The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

ELLIS took a deep breath before telling Astrid what happened with her talk with Olivia. And for that, he had to go back to the events of last night.

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"Revenge? What revenge?" Ellis asked in confusion.

There was silence once again.

Olivia took a deep breath, as if trying to gather all the willpower in her body. "Before I explained that, there was something that I have to confess to you at first. Something about my past that I did not dare tell you."

Ellis wasn't too surprised when she heard that. She had already suspected that there might be a lot of things Olivia hid from her. If not, then she wouldn't be so gobsmacked when the other suddenly retired and went off to marry some noble. If Ellis truly knew everything about Olivia, she would at least have an inkling as to why the other did what she did. But funnily enough, she didn't even see it coming.

She didn't respond and just waited for Olivia to continue. It didn't take long for the other to do so.

"I was indeed a poor orphan from a poor planet who could barely make ends meet. But that wasn't always the case. I was once a daughter of a fairly affluent businessman. i was an only child. I grew up loved and spoiled by my parents. Everything was handed to me on a silver platter. But that all changed when I turned 10."

Olivia stopped, as if what she was about to say next would take a lot from her. There was another moment of silence before she continued;

"My parents died from a flight accident when they were on their way to a business trip. I was too young back then. I couldn't really remember the things that happened next. But there was one thing that I do clearly remember. It's something that remained in my mind from that moment on until today.

"It happened on the day of my parents' funeral. That day passed by like a blur to me. I'm not even sure if I knew what was happening. But before I could even barely say goodbye to my parents, our family's lawyer, that bastard, pulled me away and brought me to a space port.

"There, a ship was waiting for us, or rather me. That bastard gave me to some woman. Before he left, he told her that she should bring me to an orphanage farthest from the capital. Then, he told me that that's the last mercy that he could show me. That the only thing that I should blame for the situation I was in was my parents. That they should have never went against Viscount Thornley.

"Before I could really understand what was happening, I was put into sleep. When I woke up, the woman and I had already arrived to some... decrepit planet. The woman told me that I would now live under a new name and that if I wanted to live, I should forget the name I was born to. The moment we arrived at that crumbling orphanage, I became 'Olivia Crane'."

Ellis felt like she was being bombarded by bombs one after another as she listened to the things Olivia was saying. She could understood the things she were saying, it just didn't make sense. But in a way, it also did.

To summarize what Olivia said, her parents' death was caused by the Thornleys. She was spared by their family lawyer, who probably betrayed the family, and was sent to a poor planet with a new identity.

The conversation she heard between the lawyer and the woman, as well as what that woman told her, obviously left a lasting impression on her. Now, Ellis could understand where the 'revenge' part came in.

"Then, are you saying that you purposely married the heir of Viscount Thornley to get revenge on their family?" she asked just to make sure.

Because if that was the case, then it also meant that the only reason Olivia tried to become an actress was so she could be famous enough to get noticed by the Thornley heir. So, she could then proceed to her revenge.

"Yes."

Ellis frowned hearing that. "And did that include having a child with him?"

Olivia bit down her lower lip. She was obviously struggling internally. But she soon answered, "Yes."

"Hah!" – That was a frustrated, and maybe even a bit angry, sigh.

Now, Ellis understood the strain relationship between mother and son. And that made her even angrier.

"He's a child, Olivia. An innocent child who had nothing to do with your revenge. By letting him be born into this world, you subject him to your hate and probably to years of hurt and trauma," she almost shouted. "I won't say that I can understand your pain. I won't be hypocritical and do that. But really Olivia, you shouldn't have involved a child."

The fact that Olivia did all these things meant that she probably made certain that the Thornleys were really connected to what happened to her parents. She wouldn't just jumped to this obviously elaborate plan without proper evidence or at least proof of the Thornleys involvement.

She sympathized, truly. And if the other had told her all about this five years ago, she might have actually helped her. No, she would have. And she would be more than happy to do it.

But still.

"I know that!" Olivia shouted in a pained voice. "I know." She put both hands on her face and a sob escaped her throat. "And I tried my best so I didn't have to reach that point. But I was weak. The only way I could achieve my goal is to have him. But do you know what's funny?"

She put down both hands. Her tear-stricken face stared at Ellis and a distorted smile crossed her lips. "Now that I'm only one step closer to my goal, I don't think that it's even worth it anymore."