20 Fall asleep at 020

In that instant, Olivia Taylor's softness crumbled once again, and she quickly pieced together a hard shell, putting it between the two of them.

The distance between us feels so unfamiliar.

Tobias Perkins felt the little person in his arms stiffen in resistance, realizing only then that he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time.

He wanted to explain that he was just going with her, but Olivia Taylor had already pulled away from his embrace. Her desolate tone was like autumn leaves falling in the wind and drifting into the heart of a lake, causing ripples: "I was wondering why you didn't bring anyone home today, so it's tomorrow that you want me to act for you."

Olivia Taylor stood up and walked towards the bathroom: "I'll go with you, but I'm a bit tired now. I want to take a bath."

Tobias Perkins watched her receding figure and said nothing.

He thought that getting along with Olivia Taylor's softness wasn't bad, but he had to be sober and restrained, keeping his feelings hidden deep in his heart and not revealing too much.

As for Samantha Collins... it was all just an act.

Thinking of this word, Tobias Perkins felt a bit hypocritical.

Tobias Perkins approached the bathroom, and the sound of water pouring was loud enough to cover other noises.

Even so, he still heard Olivia Taylor sighing inside.

The heavy sigh was like a huge stone on his shoulder, dull and painful.

Olivia Taylor's heart was in turmoil, too.

She thought it was Tobias Perkins feeling guilty. He was unusually kind to her today, and even fed her small ravioli.

Although it wasn't anything special, it was the kind of treatment she had enjoyed when they first got married.

During that time, their life was sweet as honey, and she might have been happier than any other bride in the world. Those were the beautiful moments that would never be erased from her heart, but now when she thought about them, Olivia Taylor felt that they tarnished the memory.

She stripped off all her clothes and immersed her body in warm water.

This was a way to relieve stress and a good method to pause her racing thoughts.

Her wounds hadn't fully healed, and she removed the gauze to find the blood had clotted. Apparently, she had exerted too much force while driving today and widened the wound.

Olivia Taylor scooped up water to cleanse her wound, feeling no pain - perhaps her heartache had dulled the sensation, or maybe she was truly strong.

She didn't want to cry, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Her claustrophobia was a lingering issue, and she often went to the doctor, but there was never a definitive diagnosis or treatment plan. It was a good thing that she could now be alone in a bright room, or she wouldn't know how to hide from Tobias Perkins in this house.

Olivia Taylor was startled by her own emotions - why did she want to hide from Tobias Perkins?

Wasn't he the one she loved the most?

At this moment, she felt an inexplicable chill on her back. Although her entire body was submerged in water, why did she still have this illusion? Olivia Taylor touched her back with her hand, and nothing unusual could be felt.

It was strange; a mysterious impulse wanted her to fall into Tobias Perkins' arms.

Olivia Taylor didn't want to waste time here any longer. She quickly put on her bathrobe, wiped her hair till it was half-dry, and wrapped a dry towel around her head.

Tobias Perkins' figure wavered in the bedroom, where only the reading lamp by the bed was on, casting a dim and gloomy light. Olivia Taylor hesitated in her steps.

Not long after they got married, Tobias Perkins reduced how often he touched her. It became rare in recent times, and had it not been for his punishment the last time, their intimacy might not have gone overboard that night.

But even so, they never slept apart. Truly a strange couple.

Seeing Olivia Taylor coming out, Tobias Perkins looked at her freshly bathed appearance, and his heart stirred.

He called her name as if he wanted to say something, yet he emotionlessly said, "Go to bed early."

Tobias Perkins knew that he couldn't bring up the old mansion at this time, but Olivia Taylor's occasional cleverness gave him a headache: "I know, I have to see my father tomorrow at the old mansion..."

Olivia Taylor smiled, appearing relaxed. "I won't say anything to my father."

She didn't before, and she wouldn't now.

They would live their lives together, without letting Luke Perkins worry about these matters. Besides, Luke Perkins and her mother were still hoping for them to have a child soon.

Thinking of this, Olivia Taylor turned over in bed and looked at Tobias Perkins, who was still reading information by the bed.

The soft light from the reading lamp enveloped him, and around his silhouette, it seemed as if fluffy rays of light were scratching her heart.

"Brother Tobias..." Olivia Taylor began, her voice a little dry and hoarse. "I have something to tell you."

Tobias Perkins put down the information and looked at her. In the light, Olivia Taylor couldn't see his face clearly, but she followed his glowing eyes, tentatively saying, "When I went to see my mother..."

"Auntie Talbot, yeah, you mentioned it. What happened?" Tobias Perkins' tone was calm.

"She's much better now... the doctor said maybe they can... live together. I was thinking... that since..."

She stuttered and mumbled a lot, not sure if she had made herself clear.

But Tobias Perkins was unusually patient with her, tilting his head and waiting for her to finish speaking.

"Let's have a child."

Olivia Taylor murmured, finally saying the most important sentence. She leaned her entire body towards Tobias Perkins, and her freshly bathed scent, more tempting than before, wafted around them.

This was probably the smell of her shower gel, or maybe it was Olivia's scent.

This aroma enveloped Tobias Perkins completely, making him feel like he had been manipulated by Olivia Taylor. He dropped the information in his hands, not bothering to pick it up.

"Olivia." His voice emerged slowly from her onslaught.

"We can't have a child yet."

This sentence was hidden amidst the overwhelming love he felt for her, but Tobias Perkins's reason still won against the urge of his emotions.