CHAPTER 18: A full circle moment
1919 Words
ODESSA
I brace myself when I hear the lock turn to allow Liam into the house as I fight every instinct I have as I watch him walk in.
When I first came in to find the house empty, I expected his large and spacious home to feel foreign but it felt better than my apartment. All the memories of us filling it up with furniture and art helped me breathe.
It also smelled like him and I was pleased to see he went with my suggestion to use marble coat flooring instead of tiles but as the owner walks in, that feeling is ripped away and I feel like a stranger again.
Liam looks like hell. Worse than me if that was possible because I am jetlagged, confused and honestly angry.
No.
I am pissed because he doesn’t even look sorry.
It is like he knew I’d find out and he is not fazed by my reaction but I still want to know. I didn’t ask Jessica because I wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth.
“Who is she Liam?” I frown, “Liam!” I blow because I am at my ends.
I have no time for games but he clearly does. He is like a storm he so calm and nonchalant as he says “it’s Fisher.” He doesn’t even look me in the eye when he adds, “it is Olivia Fisher.”
Everything stops as I fall back to 19year old Vecker.
I am transported to the same night I saw that stupid picture that ruined everything between us but this time, it is a wedding invitation burning my mind.
No.
I am not 19 anymore and Liam Griffith is not the naïve 20year old campus playboy. Olivia Fisher doesn’t have power and she is sure as hell not marrying the man I came back for.
“I was kidnapped.” I explain. “The person that killed Ivan’s father came back and we all had to disappear before she could identify us.”
It is his turn to follow me around the house.
“What are you talking about?” Liam watches me open his fridge to get an energy drink.
“The last time she saw anyone was 13years ago. We had to leave the public eye before she could mark us.”
“You keep saying she,” Liam points out.
“That is because the killer is a woman.” I finish the drink in one swig. “Rosanna is Ivan’s mother, Liam.” I disclose the one information no one but family knows.
I had my suspicious but my research with Kade confirmed it because I saw the lover’s tattoo uncle Nikolas had, on her too. Which means she came back to stop Ivan’s (her only son’s) wedding.
“No Odessa.” Liam stands across from me. “I saw you at the MAMA’s and you were with him looking very free.”
I can’t believe Liam still refuses to say his name.
“Kai is a Choi, remember? It was either hide with him or my ex fiancée and believe it or not, I didn’t have the luxury of choice at that moment.” I was literally snatched. “Me playing at the MAMAs was part of the cover because everyone had to believe I was in South Korea.”
“Odessa—”
“Everything that happened was part of the cover Liam.” I clarify. “Even leaving you at airport, she had men waiting for me.”
“Fine,” he concedes. “Why are you back then if some killer is targeting your family?”
“Because Rosanna’s dead now.”
“Ivan killed his own mother?” Liam falls back on his stool from shock.
I forget he is not used to this part my life yet.
“No, grandpa Vlad did” and he made show to cut off her head for all to see.
He got his revenge because Rosanna did kill his eldest son but unfortunately, it left Ivan an orphan.
“Any more questions?” I ask when he remains silent because I am ready to turn the tables on him.
He is freaking engaged!
“Yes, you sent Neels an email and not me.” He stands with new energy, “what the hell? I am your boyfriend but you choose to communicate with my baby brother over me.”
“What Email?” I didn’t send an email. “I didn’t even have access to internet most of the time.”
“What email?” He huffs in ridicule as he pulls out his phone to show me the screenshot.
Oh.
“The contingency plan,” I remember when I see the wording.
“What?” Liam literally snatches his phone from my grasp.
“Our relationship is under wraps remember? So I told my team to forward the email just in case I fell off the face of the earth, it is clearly meant for you both.”
It is even signed that way.
“It still hurt like b***h Odessa.” Liam pouts and I roll my eyes because he has nothing to be upset about.
“Really? Were you stuck in an Asian mafia school with people who will be trying to kill you one day?” I snap, “did you get beat to a pulp? Got drugged and had to sleep in a prison cell for 3months?”
Because I did.
“No,” Liam’s jaw clenches. “I was at the airport for 8hours calling your phone till mine died. I drank so much alcohol, I had to be taken to Paris just to be pulled away from journalist. But just as I was beginning to seriously worry, there you were honey. Healthy and playing for the entire continent of Asia with him.”
