Olivia Sparks

"How could I tell you when you won't even let me talk for a second. Ouch! Stop it, Grandpa!" Maxen cried as he received another blow from Patriarch Lee's cane.  WHACK! Patriarch Lee swung his cane yet again to Maxen's direction, however, the latter caught it with his hand. He tugged it away from his grandpa, grinning when the old man fought for it. "Truce, my boy!" Patriarch Lee chuckled, raising the white flag. He tried to pull it back but his age put him in a disadvantageous place against Maxen's firm grip. Maxen knew Patriarch Lee used a cane for fashion's sake. It won't take rocket science to see how healthy the old man was with how he drank his alcohol like water.  That was why Maxen didn't even think twice about going after the old man's weapon of choice no matter how pitiful Patriarch Lee looked in the eyes of other guests. Releasing Patriarch Lee's cane, Maxen agreed, "Truce it is." "And here I was thinking of introducing her to Robin," Patriarch Lee uttered under his breath, taking a sip of his wine. It was loud enough for those within his proximity to hear what he said. "My bad. Finders keepers," Maxen said and hugged Olivia tighter from behind, ignoring the prying eyes of the other guests.  If he could shout and let the whole world know that she belonged to him, he would. "Lucky fool," Patriarch Lee grumbled. He shook his head upon seeing Maxen's lovesick face.  It was clear as day why rumors about his philandering could be officially considered a tale of time. Maxen was a changed person… or was he really? As they said, old habits die hard. Patriarch Lee didn't notice he was spacing out until he heard Olivia spoke, "Nice to meet you, Grandpa. If you'll excuse me, I have to go and speak with Auntie Martha." He cleared his throat, nodding his head to grant Olivia passage. He watched as Maxen followed Olivia like a shadow. True enough, he could imagine the prince's tail wagging with excitement, eager to get a pat from his master. He shook his head in disappointment over the fact that she's taken. He was actually ready to offer a grandson as a sacrificial lamb for Olivia after finding out she was Henry's daughter. If the Lins took a Lee, naturally, the Lees shall take a Lin too, however, the insolent bastard named Henry Lin offered his best card to the Yangs just so he could expand his empire. To everyone's surprise, except him, Patriarch Lee took the news of Olivia running away from her own wedding as proof that she was indeed one of the rare gems in high society. He expected he'd have more competition now that she's back in the market, yet lo and behold, the last person he thought would snag the elusive heiress was none other than his favorite grandson. He should be happy, but the thought of losing his chance from having someone as competent as her in the Lee family slipped away left a sore spot in his ego. Just as he was to take another sip of his wine, he saw Henry Lin from the corner of his eye looking at the star-crossed lovers, and in an instant, something told the Lee Patriarch that Nisia would soon be shaken by another tragedy, one far worse than what happened twenty-six years ago. Meanwhile, standing outside Grandma Lin's bedroom door were Maxen and Olivia. "I need to speak with them privately," Olivia cooed, flirting with Maxen's yellow neckerchief. Although she was getting used to their new dynamics as husband and wife, she found it awkward speaking to him now more than ever. Brushing the back of his finger on her cheek, a blush painted Olivia's face. "Ok, wifey." "Maxen!" Olivia looked around to check if someone would have heard them and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the hallway empty. "Stop making fun of me." "No, I'm not." "Yes, you are." "Yeah, right. Tell that to the marines." "I am a marine." Maxen stood in attention to prove his point. Suddenly, the door to Grandma Lin's bedroom swung open, revealing Auntie Martha's poker face. "Just so you know, we can hear you from the inside. Wifey, wifey. Did you guys elope or something?" Auntie Martha's eyes turn into narrowed slits as she scrutinized Maxen.  