Chapter 7: Neon Distractions

*Olivia*

The diva was wearing a shirt on her upper body. She was eagerly asking Byron for a kiss. However, Byron had a rather indifferent expression on his face, and he even looked reluctant.

I tried to back away, but it felt like I was being physically held down, forced to watch the scene.

I was so startled that I fumbled with the box of medicine that Mom gave me, and it fell out of my hand and dropped to the floor, the sound of the pills rattling around, causing Byron and the diva to go silent.

I swallowed a gasp and bent down to grab the medicine again, trying to turn and run out, but it was too late.

Byron saw me, too. Almost instinctively, he pushed the diva away. On his face, there wasn't the kind of embarrassment that one would have when an affair is exposed or when being interrupted while doing something good. Instead, it was more of a sense of chagrin.

He didn't want me to see him with another woman.

The diva was approaching me now, her eyes widening when she saw me. She had on one of Byron’s shirts, which looked like a dress on her. All she had on underneath was a pair of panties, the bottom of it exposed because of the way the t-shirt was riding up.

She narrowed her eyes at me, her whole countenance emanating hostility. She looked at me as if I was some kind of competitor, her hands curling as if she was about to challenge me to a duel.

I stood frozen before her, unsure what to say or do. My throat was closed up from the shock of seeing her that way with my brother.

It was really a wonder that she could look at me with as much aggression as she did, considering her vulnerable state. Here she was, standing there with her perfect hair slightly ruffled. It was a bit messy but still stunning, the locks mussed in a sexy way that anyone would have found more attractive than messy.

I couldn’t help but shift my stance, so it was submissive to her. I felt far more vulnerable than she looked, even though Criella was the one who was half-naked and caught in such an intimate act.

And then, I blinked, and it was like she was a completely different person. The hostile eyes and sneer on her lip morphed into bright eyes and a sugary-sweet smile. She held out her arms to me like we were old friends. “Olivia!” she gushed. I’m so sorry for being in this kind of state when you’ve taken the time to come and visit.”

The words were caught in my throat as I just stared at her in disbelief. The diva had been replaced with a kind and considerate person. She even looked a little different, her facial features softer and rounder.

She almost looked harmless, but I knew the truth; I had seen the fury in her expression upon seeing me there.

When it was clear that I wouldn’t reply to her, she grinned and took another step toward me. “Please, won’t you sit down for a while? I’ll go call Byron for you. He’s just a bit preoccupied at the moment, but I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to see you.”

“Oh, no. I am here to deliver something to my brother,” I said, thrusting the thermos of soup and the medicine into her arms. She said nothing, as if she had completely understood my reason for leaving. She had the tiniest smirk on her face as I turned to flee the house.

The elevator was a little slow—maybe not slow at all, actually. It was just that every second felt incredibly long to me.

When the doors opened and I got in, I had just turned around when I saw Byron walking over and pressing the down button on the elevator.

“Brother.” My eyes dropped down to watch Byron's feet as he walked to the elevator door.

“Why didn't you call me when you came?”Byron's voice was a little raspy. I thought it was because of the cold.

“Afraid I'd disturb you,” I said. “I was going to the hospital to see Dad.”

“I'll give you a ride.”

“No, just rest more if you're sick.”

“It's just a cold.” Byron stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement carpark.

There was some silence in the elevator. Byron inclined his head to look at me. He was momentarily silent and whispered, “Things aren't as you saw…”

“It's okay, brother. I understand.” I said. “You were long overdue for a girlfriend… Now that I've grown up, I want you to be happy.”

Byron didn't say anything. He looked at me with a gaze of uncertain meaning. After a moment of silence, he said, “Do you think we would be happy?”

He emphasized the word “we.” Of course, I knew what he meant.

I pretended not to hear until the elevator dinged, and I stepped out. Turning around, I saw Byron standing there with his head down.

“Take care of yourself, brother,” I reminded him. “This family still needs you.”

Byron didn't say anything, and a look of hurt crossed his eyes, but only for a split second. By the time the elevator closed, I was out of the front door.

