Chapter 396
That night, Katrina called Ana, who accepted the invitation without hesitation. However, only Ana and Olivia showed up—Maisy had declined the invitation.
Ana had no intention of hiding Olivia. She knew that secrecy would only stir more rumors, so she brought Olivia along openly.
Olivia had no choice but to participate in all family activities. Until the baby was born, she was expected to play the role of the dutiful daughter-in-law, even during their time at the Pearce residence.
When Olivia arrived that morning, Sophie was at home, greeting guests alongside her aunt. Olivia trailed silently behind Ana, avoiding any greeting toward Sophie. Still, Sophie’s gaze lingered on her, silently reaching out. But Olivia kept her distance, refusing to meet her eyes.
Claude was there too. As Katrina warmly greeted Ana, Claude approached and exchanged polite words with Ana, then glanced at Olivia with a gentle, unreadable expression.
Since the news broke, Olivia had been afraid of interacting with Claude, worried Ana might somehow discover he was the man in the photo. But her fears were unfounded—Ana never even considered the possibility and spoke only with Katrina.
This wasn’t Ana’s first visit, so their meeting was casual; they took Katrina’s warm hospitality for granted.
Throughout the gathering, Olivia stayed close to Ana, refraining from wandering off or engaging with others. She didn’t speak with Claude, even over tea.
Claude respected her space and made no effort to reach out. Meanwhile, Sophie’s anxiety grew—she wanted to talk to Olivia but found no chance.
The visit passed quietly, centered around tea with little conversation. Ana showed no interest in chatting with Katrina, so after their tea, they left promptly.
On the way back, Ana was silent, eyes closed, while Olivia sat still, calm and composed like a tranquil tree.
Back at the Harris residence, Ana headed upstairs out of boredom, and only then did Olivia finally relax, her tense shoulders easing.
Later that night, Sophie sent Olivia a text, inviting her to join a get-together with some school friends.
Olivia recognized Sophie’s effort but wasn’t feeling up to socializing. Yet when two other friends also reached out, she hesitated to decline.
Sophie was doing everything she could to reconnect.
Considering she had a checkup scheduled the next afternoon, Olivia decided she could meet Sophie afterward. Though reluctant at first, she eventually agreed.
Sophie chose a lively bar, hoping the noise would give them privacy to talk. Several friends planned to join them.