Oh no, Liam is seriously not comparing a life and death situation to his vacation.
“Kai saved my life.” I say calmly so he can understand.
“And Olivia changed mine.” He shoots back and I feel the pain trying to reach for me but I don’t let it.
Not this time.
“Like me?” I inquire and add, “did she change your life like I did?” When he looks at his hands.
“No,” he admits. “But her way doesn’t hurt,” Liam adds too and I drop my hands from the counter to stop myself from slapping him.
I am still on mob Odessa settings and the jet leg is not doing well for my patience but I don’t want to make things worse. He has enough reasons to leave me and I won’t make it easy.
“That is too bad because the pain is how you know it’s real,” I remember Tommy’s words.
“Not when it comes at a cost,” Liam stands. “I am marrying Olivia, Odessa,” he connects our eyes to promise that “there is nothing you can do to change that.”
He walks out but pauses when I promise a “we will see.” I am not giving up on us so easily this time.
Olivia Fisher is going down.
KAI
Odessa is gone and to add on to the pain and misery, karma—the cruel mistress—decides to make her public now.
“K-pop idol, Kai King who debuted a year ago with GY entertainment and who has recently won this year’s best new male MAMA award was spotted with a mystery woman in America while he attended a private gala party.”
We all watch the reporter, reading Dispatch’s latest report on the screen.
“The star was allegedly cuddling and kissing the woman at said private party, introducing her to everyone before they were seen leaving together.” She continues in Korean, “though the identity of the woman has not been revealed, it is said they have been in a relationship for months and are currently considering living together.”
Kiyoko snorts when blurry pictures of me and Odessa entering a car pop up.
“Sources close to the star, report that though Kai King is of Korean Japanese descent this mystery woman is not but does come from a chaebol background which is how they met.”
“That part is true, the Dominakas are richer than us. That farm money goes back generations.” Kairo is not even looking at the screen because he is bouncing a rubber ball against the wall.
“With k-netizens determined to reveal her identify, Kai’s female fans are furious to learn of the k-pop star’s relationship especially since he is considered the bad boy of k-pop due to his explicit music and stage performances.”
Kiyoko snorts again.
“This reporter will keep you updated when more news drop surrounding Kai King and his mystery woman, thanks for watching.” The screen turns black.
“You have a girlfriend?” Katana is pulling apart his burger, his red eyes highlighted by blue lens spectacles.
“According to twitter he does.” Kade changes the screen to show that I am currently trending along with the photos from the night of the gala.
“Look,” Kaizer muses when the comments begin rolling in. “They spotted you guys in Thailand too. Some fans recognized her when you left for Singapore.”
“The company hasn’t stopped calling.” Kudo looks annoyed as he types on his phone. “They need you in Seoul as soon as possible.”
“But I have my C*lvin Klein shoot and S*MSUNG ad,” my schedule is fully packed and I am not running around for rumours.
Especially about Odessa.
“They are all rescheduled, they want an explanation because your female fans are going crazy.” Kade changes the screen to show fans holding up pictures of Odessa’s backside head scratched off.
“Congratulations baby brother,” Kiyoko stands when his phone lights up. “You have officially made it, you belong to the public now.”
He walks out without another word.
“We’ll deny it.” I stand because I wasn’t kissing or cuddling Odessa at the Prince’s Trust Gala.
She wouldn’t even let me touch her to help he down the stairs or inside a car.
“That is not so easy, remember the clerk from your hotel in Thailand? She already sold the CCTV footage to D*spatch, they are just waiting to confirm with someone from the gala if it is the same girl.”
“So?” I still stand by denying it because none of it is true.
“So Odessa is about to be publically outed as your girlfriend. I suggest you get on good terms because your fans won’t like that one bit.” Kade clears the screen and stands too, “we are leaving for South Korea in 23hours.”
He walks out.
“Don’t worry,” Kudo is still typing on his phone. “We’ll do our best to contain it before it gets out of control.” He assures but the look on my brothers’ eyes says otherwise.
I really hope Odessa has healed from her Oakwood catfish scandal m******e because my fans are about to crucify her.
K-pop stans are merciless especially when it comes to their idols.
- Writer
