Chapter 32: Truly Persistent
After breakfast, Olivia took Liam to kindergarten. This particular institution was regarded as the best among Emberfall’s elite, mostly attended by children born into wealth and privilege.
To Olivia’s surprise, Liam showed no apprehension as they entered. He didn’t cry or cling to her as other children often did. Instead, with a smile on his face, he waved his mother goodbye.
The teacher, who had been waiting for them, praised him. “What a brave little boy!”
Unlike other children who would cry, seeking the comfort of their parents, Liam displayed calm and maturity. His adaptability stood out, and it warmed Olivia’s heart to see him so composed.
Olivia couldn’t help but smile. He’s quite adaptable, she thought. Not only is he brave enough to go to school without a second thought, but he also had the courage to return to this country alone when I didn’t think he was ready.
Once Liam was settled into the classroom, Olivia left the school. Benjamin, who had been with her, was in charge of driving, and the two set off to continue their search for office space.
Starting a company in the country wasn’t easy—there were numerous tasks to handle. They spent the morning exploring options, but Olivia didn’t find anything that met her satisfaction. Either the locations weren’t ideal, they were too far from her home, or the properties didn’t meet the required standards. To make matters worse, the rental information they had accessed online was completely inaccurate.
Frustrated, Olivia was about to speak when her phone rang. She pulled it from her bag and saw a familiar name on the screen: Lucas Martinez.
She answered with a playful smile, teasing, “Why has the busy man suddenly remembered me?”
A cheerful male voice responded on the other end, “I just heard from King Hawthorne that you’re back in town to establish a branch. He told me to take care of you, so I’m here, contacting you! Where are you? Want to catch up?”
Olivia glanced at Benjamin, who was standing beside her as they stepped out of an office building and onto the street. The sun was blinding, causing her to squint slightly. She replied, “It might not be possible at the moment. Benjamin and I are scouting office spaces.”
Lucas responded with mock frustration, “Why didn’t you reach out to me about this? Martinez Group has deep roots in real estate, and you have access to such valuable resources. Yet, you insist on handling everything yourself. Can’t you drop the ‘independent woman’ act, especially on a day like this?”
She could hear him laughing lightly as he added, “Come over to the Martinez Group right now. I’ll have someone assist you in finding a place.”
Before Olivia could respond, he ended the call.
Olivia chuckled softly and glanced at Benjamin. “Looks like we don’t need to rush around after all. Someone’s lending us a hand.”
Benjamin nodded in agreement, showing no objection.
The two got into the car and headed toward the Martinez Group’s headquarters.
Meanwhile, Nathan had just exited his car in the Martinez Group’s underground parking lot. Ethan, his ever-faithful assistant, was standing beside him and reporting, “Ms. Monroe took William to school this morning. Interestingly, the school is affiliated with our group, and it’s near the Martinez Group.”
Nathan paused for a moment before speaking. “Oh?” His curiosity piqued. “I’ll pay him a visit after I finish matters with Mr. Martinez.”
Ethan nodded, acknowledging Nathan’s instructions. Then, he hesitated before adding, “Madam called this morning and wanted you to have dinner tonight at Lu Rivier. It appears… she also invited Mr. and Mrs. Patel.”
A brief flash of annoyance flickered in Nathan’s eyes. He already knew what the dinner would be about. Another discussion about marriage.
“I will not be attending,” he said coldly, making it clear there would be no discussion on the matter.
Ethan, having anticipated Nathan’s response, didn’t push further. They both stepped into the elevator and rode silently up to the meeting floor.
After about twenty minutes, Olivia and Benjamin arrived at the Martinez Group building. As Lucas had arranged with the security at the entrance, they were quickly allowed to enter.
However, much to Olivia’s surprise, they encountered Emma in the lounge area of the lobby.
Upon seeing Olivia, Emma’s expression turned sharp, and she immediately blocked her path, not allowing her to pass by.
“Olivia, you are truly persistent!” Emma remarked with a sneer.
Olivia’s brow furrowed slightly. She had been hoping for a smooth visit, but now this encounter was threatening to derail her plans. With a deep breath, she tried to step past Emma, but the woman wasn’t backing down.
