That Lady’s Stalker - Chapter 5
Olivia reassured herself that this feeling stemmed from the routine she had followed for a month, which had now vanished. Determined to shake off her empty heart, she commanded Oliver,
“Hey, go run away.”
“If you’re bored, just go to the salon.”
Oliver, quietly reading in his room, was annoyed by her sudden visit.
“I’ll give you five seconds.”
“Why are you bothering me when you’re not even going to the social scene?”
“Five.”
“Leave me alone!”
“Four.”
“Please!”
“Three.”
“Damn it, is it a crime to be born late?”
“Two. Oliver, you’d better get up instead of talking.”
At Olivia’s warning, Oliver got up with tears in his eyes. He had intended to humor her and return quickly, but he couldn’t just walk past her as she stood firm by the door.
“I don’t like your expression.”
* * *
Moments later, Oliver sighed heavily and pulled out a sheet of letter paper from his desk. His hair, the same color as Olivia’s, looked like it had been ruffled, and the shirt he wore was missing a couple of buttons.
Gritting his teeth, he began to write.
[Please come quickly. Oliver Flonari.]
“Deliver this to Commander Asher Brescobaldi. As fast as you can.”
Whether Oliver’s earnest plea reached Asher, he returned just a week after leaving—back to the Flonari residence..
And Olivia’s worries only deepened.
* * *
“Oh my, that’s stalking.”
Before long, rumors spread in high society that Commander Asher was following Olivia around. When Olivia returned to the salon after a long absence, she forced a smile, feeling awkward.
“Lady Flonari, are you okay? If that gloomy, scary man followed me, I wouldn’t last a day!”
“He’s not that scary…”
“You don’t have to defend him. Everyone knows you’re in a difficult situation.”
Everyone was concerned about her. If Asher had heard that they were saying these things while waiting outside, it would surely hurt him.
Yet, Olivia chose not to defend him any longer. In fact, she was relieved that he hadn’t followed her all the way inside. She realized once more how he was perceived in everyone’s minds.
The gentle sound of singing, the laughter of young ladies, the fragrant aroma of tea, and the focused attention on her—all were things she loved. But strangely, everything she had been accustomed to felt uncomfortable and unpleasant today.
It was quite odd.
* * *
In the carriage returning to the mansion, Olivia glanced back at Asher, who was following her on horseback as if guarding her. As if sensing her gaze, the horse running alongside the carriage began to pull away, distancing itself.
When he returned, he was just the same. It had only been a week since she last saw him, but he looked at her with a flushed face and eyes filled with emotion, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years.
However, as soon as he sensed her approaching, he instinctively clutched his nose and stepped back hesitantly.
Olivia, feeling a hint of discomfort, halted as she noticed the blood trickling from his fingers. She had intended to offer him her handkerchief like she did at the victory banquet, but seeing him shift back as if ready to flee, she abandoned the idea.
* * *
He continued to look at her, still not coming closer. But something had changed: the letters he had sent hadn’t stopped.
He wrote to her daily, never missing a single day, pouring out his feelings in his letters alongside the visit notes. Moreover, when she didn’t chase after him, he circled around her more closely than before.
He seemed like someone who didn’t know what to do with the overflowing feelings inside him.
Olivia rested her chin on the windowsill, watching Asher as he subtly covered his burning ears with his hair. Each time she felt they were about to get closer, he would retreat again.
A man lacking confidence was not attractive, yet even when she shouted this outright, he merely nodded in acknowledgment without taking any real action.
‘How can I make him come closer on his own?’
As Olivia pondered a myriad of thoughts, she suddenly had a brilliant idea by the time they arrived at the Duke’s residence.
He wouldn’t be able to help but approach her eventually.
With a crooked smile, she felt a surge of confidence.
* * *
Looking back now, I have no idea how I came up with such a thought.
At the time, I was so fixated on catching you that I couldn’t see anything else—not even my own feelings.
So, why did I feel the need to catch you? I had no way of knowing the reason.
I thought I had a reasonable justification for my actions back then, but it was just a flimsy excuse.
What were you thinking at that time? Did my constant attempts to get closer feel burdensome to you?
I know it couldn’t have been. You probably liked it to the point of being overwhelmed—enough to bleed from your nose, even.
Olivia let out a small laugh as the image of him bleeding came to mind. She recalled how his face had turned as red as the blood, looking utterly flustered.
Once again, she became immersed in memories of the past.
