"Who?" Matthew rested his chin on top of Olivia's head. He didn't even bother to look at where Olivia was looking when he asked her the question.
"That woman wearing a black shirt is staring at you," Olivia replied.
Matthew sensed the shift in Olivia's mood and the tone of her voice so he looked around to see who she was talking about. Until his eyes landed on the woman that was looking in their direction. For a moment there, he thought that the woman blushed when he looked in her direction but he just brushed it off.
Matthew frowned thinking that the woman was a little bit familiar until he realized where he had seen her. He said, "Yeah. She is a security agent. We came from the same batch and after the training, I guess she was given an overseas assignment because I had never seen her before but she is still in the company's database. She is probably back from that assignment," Then he looked back in front of them to see if their food was ready yet.
The frown on Olivia's face deepened when she realized that Matthew knew that woman. So obviously, the woman knew Matthew as well. "Are you close?" She asked as she kept on staring at the woman.
Matthew shook his head. He noticed that the woman whom he is familiar with but doesn't know that name is already affecting his woman. So, Matthew tightened his arms around Olivia as if reassuring her that she has nothing to worry about…that he is hers and she is his. "No. Why do you ask?"
Olivia pressed her back on Matthew's chest as if claiming him in front of not just the woman who was shamelessly now ogling at Matthew but everyone as well. "Because she looks at you like she missed you," She said in an annoyed tone.
In that instant, the woman seemed to finally realize Olivia's presence because her eyes darted to Olivia. A frown appeared on her face when their eyes met before she looked away.
Matthew smiled at his girlfriend's jealousy. "You are imagining things, babe," He said and then he kissed the side of her head.
Olivia looked away from the woman who was now talking to the other woman beside her. She turned her head to look at Matthew and annoyingly said, "Babe, I know what the look when a girl likes you. I've seen too many before. And I could tell that she likes you for far too long and now she misses you," Olivia could not count how many times she had seen women try to flirt with her boyfriend when she was not looking. And even in her presence, some dared to show their interest in him.
"You are flattering me, babe," Matthew chuckled. Though he hates that his woman is feeling that way, he also likes to see her hot and bothered just because another woman was staring at him. It makes him feel her love even more. Not that he doesn't feel it, Olivia had always shown and told her how much she loves him and he could feel it. But it was different when he was seeing her possessive side.
Their food finally came. Matthew removed his arms around her to take the tray that the server placed on the counter in front of them. "I'll take this. Thank you," He said and then he led Olivia to the table that was far from the woman who was making his woman anxious. He even found a spot where they cannot be seen by that woman.
As soon as they were seated, Matthew noticed the scowl that hadn't left Olivia's face. So, he reached out to cup her face with both his hands, "Don't worry babe. She is nothing. I cannot even remember her name or if we ever talked before," They may be in the same batch of training in the private army company but they were not acquaintances.
But to Olivia, it is hard to erase that nagging feeling in her chest. Just like Matthew, she has a strong instinct and her instinct is telling her that the woman means trouble. "Maybe to you she is nothing. But the way she looks at you means something," She said, pouting her lips.
Matthew smiled mischievously. "Babe, you have nothing to worry about. I will never stray. These eyes, heart, body, and soul will never stray from you. I belong to you as you belong to me and nothing can change that,"
Olivia's eyes widened not because of his words but because of how loud he said that. The table beside them and behind Matthew were also occupied and it was obvious to her that they heard what Matthew said because they were looking at them with a knowing smiles.
Olivia felt her cheeks turn hot. "Oh, God!" She brought up her hands to cover her flushed face.
Matthew smirked and said, "What? You asked for it!" He truly meant what he said. He knew that it would not erase the anxiousness in Olivia's heart because he himself could sense trouble from the woman earlier. But what he said is enough to distract Olivia and it was good enough. He just made a mental note to be cautious of the woman if ever she dares to get close to him in the future.
The couple started eating their meal and seemed to have forgotten about the woman from earlier. They talked about the food but mostly, they talked about Timothy and Megan's engagement because she cannot seem to get over it. Not that she also found it unimaginable, she just thought it was sweet.
As much as possible, Matthew avoided talking about work because that is the main reason why he took out Olivia. To make her forget about work at least for a day. But it seems he cannot get his wish. Because when Olivia finished eating, out of habit, she checked on her phone and after just a couple of seconds, her eyes bulged out of its socket.
"Oh my God," Olivia said with one of her hands in her mouth as she clutched her phone in the other.
