Chapter Four – Restless Thought
1004 Words
Oliver was relaxed at his office, the city skyline shining behind him. Lots of papers were packed on his desk and numerous emails yet to be attended to but he didn't touch any of them. Rather, his thoughts kept returning to the girl with a soft voice and quiet eyes , while his pen laid idle between his fingers.
Eliana.
She walked into the tower as though she didn't belong there, but for some reason, she had carried herself more gracefully than most women at his parents' dinner.
Oliver frowned. Something about her honesty had him unsettled, and he couldn't shake it off.
His phone buzzed again.
Lisa Weldon: “See you tonight. Don’t be late.”
Oliver shut off the screen without replying. The thought of another evening spent listening to Lisa complain about waiters or gossip about people she barely knew made his head ache. He needed something else—something real.
By late afternoon, Oliver couldn’t resist anymore. He told his driver to take him back into the city.
“Sir, are we going to the Weldons’?” the driver asked carefully.
“No,” Oliver said flatly. “Just follow my directions.”
The driver said no more, but Oliver could feel the man’s curiosity. It was unexpected for the heir to the Williams enterprises to be seen in a crowded roadside stall. Yet there he was, obviously couldn't resist the urge of seeing Eliana again.
The city grew louder as they entered the old district, the environment was as busy as always, merchants called their prices, customers making payments.
Oliver leaned forward slightly, gazing around the busy row until his eyes got to her.
Eliana.
She was standing close to her mother, serving plates of food to her customers politely. Her braids neatly packed at the back with a fancy hair pin and two falling across her cheek. She flung it to the back smiling towards the elderly man she served, her expression—charming and genuine.
When she smiled at a customer, Oliver realized it was the kind of smile that asked for nothing in return. She simply existed—calm, steady, and full of a warmth that pulled him in without effort.
He stepped out of the car. Heads turned immediately. Oliver is not the type of person that roams streets like these. His polished shoes stirred up dust, which drew the attention of people as they began to whisper as he walked by.
But Oliver ignored them all and made his way to her stall.
Eliana looked up—and froze. She lifted her brows up in surprise, her jaw dropped,and for a moment she was speechless.
“Mr. Williams?” she asked, almost in doubt.
“Oliver,” he corrected gently. “Just Oliver, please.”
Her mother glanced between them, clearly confused. Eliana quickly recovered, offering him the same polite smile she gave every other customer. “What would you like today, sir?”
Oliver tilted his head slightly. “I came for the food. “Thanks again,” he said.
“You already thanked me,” Eliana answered, keeping her voice steady though her heart was pounding. “Not enough,” Oliver said, his eyes fixed on her.
Her mom slid a plate of food in front of him. Eliana avoided his eyes. As he was sitting on a wooden bench, just like the last time, but the air felt different now.
People whispered, surprised to see him there, but Oliver barely noticed. His eyes stayed on Eliana.
Oliver ate slowly, though he hardly tasted the food. He can’t stop glancing at Eliana. The way she treated every customer with kindness, carried herself with so much confidence. She wasn’t moved by the loud noise coming from the crowd. He had met well-polished women in glittering gowns but none of them had ever made feel this relaxed.
When he finished, he stood to pay—deliberately pulling his wallet from his pocket and setting down more than enough.
Eliana quickly pushed half of it back toward him.
“This is too much. “The food is not worth that much.” Eliana said.
Oliver gave a faint smile. “It’s worth more than you know, you can't keep rejecting my offer. ”
Her jaw dropped, she couldn't let out a word. For a second, their eyes met— the clamouring voice from the street began to fade, the clatter of pans and chants from kids blurring into silence.
Eliana’s breath hitched. She couldn't understand why the gaze she's getting from Oliver unsettled her. She was feeling both curious and nervous at the same time. She only knew she took out her face quickly before he could notice.
But across town, Lisa Weldon sat waiting at a dining table covered in silk.Her messages to Oliver had gone unanswered, her calls ignored. Irritation burned hotter with every passing minute until she finally dialed his driver.
“Where is he?” she asked authoritatively.
The driver paused, torn between loyalty and fear. “Miss Weldon, he… he asked me to bring him into the city. He’s at a food stall. I’m parked nearby.”
A dangerous smile curved Lisa’s lips. “Text me the address. Now.”
The driver complied. His chest was already beating fast because he could sense trouble.
Some minutes later, a sharp heel clicked against uneven pavement. Everybody turned to look at her, wondering what a rich and classy woman could be doing in such a local stall. Her perfume scent topped the smell of frying oil and corn.
Her voice cut in very loudly and saucily.
“Well, well. Look at who we have here.”
Eliana froze. Oliver turned to look at Lisa approaching, her designer heels sinking on dusty ground, with her face frowned.
” What on earth are you doing here, Oliver?” she asked, her tone sharp, her eyes cutting to Eliana with obvious scorn. “Slumming?”
Eliana’s heart pounded as Lisa’s cold gaze landed on her.
- Writer
