PART- 6

[ Olivia ]

I couldn’t sit comfortably for the longest twenty minutes as I watched Stephan presenting his ideas, his attention focused on his work. He was radiating confidence like before. He wasn’t changed a bit. Instead, he looked more ruthless when it comes to business.

“Liv, are you alright?” Ethan’s worried voice forced me to snap out of my trance.

How could I tell him that the man who was on the stage was none other than my ex-husband whom Ethan and my friends hated for leaving me and Emma.

There was no way I could reveal about my past because I vowed to leave it behind.

“No, I am fine.” I shook my head and tried to act normal because in the dim light of the hall, Stephan couldn’t see me and there was no way I’d come into his sight.

There’d be lot on stake and I didn’t want him to find out about the biggest secret I had hidden from him, our daughter. If he comes to know about Emma, he’ll try to take her from me.

“The Hamilton Corp. is dedicated to fulfil the dreams of thousands of people and I am committed to the promises that we made to our customers over the years. I promise the government that we’ll work on a sustainable and affordable project.” Stephan concluded his speech in his signature style.

The hall echoed with applause and he nodded before stepping down. The lights turned on again and my heartbeats also raced up.

What if he sees me.

“Ethan, I am going to the restroom.” I excused myself hurriedly before he could react.

My work was done. The presentation would be given by Ethan as the company’s CEO. My worst fear was about to come true. I couldn’t forget the last words of Vivienne and Stephan’s mother.

Once I was inside the restroom, I splashed cold water on my face to calm down.

I broke down when there’s was no one around to see my vulnerable state.

I cried alone. For two years in a loveless marriage, I invested my everything. I loved Stephan with all my heart and performed all the duties of an ideal wife, but he always returned coldness and husband’s duties only as an obligation.

Yet my love never faded for him.

I still loved him in a corner of my heart, but I’d never dare to go back to him.

He was better without me. Perhaps he was happily married to Vivienne as everyone wanted. I never tried to know about his private life because I wanted to start a fresh life with daughter Emma.

My phone vibrated with a text from Ethan, and then I realized that I had spent more than thirty minutes inside the restroom.

I had no way to run. Sooner or later, I had to tell Ethan why I was hiding. I retouched my makeup and made my way out of the restroom, looking everywhere cautiously so I’d not encounter Stephan.

“Oh My God! Am I dreaming?”

I heard a familiar voice, and I was rooted on my spot.

I didn’t dare to move an inch.

“Olivia is that really you? I can’t believe my eyes!!”

“Tif..Tiffany.” I stammered my ex-sister-in-law’s name.

She was staring at me with wide eyes. After two years, we were face to face. She was the only person in Hamilton family who was nice to me.

“Olivia, I can’t believe I am seeing you.” She said in a thick voice and rushed towards me. In the next moment, I was in her bone-crushing hug.

“Tiffany, how are you?” I asked recovering from my shock.

“I miss you so much, Olive. You just disappeared without saying goodbye to me.” She complained but she had every right.

I didn’t leave a trace behind me when I decided to leave Stephan and my life as Mrs. Hamilton.

“I am sorry, Tiff, but it was best for everyone that I walked out of Hamilton’s world,” I said quietly.

“You really don’t want to know what happened when you left?” She asked me with a pained expression.

I lowered my head.

“It had to be done, Tiff. I have moved on from my past and I can see that everything falls in its right place. Stephan looks happy and more successful than before.” I said with so much difficulty. It was still excruciatingly painful for me.

“Only if you know the truth, Oliv-” Her words were cut off by the deep and smooth voice of her brother, Stephan Hamilton.

“Tiffany, what took you so long here?”

He was standing right in front of me, his furrowed eyes shifting between Tiffany and me.

“Steph, I…I..was..just coming but then I met her and we were talking.” Tiffany looked nervous and then she pointed her finger at me who was already in a frozen state.

Stephan came and stood right in front of us in a deserted corridor.

My past, my ex-husband and the love of my life was standing in front of me. His beautiful eyes staring at me intently but then he tore his gaze from me and switched to his sister.

“Who is she? I haven’t seen her before.” He asked his sister in a confused tone.