Chapter 9

As Aiden pulled into the driveway of her home, Olivia stared as though she didn't recognize the place. As though it were someone else who had rented it. Someone else who had dreamed of freedom as she moved her belongings into it. Someone else who had imagined sharing it with the man she loves.
Dread crept up her being at the memory of being assaulted emotionally and physically and mentally by Richard. She wondered where he was and prayed he never came back.
From the corner of her eye, Olivia was aware of Aiden staring at her, his expression more fierce than normal, the skin of his face stretched tight and his black eyes, a burning flame.
"Liv." He touched her.
The touch was as simple as the calloused pads of his fingers stroking down her arm. A shudder rippled over her flesh and she fought to steel herself against the rising emotions.
"I don't want to talk. Thanks for bringing me home." She felt a hundred years old as she gripped the door handle and moved to release it. "Bye, Aiden."
"Bye."
The simple word shattered her but she was up and out of the car and striding quickly to her house as she pulled her bag from her shoulder, opened it, and dug the house key from inside. When she was in, she quickly locked the door and went into her room to UnCloth and shower.
Stepping into the shower, Olivia let the hot water wash not just the memories she didn't want resurfacing again but also that irritating sensation cascading down her length just at the thought of him. Why did he have to make her feel this way? Why wasn't she able to push him away and keep him permanently away from her life? He was destroying her life, destroying the security she had built for herself. Oh. Her head throbbed with pain. It wasn't until she showered, dried and dressed in a loose cotton pant and a T-shirt that she began to feel a bit relieved of the headache and stiffness in her bones. She quickly twisted an elastic band into the strands of her hair as she moved out of her room to the sitting room.

Picking up the newspaper that laid on table, she flopped down on the couch and began to flip the pages open. One of the headlines caught her interest. It read: San Antonio political leaders blast Trump’s immigration comments.
Okay this was getting interesting. She didn't really like the Trump guy. His face looked like a funny disheveled cartoon.
She continued reading: Two prominent San Antonio leaders from different political parties criticized President Trump’s reported vulgar and derogatory language regarding immigrants, saying such disrespectful speech is bad for the country.
"I wish President Trump would show the same respect for other people, no matter their background, that Texans show one another.
Unfortunately, when the President talks so derisively of other countries and their people, it is our country that suffers the most," said House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio.
At an unrelated event at Edgewood Fine Arts Academy on Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro also told reporters that Trump’s remarks were "vile and racist," adding that they "really undermine the country."
During a meeting with lawmakers Thursday, Trump was reported to have asked why the United States would allow more people to come here from "shithole countries" in a reference to nations in Africa. In his comments, which first were reported by the Washington Post, Trump also suggested it would be preferable to have immigrants from Norway. And, according to reports, he suggested that immigrants from Haiti should be left out of any immigration deal.
The Republican president tweeted Friday that the language he used "was tough," but this was not the language used. What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made — a big setback for DACA." DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama administration initiative that has protected undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children from deportation.
"Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said 'take them out,'" Trump said on Twitter.
In talking with reporters after the school event Friday, Castro expressed urgency in finding a solution for the DACA program.
"Congress has to do something about DACA," said Castro, adding that those who come to the United States under Temporary Protected Status must also feel discouraged. "It tells them that the president basically doesn’t value their contribution to the American society, and that they have no place here," he said. "I think that’s what people hear. And so those were just very vile comments coming from the president."
Another headline had her really hooked. It read: Boyfriend charged in death of Zuzu Verk transferred to jail near San Antonio. Zuzu Verk's boyfriend, Robert Fabian, had been transferred to the Caldwell County Jail to be tried for her death. Fabian was taken into custody on Feb. 4, 2017, months after his girlfriend, Verk, went missing in Alpine where she studied at Sul Russ State University. Fabian was allegedly the last person to see Verk, on Oct. 11, 2016. Three days later, police searched Fabian's apartment and found his bed had no sheets or pillow cases and found a plastic painter's drop cloth purchased on Oct. 12, 2016, authorities said. Verk remained missing until Feb. 3, 2017 when her remains were discovered in a shallow grave near Alpine, officials said. Fabian was charged with murder and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence in concealing a human corpse.
Gosh! That gave her the creeps. She wondered how people could kill and keep a straight face. What could the lady have done to warrant him killing her? Aiden would never hurt her intentionally or not. But Richard would. She had experienced half of his brutality. Who knows, he might be capable of killing without remorse. He was a beast in a human form.

