Chapter 170 Do Not Push Your Luck
Finished
As Nathan departed, Olivia turned her attention to Liam’s bath time, immersing him in a tub filled with playful bubbles,
It was during this intimate moment that Liam, enveloped in suds, voiced a wistful thought, “It’d be so nice if Daddy could live with us. Then, we’d all be together again.”
Olivia halted her actions momentarily, her heart catching at his words. Attempting to keep the atmosphere light, she playfully tapped on his nose, pretending to scold, “Don’t push your luck.”
Liam, touching his nose, responded with an innocent tongue–out gesture.
Olivia, as she continued to wash his back, couldn’t help but address the elephant in the room, “You’ve invited him here today. I know what you were hoping for,” acknowledging his silent wish for family unity.
“Oh.” When he heard this, Liam’s demeanor sank, a shadow of disappointment passing over his face.
His heart harbored a genuine longing for his father’s presence in their home.
Olivia saw the change in his expression, her own heart aching with the recognition of his yearning and her inability to fulfill it.
With a tender smile, she tried to offer some solace, “I understand you miss your dad. Adult situations can be complex, though. One day, when you’re older, you’ll grasp these nuances.”
Liam looked up at her.
Olivia, stroking his head, expressed her regret, “It pains me that I can’t give you the whole family you deserve right now. But remember, I will never stand in the way of your relationship with your dad.”
Liam, feeling a deeper sense of loss, yet also understanding the complexities of adult emotions, chose not to burden his mother further with his wishes.
He knew better than to press for something that made his mom uncomfortable.
After all, he reasoned, there would be time in the future for him to spend with his dad.
Exhausted from the day’s activities, Liam quickly succumbed to sleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
“Goodnight,” Olivia whispered after tucking him in and planting a gentle kiss on his forehead, leaving the room with a heart full of mixed emotions.
Suddenly, she saw the photo album on the desk.
Olivia’s brow furrowed in contemplation. Upon opening it, she was surprised to find several empty slots where photos had been.
As she leafed through the pages, her surprise was palpable upon discovering several vacant slots where photos once nestled.
It dawned on her that Nathan must have taken them.
But what picture was originally placed here? she murmured to herself, her brow creasing with the effort of dredging up old memories, but the specifics eluded her..
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Chapter 170 Do Not Push Your Luck
Finished
Reluctantly, she decided to let the mystery be, acknowledging the distance between the present and the last time she had perused these memories.
Many of the captured moments were through her lens, though some had been contributed by Tony, Joker, among others.
In her prior perusals, she hadn’t paid much heed to the specifics of each contributor.
Now, revisiting these images, particularly those showcasing her pregnancy and the infancy of her child, a flood of memories from those challenging times washed over her.
She was transported back to a period of solitude and struggle in an unfamiliar land, where the imminent. arrival of her baby meant that her employment options were severely limited.
Her only refuge had been the back kitchen of a restaurant, a place of solace where she braved the icy waters of dishwashing through the harshness of winter, her hands numb from the cold.
These reflections brought forth a smile from Olivia, one tinged with resignation yet underscored by the
she had come since those harrowing days. Everything had indeed improved,
acknowledgment of how far
and those difficulties were now remnants of her past.
As she neared the album’s conclusion, Olivia encountered pages that stubbornly refused to part.
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