Chapter 5: Expensive Freedom

"Olivia is a servant girl and it makes sense she couldn't handle the news. See, Camila is off the same age as Olivia and if anything, Camila is very intelligent," she said hoping it would convince him to accept Camila

"Are you done?" he asked to her surprise and Mrs Garcia didn't know what to say in front of the all-powerful Mr Carter. 

"As I said, find Olivia," he said making Mrs Carter also frowned

"She is the one I want for my son," he added and turned to look at his wife.

Mrs Carter understood he wanted them to leave. He got up and she also stood to her feet. He headed for the door and she followed him. The guards quickly opened the door seeing him approached and they followed him out. 

Mr Garcia was standing there, watching them leave with his wife pacing up and down and raising her hands repeatedly but no words followed her frustrated appearance. Mr Garcia felt worried about what has just happened. He had thought earlier, he could expand his business with his help but it looks like that would not happen unless they find Olivia. 

"Mum, I thought you said I was the chosen bride?" Camila asked feeling hurt and Jonathan didn't know what to say. 

Isabella tried to console Camila who was at the moment in tears about the turn of events. 

"Ask your father, who went to suggest Olivia to him," Mrs Garcia replied looking at her husband angrily 

"I did no such thing and you know it," He defended 

"Then tell me, how did he know about Olivia?" Mrs Garcia questioned in front of her children. 

Camila was sitting on the sofa hugging Isabella in tears. 

"That is a question I don't have an answer to," he replied turning his gaze away from her and looking down instead with his hands resting on his waist.

Camila looked at him with disappointment. 

"Dad, why would you do that?" Camila asked and run towards her bedroom with Isabella following her. 

"Make sure you don't come to the bedroom tonight," Mrs Garcia said and left the living room

"Dad, did you suggest Olivia to Mr Carter to be his son's bride?" Jonathan asked 

"Not you too. If the women are all unreasonable I don't expect that from you. You believe I would do that?" he said feeling disappointed 

"I am sorry, Dad. I didn't mean it that way but looking at the kind of person Mr Carter is, it is quite strange he would know someone like Olivia," Jonathan pointed out

Mr Garcia gave Jonathan's statement a thought but he was thinking more of why Mr Carter was insisting on Olivia.  

"Dad, the truth is, it is hard to believe," he said and also left the place, leaving Mr Garcia alone in the living room. 

Outside the apartment, Olivia after going out of the compound following Mrs Garcia's instruction was trying to find a place to sit for a while and return to the apartment at dawn to do her cleaning and go to bed. She saw a bench in front of a closed shop across the street. She decided to go sit on the bench and wait till dawn to return to the apartment. 

Unfortunately, where she was crossing the road was right after a curve and she met a coming vehicle in the middle of the road. She screamed knowing that could be the end of her life seeing the flashing lighting of the car. She fell to the ground and the car stopped right in front of her. 

Two gentlemen got out of the car and came to her side.

"Sir, she is motionless, but she has no injuries" the guard reported after examining her still squatting next to her.

"Let me see," Ethan who had gotten down from the car said and drew closer to the girl who seems to have passed out.

"Put her in the car," he said and the guard carried Olivia from the ground and put her in the car.

"Let's take her to the nearest hospital," Ethan said 

"Sir, how about tonight's event," the guard reminded looking at Ethan from the rear-view mirror as he has his eyes fixated on the lady whose head is resting on his lap.

"I would call them," he replied without raising his head.

The guard started the car and Olivia opened her eyes. She first scanned her environment and quickly sat up realizing she was inside a car. She came face to face with Ethan who stared at her with his blue eyes.

"Calm down. Are you alright?" Ethan asked and Olivia pushed herself back away from him eventually pressing her back against the closed door. 

The sound of the car's central lock freaked her out and she jumped again moving closer to Ethan and then moving back away from him.

"Are you alright?" he asked again staring at her beautiful face with her crazy long eyelash under the car's inner light. 

"I am sorry," she apologies hugging herself frightened 

"Sorry? I am the one to apologise for almost running you over," Ethan said still staring at the beauty in front of him. 

Olivia was not wearing expensive clothing, no make and just small earrings on her ears but her beauty was undeniable. 

"What is your name?" Ethan asked intrigued by her beauty. 

"Olivia," she replied lowering her lashes not sure if she should add her borrowed surname 

"What are you doing out at this time of the day alone?" Ethan asked 

"I....I....I.." she began but didn't know the best explanation to give but Ethan saw the bruises on her hand indicating an abuse. 

"You are running away from your employer?" he asked and she nodded 

"I am Ethan Carter, let me take you to my mum," he said and Olivia looked at him not sure whether to believe him but she also didn't have anywhere to go with Mrs Garcia asking her to leave the apartment.

