Chapter 108
Chapter 108
OLIVIA’S POV
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We got to the study room, and my mom was already pulling out her phone, her fingers moving quickly as she dialed.
“Yes, honey, she’s ready,” she said softly, her voice slightly shaking with excitement as she opened up the laptop sitting on the desk.
I walked over and sat down in front of the table where the laptop was placed, my hands fidgeting in my lap. I could feel the nervous energy building up inside me. Julian, ever the calm one, moved to the side and started setting up the Zoom meeting with practiced ease. I could tell he had done this sort of thing many times before, but for me, this was a first–and a big one.
My heart raced as I watched the screen light up and the familiar Zoom logo begin to load. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. This wasn’t just any video call. This was the moment I would be seeing my biological father for the first time in… well, forever.
Julian stepped back once everything was connected, and then–there he was.
The man on the screen looked nothing like I had imagined. He wore sleek glasses that made him look distinguished, but his features were still surprisingly youthful. His dark hair was streaked with only a hint of silver, and his skin looked smooth for someone I assumed to be older. I blinked, almost doing a double–take. I was expecting someone with grey hair, maybe even a cane. But here he was, looking like he had just walked out of a boardroom.
He adjusted his glasses and leaned a little closer to the camera, and then he smiled–a wide, genuine smile that reached all the way to his eyes. There was something warm and familiar in that expression. I didn’t expect to feel comforted by it, but somehow, I did.
“Olivia,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, “it’s so good to finally see you again. Look how you’ve grown… into such a beautiful woman. Even more beautiful than your mother.”
I chuckled awkwardly, caught off guard by the compliment. Before I could say anything, I heard my mom scoff playfully from behind me.
“Really?” she said, crossing her arms as if she were offended–but the soft smile on her face said otherwise.
“It’s good to see you too, Dad,” I said, testing the word on my tongue. It felt strange. Foreign. But also right in a way I couldn’t explain. I had spent my entire life calling someone else Dad–someone who had raised me, yes, but who had also never truly made me feel seen or heard. And now, here I was, calling a man I’d never met before by the same name. But it didn’t feel wrong. It felt… natural.
The moment I said it, I saw something shift in his eyes. He blinked rapidly, took off his glasses, and dabbed at his eyes with a napkin.
“Excuse me,” he murmured, clearly trying to compose himself. “Seeing you again, hearing you call me that… it just brought something out in me. If I were there with you, Olivia, I would’ve given you the tightest hug.”
I smiled. “Well, Mom’s already taking care of the hugging part. She can’t go a minute without pulling me into one and nearly choking me to death.”
My mom laughed at that and walked up beside me, giving my cheek a gentle pinch. “That’s because I’ve missed you so much,” she said, her eyes soft and shining with affection.
My father chuckled. “You always were the emotional one,” he said to her before turning back to me. “So tell me, dear, how have you been all these years? How have you been holding up? Financially? Mentally? Physically? Are you done with school?”
The questions came quickly, but they were asked with genuine concern. His tone was soft but serious. He wanted to know everything.
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling tight as a wave of emotions welled up inside me. I wasn’t sure how to begin. How do you explain to a man you’re just meeting–your biological father–that your life has been anything but perfect? That behind the polished smile and soft words, there has been pain, loneliness, and silent suffering?
“I won’t lie to you,” I began slowly, my voice a little shaky, “growing up hasn’t been easy for me. Not financially, mentally, or physically. I’ve been stuck in a one–sided marriage for as long as I can remember. A marriage that drained me more than it supported me. I’ve endured physical abuse… emotional manipulation… but thankfully, I’m finally at the edge of escaping it. I’m nearly out for good.”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the call. I didn’t dare look at Julian or my mom just yet. I had to let it all out first.
“And yes, I’m done with school,” I continued, clasping my hands tightly in my lap. “I earned a degree in Business Administration. But… getting a job has been impossible. I guess I never really tried after getting married. I’ve been surrounded by my husband’s wealth, living in his world, not mine. But when it comes to having something of my own–my own money, independence–I have nothing. I’m broke. Financially, I’ve been scraping by emotionally, too.”
My father leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. The expression on his face was a mix of sadness and admiration.
“You’re married to an abusive man?” he echoed quietly. “That’s a lot to take in. I’m… I’m truly sorry to hear that, Olivia. But if there’s one thing I can tell already, it’s that you’ve inherited your mother’s strength. Her will. That fire in you…. It’s very familiar.”
A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of my lips. It felt good to be seen–to be heard. For once, someone believed in me, without even
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Chapter 108
knowing the full story.
“There’s so much more we need to talk about,” my father added warmly. “So much I want to know about your life. And tell me–are you still searching for a job? Any plans?”
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I paused, unsure how to answer. “Well… since I got married, job–hunting hasn’t exactly been a priority. With everything going on, it honestly didn’t cross my mind. But if I see an opportunity, I’d definitely go for it.”
And then–to my utter surprise–he laughed. Not just a chuckle, but a deep, amused laugh that rolled out from his chest. I blinked in confusion, and what made it even stranger was how my mom and Julian joined in too. They were all laughing, and I was just sitting there, puzzled.
I looked from one to the other, my eyebrows furrowed. “Did I say something funny?”
My father finally calmed down, wiping his eyes with the edge of his handkerchief.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said, smiling. “I know you’ve only just found out about us, and everything is still new and probably overwhelming. But let me ask you something–do you actually know who we are?”
I glanced at Julian, who gave me a quiet nod of encouragement.
“Not really,” I admitted. “Julian… hasn’t said much. He doesn’t like talking about your lives before me.”
My dad nodded, leaning in slightly as if letting me in on a well–guarded secret.
“Well then, let me tell you this: the moment Julian found you and brought you back into our lives, you officially became Olivia Blake. And in this family, sweetheart, we don’t go looking for jobs…”
He paused, watching my eyes widen.
“…We create them. We hand them out.”
I turned to Julian again, who smiled proudly and gave me another nod. What did that even mean?
I was just beginning to understand that my life had changed in ways I couldn’t yet comprehend.
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