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Chapter 36
Practice Partner
The Dumblin Cricket & Tennis Club prided itself on perfection.
It offered every convenience for its members, one of which was practice partners for those who came alone.
These partners were usually retired athletes with championship experience or active professional players.
Olivia headed to the front desk on the first floor of the main building to inquire about a practice partner.
“There’s no one available at the moment.”
Suppressing her disappointment, Olivia politely asked again.
“What about tomorrow? I’d like to make a reservation with anyone available.”
“All schedules are already booked through the end of this month.”
The staff member, brows furrowed in irritation, didn’t even bother to check the schedule and responded curtly.
“I see. Thank you for checking.”
Offering a polite smile, Olivia turned away without hesitation. She didn’t want to trouble a staff member who clearly had no authority any further.
A fully booked tennis court, and a completely filled schedule.
Olivia let out a faint laugh at the Dumblin Club’s tired traditions.
“No chance in hell.”
Russell reclined lazily on the sofa, twisting his mustache while letting out a long plume of cigarette smoke.
Court 12 was like a pie in the sky for that woman. What was the point of pristine grass if there was no one to play against? She’d just end up hitting balls against the wall again.
So, what will you do now, Miss Olivia Blanchett?
He chuckled.
Charles had once called him petty, but this wasn’t about pettiness.
It had been 150 years.
Preserving a legacy that had endured over a century and a half was a sacred duty. It was a matter of dignity—upholding a pride that had never once been trampled.
He was the guardian of that heavy responsibility, a responsibility that would pass to his son, and his son’s son—a duty carried down through generations.
A mere woman, a lowly illegitimate one at that, had no right to tarnish it. How dare she.
If anyone dared to play with her, he’d make sure they were punished and driven out of the club.
His intense gaze drifted to the vast green view outside the tall windows, lost in thought. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, satisfied.
Olivia methodically worked through her alternatives. The least appealing option was the equipment storage room. That was off the table now. She shook her head.
She really wanted to smash that damn window. Just imagining the man who had leaned against the sill with a smug grin made her cheeks flush.
The echoing click of her heels filled the marble-floored lobby. Sunlight streamed in through the towering windows that stretched from the ceiling to the floor.
Anne, worried by Olivia’s flushed face, suggested softly, “Let’s go back for today, miss.”
Startled, Olivia turned to Anne, who had been walking quietly beside her.
“Oh, Anne!”
Olivia grabbed her arm like someone who had just realized she was there.
“M-Miss?”
Anne blinked in confusion as Olivia’s eyes sparkled brightly. But like a star fading, that spark quickly dimmed.
It was impossible.
There was no way she could train Anne and have her on the court in just three weeks. The time was far too short.
What should I do?
Olivia’s eyes wandered, despondent. Her gaze traced the mahogany staircase and stopped at a portrait hanging on the wall.
All the men wore white tennis outfits and held silver discs in one hand, smiling brightly.
Her gaze moved from one champion’s portrait to the next until it locked onto the third one from the end.
Ah!
A surprised gasp of delight escaped from Olivia’s scarlet lips.
Edgar.
It was unmistakably him.
His damp, sweat-soaked hair seemed like it might drip at any moment—so vividly real.
She smiled at his usual, unchanged expression.
Casually relaxed, gently charming, and just the right amount of arrogance—he was Edgar Langster Lancelot.
“Anne. That’s him!”
Excitement tinged Olivia’s voice.
“He must’ve won a championship here.”
She looked like a child eager to brag about something precious.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
Her shoulder-length hair tickled her cheeks as she turned from the portrait to Anne and back again.
Her once pale cheeks were flushed once more.
Just as Olivia was completely absorbed in the photo, a commotion stirred the lobby.
Both she and Anne instinctively turned.
A group of men was entering through the entrance. They noticed Olivia too.
The noisy chatter died instantly, and a cold silence settled over the lobby.
The closer the men got, the more tense the atmosphere became.
One of them passed dangerously close to Olivia, almost brushing her shoulder. She recognized him too.
Just my luck.
Russell Jr.’s mood soured immediately at the sight of Olivia Blanchett.
