She Thinks I'm Broken

32: Standing still on the cliff

Oliver came back that evening stomping into the house and declining Clare's offer for dinner, he went straight to take a shower as he tried not to think about her cold and rude attitude, she was totally unreasonable! After all that happened between them, she still called their relationship friends for benefits? He went to bed and struggled to fall asleep which led him to take more pills than usual.

The next days that unfold were spent working in the office, attending conferences, studying online, and trying to think less of Evelyn, he even went out drinking with his bodyguards which he had never done, he mainly watched them drink and took little sips. Tim observed the emptiness in his eyes, and his emotionless action, he was missing her dearly, and he had caught him just walking the hall in the middle of a stormy night, he spent his free time playing one melody or another, and rarely he would paint beautiful pictures only to hide them in the attic.

He was back to being the Oliver he had always known, the rich and young heir to huge wealth and title, the slight difference was how he tried his hardest to be kind. He spent time with his pet and even thought it some tricks unknowingly. Tim felt bad for Oliver and saw Evelyn as selfish, she was his only friend, because she was gone he found other ways of distractions like overworking which was bad for his health.

Tim came to know Oliver was depressed, he went often to the therapy section with his therapist and seemed to be coping quite well, Tim was just surprised that Oliver never sorted to see Evelyn after that. Even Clare noticed he ate half his plate like he used to and doesn't speak much, he only communicated when he had to. Tim and Clare tried to help him feel comfortable only for him to act indifferent.

Clare was helping Oliver to pack his bag for London while he gave her little to no instructions.

"Sir, do you want me to pack your sweatpants?" She asked bringing his attention to her foldings.

"No, leave them here, I'll buy new ones, or mother already did." He replied before walking out of the room tablet in hand verifying his latest work and trying to fix some updates.

Tim met him in the hall while coming up, saving him from bumping into an open door. "Thanks," Oliver said.

"The car is ready and your private jet has permission to take off." Tim announced.

"You just have to inform Clare, she will soon join us and we can journey to London," Oliver said and he obtained a nod from Tim.

*********

The flight which lasted for 8 hours was spent with Oliver and his crew in his private jet, he attended 5 meetings on the spot and shared some words in a group chat. When he was done he looked for something to do so as to avoid his sombre thoughts from escaping the gulf of his soul, the gulf Evelyn was helping him seal.

As the plane landed Tim and the other bodyguards ushered Oliver and Clare out, Oliver tried to cheer up, finally, he was back in the city he had always dwelled in, even if he would give it all to visit his grandmother in South Korea. "Are you okay, sir?" Clare asked.

Oliver nodded, "Yeah, just a little tired." Oliver said as he slipped his hands into his pockets. They got into a call sent by Christopher.

Oliver didn't feel anxious, rather he felt desolate within like he had always felt when he was in London and worse when he was in the manor he grew up in as a child and worse next to his father. He always had a burden on his shoulders, and the feeling was choking, he feels like he was been forced to jump from a cliff and fall to his death.

"Sir, we have arrived." The driver said and he got out with Clare and Tim as the other car pulled in.

How could he forget the large and giant mansion he had grown in? It feels like a haunting mansion to him! He had known moments of darkness and pressure, the feeling of void that came with those days was the worst.

"Be careful there!" Tim exclaimed as he grabbed Oliver's hand and pulled him from the way of a group of workers carrying out a huge wooden portrait. Oliver was brought back to reality by the action, he glanced at Tim and muttered a small 'Thanks' before walking inside.

The house was roaring with life! From the chandelier to the LEDs and decorations, it didn't look old and sacred anymore. The people that gathered in the living room discussing caught his attention. They were obviously family members that he knew and wished had not been invited.

"OH MY GOODNESS!" A voice shrieked! It was Elizabeth, she had a gracious thin frame, and a flourishing face that hid her age like a beautiful blanket would hit the plane bed.

She practically ran into his arms pulling him in a bone-crushing hug, he held her closer and inhaled her pawpaw perfume, she had always used those. He missed her arms around him, it has been ages since she did it, her voice was better than what the microphone on his device voices.

"Mother, I think that's enough." He carefully pulled away.

Elizabeth spun him around like he was a jacket that needed to be adjusted or redesigned. "Look at you! You're skinny and pale! Have you been eating, you look weak and frail, my baby! What has America done to you?" She whined, before reaching for his face, "You're so handsome, honey." she pinched his cheek.

Oliver flashed a quick smile. "Come on, you do this all the time." she elbowed him and he grinned instead. She smiles at that encouragingly.

"Oly!" Another shriek came, this time from a distasteful person. Olivia was there in her bright long blond hair, she was in pink hills and a white mini dress with a designer tag, her chest was bared cause the gown was strapless, her make-up was heavy, she looked beautiful and sexy like some would say, she had a top hourglass shape and she knew it, that she was pretty on the outside.

She grinned a spotless grin, as she went in for a hug, Oliver bought his hand around her in a convincing hug. What else could he do? She was quick to misunderstand people.

"Hi handsome," she perked him on the cheek and he tried not to glare at her and warn her against it. Her father was one of his father's best friends.

"Olivia, it is an immense pleasure that we meet again," Oliver said politely.

"Stop that gentleman, we're between friends here!" she laughed before brushing a bang off her face and flipping her hair, *always so dramatic

"I think we should all sit around a table to speak." She suggested.

"Why not?" Elizabeth nodded.

"Then it would be without me, I have to take a shower and take some rest, the flight was exhausting." He said.

"Oh let me sue you off them?" Olivia offered.

"No thanks, I lived here for years. And I have to make a call." Oliver defended trying to decline her offer smoothly.

"Mm," she pouted before walking off.

Oliver turned around and rolled his eyes with a huff before leaving. *This would be worse than a rollercoaster.

Helloooo