Chapter_136
Claude smiled gently, his eyes softening with a hint of nostalgia. “I thought you might want to see it again, even if it’s not in the best shape anymore.”
Olivia hesitated for a moment, her mind filled with mixed emotions. The sight of her childhood home, abandoned and in disrepair, stirred up a flood of memories—some painful, others faintly comforting. The walls of the house held echoes of laughter and arguments, of love and loss. But seeing it now, dilapidated and forgotten, made her heart ache.
“I… I didn’t expect it to look like this,” Olivia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Claude, sensing her discomfort, squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I know it’s not much, but it’s part of who you are. Maybe it’s a place to remember, not just to forget.”
Olivia nodded, grateful for his understanding. “I didn’t realize how much it still meant to me,” she said quietly, her gaze scanning the interior, where dust had settled over the furniture, and the air was thick with stillness. “This was once my world.”
They walked through the house slowly, Claude keeping his distance, allowing Olivia to absorb everything in her own time. Her fingers brushed over the faded wallpaper, the remnants of her childhood home, and the small staircase that led to her old bedroom, now empty and silent.
“Do you want to go upstairs?” Claude asked gently, looking up at the staircase as if sensing the weight of the past pressing against her.
Olivia shook her head. “No, I don’t think I’m ready for that.” Her voice trembled slightly. The memories of her mother, of the life she had once known here, felt too overwhelming in the moment. “I think I’ve seen enough for now.”
Claude didn’t push her, instead nodding and leading her back outside. He shut the door softly behind them, as if to close away the past for a little while longer. They stood outside for a moment, the silence between them comfortable but charged with unspoken thoughts.
“You okay?” Claude asked softly, his concern genuine.
Olivia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “I think so. It’s just… I didn’t expect to feel all of this.” She gestured to the house behind her, her eyes glistening with a mix of sadness and reflection. “It’s a lot to process.”
Claude nodded understandingly. “I get it. It’s hard to face something you’ve tried to move past. But sometimes, you have to face it before you can move forward.”
Olivia gave him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Claude. For bringing me here. I think it was important to see it, even if I didn’t realize it at the time.”
He returned the smile, his expression warm. “Anytime, Olivia. You don’t have to do this alone.”
They stood there for a moment longer before Claude turned to her, offering a hand. “Come on, let’s go to the river. It might help clear your mind.”
Olivia, still feeling the weight of the past, nodded. She took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the peaceful waters ahead, knowing that for a moment at least, she didn’t have to face everything by herself.
As they walked towards the river, the air between them was lighter, and the sounds of nature around them began to soothe Olivia’s anxious heart. Maybe it wouldn’t all be easy to process, but in this moment, with Claude by her side, she felt like she could breathe again.