CHAPTER 2

Today I am running away. Yes, and that is final!

Ten years have passed but nothing has changed! No, I am wrong! Many things have changed but not in the way I wished them to.

We are now one of the top three richest families in the world along with the Bradleys in the list. Dad and Mom have grown our business by many folds. I have fallen in love and have grown up, but my situation remains the same.

I take out my diary and cross today’s date. 10th January. 349 days are left till next Christmas but Mom and Dad won’t wait till then and I can’t sit and wait too, because they have fixed my marriage and that also tomorrow. Guess who is the Man I am getting married to?

None other than Mr Ryan Bradley!! I just can’t believe it. I tried everything in my power to convince my parents. I cried, screamed, yelled, threatened, but they are stubborn. They think that getting married to Ryan is the best thing that can happen to me! He is a great man! The most eligible business tycoon and most handsome man any girl would want! They can’t even see that he is eight years older than me!!

 So, I don’t have any other way, than-to-just-run!

I quickly just check my suitcase once again to see if I have taken all the important things like my certificates, money, cheques, clothes and also letters and cards given by my lover! I can’t carry the gifts though but I am carrying the Chain with the pendant! I hide my luggage in my bed storage, when the door flings open and Mom marches inside and yells at me.

“Ms Olivia Brown! Why haven’t you tried your dress yet? Do you want me to make you do that too? Stop behaving like a kid and go and try it now!!”

I roll my eyes and don’t hesitate to reply, “Mom, I am not marrying him! I will die but not marry him!”

Mom frowns and yells again, “Are you crazy! Marrying Ryan is every girl’s dream! And you won’t marry him?”

“Mom! Then let those girls get married to him. Spare me please!!” I now start shouting.

Why doesn’t she care about me? Why doesn’t she care about my feelings? She is my Mom! My own birth Mom!! For fuck’s sake she should think about my happiness! But no, my marriage is also business. Nobody cares that I love someone else!

“Olivia! Is this the way to talk to your mother?” Mom glares still yelling.  

“Mom Please! Why don’t you understand? I love someone else!” I scream again.

“Don’t start this again! I am not going to talk about your foolish love and your childish fantasies. I have heard enough!” My Mom glared at me.

“Mom, I can’t marry Ryan! I hate him and am somehow scared…I always feared him…….” I say pleading.

“What? Feared him? But since more than last seven years he was in London! What he has done ever that you fear him?” She asks as if shocked about what I said.

“How will you know Mom? Have you ever spared even ten minutes out of your busy schedule to talk to your daughter? Yes, I have not seen or spoken to him since last seven years or a little more but he used to always scold me and torture me when I was small.” I start sobbing now. “He is so tall and big like a giant mom! He will kill me if I marry him! Please Mom! I don’t want to die so young!”

Mom now starts to laugh audibly. “Hahahaha….Awww…you are still a baby Olive!” She sits beside me and for the first time since I remember I think, she kissed me on my cheeks wrapping her arms around me.

I close my eyes to live this moment. This moment, that I have longed for so many years. This moment that was normal for every child but a dream for me. So, I keep quiet and live my dream which was momentary.

“Baby! Ryan is a very handsome and kind person! He is tall but not a giant! You will know when you meet him.” Mom suddenly pulls apart and says looking suspiciously at me, “Wait. Didn’t you check his pictures I shared with you?” My silence gave her the answer to her question and she again looked annoyed and started screaming, “God Olivia! What will I do with you? You didn’t meet him! You didn’t even check his pictures!! What is wrong with you? Do you think we would decide something bad for you? For God’s sake Olivia! We are your parents! I am your Mom! I want to see you happy and comfortable!” She suddenly stands up.

“Mom please, I will not marry him. Please Mom! I will do everything you tell me to do but please stop the wedding! I beg you Mom!” I keep pleading and she keeps shouting.

“Olivia Brown! Enough of your non sense! Now you will come down and try your dress in five minutes, else I will have to drag you down forcefully! You are twenty now and it won’t look good if I drag you down!”

“Mam!” We both turn towards the door where Nanny Agatha stood with a glass of Juice.

“What is it?” Mom asked irritated.

“You don’t worry; she will go and try the dress in a while. I will talk to her. Let me just feed her the juice. She didn’t have anything since morning yet!” Nanny Agatha said in a worried tone.

“I don’t care if she eats or starves. I just want her to come and try the dress now! You better make her do that!” She yells before leaving.

Nanny Agatha closes the door and comes to me. I immediately start crying hugging her. I sob in her chest, “Nanny Agatha! I don’t want to marry him, I love someone else!”

She wipes my tears and gives me the glass of juice.

“First have the juice like my good girl, Olive.” I take the glass and do as she said. She is just like my mother because she actually did everything my mom should have done. When I was a child, she would cook special dishes for me, do my hair, give me bubble bath, read bedtime stories, listen to my complains when I came back from school, gave me medicine when I fell sick. Few times she even attended Parents Teachers Meetings. She would tell me stories of Santa Clause and his raindeer, which was my most favourite of all!

 Even now when I am all grown up, Nanny Agatha takes care of me and pampers me like a child. She is the world to me and I love her.

I finish my juice and she takes the glass. Then she lifts my chin with her fingers and says, “Now, be a good girl and go to try the dress on. I don’t like if people scold my child. Okay?”

I just nod.

“Good girl.” She pinches my cheek and leaves.