Chapter 5

Oliver POV

"Is it enough?" I asked Raymond, he stopped stirring the strawberries and took the beater from my hand. He moved it around the batter and lifted it up.

"Okay, good." He gave me a thumbs up and I nodded while putting the bowl on the island.

"Why don't you ask Robert to cook for you or Julia?" I asked him. I don't understand why he wants to cook when his hand is injured.

"I want to make these pancakes." He smiled but it disappeared into a frown.

"Did you and Julia fight? Is that why you're making her special breakfast?"

"No, it's not like that." He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you assume I'm making this as an apology?"

"Because I know my little brother." I've been seeing him since he was born.

"How many times did I cook for you then?" He poured a scoop of batter in the pan and added swirls of strawberry sauce on the pancake.

"Maybe ten, I didn't include the cookies you made when you're sixteen which are as hard as stones." He laughed and I plucked a strawberry in my mouth with a smile.

"That's why you send me to college to study business." I nodded as he flipped the pancake. He didn't talk to me until I got him into culinary school.

"I didn't know you'd turned out to be a great chef then." I told him honestly. He chuckled.

"Well, I didn't regret going there. I need to thank you for that." He had a sad smile on his face. Something happened when he was there, he didn't tell me how many times I asked. Sometimes he cried in my arms. I don't know how to comfort him. I only saw him smiling again after Julia came into his life.

Raymond poured more batter in the pan. I looked at the stack of pancakes on the plate. The smell is delicious. And these strawberry pancakes remind me of the special one in my life. The one who stole my heart.

It's been five years since she left me. I saw her again a few days back. I didn't know she's Julia's friend. I was surprised to see her in their house.

Maria. A common name. I didn't find it beautiful until I saw her.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of her. I shouldn't think of her now. It always makes me angry and hurts me the most. My eyes drifted to the door and a small girl was peeking inside. Her eyes stayed on Raymond, she's watching his every move.

"Hi!" Her eyes turned to me startled. She looks like she was caught stealing a cookie. I chuckled at her. "Come here."

She looked at Raymond and then at me before coming inside. I bent to her height and extended my hand.

"I'm Oliver." She shook my hand with her little ones.

"Su…" Her eyes drifted to Raymond for a second. "Mommy calls me Mara."

"Well Mara, do you want strawberries?" She nodded excitedly. I lifted her in my arms. "Here!"

She's so adorable. She is munching the strawberry holding it with two hands.

"Do you want to eat pancakes, Mara?" She nodded to Raymond who had a bright smile on his face.

"You're so adorable. Will you be my friend?" I asked her.

"Will you play with me?" She questioned with a cute face. Who can say no to that face?

"Of course!" She squealed and threw her hand around my neck.

"Can I join too?" Raymond asked.

"But Mommy said no play when sick." She pointed at his injured hand with a pout. He frowned and I chuckled.

"We should let him play with us or else he'll cry." She gasped.

"Really? I don't want him to cry." Raymond made a face that he's about to cry.

"Then you let him play, right?" She nodded leaning towards him from my arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Yay!" Raymond squealed happily, making Mara laugh. He kissed her cheek and I'm sure she felt surprised. "Breakfast is ready, let's go."

I put Mara down and held her hand. I saw someone talking with Julia and Robert. Her top matches with Mara's frock. She must be her mother. She turned around and I stopped in my tracks.

Her smile turned into a frown. She looked up at me and I heard her gasp. She looked away from me and it hurts.

What's she doing here? Julia didn't mention that she invited her.

"Mommy!" Mara left my hand and ran towards her. My heart stopped beating for a second. She has a daughter? "Mommy, come meet my new friend. His name is Oliver."

I shift my gaze between the mother and daughter duo. Does she have Mara with the person she cheated on me?

That thought alone made my blood boil. How can she do this? I love her so much that I want to kill the other person. No one should touch her the way I do.

"Raymond, I told you not to go into the kitchen." Julia yelled, bringing me out of thoughts.

"Sorry." He told her, he was not. They started bickering, making us chuckle. My smile disappeared as I saw Maria. She's smiling but I saw her wiping away the tears.

"Okay lovebirds, you can fight later. Let's eat now." Katherine ushered us to the dining table.

"Mommy, you love strawberry pancakes. Why are you not eating it?" Mara asked innocently. Maria placed her finger on her lips to silence her daughter. The little girl pouted and returned to her breakfast.

"Maria, pancakes?" Julia offered to serve her.

"No thanks, my plate is full." She gave her a tight smile. Her plate is only half filled.

"Raymond, are you okay?" I shifted my eyes to my brother and he looked upset. He held her hand and gave it a small squeeze. He smiled and nodded looking at me telling me that he's okay. I gave him a small smile. I don't want him to worry about me. Maria is a part of my life he doesn't know.

Julia and Katherine talked mostly as everyone ate silently listening to them. And I barely touched the food. My thoughts have been occupied by the woman sitting in front me.

"Oliver, it seems like you're missing Scarlett. You didn't touch anything thinking about her." I looked at Julia when I heard my name and it took me some time to register what she said. "Don't worry, your fiance will be here in two to three days."

"Excuse me." Maria excused herself and left the dining table with her daughter.