Chapter 7: A New Place To Call Home

The place that was once filled with decorative furniture that came from different places all over the world was nowhere to be seen. All that is left was a silent spaces filled with dirt and molds.

After letting out a faint sigh, Oliver asked himself. ‘So, where shall I start?’

“Herald”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Among all the maids and guards, is there anyone worth trusting to?”

Gently shaking his head, worries can be seen crepting in his face. ‘Should I answer him truthfully? But, what if my words are wrong? What if my answer destroys someone’s life? What if there is a few who is loyal to Sir but… that is someone I not know of?’

With his mind full of doubts and hesitations… he picked up his phone and started to type something.

“Please forgive my rudeness but I… think that… I have no rights to answer such question.”

Oliver say those words out loud as he read what Herald wanted to say.

“And why did you say so?”

He again began to type his response. 'I wonder what was the reason why Herald never speaks to me. Did I do something wrong? As I remember… Ian heard his voice but...’ Oliver set aside those questions in his head and began to read Herald’s answer.

‘I just think that, it is not me who can tell whether someone is worth trusting. Trust fades and it can’t be seen by our naked eyes.’

He gave back his phone and put his hands on his pocket as Herald put back his phone inside his coat.

“You do have some point. Even I myself don’t know who to trust. The only person I am sure that I can lean on is me and myself alone.” Gently smiling, his eyes reflect the radiant of the lights hanging on the chandelier.

“Remember that Herald. That is a little piece of advise”

Slowly nodding his head, Herald look at Oliver’s back till it finally went out of his sight.

“Trust… myself”

The young man mumbled as he look at his own hands.

   

***

   

The tip of Oliver’s finger are rubbing as he sat in his swivel chair. ‘How funny’ he thought as he realize that the original Oliver is fond in sitting in his swivel chair. The chair in his office as well as in his room are both having the same brand and design. Royal red is the other color you can see other than the leather who is color black. In his recollections, Oliver spend most of his time in his swivel chair compared to his own bed.

   

   

   

    A small smile and relief can be seen on his face as he run his eyes around his room. Everything is neat and clean. No misplaced items nor missing pieces can be seen.

   

   

   

   

“Thank goodness this room have the highest security among other places in his house.”

   

Chuckling with both awe and joy, he remember the fact that no maids nor other people can enter Oliver’s room. Why so? That is because of the billion dollar high technology artifacts he paid to be place to ensure the security of his room.

“That is a monstrous kind of wealth. Billion dollar just for his room... I wonder how many money does Oliver possess. Maybe I can use some to renovate... no remodel this whole mansion!”

   

His thoughts was disturb as a sound came from his laptop. He look at the screen of it which is now completely operating. Tons of notifications can be seen in his inbox. He was about to open it when he saw the memories of trash mails that was sent to him. It is regarding the fact that he is a bastard. This was one of the works that Maria did just to make Oliver annoyed.

“I just realize how annoying it is to be attacked like this. They are so childish…”

He remove the arrow pointing in the inbox and started to look at the files regarding the cctv’s he secretly put all around his house. After having a few moments of viewing and analyzing, he finally saw the media file that recorded the maids stealing his things. One even tried to open his room but then gave up as it can only be open by Oliver alone.

He smiled as if he caught a mice in the trap he made and prepared himself. Looking at the clock, he realize that it was already late in the evening.

“Did I work so long? I didn’t even notice that it is already time for dinner…”

Opening his room, it locked automatically. “Looks like this place really needs a make over. It was nice on the outside yet, it is stinking on the inside... hah... I wonder why Oliver rarely went home. He is so focused in his work even if his company is running smoothly. No wonder… this big mansion became nothing but a big dirty cold place. Hah…”

With Oliver’s memory smoothly running in his mind, it became easy for him to know what direction to go. He can also notice the big difference of the clean and neat place that this mansion is before compared to what it is now.

'Just looking at every corner of this place makes my blood boils in anger. This is such a fine and cozy place!! What did they do to made this be downgraded like this? My apartment is more cleaner and neater compared to this… well that apartment might be a little smaller… alright, maybe the reason is because my old apartment is just a small space compared to this-'

He stops in his words as he heard plates slightly hitting each other.

“M-master??”

A small voice shout as she feel Oliver’s presence. With his forehead making a frown, the little girl who was wearing an apron and standing in a small chair to reach the kitchen basin started to panic. Her hands is filled with bubbles that Oliver assume to be a dishwashing bubbles. She lose her balance as the chair she is standing started to shake due to her sudden movements.

“Ahh!”

   

The sound of the chair falling on the floor was heard. It was made out of woods that looks as if it was hastily made.

   

   

It was a good thing that before the little girl fell on the floor, Oliver had the chance to hold her arm and make the little girl slightly float from the floor.

“Who are you?”

Oliver realize the position of the small little girl. Her arm must have been hurting due to the strength that Oliver release to not make her fall.

   

‘She looks like a five… or six years old girl… how small’

“Ana…”

The little girl mumble as she tidy up her apron.

‘Wait a minute,  why is there a child here? I don’t have any recollection about Oliver having a child… is she a secret child? No. That is impossible… he doesn’t have any girlfriend or lover but he do have some admirers… yet that doesn’t count! Does it?’

“Ana is… sorry. I disobey tia.”

“Tia? Who is that?”

“Ana's Auntie”

“Your Auntie?”

Nodding her head she replied “Yes…” with a teary eyes.

“Don’t cry"

Oliver ordered but as soon as he let out those words, tears fell out of the little girl’s beautiful emerald eyes.

‘I told her to not cry yet, she did cry because of that’ Oliver close his eyes as he took a deep sigh.

‘I am not fond of looking out for children. Yes, I did came from an orphanage but… that doesn’t mean that I can name children who became attached to me.’

He can now hear sobs coming from the girl's direction. “I am not mad”

“B-buy Ana disobey-y"

With Ana's reply, Oliver confirmed something. ‘So that was it. She is crying because she thought I am mad at her. Since she disobey her Auntie’

“Still, Ana is as good girl.”

“Good… girl?”

“Yes, Ana is…”

He slightly pat her head while slightly bending just to reach it. Joy can be seen in the little girl’s face. With that, Oliver sat as he bend his knee and lightly pat the little girl's head. He was surprised to see a child in his mansion but what surprises him the most is when he saw scars and bruises in the girls pale skin.

   

   

   

   "This..., who did this to you?"