Olive saw Clifford and Zhen-Zhen leave the restaurant. She didn't know whether to get mad or feel sad. Clifford treated her coldly.
She was sulking at their reserved table when her friend, Ana arrived.
"Sorry, I'm late. I was caught up in traffic. Have you ordered food already?"
Olive just shook her head. She already lost her appetite. She didn't feel like eating tonight.
"Hey, what's wrong with your face? Why are you wearing this kind of expression? You look like you lost your favorite pet." Ana asked her right away as she noticed her gloomy mood.
Olive heaved a deep sigh before answering her.
"I saw Clifford a while ago… together with his girlfriend. It looks like they were on a dinner date."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAna glanced at her helplessly and said, "Now, I get it. You are jealous that's why you are looking like this."
Olive lowered her gaze while biting her lips. "It's not like that. I know I don't have the right to be jealous. It's just that I couldn't stand it whenever Clifford would act harshly toward me."
"Ana, I approached them, hoping that he would act civil but Clifford didn't hide his hatred and displeasure. He was too rude, humiliating me in front of his girlfriend," Olive shared her frustrations with her friend.
"I know it's my fault. I thought he would forget and forgive me after not seeing him for a long time. But it seems that he had not forgiven me yet. I want to have a fresh start with him but… I'm too late." Olive clenched her fists after saying that. She felt a pang of pain deep inside her heart.
Ana moved closer to her as she rubbed Olive's back, trying to comfort her.
"Olive… just thinking about it… what if Clifford still has feelings for you that's why he is treating you like this. Your presence can still affect him," Ana said hypothetically.
Olive became silent after hearing that. She also wondered at that thought.
"We heard the rumors that he became woman-hater after your failed engagement. No news about him dating someone. What if he learned beforehand that you came back so he tried to date a woman just to show you he already moved on." Ana continued to speculate.
Olive wanted to believe it but she disregarded that idea.
"I think that's not the only possible reason. I saw his girlfriend wearing a college uniform from the University of Imperial Knight. What if Clifford is hiding his relationship from the public since his girlfriend is still a college student." Olive shared her thoughts and opinion with Ana.
Ana was surprised after hearing that. Never did she imagine that Clifford would date a college student.
"A college student?! Are you sure about that?" Ana asked her exasperatedly. Olive just nodded as a response.
"I couldn't blame Clifford. The girl looks young and beautiful. I didn't know that he's into a young woman as well. Now, I am doubtful if Clifford truly loves her. What's her name again?"
Olive shook her head as she was not able to get her name. "Clifford brushed me off immediately, saying I was disturbing their dinner. I didn't have the chance to get to know her."
"I wonder if she knew that you are Clifford's ex-fiance," Ana mumbled while rubbing her chin.
"I don't know. She seemed friendly when she was talking to me a while ago."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAna clapped her hands as an idea popped up in her mind. "Why don't you visit her in her school tomorrow? Try to observe if she is just faking it. What if she was just acting friendly to you because Clifford was there at that time?"
"Alright, that's a good suggestion. I'm not busy tomorrow. I will try to get to know her." Olive agreed with Ana's idea.
"Oh, speaking of the University of Imperial Knight… I heard that Liam Clark, our former schoolmate and your old friend before has returned here to the City of Empire after four years of staying abroad."
"Remember that he got into an accident four years ago.No one had seen him after that tragedy. He finally came back. Now, he is teaching in that university as History Professor. You can also ask him if ever he knows Clifford's girlfriend. At least, you can also use him as an alibi for visiting there."
"Yeah, I think I should also see him. It's been so long since the last time I saw him. I wonder if he is doing fine now. That tragedy was a huge blow to him. I would like to know if how he was able to cope up." There was a hint of sadness in Olive's voice when she uttered those words.
Liam was her old pal. But due to some circumstances in the past, they lost their communication as they became busy with their personal lives.
"Olive, let me ask you one thing. Are you trying to win Clifford back?" Ana asked Olive expectantly while looking at her intently.
Olive paused for a moment, thinking about the right answer to that question. She was assessing herself. 'What is the thing I truly want? My heart's desire?' That's what Olive was asking herself at that certain moment.
After finding the answer to that question, Olive faced Ana with a serious expression on her face.
"Yes, I want him back. I will do my best to win his heart again. He loved me so much in the past. I will try to make it up to him. I will show him that I deserve a second chance with him."
"Though he has a current girlfriend right now, I will not give up. As long as they are not yet married, I still have the chance to get Clifford back," Olive said with so much conviction in her words.
"It's my time to lower my pride. I will do everything just to make him fall for me again," she added, promising herself that she would do everything she could just to win his heart once more. She didn't care anymore whether Clifford had a girlfriend or none.