Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 426 -

*Dahlia*

Olivia was sunshine. She was warm beams of rays on a cloudy day and the epitome of optimism if it could be bottled.

I knew better than anyone how kind and understanding she could be. She was the kind of person who others latched onto, especially those who didn't have that kind of warmth. She was a beacon for them, a lighthouse guiding them toward her.

It was why Tallon always listened to her even though he drove all our parents nuts with his rebellious and mischievous ways. He pulled pranks on everyone, but never Olivia.

It was why Alessandro, with all of his brutish ways, treated her like she was precious. He'd left bruises on me and Tallon after fights too often when we were younger, but not once did he lay a hand on Olivia.

It was why my parents adored her, why they treated her like a second daughter growing up, always praising her, my dad giving her the male affection she didn't get at home.

It had always amazed me how she could have grown into such a caring person with only her mother there to guide her. Her mother was always so busy throwing herself into work to forget about the man who had abandoned them. She got better later on, but as a small child, I had seen the way Olivia had been the one to take care of her mom, not the other way around.

And her father... well, no one had seen the bastard, even before Olivia's mom came to work with us. And her mom never spoke of him. It was possible to believe he didn't even exist with the way he had just simply vanished. But the absence he left was there, even if they ignored it.

I wasn't stupid. My family and I... weren't exactly good people. I'd always known the dangers of being tied to such dangerous work, and I had never wanted Olivia to get involved. She was too soft, too kind for this kind of place. I never wanted anyone to have the chance to snuff out her light.

But she'd surprised me. Despite everything that had happened, all the fear and complications, I never expected Olivia to have remained so strong through it. Her light never dimmed, not even during the darkest of nights.

Instead, she kept burning, continuing to be a beacon that kept all of us revolving around her like she was the sun, and we were just caught in her orbit.

I hadn't been surprised when I found out about her and Gio. It just made sense. She attracted people who didn't have that light, and Gio had lived long enough in the dark that even he couldn't resist her.

He loved her, and she loved him. That was all that mattered to me.

As long as she kept smiling, I would be right beside her, supporting her in whatever way she needed me. She was more than my best friend and a sister-she was the only person I loved more than the world itself. I would burn it down for her, reach into hell and come back as long as she asked me to. If anyone, and I mean anyone, threatened her happiness, they would have to deal with me first.

And this Elena girl was getting dangerously close to that line.

Elena giggled as we sat out on the porch under one of the big umbrellas. The ice in the tea in front of me was slowly melting, but I hadn't taken a single sip as I kept glancing at Elena.

The casual hangout had been Olivia's idea, a hope to strengthen the bond between us-camaraderie, she'd said.

"So if you could go anywhere, where would you like to visit, Olivia?" Elena asked lightheartedly. She was just making conversation, enjoying the visit, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I couldn't shake. "This sounds weird, but I've always wanted to visit Reykjavik," Olivia laughed.

"Iceland?" Elena asked, surprised.

I smirked, glancing at Olivia, who blushed like a ripe tomato as she nodded in confirmation.

"You want to see the street art, right?" I piped up, remembering how she'd often go on and on about the city.

"Of course!" Olivia gushed, then explained further once Elena sent her a questioning look. "The laws about graffiti art are so lax there that local artists have taken to painting the streets, literally. I've seen some of the work, and it's gorgeous. And because it's street art, it gets repainted or faded away, and there are always new ones. The city is always changing, bathed in color and creativity."

"I don't know why, but I think she likes art," I teased her with a mischievous smile. "What do you think, Elena?"

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye as she laughed.

"Oh, I don't think she likes art," Elena shot back with a grin. "I think she's obsessed!"

"Guys," Olivia whined, her cheeks burning red.

"Sorry, sorry," I laughed, waving her embarrassment off. It was endearing how lost she could get in her rants about art, just like I could with makeup and fashion. As different as we were, she had always been willing to listen to me about anything. And I gladly did the same.

"Sorry," a deeper voice piped up, and I turned in my seat to see Gio slide out the back door and enter the patio. He gave us an apologetic smile, taking the seat next to Olivia. "I had a call about something important. What were we talking about?"

Elena, in the seat on the other side of Gio, beamed, leaning forward on the table as her eyes fixated on him. Any normal woman would've looked away as Gio laid a kiss on Olivia's temple, the two sharing an intimate scene, but not Elena. "Traveling." Elena interrupted the two, smiling brightly as they turned to look at her. "By the way, is there any place you would like to go that you haven't been, Giovani?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, my keen intuition picking up. She scooched her chair just the slightest bit closer to Gio, and she called out his name like she was intimate with it. But I didn't recall him ever giving her permission to call him by his first

name.

