Chapter 5 Questioning

"Looking for someone? Who is it? Tell me, I'll help you find them!"

The red-haired guy's friends gathered around, grinning wickedly.

Olivia frowned, trying to sidestep them.

"No one. I'm just passing through."

"Don't be in such a rush to leave!"

The red-haired guy blocked her path, his eyes roving over her face and body.

"Which department are you from? What's your name? Let's be friends."

"Move."

Olivia's voice turned cold as she tried to squeeze through a gap.

"Feisty, huh?"

Another tall guy sneered, deliberately bumping her with his shoulder.

"Who do you think you are? Skipping class to come to the court, aren't you just looking for guys? We'll keep you company."

Surrounded, Olivia felt a mix of shame and anger as people stared.

She suddenly lifted her head, her gaze like icy blades cutting through their mocking faces.

"I am looking for guys? With you lot?" Her voice was low, but it dripped with scorn. "Terrible at basketball, ugly as sin, and shameless to boot!"

"Fuck! What did you say?"

The red-haired guy exploded, his smile turning to rage as he reached for Olivia's arm.

A basketball whizzed through the air, slamming into the red-haired guy's elbow with a sharp crack!

He yelped in pain, clutching his arm and stumbling back.

"Who..."

He looked up furiously, but the words caught in his throat.

Charles had appeared at the edge of the court, his expression dark and menacing, exuding a chilling aura. John stood behind him, his brow furrowed tightly as he recognized Olivia.

Charles strode forward, his imposing figure shielding Olivia as his icy gaze swept over the stunned boys.

"Don't want your hands anymore?"

His voice was low but as sharp as a blade, making the temperature drop.

John approached, his tone a mix of irritation and resignation.

"Rhea, what are you guys doing surrounding her?"

His tone wasn't particularly protective; it was more like he wanted to avoid a scene.

Rhea, the red-haired guy, recognized Charles and John, his bravado evaporating as his face paled.

He had mistakenly thought Olivia was one of their girls.

"Mr. Williams? Mr. Green?"

"It's a misunderstanding! Really, just a misunderstanding! We were just joking with her..."

Olivia was about to retort, but Charles cut her off.

"Joking?"

Charles's gaze grew colder as he stepped closer.

His intimidating presence made Rhea and his friends instinctively back away.

John, seeing Charles's readiness to fight and his own useless friends, felt even worse.

He considered Charles a true friend and grabbed his arm, speaking in a low voice.

"Charles, let it go. I know these guys. Do me a favor..."

"Besides, our graduation ceremony is in a few days. Don't make a big deal out of this, it's not worth it."

He didn't want a scene on the court, especially not because of Olivia.

Charles shook off John's hand, not looking at him, his gaze still locked on Rhea and his friends, his voice clear and firm.

"Listen up. If I see you near her again, or hear you talking trash..."

He paused, each word heavy with cold menace.

"Think about the consequences."

With that, he turned, his intense gaze falling on the slightly stunned Olivia behind him.

John waved his hand irritably, shooing the troublemakers away like flies.

"Get lost! Stop embarrassing yourselves!"

John then turned back, his brow furrowed, and snapped at Olivia.

"What are you doing here? Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

"Didn't you say you were moving out yesterday? Then don't come looking for me!"

His tone was harsh, filled with frustration at being ignored and dragged into this.

Olivia took a deep breath, meeting John's fiery gaze, her voice clear and calm as she stated a simple fact.

"I'm not here for you."

Her eyes moved past John, landing directly on Charles.

"I'm here for Charles."

With that, she gave Charles a pointed look, signaling him to follow, and walked towards a quieter corner of the court.

John was left standing there, stunned, as if struck by lightning.

Charles chuckled softly at John's incredulous, world-shattering expression.

As he passed John, he patted his stiff shoulder, his tone playful yet somewhat serious.

"John, you've got it wrong. Olivia didn't change overnight..."

Charles's gaze followed Olivia's slender but determined figure, his voice low but clear in John's ears.

"She's always been this tough."

With that, Charles didn't look back at the petrified John, striding after Olivia.

In the shaded corner of the court, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

Olivia stopped, turning abruptly to face Charles.

Her chest heaved slightly, her eyes filled with questioning and suppressed anger, as she got straight to the point.

"Charles, what do you mean by this?"

Charles stopped, raising an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"Why did you send me flowers?"

Olivia's eyes bore into him, her words quickening, tinged with a barely noticeable tremor.

"Are you playing with me? Do you find it amusing to see someone like me get attention from someone like you?"

"Or do you think I'm easy to fool?"

"First the flower shop, then the basketball court... You keep pretending to care about me."

Her voice was filled with confusion and hurt.

"For what? To make people hate me more? To give your admirers, like Mia, more reason to despise me? To give John more reasons to yell at me? Do you enjoy seeing everyone target me?"

She finished in one breath, her chest rising and falling more rapidly.

Her eyes were slightly red, but she stubbornly held back tears, staring at Charles, waiting for his answer.

Charles listened quietly, not interrupting.

His deep gaze rested on her flushed face, his usually distant or playful eyes now filled with an indescribable focus and tenderness.

That gaze was so intense, so deep, it felt like it could pull someone in with its overwhelming emotion.

He looked at her for a long time, long enough that Olivia felt like she was being burned by the heat in his eyes, unable to hold back any longer.

"Say something!"

Charles finally moved.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he stepped closer, lowering his head a bit, closing the distance between them.

His eyes locked onto her defiant ones, his voice carrying an unprecedented seriousness.

"Olivia, have you ever considered..."

He paused, his deep eyes swirling with emotions she couldn't decipher, then clearly spoke the rest.

"That maybe it's because I like you?"