Chapter 3 - Vengeful Fire (1/2)

Oxford, England

”So how are the wedding preparations going, dear?” Auntie Martha asked as soon as she entered Olivia's flat, welcoming herself as if she owned the place. Olivia frowned upon hearing her auntie's welcoming question but immediately gave her a bright smile and a warm hug. Growing up, her Auntie Martha would pay her frequent visits in a year more than her brother ever did.

”Uh we haven't talked about that yet,” Olivia said in a flat voice. She thought about planning her wedding with Lance a few times but their schedules never coincide. Over a year, Lance's company doubled in size, and so his schedule was busier than before.

”But it's been a year. How long are you going to hold off the planning?” Auntie Martha asked in a soft voice, almost a hum yet a hint of worry could still be detected. She carefully placed her Hermes bag on the sofa and went to the kitchen to boil water for tea. Olivia was about to reply when an assistant came in with a pile of clothes wrapped in a garment bag. ”Oh, that's from Eli. His new collection for you to wear tonight.”

”Oh, I can bring that to my room. Thanks.” Olivia took the clothes from the assistant, hiding it inside her bedroom. She didn't like strangers entering her bedroom. It was her sacred space that belonged only to her… and Lance if he's around. Once she got out, she replied to her auntie with a question, ”Can't I focus on my career first, Auntie? Is there a race to get married that I'm not aware of?”

That's the one excuse that Olivia could think of. How could she say to her auntie that it had been months since Lance visited her, or their phone calls are now shorter and fewer? How could she tell her auntie that she could feel Lance was slowly drifting away from her?

”Ok. Let's change the topic. That's your wedding, that's your problem. But don't forget to sign a prenuptial agreement with him.” By this time, Auntie Martha elegantly sat on the dining table, gauging her niece as she contemplated on what she was about to say. She flew to London for one purpose and that was to bring her niece back to country P.

”Your grandma is sick and she wanted to see you before… you know. We don't want that to happen but,” Auntie Martha brought her hands together as if in prayer and looked at the ceiling before continuing, ”...she wanted to see your beautiful face. That's her request.”

Olivia pursed her lips, she looked like a child bullied in the playground. Her lips trembled when she remembered her grandma's last visit two years ago before the old woman got bedridden.

”Why don't you come back with grandma to country P, Livi?” Grandma's soothing voice made Olivia smile even though the topic of coming home was something she was strongly against with.

”It's not all bad in here, Grandma. And I have to finish my dissertation first too,” Olivia replied. Her head lay on her grandma's t.h.i.g.h as she basked on the frail hands that gently combed her hair.

”You can't hide here forever. Country P is your home. Don't let me die without seeing your beautiful face.”

Olivia abruptly stood and stomped her feet, ”Grandma! Stop saying nonsense. I will go home after graduation. I promise.”

A year after graduation, Olivia stayed in London and never kept her word. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, having second thoughts about going home. She opened her eyes when she realized something and looked at her Auntie Martha with a scrunch on her thick brows, ”Where's your luggage, auntie?”

Aunt Martha shrugged her shoulders before she cheekily replied, ”I don't need that because you're going home with me right now.”

British Airways

First Class lounge

Olivia found a seat near the floor to ceiling window of the lounge. She dialed Lance's number but her call was sent to voicemail. She tried one more time and the same thing happened. Not wanting to surprise him, she left a voicemail letting him know of her arrival.

Behind her table was a group of ladies enjoying their tea. Their gossiping about the latest happening in country P made Olivia's ears perk. Olivia listened as the ladies talked softly yet it was enough for her to hear every word that they spoke.

”How's operation Lance?” a lady dressed to the nines asked.

”Nothing,” a girl with a big doe eye shyly replied. Her eyes smiled along with her lips, revealing her precious pearly whites, infecting Olivia. Olivia smiled at the lady when their eyes met and moved her gaze back to the paper that she was reading. The sheepish girl sighed then continued, ”But he said he likes me too. But he's still engaged to a schoolmate from Oxford though.”

Olivia's heart started to pound. She prayed to the gods that those ladies must be talking about a different Lance. What are the chances of having two Lances from country P that were engaged to a schoolmate from Oxford, right?

”Oh, that's messy. Does Lance Go have plans of breaking the engagement off?”