Page 35 of No Mane, No Gain
Tomorrow afternoon? I’ll send a car for you.
It’s a date! Can’t wait.
As he pocketed his phone, Chaos felt a surge of anticipation. He couldn’t wait to share his passion with Olive and see her reaction to the innovations they were developing.
For the first time in years, he felt truly excited about the future. Whatever came next, he knew one thing for certain - he wanted Olive by his side for all of it.
With a spring in his step, Chaos headed back to the office. He had a lab tour to plan.
EIGHTEEN
Olive adjusted the ring light to cast a soft glow across her face. She tucked a stray honey-blonde strand behind her ear and took a deep breath, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement as she hit the live button on her screen.
“Hey, book lovers!” she chirped, her voice warm and inviting. “It’s your girl Olive, back with another update. And boy, do I have some tea to spill today! So, remember my mysterious hottie I mentioned last time? Well, things have been heating up.”
Olive’s heart fluttered as she spoke, her hands gesticulating animatedly. “His name is Chaos. Talk about a romance novel hero name, am I right? He’s this tech mogul from Silicon Valley, total genius type. And let me tell you, the man is fine with a capital F-I-N-E.”
She fanned herself playfully, eliciting a soft chuckle. “But it’s not just his looks. He’s got this intensity about him, this passion when he talks about his work. It’s... electrifying.”
Olive paused, her expression softening. “I know I’ve been skeptical about love in the past, but I’ve decided to give Chaos a real chance. There’s something different about him, something that makes me want to let down my walls a little.”
She reached for her phone, glancing at the notifications flooding in. “Oh wow, you guys are blowing up the comments already! Let’s see what you’re saying.”
Her eyes scanned the screen, a warm smile spreading across her face. “‘Go get him, girl!’ ‘You deserve happiness, Olive!’ ‘I’m living for this real-life romance!’” she read aloud, her cheeks flushing with pleasure.
“You all are the absolute best, you know that? Your support means the world to me.” Olive blew a kiss to the camera. “All right, let’s tackle some of your questions...”
For the next fifteen minutes, Olive chatted animatedly with her followers, sharing tidbits about her budding relationship with Chaos and laughing at their enthusiastic responses. As she wrapped up the video, she felt a surge of affection for her loyal audience.
“That’s all for now, book lovers. Remember, life’s too short for bad books or lukewarm love. Go out there and find your own happily ever after!” With a final wink and wave, Olive ended the live.
She leaned back into the sofa, a contented sigh escaping her lips. It felt good to share her happiness with her followers. They’d been with her through so many ups and downs, it only seemed right to include them in this new chapter of her life.
Curious to see the response, Olive pulled up the video on her tablet. Her eyes widened as she saw the view count skyrocketing. “Holy cow,” she muttered, scrolling through the comments.
At first, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Her regular followers gushed about how happy she looked and how excited they were for her. But as she delved deeper, Olive’s smile began to falter.
“Is this a joke? No way a guy like that would go for someone like her.” “Lol, she’s probably one of many. Wake up, Olive!” “She’s not even that pretty. What could he possibly see in her? “Ifhe’s as good looking as she says, he’s probably not a one woman man.”
The comments grew increasingly cruel, each a dagger to Olive’s heart. She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.
“Don’t let them get to you,” she whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly. “They’re just jealous trolls. Their opinions don’t matter.”
But despite her self-reassurances, the words stung. Olive had always prided herself on her thick skin, but something about these comments cut deeper than usual. Maybe because for once, she’d allowed herself to be truly vulnerable on camera.
Her phone buzzed, Athena’s face lighting up the screen. Olive answered, trying to keep her voice steady. “Hey, cuz. What’s up?”
“Olive, have you seen what’s happening in your comment section?” Athena’s voice crackled through the speaker, concern evident in her tone.
Olive sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Yeah, I’ve seen it. It’s... not great.”
“Not great? It’s a freaking war zone down there! Your die-hard fans are going to battle for you, but the trolls just keep coming. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” Olive admitted, her frustration seeping through. “I guess some people can’t stand to see others happy. But get this - the video’s views are through the roof. Apparently, controversy sells.”
Athena let out a low whistle. “Damn, girl. You’re blowing up. But hey, are you okay? Some of those comments are pretty nasty.”
Olive hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. “I... I’ll be fine. It’s not like I haven’t dealt with haters before. It’s just... I opened upmore than usual this time, you know? Makes the backlash hit a little harder.”