Livy wondered if that mistake was strong enough for the Winfrey’s to have wanted Sophia dead?
Just how clandestine are the Winfrey’s motives towards the Luthel’s?
If she could jump to conclusion, she would really believe that Markian left the Winfrey mansion because he didn’t want the same mistakes as last time to happen again.
But one thing is for sure. If the Winfrey’s had a hand in Sophy’s death, then Sophy would be the last Luthel they’ll ever harm.
**********************************
Back at M. Winfrey’s villa, Markian wasn’t up for a discussion with Jeffery who wouldn’t stop talking.
This was strange because Jeffery hardly engages in these kinds of conversations, but today he was hell-bent on getting words out of Markian who wasn’t in the mood to talk.
He was more worried about Livy, she wasn’t answering her phone and it’s almost 9 pm.
Where could she be?
“How long until your wife gets home? It’s getting quite late Markian,” Jeffery asked concerned.
He has been reading Markian’s mood and could tell something was bothering him.
Both of them have been friends since their college days. And although Jeffery graduated 2 years before Markian, they still reconnected and did few contract jobs together in France and Newyork 4yrs ago.
They had quite a relationship because of course, nothing bonds businessmen more than business deals and partnerships.
Jeffery had saved Markian’s ass many times in business as much as Markian has saved him too.
This was his 2nd visit to Minnesota for a business meeting, and since he had no family or a place to stay in the city, Markian promised to set him up at one of Castlehill’s hotel franchises in Minneapolis.
But he completely forgot and didn’t want to rush any last minute preparation, so, he changed the plan and decided to host Jeffrey at the new villa instead.
“If you are so worried, the why don’t you go look for her? I’m sure even you can do that little.” Jeffery continues when he saw Markian’s reluctance to share his thoughts.
Just in time, Anthony came in and whispered in Markian’s ear that Livy had called him and asked him to come to pick her up at the Winfrey’s mansion.
He was disappointed in himself.
Of course, she would have gone back to his parents’ mansion. She didn’t know they had moved. Why didn’t he think of that earlier?
She must have been so embarrassed when she was told that they no longer stayed there, and it was all his fault since he didn’t tell her about their new home.
“Thank you Anthony, but I’ll pick her up myself.” He responded to Anthony’s querying eyes.
“I need to go pick up my wife. Hope you don’t mind staying here alone for a while?” Markian asked Jeffery with pleading eyes, but he shook his head in agreement.
“I need to rest anyway. My flight from Shanghai was deteriorating, and thanks for the dinner man. Now, go get your wife.” He responded, and with that Markian zoomed off.
WINFREY MANSION
“Your son is here. Don’t you want to go down and see him, darling?” Barbra asked a distressed-looking Matthew Winfrey.
She was enjoying this and he knew she was. Her satisfaction with all this was very evident, she wasn’t even trying to hide it.
Reluctantly, he walked out with his wife and down the stair to the sitting room as he found a worry-filled Markian pacing about.
“You came back? So soon?” Barbra asked sarcastically to an already irritated Markian, irritating him even more.
“I came for my wife,” Markian replied, and just then Livy came walking down the stairs.
“Trouble in paradise already?…” Matthew asked satisfied, but Markian ignored him.
“… I told you not to trust anyone son, especially the Luthels. Why her? What’s so different about her that you had to leave your home to be with her? I know we agreed and forced you into this marriage, but weren’t interested initially, and I was comforted by that. You had said you’ll never love anyone after your first wife, so what changed now?” Matthew questioned vehemently.
It has always been symbolic for the heir of Castlehill to live at the Winfrey mansion. So, Markian leaving home was a big deal.
Soon, it’ll be on every gossip blog and magazine as people would start to speculate on the reasons for his action to leave his family home.
“Father, please! Not now. I just came here to get her, so can you please not cause a scene? Our new home was suppose to be a surprise for her, so I apologize for the intrusion. We are leaving already.” Markian replied upset and exhausted.
He didn’t have time for his father’s qualms right now. All he wants to do is just to take Livy away from here before more damage is done.
“Can’t you see, son? She is a Luthel and they can’t be trusted! They want Castlehill and you are playing right into their hands by falling for this wench! She is just like your Sophia, just like her Mother! They only want what you have!” Matthew yelled.
“Enough father!… She is not Sophia, and even if she is a Luthel, she’s definitely not Judy. The choice to leave here was mine, and it’s a decision I should have made a long time ago. Goodnight.” Markian responded rudely, creating more grievance within Matthew towards Livy.
“She’ll ruin you! You think she is better, but she is the worst of them all! You are making a mistake, son!” Matthew cried out as Markian held Livy’s hand and they walked out on his parents together.
**********************************
The ride back to M. Winfrey Villa was awkward and Markian knew he had to say something to avoid more misconceptions between them both.
“Livy… I’d like to apologize on my father’s behalf. He had no right to says those things, especially not in front of you.” Markian apologized to a very stiff Livy.
He looked at her when she didn’t respond or give out any emotion at all. She just stared blankly at the road ahead of them that quickly passed by in a blink.
“Livy, are you even listening to me?” He questioned.
“Yes…” she answered nonchalantly.
It’s ok for her to be upset. After all, she had just been humiliated by his family, and only heaven knows what they might have said to her before he had arrived.
But her coldness was unusual. She wasn’t looking upset, she wasn’t looking anything. Just a plain, blank expression.
“And?” Markian pressed trying to get a response from her.
“And nothing. You don’t need to apologize for your father, he didn’t say anything wrong. I’m a Luthel, that’s a fact. And we Luthel’s can’t be trusted, so he was right again. He is also right about me not being different from my family. So, I’m not upset with what he said. I just hope he would exercise a little more patience, because pretty soon everything would be back to normal- or barely.” She responded with a wicked tone that made his stomach churn in anxiety.
There she goes again bringing up that goddamn divorce.
“Livy, you…” he started but was interrupted,
“I don’t care. Whatever you or anyone thinks about me won’t bother me at all, so there’s no need for you to defend me. I’ll handle my sh*t myself from now on.” She responded unfeelingly.
“What happened to you? Why now? Why the change all of a sudden? I thought you wanted… I thought you want to be my wife?” Markian asked out in frustration.
“Are you seriously asking why? Well, I didn’t change! This is the real me- the me you have always suspected I was. You were right not to trust me, and since you said I’ll never have a place in your life, I decided to stop trying…” She responded rudely,
“[Sigh] this… kind and thoughtful Markian isn’t like you at all, so just stop. Go back to how you were, I prefer that Markian better” she concluded.
Was I right all along? Markian wondered.
But if this was who she was, someone who doesn’t care at all, someone who isn’t warm and nice, someone who isn’t innocent- then he earnestly wished he was wrong.
Because, apart from not knowing how to fix the damages he may have incurred on her pride, he also doesn’t know what the main reason for her drastic change was.
But until he finds that out, he needed to tread carefully as not to further hurt her feelings.
He was almost sure that she wasn’t serious about the divorce before, that’s why he kept raising the issue back then.
But now, he was starting to feel anxious and scared that she just might go through with it if he doesn’t fix their broken relationship.