught his rearview mirror, and he saw his company’s signboard. The colorful lights spelled out the company’s name, bold and bright against the dark night.

Then the nightmare returned. He realized that he had one miracle, but his greatest fear still stood before him. He stared hard at his company, contemplating how to defeat his father. He knew his father was capable of executing his threats, and so he needed a plan and fast.

“I will never marry that girl,” Russell muttered to himself. “You want me to marry a woman who has been sleeping with my half-brother? I can never bring myself this low. Never!” Russell admitted firmly, his jaw clenched.

He thought about how to slip out of his father’s web of control but couldn’t picture it perfectly. The only way to fight his father right now was through the very weapon his father had used against him, and that was marriage. And he wasn’t ready to do that, not now, not like that.

“I will fight him with the same weapon he formed against me,” he said to himself, his words coming out with stubborn resolve.

He turned on the ignition and started the engine; immediately a phone call came in.

He picked it up.

“Your father wants to see you tomorrow,” the voice of his father’s secretary said on the other end.

“Tell him I’ll be there,” he said firmly, then hung up.

“I must cut this control before I lose everything I’ve worked for,” Russell groaned, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

He throttled the car and drove off into the night, his mind racing with strategies and plans, his heart heavy with worry but stubbornly defiant.

When Olivia returned home, the rain had settled. She sat beside her boys, watching them sleep peacefully. A little smile touched her lips as she admired their small, innocent faces. With her new job, she felt a bit more at ease, confident that she could provide for them and slowly build a better life.

She gently stroked their hair and kissed their foreheads, feeling the warmth of their presence and the sense of purpose they gave her. Then she walked over to the couch and sat down, letting her mind wander.

She thought of the mysterious man she had met under the rain, wondering what he had been going through and whether he would ever recover from his burdens. She felt a strange connection to his pain, though she knew nothing about him. And yet, part of the fear she imagined for him reflected her own fears.

She remembered the hardship of life before the birth of her twins, the sleepless nights, the missed antenatal appointments, and the constant worry about how she would survive. She remembered how many men had tried to take advantage of her, ignoring her condition, and how she had struggled to keep herself afloat.

“I am strong, and I will conquer,” Olivia whispered under her breath, her voice filled with determination.

“When did you come back, Olivia?” Ma asked, walking over to the couch. “And what are you whispering?” she added, curiosity etched on her face.

“Nothing relevant, Ma,” Olivia replied softly. “Just a random stranger I met under the rain as I was on my way home.”

“What was wrong with him?” Ma asked, her curiosity deepening.

“I couldn’t get to know him,” Olivia admitted. “He wasn’t ready to share. But I felt for him, Ma. I wonder if he will ever recover. Look at me now; it’s been over two years since my life took a new route, and I still haven’t fully found my feet. Sometimes I feel like I may never.” She sighed, pouring her feelings out to the woman who had become her god.

Ma didn’t speak immediately. She bent her head, reflecting on the depth of Olivia’s emotions.

After a quiet pause, she said, “Life has no manual. You just have to do what you have to do. Your situation is bad, yes, that I know, but one thing is certain: you have me and your children to hold onto. So don’t ever feel alone in this journey. You will be fine. That, I assure you.”

Olivia stared at her deeply. She had always believed in Ma, but hearing her words reaffirm her presence and her support made her feel alive in a way that was comforting and reassuring.

“Thank you, Ma,” Olivia said shyly, a soft smile spreading across her face. “You have been a blessing to me and my children. We are forever grateful.”

“I know you are grateful. Now go and rest. Tomorrow is another day,” Ma instructed firmly.

“Yes, Ma,” Olivia replied, standing up and moving toward her bed.

As she lay down, the night felt peaceful and calm but still tinged with the reminder that tomorrow was never promised. She closed her eyes, letting the silence wrap around her, her thoughts lingering briefly on the stranger in the rain.