Chapter Two

 "I'm done with this, with you. You got what you wanted, and I got mine."

 "In other words, you were used," Laurie shrugged, sending a sympathetic look down Olivia's path.

 Olivia stood frozen on the spot, her mouth an inch away from hanging open.

 "The heirloom's mine and there is no use for you anymore. You're as good as useless in this house, so... Just go." Damian sighed as though exhausted after working nonstop.

 It felt like time stopped the instant Damian blurted those last words out. She felt a wave of acid welling up from her belly and her chest suddenly grew tight that it became so hard to breathe.

 Without waiting to hear more venom escape his lips, she turned to the nearest exit- the one leading to their bedroom, and disappeared.

 Once in, she flung herself on the bed and wept her heart out.

 After sobbing for what seemed like hours, Olivia got up and washed her face. She changed her dress and walked back to the study.

 He was going through some work related papers while Laurie stood by the side, stirring a steamy cup of coffee.

 Olivia tore her eyes from the blonde and licked her lips nervously "Damian,"

 She was duly ignored.

  "Why won't you look at me, Damian?"

 "Oh, I've been doing that for five years now." He smirked, peeling his tie off him and leaning back on his chair. Laurie set the coffee cup on the desk and earned a 'Thank you' from him. She smiled tentatively and turned to Olivia rubbing his gratitude in her face.

 "Nothing happened? Can you not admit that you feel a thing for me after all these years?"

 "All these for my wealth- do not be greedy, little Olivia. You are asking for too much."

 "We can make this work," She dared to say "I fell in love with you over the years, Damian. And I cannot afford to lose you to anyone."

 "Little miss half baked is in love, so sweet." Laurie chirped in from the corner where sat.

 "Too bad." He tsked "Your heart is about to get shattered into a thousand pieces."

 Olivia felt a pang of pain deep in her chest cavity. She was not sure if it was real or due to his words that carried volcanic effects. She had planned to remain resilient no matter what he said but he had broken her resolve without any effort.

 "Don't think too much, darling. It was purely business, husband and wife, a client and her contractor..." He brought out the envelope that contained the divorce papers and slid it to her.

 At that point, he looked like a treacherous friend turned enemy, a proud villain that was against Olivia's happiness.

 "W-what do you want me to do? I will do anything..." Olivia whispered desperately.

 "Sign the damn papers." Damian yelled, startling her.

  "Fine!" She yelled back after staying silent for seconds. The tears burned behind her eyes and she did everything possible to keep them from falling, she was never going to show him how broken she was.

 If Damian was surprised at her audacity, he did not show it and only watched as she furiously scribbled her signature on the paper.

 When Olivia was done, she locked eyes with him, head high and resilient. Like a spell, her fantasies came to an end in the space of minutes and her loathe for Damian increased in leaps and bounds. 

 "There... Get lost. We don't wanna see your half baked as..." Laurie's words were cut off when Olivia delivered a sharp punch to her face, smearing her makeup and drawing out blood from her lower lip.

  The impact of the punch sent Laurie reeling to the ground. 

 The latter looked at Damian in a panic state "Do something. She's crazy!"

 Damian remained seated, watching the scene. He had never seen Olivia raise her hand to hit anyone and wondered what had come over her, she looked nothing like the angelic wife he knew. The aura that she emitted even made her look hotter and he frowned. 

 When she turned away and began walking towards the door, something jabbed him to tell her to stay. 

 He did not, the slamming of the door reminding him of her departure from his house, his life.

 **************

 Olivia, deciding that she wanted to be anywhere but at the mansion, packed her things in no time and with the help of the head servant, conveyed them to the ground floor.

 "We will miss you dearly, ma'am." Two of the servant girls chorused with eyes that threatened to release pent up tears.

 "I will miss you all too, take care of yourselves."

 "And you too," The head servant smiled sadly.

 Olivia nodded and continued to the door when it swivelled open, revealing Darian, the twin brother of her ex-husband. 

 "Hey, sister-in-law," Darian smiled at her, the kind that makes her want to ruffle his hair despite their difference in age.

 "Hey, Darian."

 Darian's eyes found the belongings of Olivia and he frowned, wondering what was amiss.

 "What in Alabama is going on here?"

 Just then, Damian emerged from the study with Laurie.

 "She's leaving. There's no room for her anymore since I'm back with Damian." Laurie announced.

 Darian frowned wondering what the blonde meant by that. He knew that his brother and Laurie may have a thing or two going on beyond work but he didn't quite know that it would amount to throwing Olivia out of the house.

 "Why don't you just shut your trap and get lost?"

 "It is as my Personal assistant has stated." Damian icily said. He was not one to exchange words with his brother whose existence was mainly for provoking him.

 "How do you mean, brother?" Darian asked again. The 'brother' was pronounced with a snarl.

 "We're getting divorced." 

 "You hell ain't doing that," Darian fired back, his heart skipping a beat. 

He could not bear to think that the person who made it possible for him to piss Damian off would be leaving. It would be catastrophic if he and his twin remained in a space and that is why he built his empire far away from Damian's mansion, but he came from time to time to piss him off- by always being around Olivia. 

