Raphael assured her that he would take good care of Leyla.

They spoke to each other with utmost respect.

Before leaving, Olivia hugged Leyla and told her she'd be back to get her in a few days. “Mommy, I want to stay here longer," the little girl replied nonchalantly.

Mark would surely not agree to that.

Out of all his grandkids, Leyla was his favorite. He often took care of her himself despite having many servants around. He also always pressed that Olivia should move back and advance her career in Czanch.

Olivia used to decline, explaining that Leyla was accustomed to living in Duefron.

However, she actually intended to stay in Czanch more from this year on.

Her father was aging, and her brother was constantly tied up with work. She was the only one available to spend time with her parents.

Olivia politely declined Raphael's generous offer to drive them home.

Instead, she and Dylan decided to take a leisurely walk and catch a taxi later.

It was chilly in early spring.

Dylan glanced down at her legs in thin silk stockings. Though she wore a thick tartan skirt, it wasn't enough to keep her warm.

He removed his coat and draped it over her, which was long enough to cover her legs.

Olivia turned to him and asked, "Are you not cold?"

With a smirk, he lit a cigarette and winked at her. "I actually swam last night! I'm not cold. Men handle cold differently than women."

A thin haze of smoke rose, obscuring his countenance.

After a moment, he turned to her and said, "You and Raphael were really overly polite to each other earlier. Why is that? Does my presence make you both uneasy? Why did you appear so serious?"

He was at it again.

Olivia couldn't stand it anymore. She pulled the coat tighter around herself to block the cold wind and replied in a playful tone, "Yes! If you weren't there, I would have cuddled him already!"

Dylan watched her silently.

The wind ruffled his neatly trimmed hair, and his tidy appearance made him even more attractive. Olivia noticed several young women passing by repeatedly glance back at him.

He remained quiet for a long while.

"You started it," she murmured softly.

He moved closer and gently placed his arm around her shoulder. His voice was tender as he said, “How can you say such a thing? If you dare flirt with him, I'll be very mad."