Billionaire’s Missing Darling by Theresa Wilde

Chapter 19

Olivia Taylor folded her legs beneath her, aiming to distance herself from Daniel Sullivan. However, before she could move, Daniel had already shifted away. He was not a man to overstep boundaries, always pushing the line just enough to annoy but never enough to infuriate. Olivia was no fool. Despite her lack of experience in love, she’d observed enough couples at school to have a fair idea of what a relationship entailed. She understood that personal experience did not necessarily guarantee a deep understanding of relationships. Sharp–minded individuals like herself could discern the essence of relationships without direct involvement.

She had a hunch about what was playing on Daniel’s mind. Why else would a man relentlessly tease a woman? Olivia had no romantic interest in Daniel, and given her relationship with Andrew Sullivan, she had no desire to complicate matters further. In response to Daniel’s behavior, she decided to clarify that she harbored no feelings for him.

After mulling things over, Olivia lifted her gaze, prepared to voice her thoughts. But before she could do so, she heard a man’s resonant voice break into her thoughts. “Miss Taylor, I apologize for my behavior earlier.” His words were lightly spoken but wrapped in a chilling coolness. The swift change in his tone left the impression of a different man altogether, and his voice became oddly detached.

Olivia was confused. She looked at him, unable to comprehend his sudden shift in demeanor. She stared at him with wide eyes, lost for words. Daniel’s gaze lingered on her momentarily before he averted his eyes. He began to speak again, his words directed not just to her but seemingly echoing to an absent person. He said, “Miss Taylor, you remind me of someone I used to know, hence my earlier attitude.”

“An old acquaintance?” Olivia glanced at Andrew Sullivan. She surmised the person in Daniel’s account must be Andrew’s mother. The widespread assumption about Andrew’s mother was that she was deceased. Considering that it was the peak of the power struggle within the Sullivan family, it was understandable that Daniel might not have been able to provide adequate care.

With these thoughts in mind, Olivia softened her manner, feeling a pang of sympathy for the motherless young boy. She also felt a twinge of embarrassment, thinking she had been quick to judge. No matter how

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would not have fallen for her er brst sugh she had been

merely to play in this candions with his som His casual manner didn’t diminish his arten–rail–ama Even as he sat on the sand, his shirtsleeves were rolled up and his slender hands ding into the sand. Instead of making a massive airplane asulpums, as Andrew had suggested, he began drawing in the sand. The Anastupe slid across the flat surface of

sun’s warm, dappled rays caressed his face, highlighting his remarkable features. His expressive eyes were hidden with his head lowered, revealing only his prominent nose. From Olivia’s viewpoint, she could clearly see his concentrated expression and composed demeanor. Even as he was seated in the sand,

in her mind, but they were etched too deeply for her to notice without searching carchilly.

rightly clenched jawline, Before she could fully understand what had transpired, Daniel had released her. His previous concern vanished instantly,

seeing her detached demeanor. Daniel’s eyes cooled further, and he responded with an icy tone. “No need for thanks. I wasn’t worried about whether you

just didn’t want you to ruin my sand

sand art? “I apologize, I will be careful, Olivia said, a bit taken aback. She must have misunderstood. Why would Daniel Sullivan worry about her? They were hardly friends. They

However, after that, he

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Billionaire’s Missing Darling

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anger. “Splendid! Just splendid, Miss Taylor,” he muttered, each word forced out through clenched teeth as he stopped his emotions while studying Olivia and searching for any change in her expression while saying all that. He was, unfortunately, greeted only by her composed gaze. In the end, Daniel’s anger faded