Her eyes lingered on him longer than necessary.
Searching.
Trying to find even the smallest hint of truth in their words.
Even the faintest crack in his composure would have been enough.
But Oliver was unreadable.
Completely.
His face remained blank, calm to the point of being unsettling, as he simply stared at the two of them with empty, emotionless eyes. There was no irritation, no denial, no surprise—nothing that could give away what he was truly thinking.
And yet…
It was true.
Today was his birthday.
And he had forgotten.
'What use is it to mark another year closer to one's death?' Oliver thought silently, his gaze unfocused for the briefest moment as his mind drifted inward. 'For some, maybe they prefer that kind of leisure… maybe they find meaning in it. But to me… it's nothing more than a useless distraction.'
His attention returned to the present.
He lingered for a moment, letting the silence stretch just slightly, before finally speaking.
"I see."
