Olivia's POV
Three years later
Ryan's office door was slightly open, giving me a perfect view of him hunched over his desk, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read through some documents. I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, waiting for him to notice me. It didn't take long.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, not looking up from the papers he was signing. "Let me guess—trouble with the next campaign? Or are you here to gloat about another magazine cover?"
I grinned, stepping into the room and letting the door click shut behind me. "What? I can't stop by to see an old friend without an ulterior motive?"
His pen paused mid-signature as he glanced up at me with raised brows. "You? Showing up without a reason? Highly suspicious."
I chuckled and moved across the room, plopping myself down into his plush leather chair behind the desk. "Well, believe it or not, I'm here to give you something."
He leaned back in his own chair, rotating a pen in between his fingers as he smirked at me.. "Now I'm really curious."
Without a word, I bent down, pulling a small, neatly wrapped gift bag from my handbag. Setting it on his desk with a prod smile, I leaned back and waited for his reaction.
"You brought me a present?" he asked, surprise claiming his features.
"From Paris," I confirmed enjoying his reaction.
"Olivia, you didn't have to." He reached for the bag, hesitating for just a moment before opening it. "You're always bringing me something every time you travel for a shoot."
"And you're always telling me not to," I said, my tone teasing. "When are you going to realize I don't listen to you?"
Ryan shook his head with a laugh, pulling out layers of tissue paper until he finally uncovered the gift inside. His breath paused as he stared at the ceramic mug in his hands.
"No way," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He turned the mug over, examining every detail—the intricate, hand-painted design, the smooth finish. "Olivia, this is the mug I've been talking about for years! The one with the impossible waitlist?"
"That's the one," I said, beaming at his reaction.
"How in the world did you get this?" he asked, his eyes wide as he looked from the mug to me.
"Let's just say it involved a bit of luck and good timing," I said, leaning forward. "I met the owner while wandering through the city. He was this sweet, frail old man who needed help walking back to his shop. I gave him a hand, and when we got there, I told him how much I admired his work. He was so touched that he insisted on making me one of his mugs right there on the spot."
Ryan stared at me, his expression softening. "Your beautiful heart is what got you this gift."
"Oh, stop it," I said, laughing to hide how much his words made me feel good. "I just wanted to do something nice for you."
"Well, you outdid yourself," he said, setting the mug down carefully. Then his face lit up with an idea. "You know what? This puts me in such a good mood, I think it's time to fulfill a promise I made to LJ."
I tilted my head. "What promise?"
"To take him to the amusement park," Ryan said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied grin.
I sighed, shaking my head. "You don't have to bother yourself with LJ's tantrums, Ryan. He'll get over it."
"I'm not bothering myself," he insisted. "I want to take him. And I'm not taking no for an answer."
I waited in silence hoping he'd change his mind but he didn't. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when he drags you onto every ride in the park."
——
The schoolyard was bustling when we arrived to pick up LJ. Children were running to meet their respective parents while others lined up to get to the bus. It didn't take long for LJ to recognize us.
"Mommy! Ryan!" he shouted, his voice louder than the noise. His little legs looked cute as he ran toward us, his backpack bouncing behind him.
Ryan bent down just in time to catch him, lifting him into a bear hug. "Hey buddy! Ready for an adventure?"
LJ's eyes widened. "Adventure? What kind of adventure?"
"The amusement park," Ryan said with a grin.
LJ gasped so loudly that several other kids turned to look. "Really?! We're going to the amusement park?!"
"That's the plan," I said, ruffling his hair as he squirmed out of Ryan's arms.
"Can we go on all the rides? Can we get ice cream? Can we—"
"One thing at a time," I laughed as he bounced with excitement.
By the time we reached the park, LJ was practically vibrating with energy. His small hand clutched mine while his other hand tugged on Ryan's sleeve, dragging us toward a towering roller coaster.
"That one!" he declared pointing at the ride.
Ryan stared up at the coaster, his face turning pale. "You want to go on that one first?"
"It's not scary," LJ said, rolling his eyes in a way that was far too grown-up for his four-year-old self.
Ryan folded his arms and scoffed. "I'm not scared. I just think we should warm up with something smaller."
"You're scared," LJ teased, sticking out his tongue.
Ryan leaned down to meet LJ's gaze, his tone mock-serious. "I'm not."
"You are!"
I laughed, shaking my head as they continued to bicker. "Come on, you two. We'll go on the coaster if Ryan survives the teacups."
LJ dragged us from ride to ride, his happiness was infectious as I found my self laughing all day. Ryan, to his credit, handled every challenge LJ threw his way, even managing to keep his composure on the spinning rides that left me dizzy.
I excused myself to find the restroom as I felt pressed. As I made my way through the crowded park, the sound of soft crying stopped me in my tracks.
Turning toward the noise, I saw a boy sitting on a bench, his head buried in his knees. His blonde hair gleamed under the sun.
"Hey," I said gently, crouching down beside him. "Are you okay?"
The boy lifted his head, and my heart stopped.
I felt the air leave my lungs as I stared into his face. He was the spitting image of LJ except for the hair and eyes—it was blue like mine.
My hands shot up to my mouth and I stumbled to the floor.
The boy blinked at me, his tears stopped and he looked at me with confusion. He wiped his face with the back of his hand.
"Who are you?" he asked softly.
I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. All I could do was stare at him, my other son.