The Incubus System Chapter 933. Not A Stepping Stone

The Incubus System Chapter 933. Not A Stepping Stone

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "Me?" I echoed, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Olivia nodded, her expression tinged with a bittersweet sadness as she took a few calm steps closer to me. "Yes, you," she confirmed, her voice soft and wistful. There was a melancholic smile playing at the corners of her lips, as if she were reminiscing about days long gone. “When our relationship wasn't this deep I often followed you to the library just to watch you reading books. Looks like checking books is a habit that you can't let go of," she said with a clear hint of nostalgia.

My mind raced as I tried to process her words."You did that?" I blurted out, my eyes widening in disbelief. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that Olivia had been secretly trailing me to the library, just to catch a glimpse of me lost in a book. It was a revelation that left me feeling both stunned and strangely touched.

Olivia nodded, her gaze meeting mine with a mixture of fondness and regret. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "I used to do that all the time. It was... nice, seeing you so focused and absorbed in your reading."

Olivia took the book from my hand and gently placed it back on the shelf, her gaze never wavered from mine. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that I hadn't seen before, a rawness that made my heart ache with empathy.

"But I know you have a crush on Emma," she said softly. My heart skipped a beat at her revelation, my mind racing to process the implications of her statement. Had I been that obvious?

She reached out and touched my face gently, her fingers tracing the lines of my jaw with a tenderness that took me by surprise. "So I decided to keep my distance. I just... I didn't want to be another stepping stone on your way to Emma."

I felt a surge of affection for Olivia at that moment. Despite her own feelings, she had always put my happiness first, even at the expense of her own. It was a selflessness that I found both humbling and inspiring.

"I guess what's happening now is a win-win solution then, huh?" I said, trying to lighten the mood. Olivia chuckled softly, her laughter like music to my ears.

"Yeah, I guess so," she agreed, a playful twinkle in her eyes. "Anyway, you came sooner than we expected, and you also didn't text us first," she added, a hint of curiosity creeping into her tone.

"Yeah, I thought I'd spend more time with you guys, so I came early," I admitted. It wasn't easy to admit, but I owed it to Olivia and Camila to be honest with them about where I was at.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me. "I mean... I'll be honest, I've been busy lately," I confessed, my voice tinged with regret. "There are a lot of complicated things in my life right now, and it's taking up a lot of my time. I feel like I'm not being fair to you guys. I rarely see you, and I feel bad about it."

It was a tough pill to swallow, admitting my shortcomings to the people I cared about. After all, I had left them once before to venture into the demon world.

Olivia reached out and gently took my hand in hers, her touch grounding me in a way I hadn't realized I needed. I couldn't help but notice how cute and feminine she looked in that moment, a side of her that I rarely saw. Maybe it was because she was showing a vulnerability that she didn't share with anyone else, a side of herself that she reserved solely for me.

"Do you want to stay here? Stay here with us?" she asked softly, her eyes searching mine for an answer.

I paused, considering her offer carefully. The thought of staying with Olivia and Camila, of being surrounded by people who cared about me, was tempting.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I spoke, the weight of my words heavy on my tongue. "I wish I could do it," I admitted, my voice tinged with sadness. "But the demon hunter organization still has their eyes on me. If I were to leave, you'd be dragged into it too."

It was a harsh reality that I had come to accept, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. The constant scrutiny and suspicion from the demon hunter organization had become a looming shadow over my life, making it impossible for me to truly break free from the chains that bound me.

Olivia's expression softened with understanding, her regret palpable in the air between us. "I forgot about that," she murmured, a frustrated huff escaping her lips. It was clear that she had hoped for a different outcome.

I reached out and gently squeezed her hand, offering her what little comfort I could muster. "Maybe after all this is over, I can do it," I suggested, trying to inject some optimism into our conversation. "Besides, my mom's case isn't over yet,” I added.

"Oh, right. They caught her with your stepdad, didn't they? Have you met her?" Olivia asked, her curiosity evident in her tone.

I nodded grimly, the memory of my encounter with my mom still fresh in my mind. "Yeah, they did," I confirmed. "And let me tell you, meeting her was a bad trip. She tried to manipulate me and push her way out of the legal mess. Crazy, right?" I added, my voice tinged with bitterness.

Olivia's expression twisted in disgust, her features contorted as if she had just bitten into something sour. "Ugh, I'm sorry to hear that," she said sympathetically, her voice laced with genuine concern.