Gio raised an eyebrow, a tiny hint of annoyance in his eyes, and I knew that he hadn't.

Elena didn't seem to care, though. She seemed innocent as she smiled brightly, and she stared at him far longer than was polite, completely overly attentive to him. It was like she'd forgotten Olivia and I were even here.

"I haven't thought about it," Gio said, slowly. "I've visited most places I've wanted to go."

"That's wonderful," Elena giggled, leaning over the table, just a bit too close than was appropriate. "Olivia said she wanted to go to Iceland."

Olivia blushed, startled at being thrown under the bus.

"Iceland?" He raised an eyebrow at his wife, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Just Reykjavik! I want to see the street art," she pouted. "It's not that weird!"

"Of course not," he chuckled. "We'll plan a trip after the baby's born."

"Hopefully once they're a little bigger, though," Elena said brightly. "Traveling can be dangerous for small babies until their immune system is strong enough."

"Really?" Olivia frowned, looking unsure now. "Well, we don't have to go soon. I don't need to see Reykjavik. It would just be nice, you know, in the future maybe."

"Parents who put their children's needs over their own wants are truly wonderful. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother," Elena smiled, and I stiffened, replaceing it all just a bit awkward.

"Uh... thanks," Olivia frowned, her mood dropping a bit.

I glanced at Gio, a frown on my lips, and he looked at his wife, his expression a bit concerned.

"So what's your favorite place you've been to, Giovani?" Elena asked, drawing him into the conversation and away from the awkwardness she'd caused.

"I liked Edinburgh well enough," Gio said, turning his back to Elena as he said to Olivia, "I'll have to take you some time."

Olivia beamed, her bright mood back, and Elena smiled as well. She seemed innocent as she smiled brightly, completely unassuming, and between her and Olivia, anyone would think they were similar at first glance.

Elena did not have that sunshine-like quality. That ability to replace the good in every person and thing and bring it to the surface as Olivia's alone. There was something uncomfortable lingering behind Elena, especially when she took the chance to lean forward and giggle, laying her palm over Gio's arm.

He frowned at her uncomfortably but said nothing, and I saw Olivia's smile dim at the action. It was subtle, but enough that I caught it.

I clenched my fists under the table, my instincts proving right. I hadn't wanted to jump to conclusions, but my observations weren't wrong at this point. Elena was trying to seduce Giovani.

My heart burned with unadulterated rage, and the woman who I'd seen as a friend just a couple of hours ago quickly morphed into an enemy.

I kept my mouth shut despite wanting to scream at the woman, to kick her out and never have her come back, but I couldn't do that. Elena was still their surrogate-she was carrying their child, and there was no way Gio and Olivia could kick her out or cancel that now.

My little niece or nephew was what was most important.

But every time Elena caught Gio's attention, getting a little too close to him and giggling like a schoolgirl, Olivia's brilliance flickered just the tiniest bit. It was clear she had noticed something was wrong and was very uncomfortable, but I knew her.

She would never assume anything bad of Elena, even if it was right in front of her nose.

But I did. I wanted to deck her in the face and tell her to stop. I was angry, not just at Elena for making Olivia upset but also at Gio, who kept trying to keep the peace. He could've pushed Elena away, but she was a master at making it seem like she was just overly friendly, pretending to be innocent.

I wrestled inside my mind over what to do. If I said something, if I shared my concerns with Olivia, I could cause her to get mad at me or t o panic and worry, to start distrusting the woman carrying their child for the next few months. That would end badly for everyone involved.

However, my loyalty remained to Olivia and her happiness. My best friend deserved the world, and she would get it. I couldn't stay silent, not if what I suspected was actually happening.

I sighed, finally grabbing the cup of iced tea in front of me. All the ice had melted, making it just lukewarm tea. I downed the glass, gulping it until the last drop, and slammed the cup onto the table.

Elena and Olivia jumped, startled, and Gio glanced at me with a weird look.

I pinned a smile on my face, laughing it off. Elena relaxed, her eyes turning back to Gio, and this time, I caught the blush on her cheeks as he smirked... and the way her eyes sparkled like a woman in love.

It would have been cute-if she wasn't staring at a married man, and specifically, a man married to my best friend.

I made my decision right then and there. I had to tell Olivia, no matter what it did to their relationship. Either she believed me, or she didn't, but I wasn't going to keep silent and let this woman come in here and steal my best friend's man. Not if I had any say about it.