novelraw Chapter 334 CHAPTER 334
Chapter 334 CHAPTER 334
Oliver didn't answer immediately. He just looked at her with a small smile forming on his face, a smile that said he already knew she would react this way.Cora's voice rose a little. "I paid people! I paid people to find out who Mr. B was. I even thought it could be some retired agent or a powerful old man in disguise. But no it was you? You just let me panic and stress for no reason?"
She paced a little now, waving her hands as she spoke. "I thought Mr. B was dangerous. I thought he was ruthless, someone with deep connections. I even thought maybe Mr. B was watching me, or could be a threat someday. I kept all this from you, and yet you were just there! Oliver!"
Again Oliver gently walked toward her but didn't reach out. "Cora," he said quietly, "Relax. I know this is a lot. But you're overreacting. We'll talk… there's more I'll tell you. Just… take a breath, okay?"
At that moment, Cora's father turned slightly, giving both of them one last glance before letting out a soft sigh. His expression had shifted he wasn't just a father anymore; he was a man who had seen the sacrifices others made for his daughter, and it moved him deeply.
"Well," he began, folding his hands behind his back, "I'll be taking my leave now."
He said again then paused, and looked directly at Cora.
"You two need to talk. You need to sort out everything that's been hidden for too long. I won't interfere in that. But Cora…" His voice lowered, serious and calm. "Don't joke with Oliver."
Cora blinked, unsure of where her father was going with this.
"He's more than just a friend. More than a partner," her father continued, his voice laced with sincerity. "Whatever he has to say, no matter how strange or hard to believe it sounds, listen. Open your heart. Because that young man beside you he has sacrificed far, far more for you than you can even begin to imagine."
His gaze lingered on her for a few seconds longer. There was no anger in his voice now, only quiet concern.
"Tell him thank you," he added gently. "Whether you understand it all now or not, just tell him thank you."
Without waiting for her response, he turned and slowly walked away, leaving Cora and Oliver standing there in silence.
The quiet stretched.
Cora was still frozen, her mind racing. The words "sacrificed more than she imagined" kept ringing in her ears. Her heart was thumping too loud, and her head spun with too many questions that made no sense.
She finally turned to Oliver, narrowing her eyes, confusion and frustration all over her face. "You better start explaining," she snapped, her voice shaky but firm. "Because none of this makes sense. All this talk about Mr. B, about sacrifices, about secrets I need a good explanation that I can understand and accept."
Her tone wasn't playful. She wasn't trying to tease or lighten the mood. She was serious. She wanted answers.
Oliver took a deep breath, his expression calm but heavy.
"You know," he said slowly, "It hurts. It's painful, Cora. Disheartening, even."
She frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Oliver looked down at his hands for a second, then back up at her. His voice lowered, the hurt finally slipping through.
"It's painful when the person you love, the one you're doing everything for, is busy confiding in another guy… while pretending like you and I were nothing more than best friends."
At that moment, Oliver's voice was calm but heavy with emotion, his eyes locked on Cora's as he began to speak. "Do you even understand how I felt, Cora? Do you know how painful it was for me, watching you confide in someone else someone I didn't even know about something so important? You didn't even think to come to me, the person who's always been by your side, who's always had your back."
Cora shifted uncomfortably, her lips parting slightly, but she didn't speak. She wasn't expecting this kind of intensity from him.
Oliver continued, "You shared something that could change your whole life with Robert. Robert, Cora. Not me. Not the person who knows your every expression, every little quirk, your fears, your dreams… but a man who just walked into your life. Do you know what that did to me? It made me feel like I wasn't enough. Like maybe I wasn't strong enough in your eyes. Like I was just some guy you could joke with, but not trust with your battles."
He paused, his chest rising with each breath, then his tone shifted quiet, but steady. "I let it go. I told myself, 'Maybe she doesn't see me that way. Maybe I've never meant as much to her as she means to me.' I was ready to walk away quietly if that's what you wanted."
Cora's throat tightened. Her eyes softened, but the guilt was creeping in.
"But when I found out that the person you trusted Robert—wasn't even capable of protecting you, and that James had a plan that could sabotage everything you worked for…" Oliver clenched his jaw slightly. "I couldn't sit still. I took the bull by the horn. I stepped in not because I wanted to be the hero but because I had to protect you, Cora. Because no matter what, your safety, your peace, your dreams—they matter to me."
Cora's brows drew together, emotions flickering across her face. "So what did you do, Oliver?"
"I bought the shares myself," he said bluntly. "The very ones James was targeting. I used my own money. Not to take them from you, not to kick you out or gain control… but to protect you. If I wanted power, if I wanted to replace you, I could have. It would've been so easy."
Again he took a step closer. "But I didn't. Because it was never about that. It was about keeping you safe. I secured everything so that you wouldn't lose it. And if you want them back those shares, your position I can transfer them to you right now. No drama. No conditions."
He looked her straight in the eyes, his voice softer now, full of sincerity. "I didn't do any of this for me, Cora. I did it for you. Because that's what you do when you love someone even if they don't love you back or trust you."