Chapter 195

OLIVIA A moment passed in silence. I kept my eyes on the book in his hands, though I was no longer really reading the title. There was something about the way he held it—careful, almost deliberate—that drew my attention back again. “You understand French?” he asked after a while, his voice calm, carrying just enough curiosity to break the quiet. I looked up, slightly caught off guard by the question. “Yes,” I said. “I took French as an elective before, and I ended up using it for work with French clients, so I’m fairly comfortable with it.” He gave a small nod, as if that answer confirmed something he had already assumed. “Still, most people wouldn’t recognize how rare this edition is,” he said. I glanced at the book again, taking in the subtle details I hadn’t fully noticed before. “I think I just noticed it looked… different,” I said. “It’s not something you’d usually find in a place like this.” A faint smile touched his lips. “It isn’t,” he replied. “I don’t usually bring it out.” T