“How the hell do you lose to a woman like that? Were you kicking the ball?”
The snickering young noblemen followed the staff into the lounge.
It was lunchtime, and the club’s lounge was fairly crowded. The group sat at a table directly beneath the chandelier.
“Honestly, I could beat her with my foot.”
They laughed as they casually glanced at the menu.
“Can you not shut up?”
Russell Jr. snapped at his friends. The dimple in his chin deepened as he clenched his jaw.
Damn it.
It was like this everywhere lately—ever since that disgraceful day.
He’d wanted to drive off the woman who dared to trespass into forbidden territory and be hailed as a hero of Dumblin’s legacy. But instead, he had become the pathetic loser who got beaten by her.
No wonder he felt like crap.
The same thing happened in society circles.
“Sir Dixon. Did you really lose to that woman?”
Ladies surrounded him like chattering sparrows, their eyebrows fluttering in disbelief.
He could still remember the shame.
“What good is all that muscle, anyway?”
“I bet he’s useless in bed too.”
He could hear their whispers and giggles behind their fans, but pretended not to.
He hoped the whole thing would blow over soon, but even that seemed unlikely.
The damned reporters were now questioning Russell Jr.’s skills and even re-evaluating the tournaments he’d won.
“Whiskey. Neat.”
As the waiter left with the order, that woman—Olivia Blanchett—once again became the topic of conversation.
“Hey, you didn’t lose because you were distracted by her, right?”
“I let her win, I told you!”
Russell Jr. finally snapped and yelled.
“Wow, lying now, huh? Your dad said you were running around like a dog out there.”
Laughter erupted, nearly causing them to collapse.
Damn it.
Russell Jr.’s clenched fists trembled. The veins in his hands looked like they might burst.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
“Good afternoon.”
A calm voice silenced the entire room. Everyone turned to the woman who had approached without a sound.
“O-Olivia?”
Someone dropped their cigarette in surprise as they uttered her name.
Even Russell Jr., on the verge of exploding, was stunned silent by her sudden appearance.
The lounge buzzed with murmurs, but Olivia calmly stepped forward and stood in front of Russell Jr.
“I wanted to thank you, and I’m glad we could meet like this.”
Her voice was as clear and blue as her eyes, revealing her heart without pretense.
Fearless. Did she know where she even was?
Russell Jr., momentarily caught in those mysterious eyes, regained his senses and braced himself.
He was just about to shoot back a sharp remark when she beat him to it.
“Thank you so much for letting me win that day.”
“…….”
Russell Jr. froze.
“I know you lost to me on purpose.”
What?
Russell Jr. now wore a dumbfounded expression, his cleft chin slack as he gawked at Olivia.
“Wait… that’s what happened?”
The friends who had been teasing him moments ago started to change their expressions. Suspicion crept in.
“Seriously? You let her win, Russell?”
Skeptical eyes all turned on him.
What kind of game was this woman playing? He still couldn’t tell. His thick lips parted, unsure what to say, but Olivia continued.
“Thanks to you, I was allowed to practice here. I’m lucky to have met someone as considerate as you, Mr. Dixon.”
Her expression couldn’t have looked more sincere. Even Russell Jr. started to feel uncertain.
Did I… do that?
Maybe… I did?
A flicker of confusion crossed his face.
“When you made that unexpected Irving shot, I thought my heart would stop. It was so powerful—I still can’t forget it.”
She looked at him with sparkling eyes full of admiration.
“Ahem… well, it was nothing.”
Russell finally straightened his back and lifted his chin with pride.
“Nothing? You’re too modest.”
See that, you bastards?
Puffed up with pride, he glared at each of his friends, one by one. His wounded pride was slowly being restored.
He turned back to Olivia, now exuding composure.
“You played well too, Miss Blanchett.”
Like a child receiving praise, Olivia beamed brightly.
“Oh no, not at all. It was all thanks to how well you guided me, Mr. Dixon.”
He leaned back in his chair and shrugged nonchalantly.
“Don’t mention it. Most beginners don’t pick up on that kind of subtle direction. The fact that you noticed it means you’ve got some skill.”
Now he was even showing off a little.
