Later that evening, after the tense dinner at the Pierce estate, Ethan, Olivia, Alex, and Emma found themselves back in the comfort of their mansion, relaxing in the living room. The fire crackled softly in the fireplace, casting a warm glow as they settled onto the plush sofas. The evening's events had left Ethan puzzled, especially the strange interaction between Olivia and Patrick.
Ethan, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, turned to Olivia, who was sipping her tea calmly. "Alright, Liv," he said, giving her a look. "What's the story with Patrick? You two clearly know each other, but I have no idea how."
Olivia smirked, setting her cup down with a little more force than necessary. "Oh, Patrick and I go way back. It's a tale worth telling."
Emma, sitting beside Alex, perked up, already sensing that this was going to be good. "Wait, this sounds juicy," she teased. "Spill, Liv!"
Olivia leaned back, her eyes flickering with a hint of mischief. "Alright, alright. Let me take you both back to college. Patrick and I were in the same business law class. From the very beginning, he was cocky—used to getting everything he wanted, thought the world revolved around him. And for some reason, he had this... fixation on me."
Ethan's face tightened with irritation. "Fixation? He tried to flirt with you?"
Olivia raised her eyebrow. "Flirt is putting it mildly. The guy wouldn't take no for an answer, even after I made it abundantly clear I wasn't interested. But he was persistent, and not in the cute way. More like the 'I'll follow you around and try to impress you with how rich my daddy is' kind of way."
Emma snorted. "Oh god, the worst kind. What did you do?"
Olivia laughed, her eyes gleaming as she recalled the memory. "Oh, I tried to handle it diplomatically at first, of course. I told him multiple times to back off. But, of course, Patrick being Patrick, didn't take me seriously. He kept pushing, acting like I was playing hard to get or something."
Ethan leaned in closer, his face filled with concern and curiosity. "What happened next?"
"Well," Olivia continued, "one day, after class, he cornered me in the parking lot. Tried to put his arm around me, all charming-like, and suggested we go grab dinner. I told him for the final time that I wasn't interested, and when I tried to walk away, he grabbed my arm."
Ethan's hands clenched into fists at the thought of anyone touching Olivia like that. "He did what?"
Emma, who had been quiet for a moment, chimed in. "Oh boy, Patrick really messed with the wrong girl. Tell me you put him in his place, Liv."
Olivia grinned wickedly. "You could say that. The moment he grabbed me, I twisted his arm so fast that he didn't even realize what happened until he heard the snap."
Ethan blinked in shock. "You broke his arm?"
"Sure did," Olivia replied with a shrug, her tone nonchalant. "The guy went down like a sack of potatoes, clutching his arm, crying out for help. But I wasn't done. I knelt down next to him and said, 'Patrick, if you ever so much as look at me again, I'll cut you into pieces and throw you in the sea without leaving a single clue behind. Do we understand each other?'"
Emma burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "You didn't!"
"Oh, I did," Olivia said with a smirk. "You should've seen his face. He was terrified, pale as a ghost. After that, he stayed far, far away from me. Never even dared to breathe in my direction."
Ethan sat there, utterly stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a laugh. "That explains why he looked so scared when he saw you tonight. You really put the fear of God into him."
Emma wiped away tears of laughter. "I would have paid good money to see that. Liv, you're a legend."
Olivia waved her hand dismissively, though clearly pleased with the reaction. "Honestly, the guy had it coming. He thought he could get away with anything just because of his family's money. But he learned the hard way that I'm not the kind of girl who lets anyone push her around."
Alex, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up with a chuckle. "Ethan, remind me never to get on Olivia's bad side."
Ethan, still grinning, shook his head. "Trust me, I'm well aware of how capable she is. But seriously, Liv, you could've told me sooner about this little history with Patrick."
Olivia smiled, resting her head on Ethan's shoulder. "It wasn't exactly my proudest moment, but it sure was effective."
Emma raised her glass of wine in a toast. "To Olivia—master of self-defense and queen of broken arms."
Everyone joined in the toast, laughing and enjoying the lighthearted moment. As the conversation drifted back to other topics, the weight of the evening seemed to lift, and the bond between the four of them grew even stronger.
Ethan, though still protective of Olivia, couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. His wife was fierce, strong, and more than capable of handling herself. And now, with their child on the way, he knew there was nothing they couldn't face together.