She doesn't know if this was going to be a routine. She eventually nodded and the guard put the car in motion to a nearby hospital where the guard went with her to have the doctors examine her. 

He returned with her to the car and Ethan asked him to drive home. He had just spoken to his father and he asked him to come home with the Olivia lady he had found. 

After a couple of minutes drive, they arrived at the huge mansion and Ethan offered her his hand which she slowly accepted and he helped her out of the car. Ethan could tell she was very terrified 

"Don't be scared, you will be fine," he said to her and walked her into the mansion. 

Mr Carter smiled seeing her. She was a spitting image of her mother. 

"She looks just like her mother," he thought but Mrs Carter frowned when Mr Carter mentioned Olivia's name and welcome her to the mansion. 

"You are welcome, my dear. Don't be scared," Mr Carter said seeing she was terrified 

"Get the guest room ready for her and get her something to eat," Mr Carter instructed the servant he had called

"Thank you but I am not hungry," she replied politely 

"Okay, go with her, she would show you to your room," Mr Carter said and Olivia followed the servant out of the huge living room occasionally turning to look at Ethan wondering if she was safe. 

"Now that is the Olivia I told you about," Mr Carter said to Ethan and Mrs Carter rolled her eyes.

"That is perfect because I like her," Ethan said his eyes fixated on the direction Olivia went, none realizing the disdained look in Mrs Carter's eyes as she also stared in the direction Olivia had left. 

"Son, you want to marry a servant girl?" Mrs Carter asked hearing Ethan's statement.

"She wouldn't be a servant in my house," Ethan replied 

"She was the one we are going to meet. You found her means fate has destined you two to be together," Mr Carter expressed making Mrs Carter frown. 

"I think we can proceed as planned but first we need to tell her but not tonight. We can do that tomorrow," Mr Carter said and walked towards his study with Ethan leaving Mrs Carter in the living room. 

In their absence, she retrieved her phone from her bag and called Mrs Garcia and moved to the balcony.

"Your servant girl is here," she announced 

"How?" Mrs Garcia asked surprised 

"You didn't do a good job. The sad part is my son has already accepted her," she informed her

"You are his mother, you can stop him from marrying her. Do something," Mrs Garcia said 

"No, I can't with my husband around," she replied 

"We need to do something," Mrs Garcia said

"Seeing your daughter, I prefer her to this servant girl," she said and they continued talking on the phone. 

Meanwhile, in Garcia's apartment, Mr Garcia was sleeping on the couch in his study and Isabella had already left for her home. Camila was lying in bed with tear-stained eyes. The only person who seems not to be affected much aside from feeling sorry for his sister was Jonathan. He was peacefully sleeping and resting for the next day. 

Like that, the night passed and for the first time in Olivia's life, she went to bed without having to clean an entire house. She was sleeping on a proper bed not sitting on a chair and leaning against a cupboard like she does in Garcia's apartment. She still set her alarm as it had become a habit. 

The next day, she got up very early to get breakfast ready but realize she was in a different environment. She didn't even know which direction leads to the kitchen. 

She entered the bathroom and she couldn't use it. It was huge and it had so many taps. She returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed still wearing the clothes from the previous day.

There was a gentle knock on the door and Ethan entered when she answered getting out of bed and standing on her feet. 

"How are you?" Ethan asked standing behind the closed door.

"I am fine, sir," she replied and lowered her head

"I would go straight to the point. I like you and I want you to marry me," he said and Olivia lifted her gaze hearing what he just said 

"You don't have to go back to that house. You can live with me," he said and Olivia lowered her head giving it a thought. 

For the first time, she had gone through the night without having to mop an entire house and no one had hit her for any reason. She looked at Ethan all she could see was her ticket to freedom but it was an expensive one.

"I promise to treat you right," Ethan said closing the gap between them but he kept a good distance not to scare her. 

She had heard about the Carters but this is her first time meeting them. She looked at Ethan one more time and lowered her head again fidgeting with her fingers.

"Would you like to marry me and stay with me?" Ethan asked and she nodded a yes not sure what she was getting herself into but for some reason she felt it would not be like her life in Garcia's house. 

"Thank you," Ethan said with a smile

"Can I hug you?" he asked and Olivia nodded

Ethan drew closer and embraced her before leaving to share the news with his father.

"Ethan, you are terrible. You spoke to her like you were handling a business deal but I am glad it still yields a positive result. We can schedule the wedding for the end of the week," Mr Carter said

"Great idea before she changes her mind," Ethan joked making Mr Carter laugh.

"After the wedding, you can now take over seventy per cent of the business," Mr Carter said both unaware Mrs Carter was eavesdropping.