Worry instantly marred Matthew's face as he looked at her. "What?" He asked in a tone that says he is ready to kill anyone who makes his woman act like that. But he frowned when Olivia showed him the screen of her phone.
"Look," Olivia said with disbelief on her face.
Matthew looked at her and then at her phone. "What's this?" He asked because he hadn't seen what she was trying to make him see on the screen of her phone.
Olivia took her phone back and explained instead, "Remember Franklin Amudsen? The man who raped his neighbor's daughter and then killed her and her parents?" She asked.
Matthew slightly frowned and acted uncaringly even though he could already tell what Olivia was going to say. "Yeah. Is that the same man on your board?" He asked.
"Yeah. He was found hanging inside a ranger's cabin and it appears that he has been dead for quite some time now," Olivia said leaning forward as if she only wanted Matthew to hear what she said. But the news about the dead man hanging dead inside a cabin was already out so most likely, not only Olivia knew about it.
"He committed suicide?" Matthew acted surprised but internally, he was thankful that their plot worked. Though he did not doubt it. It was Timothy who planned it after all. But he was surprised that it took weeks for people to find Amudsen's body in that cabin.
"It appears that he is but I don't think he is," Olivia said as she stared at her phone as if she was in deep thought.
Matthew knew that look. It was the look that said his woman's mind had already drifted back to her apartment, particularly to her home office where her board with vigilante theory stood. "Why do you say so?" He asked to test her.
"My instinct tells me so. And besides, it is almost the same as Talon Bonneville," Olivia said as if she was certain about it.
Though Matthew knew that she was right, he still tried to sway her from the thought. "I don't think so, babe. Talon Bonneville was found dead in a boat while Amudsen was found hanging,"
"I know, but…I mean… They were both rapists and now they were found dead and said to have committed suicide," Olivia said firmly as she put back her phone inside her bag.
"Babe, in Bonneville's case, it took them a while before they concluded that it was a suicide while in this case, it was obvious that it was a suicide," Matthew drink his iced tea as his throat started to run dry. He was running out of words to say to his ever so inquisitive woman.
Not that he doesn't want Olivia to find the truth, he just wanted to be the one to tell her. He knows that she will find out the truth about the vigilante, but he prefers that he be the one to tell her and that is when he is ready. Most importantly, when she is ready. He doesn't want her to find out about the vigilante and then expose it and then, later on, realize that she exposed her own boyfriend.
"What if there was foul play?" Olivia asked with a deep frown on her forehead. Her instinct is telling her that just like Talon Bonneville's case Franklin Amudsen's case is not another suicide. Even though evidence tells it so.
"You mean, that a vigilante hung him there?" Matthew asked with a blank expression on his face.
Olivia nodded her head. Then she said, "I need to get back to my apartment,"
Instead of stopping her, Matthew said, "I am coming with you," He knew that he would not be able to stop her so he decided that it was better to come with her. With that, he would be able to monitor her progress when it comes to her vigilante theory.
On the other side of the city near the foot of a mountain, a ranger cabin was cordoned off and surrounded by men in police uniforms.
Among these uniformed men is a lean man with average height and tanned skin. He has a gentle and kind face even though he was barking orders here and there with authority and superiority.
"Where's Li?" He asked anyone in particular as he looked around searching for a certain policewoman who he assigned to handle the case of a wanted criminal found hanging inside a ranger's cabin. But he found only men.
A skinny police officer who wouldn't be mistaken as a police officer if he wasn't wearing a uniform straightened his back. His hair is messy and thin. His face was long. And he wears reading glasses above his oversized nose. He walked hesitatingly toward the man who appeared to be superior among them. "Sir, she said she doesn't want the case," He said while holding a phone indicating that he just talked to the phone.
The kind and gentle face of the man was replaced with a scowl. "What?" He asked anger directed at the skinny police officer.
"S-she said that homicide or murder is already ruled out so she d-doesn't want it," The skinny police officer stuttered. He was scared of his chief and at the same time, anxious because of the policewoman he talked to on the phone.
"Damn that woman. When will she ever learn how to take orders!" The chief spatted angrily, making everyone around him cautious of him.
"But, with all due respect sir…all evidence are pointing to suicide," The skinny police officer stopped when the chief glared at him.
"Get out of my face!" The chief said. Although homicide and murder were already ruled out, the chief believes otherwise and he knew that someone like officer Megan Li could help him uncover the truth. But unfortunately, the said officer was uninterested.