Bye, Mr.Francis

Chapter 4 Olivia’s Not Allowed to Enter

"Grandma!" Olivia screamed, rushing out to call for a doctor. As they wheeled her grandmother into the emergency room, tears streamed down Olivia's face. She paced anxiously in the hallway. If anything happened to her grandmother, she would never forgive herself.

Soon, her grandmother was brought out, an oxygen mask covering her face. The doctor informed Olivia, "Her heartbeat has stabilized, but she needs medication. The medication she requires is a special grade, very rare. We can only administer it once you've settled the payment."

"Okay, thank you." Relieved that her grandmother was stable, Olivia rushed downstairs to pay. But when she tried to use her cards, she discovered they had all been frozen.

Panicked, she called Anna. "Anna, please ask Nolan why my cards have been frozen. I need money for my grandmother's medication..."

"Olivia, have you forgotten?" Anna interrupted, her tone strangely cold. "You signed a prenuptial agreement, remember? You left with nothing."

Before Olivia could respond, Anna hung up.

Olivia's throat tightened. Her grandmother needed that medication. She rushed to the Austen Group. She had to confront Nolan, and demand an explanation. Why had he taken everything from her? Why was he being so ruthless, leaving her with nothing just because of her mistake?

By the time the taxi reached the Austen Group, a torrential downpour had begun. Olivia sprinted through the rain towards the building. As she reached the entrance, the security guards shoved her to the ground.

"Please, let me in, I need to see Nolan..." Olivia pleaded, clutching a security guard's arm. Rain streamed down her pale face. "I need money for medication, otherwise my grandmother will die..."

The guard shoved her again, thrusting a sign in her face. "Ms. Austen, open your eyes and read the sign!"

Wiping the rain from her eyes, Olivia read the words on the sign: Olivia Is Not Allowed to Enter!

"Nolan, how have I wronged you?" Tears mingled with the rain on her face.

When she was three years old, her father had brought home a young boy. "Olivia, his parents passed away in an accident. He'll be living with us from now on, he's your brother." Nolan was six at the time. He had given her a gentlemanly bow, a warm, charming smile on his face. "Hello, my little princess. I'll protect you from now on!"

From the age of three until now, Nolan had always protected her, protected the Austen family. In her heart, Nolan was family, her prince. Pampered by him, she had never needed to learn anything, only to buy clothes and handbags, to be a well-behaved woman. Why was he being so cruel now? Taking everything from her, leaving her with nothing, even mocking her, treating her worse than a dog. Just because she had been with another man?

People entering the building recognized the disheveled figure huddled by the entrance. They pointed and whispered.

"Ms. Austen is so shameless, having an affair after getting married."

"I heard Mr. Barton and Ms. Austen had divorced. Good riddance!"

"The Austen Group would have gone bankrupt long ago if it weren't for Mr. Barton. She's completely incompetent!"

Their words were like daggers piercing her heart.

*****

Inside the Austen Group's CEO office, Nolan watched the live feed of the building entrance on his computer screen. The sight of the woman huddled on the ground, drenched and defeated, sparked a flicker of something complex in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by a chilling coldness. He swept a framed photo of a smiling young couple off his desk and into the trash bin.

"Olivia, this is what your family owes me!"

No matter how much Olivia pleaded with the guards, even trying to contact a manager within the Austen Group, no one came to her aid. The guards, annoyed by her persistence, used their batons to push her to the side of the road. Olivia's leg hit the railing, the metal edge slicing a gash into her skin. She collapsed to the ground, pain shooting through her. She couldn't hold back her sobs. In just one day, she had lost everything...

The downpour continued as the sky darkened. A Maybach pulled up beside Olivia. The driver emerged from the passenger seat, holding an umbrella over her.