Three days later...


"Richard, your line has been off for days now! What happened?"
"I have been busy, dad. Went on a business trip."
"What stupid business trip are you on? I thought you were supposed to keep your fiancée indoors for a while, then we figure out what to do concerning the issue? Huh? Answer me." Mr. Woods barked into the line.
"Calm down, dad. I'm sorry I didn't inform you, it was urgent. I couldn't reach out to you, everything just happened fast."
"What did you do to her?"
"To who?"
"You know what I'm talking about, Richard. Your fiancée came to my office and was cursing and shouting. You were supposed to level things, dammit! Surprisingly, she doesn't want the job anymore, and that's all your fault."
"How is that my fault? You were supposed to make her plead with you to reinstate her."
"Well, you obviously pissed her off before she came here, so the news made her more furious. I just hope she will come back to her senses and call me soon or else you'll miss her forever to that Aiden guy."
"Never, dad. Never. I'll rather kill him than watch him take Olivia away from me."
"We need a plan B, then."
"Yes, we do need a plan B," Richard agreed. "But can we discuss this when I come back?"
"Okay. When will you be back?"
"In two days. See you soon."
"Okay. Bye."

This game was just beginning.
It wouldn't be easy to continue with a manager who didn't know half of what Olivia Bittner knew in the media business. This game was damn close to breaking his principles, but he has to do what has to be done; to ensure that Olivia is part of his son's future and his company as well.
Things didn't work out well the day she came to his office. He didn't expect her to flare up and leave. She was supposed to beg to be given another chance. What if Aiden offers her a job at his company? That would be disastrous. A shiver of dread raced up his spine and clenched his stomach with impending panic. Something had to be done to erase Aiden as her only option. It was a risk, but it would be worthwhile in the end. He was sure of it.

***************


Olivia's mother accepted the coffee she offered. It was an early morning visit. She was a bit pissed; wondering what could be so urgent until she saw her mother's face as she opened the door to let her in. She looked as if she was run over by a train.
"Are you okay?" Olivia knelt beside her mother, brown eyes filled with concern.
"Not sure everything will be okay with me after what has happened," her mother breathed out roughly.
"Please can you tell me what's going on?" Easing to the couch, Olivia turned to face her mother. "You're scaring me, mum."

Her mother sipped at her coffee again, hoping to buy herself sometime and a bit more of her equilibrium before she was forced to actually converse her problems and make sense of it.
Unfortunately, her daughter wasn't patient enough to give her more time to gather her scattered thoughts. "Spill it out, mum. My hairs are on their ends already."
Mrs Bittner shook her head. "Olivia..."
"Yes?"
"There was a fire outbreak and all my goods, all I labored for, my documents, they are all gone. All burnt down to ashes, Liv." Her voice thickened with held in emotions. My whole life is crashing before my eyes. Everything is gone, gone for good, Liv."
Olivia reached out and took the coffee cup and saucer that was shaking dangerously in her mother's hand and placed it on the table. Her heart was really breaking at hearing the pain and distress in her mother's voice as she told her everything, and watching her mother come apart in tears was more than to bear. She felt her heart being torn into shreds.
"How did this happen, mum? Why wasn't the fire service department alerted of this?"
"I don't really know, Liv. I wasn't in when it happened. It was already late when the fire service men arrived."
"I'm so sorry, mum." Her voice was shaky as she took her mother in her arms, trying to comfort her even as the tears she held in for long started to spill on their own accord. "Try to be strong, mum. For I and my sister, for you, for us."
Her mother tried to nod and clean off the tears and dry up her wet eyes but the pain visible in her eyes despite the effort made Olivia sick to her stomach. Her mother had been so happy with her business and had put her all into it. This shouldn't be happening to her. It was very unfair.

After some quiet moments, Mrs. Bittner stood up, set to leave; after reassuring Olivia that she was okay to go home alone. Again, Olivia saw the tears shimmering in her eyes, the agony that resonated in her soul as she had no other choice but to face what fate had thrown in her path.
"This will pass, mum. You're a strong woman."
"Thank you, Liv. Bye."

Once the door closed behind her mother, she flopped back down on the couch with her hands on her head. She tried to block out the pains that assaulted her senses. She ached for comfort, she ached for him as...

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