PART- 1

[ Olivia ]

“Ma’am, we advise you to take Mrs. Scott home and take care of her as long as she lives. The treatment isn’t working on her anymore. She is getting weaker with every day. We’re sorry, but we did our best.” Doctor’s words shattered all my hopes.

Tears brimmed in my eyes but I held them back. I had been hearing the same negative response from them for last three years.

“Can I see her now?” I asked him trying to sound normal.

“Sure, she is resting now.” Doctor said.

With a heavy heart, I left doctor’s office and made my way to my mother’s ward. She had been hospitalized for two weeks. It was becoming hard for me to take care of her and her business.

After paying a visit to my mother, I made my way back home. My eyes blankly stared at my phone’s screen. I received no calls or messages from my husband. Another day was about to end but I didn’t expect him to forget my birthday.

It had been like this for past few months. We saw each other less and less. Work is our excuse to avoid coming across each other. He mostly goes on work trips but the rumors follow him like a phantom and eventually reach to my ears.

He meets Vivienne Fisher. They had been spotted together often and deep down I knew that they weren’t just mere rumours but a harsh reality gradually crawling its way to me.

When I reached at our home which feels haunted, I saw a red car parked outside which caught my attention. It wasn’t ours.

“Whose car is this?” I asked the watchmen.

“Ma’am, Mr. Hamilton is home with a friend. The car is hers.” One of them replied and my ears perked up.

My heart felt the same uneasiness but I ignored it and made my way inside. I smelled his expensive perfume lingering in the air.

He was home after three weeks.

My mood turned sour and blood ran cold when I saw Vivienne sitting on the sofa with a drink. Her eyes met mine and they darkened.

“What are you doing here, Miss Fisher?” I asked her straight, there was no tenderness in my tone for her.

“I don’t think I need your permission to come here. Don’t forget your place, Olivia. I am Stephan’s best friend and I can come here whenever I wish.” She answered with malice in her words.

Our enmity was never hidden from Stephan or anyone.

“But this is not only his house, it’s mine too and I want you gone right now.” I emphasized on my last two words.

“Olivia, I think this is very rude to insult guests.” Stephan’s deep voice forced me to divert my gaze from Vivienne to him.

He was staring at me without any warmth. There was only coldness and it all began when she re-entered in his life.

“Welcome back home, Stephan. I didn’t know that you were coming back today.” I ignored his earlier remark.

“My trip was cut short because Vivienne’s father fell sick. He is admitted in the hospital and it was too late for Vivienne to go to her condo so I invited her to stay here for the night.” He replied.

My heart clenched. He returned after three weeks for his best friend’s father. He never asked me about my mother and how I was taking care of her.

“I am going to my room.” I said and looked away to hide my tears. I walked past him and with quick strands, I made my way to my room.

I had been enduring his coldness for almost a year. I married him for the last wish of his grandfather but Stephan thought I was behind his money and status. It was the reason that he never revealed our marital status to the world.

I thought with passing time, he’d change and see my efforts and my love to save our marriage even though it was just a compromise for him but I realized that I wasted two years of my life for nothing.

“I can’t do this anymore.” I murmured to myself and wiped my tears.

I grabbed my old apartment’s keys and stormed my way out of my room. There was no way that I’d stay in the same house as Vivienne.

“Where do you think you are going at this hour, Olivia?” Stephan asked me with a raised brow.

“I will be staying at my house for tonight. I have an early meeting and I have to prepare for the presentation. I need a quiet place to focus.” I answered in the same flat tone.

His brows twitched.

“No one is bothering you here, Olivia and it’s past ten. Your house is on the other end of the city.” He reasoned. He was right but he couldn’t see my pain.

“It’s alright, I can manage like I always do. Good night. Please, take rest. It must be a long journey for you and Miss Fisher. I won’t bother you more.” I said and walked past him.

My tears finally spilled as I drove out of there.

Once I reached at my old house, I broke down and cursed the day when I agreed to marry a cold-hearted man like Stephan Hamilton.

I cried until there was no tears left but the voidness was the same, deep and painful. I took a shower and about to retire to my room when the doorbell rang.

It was around midnight and my heart hammered against my chest. Who would come at this time and how did someone know that I was there?

With an alerted senses, I opened the door and found Stephan standing at the door. He was in the same clothes.

“What are you doing here at this time?” I asked him because it was totally unexpected.

He ignored my question and walked inside. I followed him. He turned around to face me.

“Why did you leave our house like an impulsive teenager?” He asked me. There was annoyance in his tone.

“I didn’t want to be an intruder when you have your friend staying at the house. She doesn’t like me and the feelings are mutual from my side.” I gave him an honest answer.

“She doesn’t hate you, it’s your impulsiveness which causes problem between you and her.” He said.

He still believed that I was insecure of his sincere friend.

“You can go back home now, Stephan. It’s quite late.” I said looking away.

There was awkward silence between us for a moment.

He forwarded a gift box to me.

“Happy birthday, Olivia.”

I was shocked because for the first time in two years, he brought a gift for me and wished me.