Goosebumps painted her skin as her woman's instinct kicked in, but before she could get her answers, Maxen fled the hallways in a blink of an eye. "I'll be outside, ladies." He waved his hand down the hallway, giving them a Boyscout salute as he rounded up a corner. Auntie Martha was in Gossiping Auntie mode as soon as Maxen was out of sight and far from earshot. She knew getting an answer from Maxen was easier than getting one from Olivia, that was why she had to rely on her acquired gossiping skills. "Did you elope?" She leaned on the door frame, crossing her hand. "Auntie," Olivia huffed. "What made you say that when I am here standing in front of you?" "That's not what I mean and you know that." "What?" "Livi darling." Auntie Martha shifted her weight to the other side of the door when Olivia attempted to step inside to dodge the bullet. "Auntie Martha." She smiled. "Livi darling," Auntie Martha trailed off. Her swift movement caught Olivia off guard. She held Olivia's hand on eye level, gasping as she clutched her niece's hand closer to her c.h.e.s.t. The two froze and stared at each other with wide eyes before a tear rolled down Auntie Martha's cheeks, mirroring the tear that escaped Olivia's eye. The two muffled their tears of joy as they hugged by the threshold. "I'm happy for you, Livi darling. Ohhhh, what a relief after all the bad juju Henry was bringing in this household. Is this supposed to be a secret?" Auntie Martha studied the ring. "I guess it will. The ring is ugly, nobody would notice it." "Hey! I'm the one who picked this," Olivia exclaimed, yanking her hand back. "You did? Go figure. I can't wrap my head against that minimalist craze you and Eli are up to." Breathing a sigh of relief, Auntie Martha dragged Olivia inside, closing the door behind them. A few creases on her forehead smoothened, alleviated by Olivia and Maxen's union. "How is she?" Olivia asked, sitting beside her sleeping grandma. "She had a rough morning. We all did and we all do as long as Henry is alive. What an a**hole. If Dad's still alive I'm sure he'll have Henry's name removed from the family tree." "What happened anyway? Ollie was tight-lipped. He just told me that everything's been settled." "Of course it's settled. How wouldn't it be when they shipped your mother to a mental institution?" Olivia crinkled her nose. She didn't know whether to feel bad or relieved that Amelia would receive the medical attention that she needed.  "Amelia… overdosed." Auntie Martha gulped. "She couldn't sleep without being sedated. When she was under your care, she managed to get it off her system but once she was back in Lin Estate… You know Henry. He'd rather use his money to solve problems than waste his time from taking care of people." "Are you asking me to sign the release forms of Amelia and take her back?" "Am I?" Auntie Martha tilted her head to the side. "Are you?" "What do you think? Children should take care of their aging parents, right?" "What about the children who were abandoned by their parents?" Olivia asked. Silence filled the room, let alone for the oxygen machine which helped Grandma Lin breathe in her sleep. "I did my part. I got her out once, and she pleaded to be returned to her husband. Please don't force the responsibility on me, Auntie." "I'm just saying, just give it another try. For your mother's sake, Livi darling." Olivia planted a chaste kiss on her grandma's forehead, rubbing it with the pad of her thumb after. She stood up, her back straight, chin held high, as she trained her gaze on Auntie Martha. "I'll give it try, but if she declines my offer, then that's it. I'm done." "Okay." Auntie Martha exhaled through her pursed lips, smiling at Olivia. "Let's go, we have visitors waiting for us outside. By the time Olivia and Auntie Martha joined the rest, the activities for the kids have already started. Scanning the area, Olivia saw Maxen standing guard by a strategically placed teepee far enough from the stage where a magician was entertaining the kids. She walked towards his direction, slipping inside the tent. Although they were partly hidden from the prying eyes of the guests, Maxen's legs were protruding out of the tent which gave his location away. However, Maxen and Olivia who were still in their honeymoon high from their New York trip, and they couldn't get their hands off each other, so they paid no heed to the eyes that landed their way as they cuddled inside. "Excuse me, love birds," Eli joined them, a c.o.c.ktail balanced in his hand. "Gosh, these kids are rowdy," he exasperated, sipping his drink to quell his annoyance.  Clanking his glass with Olivia, then Maxen's, Eli beamed, "By the way, Mom's bragging about your elopement. Congratulations!"