28

“Who did this to you?” Alexa held her hands and moved up her sleeve to her shoulders.
Olivia's scars are visible to the extent of looking like a tattoo. Olivia noticed Alexa's reaction to her scar and quickly covered it up.
She thought Alexa was disgusted by the scar and laughed awkwardly to clear the choking atmosphere.

“This?...... It is normal. I have had this since childhood ” Olivia retrieved her arm and hid it behind her back.
Though half of the sentences were lies, most were true.
Olivia has always been physically abused by her parents and sister to the extent of the scars being visible on her skin.
When she was able to escape from their clutches, she tried many skin product and hospitals and her result were ‘It is impossible’
But what could she do? She got used to wearing more long sleeves than short sleeves to hide her horrendous past.

“Childhood? You are hiding something from me! Tell me ” She pushed further and Olivia refused.

“I am telling you it is nothing!” Olivia yelled back at her.
When she realized what she did, she apologized.

“I am sorry, I didn't mean it. The scars are half from my childhood and my husband ”

“Husband?” She gaped in surprise.
When did Olivia get married? Who was her husband? Why was she not told?
Numerous questions ran through her mind concerning the piece of news she heard now.

“When did you get married? How come you did not tell me ” Alexa questioned.

“Nine years ago, I got married to my biggest life mistake. We got married because of my father's incredible debt.”
Little drops of tears trickled down her cheeks and she sniffed back her catarrh.
She explained in detail how she got married off and later treated by a bank account by her husband. As she said more words, she sobbed and remembered the painful memories.
She knew entering into such a marriage that was not because of love but to pay back what your wicked father owned, would end in such a violent manner.
She hated everything about him, his voice, his shape, and his touch. Divorce was her only option to escape such a tragic life but what about her son?
Her little six years old child? She could not be too selfish and destroy the kid's life from childhood.
She admits in her mind that she did not have the best childhood any kid would love to have and dream about, yet she stayed in a toxic relationship with her son.
The relationship got more toxic when he almost killed her yesterday.
.................
Flashback, Yesterday.
After a week of avoiding her husband, Olivia unlocked her door and went inside only to see someone she did not want to see, HER HUSBAND!

“Where are you coming from?!” He shouted angrily at her as Olivia blinked twice to make sure her eyes were not deluding her.
The situation which she was in was very absurd! How did he know her address?
She asked herself one more time. To escape from him, she bought an apartment very near to the kid's school and a slight distance away from her workplace.
One he never knew unless he had tailed her for a long while now.

“How do you know this place?” She removed her heels and stepped into the living room.

“So you did not want me to know where you were! How ludicrous!” He chuckled and also followed her into the living room.

“What exactly do you want from me? I told you many times just because we are married does not mean every penny I earn belongs to you! ” She also replied.

“Do not forget your place! I married you out of pity that no man would marry you! You are my property and I can do whatever I like to my properties!”
Olivia glared at him with nothing but scorn, hatred, and disgust. This man reminded her of nothing but her father!

“Noville Cedric! Watch your words! I am not your property! Go work and make a living! You have been spending all the money I earn on nothing but gambling, cigarettes, and beers!”

“A living? Look at you, how am I even sure that son is my blood!”
He resurfaced the topic she hated the most. Ever since the second child Olivia gave birth to, he disliked the child.
He was a perfect carbon copy of Olivia and that fact he disliked the child and often would say she cheated on him.

“He is your fucking blood! Can you just stop? I am tired and need to rest!”
She said with rage and massaged her temple. Thank goodness she was not liable to high blood pressure or she would be dead by now.

“How am I meant to believe a slut when she refuses to do a DNA test!”
Olivia detested the truth that she never agreed to a DNA test. Not that she was hiding any abominable information, however, accepting in conducting a DNA test even shows that she is not sure if her husband is the father of her child.

“Let me be! If he is not your son then he will bear my surname, final!” She gave up fighting and turned to leave her room when he harshly dragged her hand.

“Where do you think you are going to go?” He twisted her arm painfully as she yelped in pain. “I am not done talking to you yet and you walk out!”

