Episode 5:She Olivia is my world

Three days had passed since the kiss that reshaped Terry’s world. He sat at a corner table in a quiet campus cafe, adjusted his shirt collar, and checked his watch. He was waiting for Olivia.

*It’s finally here,* Terry thought, a rare, genuine wave of euphoria washing over him. *The best day of my life. Olivia and I on our first official date. She told me that she and Darby are fine now, but I still don’t trust that Darby. She is a fucking fake bitch.* A dark, knowing smile touched his lips. *And as for that useless boyfriend of hers, Fred... Olivia kissed me. She wanted me. But if I let him go, she might just go back to him. So, I took care of him.*

The memory of his cold execution played vividly in his mind. He had known exactly what to do. Terry had lined Fred’s sandwich bread with thick peanut butter, knowing the exact severity of the guy’s lethal peanut allergy. Fred had suffocated and died instantly inside the basement wardrobe. Under the cover of darkness, Terry had driven deep into the isolated woods outside of town, buried the body beneath the damp earth, and used the dead man's phone to post a final status update: *"Going to Africa, don't find me."* To the rest of the world, Fred had simply vanished to another continent. The phone itself was now tucked away securely in Terry’s absolute favorite hiding spot—deep inside the decorative flower vase in his apartment.

As the ambient music of the cafe drifted through the air, the dark victory of eliminating a rival pulled Terry’s consciousness back into the twisted web of his childhood.

He was seven years old again, slipping into the quiet bathroom where Soniya was waiting for him. Tonight, she was wearing a revealing nightgown that exposed most of her body. Young Terry had stared at her in innocent awe.

"Wow, Soniya," the boy whispered. "You look beautiful."

Soniya smirked, a dangerous gleam in her eyes as she leaned back against the counter. "I know. And I did this because I love you, and I’ll never leave you." Terry had smiled warmly, entirely captured by her words. Soniya tilted her head, her voice dropping into a soft, manipulative purr. "Remember that movie we watched last night together?"

"Yes," Terry nodded innocently. "The one with the man and the woman doing something."

Soniya’s smirk widened as she dropped down to his height, wrapping her hands around his small shoulders, completely obliterating any sense of childhood boundaries. "Yes, my Terry. I want you to do what the man was doing to the woman... on me." The young boy had simply nodded, trapped in a reality where love was defined by compliance and adult secrets.

The memory shattered instantly as the cafe door opened. Terry looked up, his chest swelling with pride as he saw Olivia walking toward him, wearing a stunning, vibrant red gown he had personally selected for her from Mizona Gowinies. But his breath caught in his throat when he saw the person walking right beside her.

Darby.

Terry’s expression turned icy beneath his carefully maintained exterior. *Why is this stupid Darby here?* his mind raged. *Maybe I made a mistake. Darby deserves to die even more than Fred.*

Faking a warm smile, Terry stood up and smoothly dragged a chair out for Olivia. "I see you're not alone on our date," he said, a sharp smirk barely hiding his agitation.

Darby slid into the opposite chair, completely oblivious to the danger sitting across from her. "Yeah, Tee. I don’t think you would mind."

Terry’s smile hardened, his voice dripping with an undercurrent of venomous anger. "Terry. Terry, please."

Olivia offered an apologetic, soft look, reaching across the table. "I know this was supposed to be our night, Terry, but Darby was just so homesick. I couldn't leave her all alone."

Terry forced another polite smile, his eyes drilling into Darby. *Fucking drama queen,* he thought bitterly.

The next morning, the tension of the date faded as Terry dealt with a different kind of problem. Laura had come to his apartment building, trembling and seeking advice about Jeff’s escalating abuse.

Terry leaned against the doorway, looking down at her with a calm, calculated expression. "There is a story of a woman who always took bullshit from her husband," Terry said smoothly. "I mean, constant abuse. But you know what she did? She didn't fight him. She reported him to the authorities... and she was finally free."

Laura looked up, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Are you saying... I should report him to the police?"

Terry gave a slow, deliberate nod, a dark smirk tugging at his lips. "Yes, Laura."

