Olivia Sparks

"You've got to be kidding me," Olivia exasperated. She looked over her shoulders and asked, "Ollie? Are you aware of this blasphemy?"

Tipping his head so he could see what was inside or who was inside, Oliver saw for himself the disaster wrapped in Atelier Balmain sitting beside his father's desk.

"What the heck is going on?" Oliver whispered near Olivia's ear instead of going off as loud as Olivia did. 

He was afraid that if he utter his shock, Henry would make sure to remind him never to disrespect him again, the same way he did years ago.

"Olivia, Oliver, it would be for everyone's interest if the door is closed for our discussion." Henry c.o.c.ked an eyebrow towards the door.

Closing the door behind him, Oliver sat on the chair facing the floor to ceiling window.

Despite the amount of light filtering through the glass panes, the only color Olivia saw was red. She felt a stabbing pain in her c.h.e.s.t over the blatant betrayal of trust right in front of her.

"First of all, I would like you to meet Rona Co," Henry introduced the lady beside him.

All the time Henry was speaking, Oliver trained his gaze on his father's tie so it would look as if he was paying attention to anything that the older Lin was saying.

"It's a good thing that Olivia and Rona knew each other already as mentor and mentee, so what I'm about to say next would be much easier for everyone in the room."

Olivia's eyes flitted towards Rona's hand, and sure enough, she saw the engagement ring winking at her. 

She closed her eyes, wanting to check if she was in the midst of a nightmare, so that she could wake up in the correct universe.

But Olivia knew that whatever's happening was real and she had to deal with it.

"Rona and I are getting married next week. It's a simple civil affair in the Lin Estate," Henry announced, which the siblings welcomed with cold shoulders.

"So this is the reason why you filed a divorce from mom," Olivia mused, folding her arms across her c.h.e.s.t.

"Livi," Rona spoke with much familiarity, it felt as if ants crawled under Olivia's skin. "Don't blame your dad. He just wanted our son to be born as a legitimate Lin."

Oliver rubbed the back of his head. What he thought was his delusion, was finally sinking into his head. His eyes darted to Rona Co, then travelled down to her protruding belly. 

By the looks of it, it seemed that she was still in her early stages of pregnancy. Her belly was faintly there but it's not as big as a watermelon yet.

Glancing away from the biggest joke of his life, he found solace in the air of anger rolling off on Olivia's skin.

"Are you sure it's yours, Mr. Lin? Have you done a DNA test just like what you did to mom when she was pregnant with me?"

"There's no need for that. Rona had been loyal to me for years."

Olivia studied Henry's face and saw not a hint of doubt that Rona's child wasn't his. She deduced that there was nothing she could do but say yes to her father's remarriage.

Scoffing at the absurdity of the news, she wondered if all these years, Rona Co waited for her chance to snag Henry Lin. She could have done it before when Amelia was still in 'coma'.

Olivia scrunched her nose. She wanted to think ahead and see where the conversation was heading, so she blurted whatever was floating inside her head. "You're an a.d.u.l.t, Mr. Lin. You don't need our consent if you want to remarry."

"Of course, we can. But we need to show a united front for the media. It would help to build the board's confidence if my children are present in Rona and I's nuptials."

Taking that as her chance to demand something out of the situation, Olivia posed, "If you want people to see me in your wedding, then you have to prove that she's carrying a Lin."

Her eyes pierced through Henry's pool of hazel ones, the same color she inherited from him. 

If he thought he could demand anything from her and Oliver because of their DNA ties, then he was absolutely wrong.

Removing his eyeglasses, Henry Lin then placed it on top of the table. He regarded his daughter from head to toe and scoffed as he saw his own defiance manifest in her. "Is this your payback for all the tests you did growing up? Hmm? Olivia?"

"Probably. Would love to see Rona's face when they stick that needle in her belly the same way she pushed you to do the same with mom." Olivia shrugged. She could play villain all day, but she would never bend to their will without getting some sort of retribution for herself.

"Olivia! You're insane!" Rona hissed, but she was silenced with Henry's hand up in the air in a stop sign. Her nostrils flared, yet she held herself back. 

It took her years to land in Henry's arms. She wouldn't let it slip because she couldn't hold her tongue. So instead of acting up on her emotions, she chewed the insides of her cheeks.

"If that's what it takes so you could join us, then you have my green light. I'll have my secretary schedule a test this week. Please, don't show up three days later like today."

"I guess my attendance here is done. Congratulations, Headmistress… or should I call you stepmom?" Without giving anyone to speak another word, Olivia stood from her seat and left the office. Oliver surprisingly trailed behind her.

Yanking his tie to loosen it up, Oliver grumbled, "I'm going to blow off some steam. Want to join?"

"I don't know. Felt like giving mom a surprise visit."

"Okay. That's a good idea too. Let's drop by my office first."

"You know what? I'll meet you in the parking lot in thirty minutes."

Oliver nodded, and the two went separate ways. After thirty minutes, Oliver walked by Olivia who was waiting for him at the lobby.

"What's inside the bag?" Oliver asked, eyeing the white paper bag Olivia was holding to her c.h.e.s.t.

A rueful smile painted Olivia's face. Looking straight ahead on the road as she replied, "Your sister."