WINFREY MANSION
“I must applaud you, Olivia. You’ve done what I haven’t been able to do for the past 17years.” Barbra declared, obviously pleased at something that Livy was still finding a bit strange to wrap her head around.
“Do you mean my husband moved us out of the Winfrey mansion without my knowledge? But to where exactly?” Livy asked sounding more upset than curious.
“Well, I don’t know, but I think he meant for it to be a surprise. Even his father is still heartbroken that his only son left home. He believes you have separated him from his beloved son, so try to avoid him on your way out.” Barbra stated rather contentiously, like she was pleased with all the possible outcomes that might come from this new development.
Livy knew that Markian has an estranged relationship with his step-mother, but she didn’t know just how deep it ran.
She picked up her phone to call Anthony- Markian’s driver but realized it had a flat battery. Markian must have been trying to get to her all evening.
She had angrily left Luthel Inc that afternoon and had been at the dog park close to her old high school all afternoon, thinking about what she had learned about Markian, her mother, and their honeymoon.
It almost drove her crazy with rage just thinking about how far her own mother would go just to get what she wanted, and Markian was no different.
No wonder he had been hostile and rude to her for the past 14days. And even if she had given up the idea to try and make a marriage out of whatever it was they had, it still doesn’t stop the fact that her mother was still playing with her life.
She needed to take Judy out at any cost and soon. But first, she needs to find out just what her mother’s fixation on Castlehill was all about.
Worst-case scenario, she would only have to destroy Castlehill just to get Judy’s missions to fail, and this fight wasn’t going to be one she would fight without knowing just how deep her mother’s roots run in the Verc.
Livy went to her old room in the Winfrey mansion, to check if she could find a spare charger anywhere to charge up her phone.
As she entered, the once bright and floral-arranged room where she had once thought all her dreams would come true, it now looked almost completely deserted.
She didn’t have many fond memories in this room. In fact, she had felt almost like a prisoner when she was here.
She quickly went through the drawers and lockers for what she came for but, couldn’t find any.
She was exhausted and hungry, but God forbid she stays and eats dinner with her in-laws, not after how her mother-in-law sounded while breaking the news that she and Markian won’t be living in the mansion any longer.
She just wants to power her phone and make a call to Markian’s driver or to Markian, and ask for directions to her new home.
With frustration, she slumped on the bed and shut her eyes.
“You said you loved him, is this really the extent of your self-professed love for Markian?” Sophy asked upset.
“Why are you here? I thought I got rid of you?” Livy replied exhaustedly.
The last thing she wanted was a visit from her subconscious. She can’t function properly each time she’s around.
“You just hate me because I call you out on your stupid decision, mistakes and weaknesses,” Sophy replied nonchalantly.
“And that’s where you only come in? I had no idea.” Livy stated sarcastically.
“Haha, go ahead and make jokes. The truth is that you can’t unlove Markian even if you wanted to. The mind- you can easily manipulate but not the heart. The heart wants what it wants.” Sophy commented.
“But I already have! He no longer has a place in my heart or my mind, and that’s what he had always wanted. I’m finally being the good person you always thought I was by setting him free.” Livy replied with great tenacity.
“How can you unlove him just like that? He means the world to you… you can’t just…” Sophy started but was interrupted,
“He meant the world to me, in past tense! And… I already have!” Livy stated rudely to Sophy.
“If that’s true, then you haven’t been honest with yourself from the start. You never really loved him, and like always he was just a pawn in your game.” Sophy challenged.
“I- was never dishonest about my feelings- I loved him, wholly! Do you know why I stopped?… Of course you do. There’s no point saying it out loud.” Livy addressed.
“But?…” Sophy started but was interrupted again,
“Just leave me alone!… Please! I’ve buried my feelings for Markian on the Caribbean sea and I’d prefer we both part ways here too. You make me sick and I can’t stand you any longer. You are my weakness, you and my love for Markian. But it’s over now. With this experience, I have a very good reason never to let my heart love ever again.” Livy said and with that, she woke up.
Wait, there’s someone in the room.
“I can hear you. Show yourself!” She commanded and immediately, a maid came out of the shadows where she was hiding.
“Forgive me, ma’am. I didn’t mean to wake you but I saw this door open and I thought I should see if anyone was inside,” the maid answered.
“Get me a phone charger suitable for my phone, and hurry up with it.” Livy requested authoritatively.
The maid hurried up and got a charger for her and helped her charge up her phone.
So while it was charging, Livy thought about what kind of life Sophia had lived in this mansion.
“Tell me. When my sister was here, how did the Winfrey’s treat her?…” She questioned, but noticed the reluctance of the maid to answer as she struggled to find the right answer.
“… It’s ok, you don’t have to fear. I don’t live here anymore so you don’t have to feel awkward about telling me the truth. Now speak up!” Livy commanded again.
“Ma’am, at first she was happy, but then a few months into their marriage, the Winfrey’s completely changed their attitude towards her. I believe she was left out in important discussions and decisions until she stopped trying to fit in. They never accepted her and she became insecure. We would often hear shouting and arguments from this room each time they were together, they didn’t get along very well.” The maid answered frightfully.
“Why didn’t they get along?” Livy questioned even more.
“She believed the family was turning him against her, but he loved her so much and kept reassuring her that they can’t. But her insecurities grew until she finally made a mistake,” the maid paused, looking straight at Livy who encouraged her to continue, but she shook her head and declined.
“Well, go on. What mistake did my sister make?” Livy asked vehemently.
“Nobody knows, ma’am. Master wouldn’t tell anyone about it, but it broke him. She tried to fix things but nothing could help until the day of the accident. So gossip started among the maids. Some said that she may have stolen money from the company, some said she leaked important information to your mother, while others thought she was caught in an affair. I’m so sorry ma’am, that’s all I know, please forgive our insolence,” the maid pleaded.
“It’s not my problem so why are you apologizing to me? Here is your charger, you may leave now.” Livy replied nonchalantly.
She picked up her phone and dialed Anthony’s number- Markian’s driver.
The estimated time for him to arrive was 30mins, so she just sat on the bed and pondered upon what that maid had told her.
So, Markian’s beloved wife did something that even Markian couldn’t forgive? Well, isn’t that just surprising? She thought.