*I know it wouldn't be fucking appropriate to tell you to just kill that prick,* Terry thought as Laura thanked him and turned to leave.

Just as she disappeared down the hall, Olivia stepped onto the landing, holding a bunch of fresh red roses. Terry's dark thoughts vanished, replaced by an instant, radiant smile.

"I am truly sorry about last night," Olivia said softly, handing him the flowers. "I know it was supposed to be our night alone."

Terry didn't hesitate. He reached out, gripping her waist and dragging Olivia tightly against his chest. "I got you, babe," he murmured, looking into her eyes. "I'm just still figuring out how lucky I am to have you in my life." They leaned in, kissing happily in the quiet hallway.

Later that afternoon at Milana Gowinies, Paul was managing the front desk when the bell chimed. Darby walked in, her heels clicking loudly against the floor as she scanned the room.

"Hey, Paul," Darby said dismissively, leaning against the counter. "Is Tee here?"

Paul immediately blushed, straightening his posture and trying to look smooth. "I’m afraid not. But Paul is right here for you, my queen."

Darby’s face twisted in immediate disgust. "Queen?"

"Terry is with Olivia right now," Paul continued, completely missing her reaction as he leaned closer. "Me and you could be here together..."

Before he could finish, Darby reached across the counter, aggressively grabbing Paul by his collar and pulling him forward. "Listen to me, you asshole," she hissed, her voice sharp with venom. "Stop asking me to screw around with you. You are a pathetic loser of a creepy boss." She let go of his collar with a violent shove and stormed out of the boutique, leaving Paul stunned.

Meanwhile, back at the apartment, the atmosphere was entirely different. Olivia stepped playfully out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but one of Terry’s oversized button-down shirts. Terry sat on the edge of the bed, a genuine laugh escaping him.

Olivia struck a dramatic pose, mocking his usual posture. "Wow, Mr. Terry, you are so handsome!"

They laughed heartily together, the genuine warmth of the moment filling the room. Olivia slid onto the bed beside him, her expression turning soft and curious. "You never told me about your family."

A heavy, dark sadness settled over Terry’s face. The reality of his fractured past was something he could never share. "Don't know them," he lied smoothly, his voice dropping into a practiced tone. "I grew up in a boys' home."

Olivia’s eyes filled with deep sympathy, and she moved even closer, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Terry. But you don't have to worry anymore. My brother and his wife... we will all be one big family for you." She leaned in and kissed him deeply.

Suddenly, the sharp buzz of a notification broke the silence. Olivia pulled back, reaching for her phone. The moment her eyes scanned the screen, her face drained of all color. She froze in absolute shock.

Terry watched her closely, his sharp instincts instantly putting him on high alert. "What's wrong?"

"I... I have to go right now," Olivia stammered, her voice trembling as she frantically scrambled off the bed and began pulling her clothes back on.

Terry stood up quickly, his heart hammering with a mixture of confusion and possessiveness. "Babe, please tell me what is wrong."

"I just have to go now!" she cried, ignoring his hand as she grabbed her bag and bolted out of the apartment.

The moment the door slammed shut, Terry’s innocent demeanor vanished. He grabbed his own phone, rapidly typing into a customized spying application he had secretly installed on Olivia’s device days prior. He bypassed her network security and tapped directly into her direct messages.

An unknown profile on Instagram had sent her a message. Terry tapped the attached media file, and his eyes widened in absolute shock. The screen displayed a stark, revealing photograph of Olivia and Fred together in a hotel room, both half-naked.

Terry’s grip tightened on his phone until his knuckles turned white, a murderous rage exploding in his chest. *Who dares to fucking blackmail you?!*

But the sudden threat of a dark secret being exposed pulled the final thread of his mind, dragging him back twenty years into the deepest nightmare of his childhood.

Aunt Kyler was standing in the laundry room, methodically sorting through the children's clothes. She reached into the small pocket of seven-year-old Terry’s trousers and pulled out a delicate piece of fabric. She held it up to the light, recognizing it instantly. Kyler stood entirely frozen, stunned into a horrified silence as she stared at Soniya’s lace undergarment in the little boy's pocket.

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