Chapter 24

OLIVIA

We ate our lunch in an Italian restaurant that was situated within the vicinity of the amusement park. After that, we started trying out some friendly rides. Mikael was very excited and Chase had been there for him, holding his hands for each ride we rode on. I took a lot of pictures of them as I could not help but admire them while they were enjoying the company of each other. They truly got along, that was for sure.

It took eight rides before we decided to try the Ferris Wheel. This time, I held Mikael's left hand while Chase was holding his other hand. We lifted Mikael up and then swung him in the air. All of us three giggled and kept doing the same thing until we reached the entrance for the Ferris Wheel.

"Are you having fun, little buddy?" Chase asked Mikael curiously as we fell in line. He carried him once again just to make sure he won't be suffocated due to a large crowd.

"Very much so, Uncle Chase!" Mikael exclaimed happily then began talking about the rides we rode on earlier.

I smiled as I listened to their conversation. Chase also listened very well to Mikael. He looked so interested in everything he said. I recalled the very first time Chase and I met, I was so sure that his eyes were screaming of danger by that time. Who would have thought that he likes kids?

It did not take so much time before we could ride on one of the cable cars of the Ferris Wheel. I had to admit that it was my first time riding on this as to be honest, I had never been in Amusement park before. The cable car was quite moving which caused me to be out of balance, but Chase was able to catch me in my waist.

"Careful, baby," he said and helped me stand up.

"Thank you, Chase," I almost stuttered, then I awkwardly smiled at him.

I sat on the right side, while Chase rested across the seat in front of me. Meanwhile, Mikael stood up next to the window, waiting for the cable car to move up so he could check out the picturesque view from the outside.

"Are you tired?" Chase asked concernedly at me.

Our eyes met and even though I saw the tiredness in his eyes, I could say that he was enjoying this day.

"Just a little," I replied, which made him chuckle a bit.

As the cable car started to move up slowly, Chase leaned forward and reached for my hand.

"This is the first time we went to an Amusement park together," he remarked, which piqued my attention. What he said surprised me a little because as far as I know, most of the couples do go to amusement parks for a date.

"Is it? You did not ask me for an amusement park date before?" I asked curiously. "I am sorry, I cannot remember anything."

His fingers traced the spaces between my knuckles. "I did ask you in the past, Reese. But you were busy practicing to be the most outstanding swimmer athlete back in college."

"What?" I was kind of disappointed that Reese turned him down all because she needed to focus on building her career.

I mean . . . it was her boyfriend asking her to go on a date. Why could not she spare a little time for him?

He chuckled. "I know you do not remember everything that happened in the past, but yeah, you were so goal-driven up to the point that we rarely went out for a date. There was this one time that I thought that you just did not love me, that's why you did not make any time for me."

"Chase, do not say that," I told him.

I could not seem to understand why my heart felt a pang of sadness when he said those words. I wasn't sure whether Reese was really doing it on purpose because she did not love him or she was just truly busy becoming a top notch swimmer athlete but there was a part of me that slowly hated her for making Chase feel that way. He cared a lot for her, in fact had been loving her for years and he didn't deserve that kind of treatment at all.

"Don't worry, baby. I am all good," he uttered softly and guided my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. "It was a phase I needed to overcome to get you to stay with me forever. See the result? You are my wife now."

"Still." I then held this hand. "Don't ever think that I don't love you because it's not true." I sighed as I looked him in the eyes. "And I am sorry, if there were times in the past that I made you feel unloved. I promise you that I'll change, and I won't make you feel that kind of negative feeling anymore."

"Damn . . ." He smiled as if he was really swayed by my words. "I should be the one promising you a lot of things, Mrs. Reese Maxwell."

"Oh, should I take it back then?" I remarked playfully.

"Silly, you already said it, and I felt your sincerity." He pulled me, and I stood up and let him make me sit on his lap. "I love you, Reese."

"And I love you too," I said and then embraced him.

We had a moment. I couldn't understand why my heart was pounding so loudly inside my chest. I was all too aware that Chase might be feeling it too but for some reason, I didn't want to do anything to conceal such reactions of my heart, and all I wanted to do was embrace him as if that could erase all of the pain Chase had felt before from Reese shortcomings with their relationship in the past.

We only stopped the intimacy when Mikael jumped to his feet. He was still looking at the overlooking view from the outside. It was only then when we realized that we already reached the highest part of the Ferris Wheel. I couldn't help but smile as I could see the beauty of the city from here. Even Chase couldn't stop praising the city view while still hugging me sidewards.

I felt the familiar warmth inside of me, and it was comforting enough for me to loosen up a bit, telling myself that a day without pure deception would be fine. I just had to let out my real personality . . . the real Olivia Miller.

***

After riding the Ferris Wheel, we watched some animal shows and then went for dinner in another restaurant within the Amusement Park. Mikael still had some energy while Chase obviously looked so tired. I could imagine him crawling into the bed after getting home.

My phone rang and I saw Lara's caller ID on the screen.

"I'll just take this call," I excused myself, stood up and went outside before I answered Lara's call.

"Hey!" she started. "Just checking how Mikael is doing now?"

"He's doing good, Lara. We are here in the amusement park," I replied, my eyes roamed around.

"Thanks for taking care of him, Olivia. You are the coolest," she said in her sweet tone. I simply rolled my eyes. She knew that I'd do everything for her son and she had nothing to worry about when Mikael was with me.

"So, how's the investigation going?" I asked curiously, then my eyes roamed once again. I didn't know if I was just being paranoid or what but shivers went down my spine, thinking that someone was stalking me.

"Well…" I heard her sigh from the other line. "I cannot seem to trace the writer's location from here. The place we went to is an abandoned apartment, with no single information about the owner. I was hoping that I could see her here but nah, she fled days ago…"

"Just days ago?" My brows furrowed. Why did it feel like that person knew that someone would come and try to interrogate her?

"Yes, I talked to the landlord," Lara replied. "Even the landlord doesn't know her real name. She went by her pseudonym to get the apartment and broke some protocols by giving the landlord some money, so she won't be asked for any personal information. Sounds creepy, right?"

"I don't understand why she would do that…" I uttered. "I mean, do you think she knew that someone would come and find her?"

I bit my lower lip. Everything seemed a bit strange and somehow it made me feel so anxious at the moment. I wondered why this whole Reese' case was becoming more of a misery now. I only wanted to know where she was hiding…

Lara let out a huge sigh again. "That's what I thought too. All the more, we are still going to find her, even if she tries to hide."

"We need to find her, Lara. With that writer's help, we will be able to locate Reese…" I said firmly and embraced myself. I glanced at my left side.

There I saw a mysterious figure of a man, hiding his face with a black mask and a bonnet. Right after he saw me taking a glimpse of him, he disappeared immediately.

My eyes widened. "Lara, I'll call you back."

I quickly ended the call and tried to rush toward the alley he went on.