The color of our love

Chapter 7

Olivia was a little stunned by the woman standing before her. Her aunt looked sad and distraught. They hadn't seen each other for two years, and she seemed to have aged a bit. She didn't feel hatred or resentment towards her, but rather pity and a great deal of sorrow. Her aunt looked at her with a sad, remorseful expression. She walked around the bench and hugged her, and Olivia accepted it without a word. She pulled away and waited for her to speak.

"I went to the hotel and someone told me I could find you here," her aunt began.

Olivia said nothing and simply observed him, waiting for what would happen next. Her aunt took a long breath before continuing.

"Max is dead," she announced. "He confessed the truth to me."

"Oh," was Olivia's only response.

Her aunt knelt down and began to cry her heart out.

"I'm so sorry, Olivia. I should have listened to you, I should have trusted you. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt, but instead I unjustly accused you and kicked you out. If I had the power to turn back time, believe me, I would do it to make amends."

"Now it's late," replied Olivia, getting up.

Her aunt caught up with her and began to cry even harder. Olivia forced herself to sit down. Her aunt joined her.

I know what I did to you is unforgivable. My husband tried to abuse you, but I refused to understand you. Instead, I listened to that monster's lies and condemned you. I'm so sorry, Olivia. Thank goodness he couldn't carry out his plan; otherwise, what would I have been able to say to my brother? How could I have looked at myself in the mirror? Please, Olivia, find the strength in your heart to forgive me.

I forgave you a long time ago, Auntie, but I haven't been able to forget. I still bear the scars of your cruelty. If you had only thrown me out of the house, I would have understood, but you conspired with that monster to keep me locked in a dark room for a week, barely feeding me. I ended up in the hospital. You kicked me out during my recovery. Without Roxy, I would probably be dead.

- I know, and I'm unforgivable, my darling. I'm so sorry again and again. Please, my darling, forgive me.

- I'm sorry but I can't, at least not right now.

She stood up, leaving her aunt completely distraught. She wiped away the tears that had trickled down her cheeks. She wanted to forget everything, but she couldn't. She kept seeing that dark room, seeing herself completely disoriented, not knowing if she would ever see the light of day again. She could still feel the sting of the whips bruising her flesh. No, she couldn't forget. People could call her unforgiving, hard-hearted, but she didn't care. She had lived through an experience that would mark her for the rest of her life.

~~~~

Justin stormed out of the hotel; he had a last-minute emergency to deal with. An emergency of the utmost importance, he'd been told. He hoped this emergency was plausible enough to warrant his flight from New York to Moscow. He felt he'd soon be firing his staff if the matter wasn't that urgent. He arrived at the airport in minutes and boarded his private jet, which he'd had prepared from the hotel.

Justin's private jet had just landed in Moscow. He'd barely arrived and was already eager to leave again. It was true that Justin didn't really have a job in the United States, but his plans had changed somewhat because of his meeting with Olivia. He had initially wanted to entrust the management to someone else and thus continue his life in Moscow, but he had suddenly changed his mind in order to stay as close as possible to Olivia. Milton could certainly handle the Moscow affairs, but in case of extreme emergency, he would take care of them himself.

He arrived home and found Milton waiting for him. Milton stood up to welcome him.

"Milton, I hope the reason you brought me here is as crucial on the phone, otherwise you know the consequences," Justin said before even sitting down.

Milton swallowed hard and forced a smile. He was about to reply when he was interrupted by the entrance of an elderly woman. She approached Justin with a smile on her lips, and he greeted her with the same smile.

- My boy, you've come in? I thought you were going to take longer.

"And I didn't expect to see you here, girl, I thought I had given you enough rest," he retorted.

Emily Scott had been Justin's nanny since he was a baby. His mother, a greedy, mercenary, and extravagant woman, had spent her entire life shopping, attending social gatherings, and engaging in all sorts of trivial activities, leaving him alone. Without Emily and his father, he wouldn't have had this image of family, and for that, he was very grateful to this kind-hearted woman. Justin hated women, oh yes. He hated them because they had shown him the worst side of womanhood; from his mother to Madison, he had retained no positive image of them. Emily had managed to show him a little humanity, thus earning a little respect from him. She was the only woman who, so far, had managed to win his heart—or perhaps a certain Olivia is changing things, his mind suggested.

"I have to say, I didn't really leave; I wanted to take care of the house. It needed a special touch, given that all your employees are men. It needs a feminine touch, even if it's that of good old Emily," she replied.

"And thank you for that, Nana. Will you leave us now? I have to take care of an urgent matter," Justin said tenderly.

- Of course, my little one, I'll leave you now. I'm going to go and prepare your favorite dish.

Justin watched her leave with a tender expression. Once out of his field of vision, he turned to Milton, who seemed a little nervous.

"Come on, Milton, relax, I'm not going to fire you, come on. I may be considered cold, but I'm not that cruel," Justin told him.

He relaxed for a few moments. He coughed slightly before resuming a professional demeanor.

"Sir, Joe is here," Milton blurted out.

"That's not true," Justin growled.