My Dear sister

Chapter 20: My Dear sister

Olivia's POV

The following morning felt colder than usual, though the sun hung high in the sky.

I couldn't shake the memory of Derek from the gala last night.

His smirk, his voice, his presence-it all lingered like a dark cloud over me.

Leonardo had dropped me off at my apartment after the gala, his mood tense but quiet.

He didn't ask too many questions, only reminding me to call him if I needed anything.

I was grateful for the space, but being alone didn't help. It gave my mind too much room to wander.

Now, I sat at my tiny kitchen table, staring blankly at a cup of tea I hadn't touched.

My phone buzzed on the counter, jolting me out of my thoughts.

I reached for it, expecting a text from Leonardo or maybe Prisca from work.

Unknown Number.

I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the screen. Something in my gut told me not to answer, but curiosity got the better of me.

"Hello?"

"Morning, sis," Derek's voice came through the line, smooth and taunting.

My grip on the phone tightened. "How did you get this number?"

"You know me, Olivia. I always find what I want," he said, his tone laced with amusement.

"What do you want, Derek?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to stay calm.

"To talk," he said simply. "We didn't get much of a chance last night."

"There's nothing to talk about," I snapped.

"Now, that's not true," he said, his voice darkening. "You and I have a lot of unfinished business."

I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. "Leave me alone, Derek."

"Meet me, or I'll come to you," he said, his tone dropping to a threat.

Fear clawed at my chest. The last thing I wanted was for Derek to show up at my apartment, but meeting him felt just as dangerous. Still, I couldn't let him control me anymore.

"Fine," I said after a long pause. "Where?"

"There's a diner on 5th and Main. One hour," he said before hanging up.

I stared at the phone, my stomach churning. Why did I agree to this? What could he possibly want from me now?

The diner was small and dingy, with peeling paint on the walls and the smell of grease hanging in the air.

I stepped inside, the door jingling as it shut behind me.

My eyes scanned the room until they landed on Derek. He was seated in a booth near the back, casually sipping coffee like he had all the time in the world.

"Olivia," he said with a smirk as I approached. "Right on time."

"Let's get this over with," I said, sliding into the seat across from him.

He chuckled, setting his cup down. "You haven't changed much, have you? Still feisty."

I glared at him. "What do you want, Derek?"

He leaned back, studying me with a smug expression. "You've been doing well for yourself, haven't you? Fancy parties, expensive dresses, rubbing elbows with billionaires. Quite the upgrade from the strip club."

I clenched my fists under the table. "Is that why you dragged me here? To insult me?"

"Relax, sis. I'm just catching up," he said, his smirk never fading.

"Don't call me that," I snapped.

"But that's what you are, aren't you? My dear stepsister," he said, leaning forward. "We've shared so much, Olivia. You can't just erase that."

My stomach turned at his words, the memories of what he'd done crashing over me like a wave. I forced myself to hold his gaze, refusing to let him see how much he still affected me.

"You're sick," I said through gritted teeth.

He laughed, a low, menacing sound. "Maybe. But you're not so innocent yourself, are you?"

I froze. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on," he said, rolling his eyes. "You really think I don't know about your little... side hustle before you landed this cushy job? The stripping, the hooking. Quite the résumé, don't you think?"

My heart sank. "What do you want, Derek?"

His smile widened. "Leverage. You're in a good place now, Olivia. It'd be a shame if someone were to... ruin that."

I stared at him, my mind racing. "You're trying to blackmail me?"

"Call it what you want," he said with a shrug. "But let's not pretend you're better than me. You've done what you had to do to survive, just like me."

"I'm nothing like you," I spat.

He leaned forward, his expression darkening. "You're exactly like me. You think you're above it all now, but deep down, you're still that scared little girl who'll do anything to escape."

I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. "Stay away from me, Derek. I mean it."

"Or what?" he challenged, standing as well. "You'll run to your billionaire boyfriend? Do you think he'll still look at you the same way once he knows the truth?"

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on me. "You don't scare me," I said, though my voice betrayed me.

He smiled, stepping closer. "You should be scared, Olivia. Because I'm not going anywhere."

I turned and walked out of the diner, my heart pounding.

The cold air outside hit me like a slap, but it wasn't enough to calm the storm inside me.

Derek was back in my life, and I had no idea how to get rid of him.

As I walked down the street, I pulled out my phone and dialed the only person I could think of.

"Leonardo," I said when he answered.

"Olivia? What's wrong?" His voice was filled with concern.

"I need to see you," I said, my voice trembling.

"Where are you?"

I gave him my location, and he promised to be there soon. As I waited, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

No matter how far I tried to run from my past, it always found a way to catch up with me.

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