Chapter 31: A Chance Encounter

The autumn park was vibrant with shades, and under Olivia's feet, there were crispy leaves. Her sketchbook tucked under her arm, she came to a stop at a gnarled old oak tree. Its twisted branches seemed to reach—oh, they reached skyward. —defying time. Setting herself down on a nearby bench, Olivia opened her sketchbook. Her pencil moved to a rhythm, outlining the essence of that tree. Fatigue and the specter of upcoming treatment—never seeming far off—would all fall into the background of that moment. Lines of an oak, every one of them speaking of a certain resilience. Olivia twisted those lines into emotion: the strength she wanted, her own aching to grow within the stability of chaos. She was so engrossed in her work that she did not see the approaching figure until a shadow fell over her page. "Oh, sorry," a deep, rich voice said. "I didn't mean to interrupt." Olivia glanced up into the kind brown eyes above her that were perched on a very tall man with slightly rumpled hair. "