CHAPTER 296: CHAPTER 296

Upon hearing what Oliver just said, Cora couldn’t believe her ears. She blinked twice and tilted her head slightly, trying to process what he had just said. And from the look of things his expression calm, his posture confident, and that steady gaze in his eyes anyone could tell that, yes, he was absolutely serious about what he was saying.

Which actually made Cora extremely more curious than before. She crossed her arms slowly, eyeing him with growing suspicion and amusement.

Then, without hiding her disbelief, Cora then ask, "Are you really serious about this? Like... I’m trying to tell you what my father would definitely not accept, and you are still standing on your ground, saying he’s going to accept it? And not just accept it, you’re saying he’s going to appreciate it?"

She looked at him with widened eyes, her tone rising slightly in surprise. "Let me see! Definitely, if it’s something that I know he’s going to like, then I would—no problem. But I just don’t want you to actually disgrace yourself."

She paused, her voice now lower and serious, "And make him feel like... give him an advent to actually talk down at you. He can do that, Oliver. You know how he is."

So at that moment, Oliver then smile at Cora. Not a forced or awkward smile, but one of quiet certainty. He looked her in the eyes and gently said, "Cora, you should calm down."

His tone was relaxed, as if he had already thought about all the things she was worrying about. "It hasn’t gotten to that point yet. Like... even if he doesn’t accept the gift which I actually believe he’s definitely going to accept and actually appreciate—"

He paused briefly and adjusted the small box in his hand, continuing with a calm voice, "Even though maybe he doesn’t like it, then definitely he’s not going to insult me or anything."

He gave her a playful look, one eyebrow raised. "He’s definitely going to accept it. Because it is a gift. So he’s not going to go hard on me, like use it to rub my face."

At that moment, Oliver glanced briefly at the small box resting in his palm. His fingers shifted slightly as if to hide it better, before sliding it gently back inside his coat pocket.

"Well," he said with a small teasing smile tugging at his lips, "I’m still not going to tell you what’s inside. You’ll see it soon enough... once I hand it over."

He looked at Cora like he was hiding treasure, and that only made her curiosity burn even stronger. She tilted her head, her brows pulling together in disbelief.

"So you’re really not going to tell me?" she asked again, crossing her arms. "Seriously, Oliver?"

He shrugged, casually brushing a hand over his coat as if adjusting it. "Nope. Like I said, once I give it to your dad, you can sneak a look if it means that much to you."

Cora narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Sneak a look? Wow, now you’re telling me to snoop?" she said, half-laughing. But then her tone shifted slightly, a bit more serious. "Okay, wait. What if my dad turns to me and asks, ’Cora, what’s this?’ What do you expect me to say? That I just stood there watching you give him something strange wrapped in mystery and I didn’t even ask?"

Oliver tried to keep a straight face, but a grin was already forming. He shook his head and chuckled softly. "That’s why it’s called a gift," he said, emphasizing the word. "If he asks, you just tell him you don’t know. That’s it. Simple. That way he knows you didn’t spoil the surprise and I didn’t break the rule of secrecy. Everybody wins."

Cora let out a small breath of frustration, though there was no anger in her expression just the rising itch of curiosity she couldn’t scratch. She stared at him for a moment, lips pressing into a thin line.

"You’re unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

Oliver leaned slightly toward her, lowering his voice with a playful glint in his eye. "Come on, Cora. Do you really think I’d give your dad something random? I know what I’m doing."

Cora glanced at him sideways, still not fully convinced. Her father was not just "anyone" he was the kind of man who could reject a gift just by raising an eyebrow, someone who had standards so high even she couldn’t always keep up. And here was Oliver, confidently walking into the fire with a smile on his face.

She stared at his jacket pocket again, then sighed, crossing her arms.

"It’s just..." she started slowly. "I don’t want you to end up feeling awkward or embarrassed, especially not in front of him. He’s not the easiest person to impress. You do know that, right?"

"I do," Oliver said without hesitation. "But I’m not worried. Either he likes it or he doesn’t. I’m prepared for both."

The calmness in his voice only made her feel more unsettled. Something about his confidence just made her want to know more. She felt like she was being left out of something big, and it bothered her. A lot.

After a long pause, she raised both hands in the air and stepped slightly to the side.

"Okay then," she said with a defeated sigh, "no problem. You can do whatever you want. I won’t push for it anymore."

Immediately Oliver simply nodded, a soft grin tugging at his lips. "That’s better," he said calmly, "you’ve got nothing to worry about, Cora." His tone was light, but his eyes were already scanning around, watching for any sign of her father’s arrival. He stood tall and steady beside her, his gaze shifting between the airport arrival gate.

However Just as he turned slightly to check again, a sudden jolt of movement startled him.

Cora lunged forward, laughing mischievously as she tried to grab the box from his hands. "Let me see it! Come on, Oliver, just one peek!" she said, almost whining like a playful child.

Oliver quickly lifted the box above his head, holding it just out of her reach. "Not a chance," he teased, his voice playful but firm..

Cora giggled and tried harder, stretching on her toes and practically climbing his arm as if she was scaling a wall. "You’re hiding something, I know it!" she said between bursts of laughter, still reaching for the gift.

Oliver chuckled, turning slightly to keep the box away. "You’ll ruin the surprise," he said, trying not to laugh too loud. The scene was almost absurd here they were, in the middle of the airport, with people walking past them, while Cora, the usually calm and composed businesswoman, acted like a little girl trying to snatch a toy.

For a moment, the atmosphere around them felt light, warm, and strangely intimate. Oliver’s lips curved into a genuine smile something rare and unguarded as Cora’s laughter echoed softly. It wasn’t just playful; it felt real.

And then.

"Ahem!! Ahem!! Ahem!!

A loud, deliberate throat‑clearing broke through the air behind them.