“You lack manners and I will teach you some!” He reached for a beer bottle while trying to help Olivia struggle out of his grip.
His grip was not as strong as hers but because Olivia is exhausted and drowsy, her manpower decreased.
A loud sound echoed throughout the room as Olivia yelped. She pushed him with force and he landed on the broken bottle.
Her eyes scanned through her whole body to make sure she was fine until her vision landed on her arms.
They were badly hurt to the extent that huge blood rushed through her arms. She stared at him on the floor and chuckled. She squatted on the floor and grabbed his neck.

“Just thank goodness that it is just a scratch unless your whole body will pay the price” Olivia released her strong grasp on his neck and walked out of the door.
Olivia walked out of the apartment and to the roadside. She crouched on the road with her shoulder clasped together.

“Why does the whole earth hate me!” She sobbed on her sleeves and gawked at the gold ring on her fourth finger.
Angry emotions showed up and she drags off the ring and throws it into the sidewalk.
The force she used to drag off the ring made a slight cut on her finger.

“I hate you life! I hate you! Why can't I leave now!” She cried louder as raindrops poured on her and made her wet.
She sneezed due to the chilly weather and searched her handbag for an umbrella and could not find one.

“Great! So great!” She sniffed back her running nose and bent her head.

“You should not be out here in the night, it is quite dangerous ” A masculine voice was heard and June raises her head to meet the mysterious man.

“Here ” He opens up his umbrella and puts it over her head to avoid the rain from hitting her.
Olivia wiped her tears off and stood up when he stretched out his hands for her.

“Thanks ” She bowed her head and received the tissue he handed her.

“You need a ride? ” He asked once more and Olivia shook her head.

“Yes I do, ” She smiled and sneezed out loud. All she needed to do was to clear her mind off from her chaotic marriage and go somewhere to relieve her pain.

“You are all wet ” He pulled off his coat and placed it on her shoulder. “Let us go” He led her carefully to the car and opened the door for her.
They both entered the car.

“Can you turn on the heater?” He politely asked his assistant as she turned it on.

“Thank you ”
The Car drove to a dark place with two benches. It halted and they both got out of the car.

“I wanted to take you somewhere, ” He explained when Olivia became suspicious of him.
She told him she wanted to be dropped off in a bar or club and yet, he took her to a lonely place.

“Do not worry, I am not kidnapping you or harming you. ” He pulls out the bench for her and she sits down.
Her head lifted to the sky and she smiled.
The whole night through the rain, little stars glimmered in the sky.

“Cry out loud. I am here.”
His words were whispered into her ears and she looked at him.

“I come here to relieve stress every time I am angry, sad, or just feeling plain. Those stars are extremely beautiful. ”
He complimented the stars and watched the little woman blush.

“Sir, the flight is ready ” She spoke up when her watch beeped.

“Hmmm. Okay,” He stood up from the bench.

“Are you going already?” She sounded sad. She finally saw someone with whom she could share her pain and he is about to leave.

“Thanks, here's your jacket. ” She removed it and gave it back to him when he rejected it.

“How can I keep a woman cold and be warm? Keep it. If we are destined to meet again, you can hand it over to me ”
His teeth shone brightly as he left into the dark with his assistant.

“Hey, I forgot your name and..........”
She halted in her words when she found out that he was gone.

“Thank you for tonight. Hope we meet again ” She caressed the jacket.
End of Flashback.

In Smith's mansion.
“Get out of my room! All of you!” She threw the premium glass doll at them and it broke.

“Young miss please”
Khloe has been throwing tantrums ever since she was embarrassed at the mall last two weeks.

“How dare she! I am the only one allowed to embarrass her and not the other way round ”
She screams and kicks the bed sheet off.

“What nonsense is going on!” Her father David Smith was frustrated by her attitude.
He thought that sending her to the US would make her grow more and become a stronger and a better woman but it failed.

“She has been angry ever since Miss Parker embarrassed her at the mall.” A maid answered.

“Embarrassed?” He asked once more and burst into laughter. Never had he heard that someone could humiliate Khloe and still be set free.

“Yes Sir. She went to the mall last week to look for trouble with the eldest Miss of the Parker’s and she got humiliated in front of elites. ”
She said with a little mockery. When Miss Smith's shameful act got to her ears, she could not help but laugh at her too.

“Eldest Miss of The Parker's?”