 She was a major tool in riling his brother up, and over the years, he had actually grown to like her. Now she was leaving.

 "Oh, but it's done already," He removed his hands from his pocket where they were tucked in before, and pointed towards his study "The papers are signed, mint and everything new."

 Darian felt a tick in his jaw at his brother's nonchalant words. He refrained from saying anything and turned to Olivia who had been watching the brother's bicker without saying a word.

 "Are you alright?" He could see how puffy and red her eyes were and he knew that she must have cried the whole day. He instantly blamed himself for leaving the mansion.

 "Yeah." She nodded.

 "Let me handle these, I'll drop you off." He told her softly, sending one glare at his brother again before taking hold of Olivia's luggage.

  Damian clenched his jaw in anger as he watched Darian move her things to the booth of his car, anger slowly building in him. 

 He imagined pummeling the daylight out of Darian and snapped out of his reverie when he heard the roaring of an engine in the distance.

***************

 Darian halted outside the ancient looking cottage and turned to Olivia with a worry crease on his forehead.

 "You're sure about this? It doesn't seem like a place where humans live."

 "Darian," Olivia said lowly in a warning tone.

 "Okay, fine. I mean, anything you want." He raised his hands in mock surrender "But, do not hesitate to call me when things go south."

 "Sure. Thanks for everything, Darian."

 "It's my duty." Darian replied conservatively. If his brother had not been such an asshole, Olivia would still be in the mansion and they would not be in front of such a haunted looking shack. 

 "Ollie!" They heard someone call out. It was Rosie, a long time friend of Olivia. Their friendship dates back to their high school days.

 "Rosie," Olivia emerged from the car, smiling inspite herself. She had missed her friend and had no chance to set a meeting with her due to how Damian calculated her moves.

 "Hey," Rosie waved at Darian who was busy looking around. She hooked her arms between Olivia's and led her inside.

 Much later, Darian drove off and the two ladies started unpacking.

  "Don't cry, Olie. He isn't worth your tears." Rosie placed a comforting hand on Olivia's shoulders as the latter related what happened amidst choking tears.

 "I'm trying," Olivia exhaustively replied, she was tired of crying at the slightest mention of Damian's name.

 "I must admit, you look painfully thin now. You're good?" 

 Olivia stroked her elbows perplexedly "I don't know, Rosie. I just want to sleep and pretend like all these never happened in the first place."

 "You'll be fine."

 Dusk set in sooner than expected, paving way for dawn. Olivia freshened up and sat for breakfast with her host who had prepared Olivia's favorite, hoping to rejuvenate her friend's appetite.

 "What brought you back to the suburbs?" Olivia asked quietly.

 Rosie paused for a second before replying "I needed solitude. I had too many things going on with me in the city that I felt like I would go psycho if I do not make out time for myself."

 Olivia sighed, wondering if it would be a good idea to follow that path as well. Rosie was an established actress in Queens, she had everything going on well. At least, that was what everyone thought.

 A knock on the door dissolved Olivia's thoughts and the ladies turned.

 "Are you expecting anyone?" Olivia inquired.

 "No one comes here," Rosie shrugged.

 "I'll get the door."

 Olivia took springy steps to the door and opened it. She froze, muscles locked in a momentarily paralysisis and her eyes widened in astonishment.

 "Uncle Ivan!"

"Oh hey, look who it is. My favorite niece!" The man smiled widely, a familiar nose crinkling smile that Olivia could remember. 

 He bared his arms and she embraced him, nostalgia filling her thoughts. He was her father's elder brother who resided in the states, a billionaire, and philanthropist.

"Uncle...w...what are you doing here?"

"It's time to come home and take your rightful place on the throne, princess."

 "Huh?..." Olivia blurted in confusion and waved a hand "Never mind, come in Uncle."

 "I would like very much to honor your invitation but I'm afraid, that will not be the case. You have to come with me immediately."

 "But..."

 "I'll take care of everything, princess. For now, we have no time."

 ‘Why is he back? Where has he been all these while? How did he know I was here? Is he aware of what's going on with me? I hope to God he's not! But, what's his reason for this impromptu action? What am I to do with his throne? He was never there for me!’

 It felt like two different people conversed in her head as she stared blankly at her Uncle, 

 Though his request seemed sudden, Olivia held her numerous questions to herself and finally nodded slowly.

 She was led by two smartly dressed men to a sheen Porsche that stood proudly in this shrub, and stared out the window when she was seated inside. Her Uncle stood as tall as she could remember by the doorway and he was talking to Rosie.

 She could not make out the conversation they were having and in less than 3 minutes, they were done.

 A sense of relief gushed over her as they made their way further into the cities. Her Uncle as seated next to her and a smug smile graced his lips. She assessed him from the corner of his eyes, shiny black hair mixed with a few golden strands, cleanly shaven and little or no worry creases on his face. 

 She suddenly felt proud. She was not alone after all, she had family. He was out of sight for a period of time, but he was still there.