People were coming and going outside, and the cold air sent a chill down my spine.

My brother used to always resort to all sorts of excuses not to get a girlfriend.

When I was little, he always said I needed someone to take care of me.

Then, when he grew up, he still didn't get a girlfriend, and his best friend Daniel kept making jokes about whether or not he was gay. Even Harper suspected him at one point.

It wasn't until he kissed me that night five years ago that everyone realized that it wasn't that Byron didn't want a girlfriend, but he had decided that I was the only one who could be his girlfriend.

But love is a wonderful thing, and I couldn't force myself to be attracted to him.

It was also much more apparent now that Harper had intentionally let me witness that scene.

Harper wanted me to see Byron and the diva together to send a clear message that my brother and I could never be together. It made sense, given her cold behavior this morning and her making it seem completely dire that I get the soup to Byron quickly.

She wanted me to walk in on that.

The thought made nausea unfurl in my stomach.

Maybe she was just trying to do this for Byron's and my own good, but her deception still made me feel like an outsider in their family. Even if it was with our interests at heart, it still made me feel bad, like she couldn’t trust me enough to just talk to me. She had to force me to walk in on something that would break my heart. The sharp sting of it took my breath away.

Fortunately, Dad's condition stabilized a lot after I got there. I didn't tell him about Daemon rejecting me.

I always maintained an optimistic attitude, just like Dad did.

Dad said that Daemon was a rather difficult person and told me to focus more on my own affairs.

I asked him not to worry about the company's matters. With my brother and me at home, he could just concentrate on recovering.

Dad seemed to be in a good mood. We chatted for a while longer, and it wasn't until he fell asleep that I left the ward. By then, it was already quite late outside.

But I didn't want to go home, nor did I want to go to the company.

When I saw the neon lights of the club in the distance, I thought having a drink would be a good choice.

At least it could help me forget a lot of troublesome things.

I shut my eyes as I swallowed some of my drink, trying to let the alcohol soothe me.

What the hell was I even doing here?

This wasn’t me. This wasn’t how I coped with my issues. I was more level-headed than this.

That all seemed to fly out the window after everything that happened, especially after the adoptive father was ill. I used to bounce my thoughts off of him, but now being alone with my thoughts just made me more hyper-aware of all of the turmoil that had happened to me since coming back to New York.

My father was ill in a hospital bed,

Somehow, the event that had been on my mind the most was the rejection I endured at Daemon Knight's hands.

I gritted my teeth as his dark blue eyes and midnight hair flashed in my mind, wishing that the blindingly colorful lights and earth-shaking music would be enough of a distraction. But they just weren’t.

I was just about to order another drink when I was suddenly surrounded on either side by a couple of men.

I looked between them. They weren’t ugly by any means. I wondered if they were related. They had similar angled jawlines and dark brown eyes. Their longish hair was windswept, framing their twin smirks.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” I said politely.

“Next couple of drinks are on us, sweet cheeks,” one of them said, leaning in close to me. “And then we can dance once you’ve finished them.”

“That’s quite kind of you,” I said, suppressing a shiver at the lewd look they were both giving me. “But I will have to decline. I’m just here enjoying the evening on my own.”

The other guy smirked, his fingers tracing the side of my bare arm. “Not dressed like that, you're not, princess,” he said in a low voice.

Their words and actions were just pissing me off. I had no interest in wasting my time with lowlives like these two.

I stood up suddenly, preparing to leave, when one of them grabbed my upper arm firmly. The other guy laughed and got closer to me, grabbing my wrist.

I glowered at them. “Let me go,” I said slowly and from between my teeth.

One of the guys just shook his head in disappointment. “I don’t think so,” he drawled, and one of his hands found my back, creeping downward toward my bottom. “We bought you some drinks, so you’d best pay up.”

I yelped when the other one pinched one of my ass cheeks hard. I tried to pull away, but they were holding onto me tightly.

I opened my mouth to scream when I saw a familiar figure crossing the room with a murderous expression in his eyes.