Hidden Heiress Trapped in His Arms

Uneasiness

Life resumed as if she hadn't been sick and bedridden for over forty-eight hours. With the end of her academic year fast approaching, Olivia was immersed in her studies, trying to complete her second master's degree. Despite her intelligence, there was still a lot to do.

"Do you want to hang out with my sister and me after your defense?" Dave asked, standing behind her while she worked on her PowerPoint presentation.

"That depends on how it goes," she replied, turning her gaze from her laptop to her fiancé's face.

"If it goes bad, we'll hold a consolation party for you. If it goes well, we'll have a celebration party," he said, placing a mug of coffee beside her laptop.

"Don't you dare jinx it," she scolded him with a gentle nudge to his waist.

"I'm not jinxing it," he laughed, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I'm just letting you know I'm here for you, no matter what."

Olivia smiled, but a sudden wave of dizziness swept over her, bringing back snippets of the disturbing dreams she'd had during her illness. She'd never had dreams that lingered in her mind like this.

"Either way, it's a party. My sister's birthday is next week," she replied, trying to focus on her presentation.

"Right, you'll help me pick a gift for Rose, won't you? I never know what to get," Dave said with a grin.

"You don't need to worry about that. I'll find something for both of us," she said, her eyes drifting back to her laptop screen. Despite the casual exchange, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling from those haunting dreams. It was like a shadow lurking just out of sight, waiting to reemerge at any moment.

Olivia gulped down the coffee, hoping the caffeine would keep her focused and stave off any more distractions.

***

The party turned out to be a well-deserved celebration. Olivia had completed her second master’s degree and was already contemplating what to study next. Education was her form of escapism, and she loved losing herself in learning.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" Claire, Dave's sister, asked as they finished giving birthday gifts and exchanging well wishes with Rose, the birthday girl.

"I was hoping to get some suggestions for my next course of study," Olivia replied, looking around at the people seated around the dining table. "Any ideas?"

"Marriage," Claire leaned in and whispered with a cheeky smile.

Olivia was taken aback. She never expected Claire, her good friend, to broach the subject of marriage, especially given that her brother, Dave, was involved. Olivia glanced at her friend, trying to mask her surprise with a polite smile.

"When are you going to marry my brother?" Claire asked, her tone playful. "Isn’t it about time we became in-laws? I’d love to be an aunt."

"I'll marry him when he's ready," Olivia replied, recovering from her initial shock.

"I heard that," Dave said, joining the conversation with a grin. "And I agree. Marriage is definitely next. We should get married before the end of the year—you'll be too busy with wedding planning to think about anything else."

Olivia blushed, lowering her gaze in embarrassment. After more than four years together, a wedding seemed like the natural next step. As she shyly considered the idea of becoming Dave's wife, she missed the look he exchanged with Rose, who was glaring at him from across the table.

"Do you agree with him?" Claire asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, why not?" Olivia replied, lifting her gaze to meet her fiancé's eyes. She thought of how much of a gentleman he had been, waiting for her for more than four years because she had decided not to get too intimate until they were married. He was patient and understanding, respecting her boundaries without complaint.

They'd been living together for two years now, and he'd never given her a reason to doubt his fidelity. Despite her status as an orphan turned adoptee, he showed her unconditional love, disregarding the power his family wielded.

Dave was like an angel in her life, his presence always making her heart race, whether from his gentle hugs or the way he looked at her. He was such a kind soul, and she felt compelled to achieve as much as she could with her genius mind, wanting to feel worthy of being his partner.

He hugged her, pulling her gently against his chest. Olivia couldn't help but smile, the faint dimple on her left cheek appearing. It felt like everything was finally falling into place.

On the way home, her thoughts turned to how soon the year would end and how her fiancé wanted to marry before then. She imagined all the steps leading up to their wedding day and the thought of finally becoming his wife made her heart swell.

"Why do you keep smiling?" Dave asked, glancing at her as they drove.

"I'm just happy," she replied, her smile brightening. "We're finally getting married."

Her excitement was genuine, and her joy was contagious. But deep down, she still felt a hint of the anxiety left by her recent dreams and the strange events surrounding her illness.

"Are you really that happy? You should have asked me to marry you sooner," Dave said with a hint of playful reproach. "I thought you didn't like me enough because you wouldn't even let me touch you."

His words froze the smile on Olivia's lips, and she cleared her throat, shifting her gaze to the scenery outside the windshield. "You know why I asked you for that, right?" she replied, her voice laced with hope, as though she needed reassurance from him.

"I know," he said, "but there were times I thought it was because you didn't love me. You accepted my marriage proposal last year, but I couldn't plan anything because I wasn't sure if you really wanted to marry me."

"Do you feel reassured now?" she asked, worry evident in her eyes.

"I'm sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me," he replied warmly.

Olivia let out a breath of relief and tried to ease the tension with a joke. "We could sign a prenuptial agreement if you're still worried I'm a gold digger," she said with a light chuckle.

"What are you talking about?" he replied, his voice rising slightly. "I never asked for that. You might have been adopted, but you come from a powerful family. No one would dare disrespect you, so why do you look down on yourself so much?"

His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and Olivia could sense his worry. But what she couldn't discern from his furrowed brow was what exactly had him so concerned. He was always so composed, and seeing him like this only added to the uneasy feeling that had been growing in her chest. Something was off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.