7 CHAPTER 7

Third Party POV—

Olivia slowly opens her eyes again to a faint light. Although her head still aches and she feels weak, yet she is better than last time. She can open her eyes and with a little effort she pushes herself up on her elbows and sits on the bed with her back to the head board of the bed. She rubs her temples with her fingers; squinting her eyes closed. Her head still feels heavy and she is still in a daze!

She looks around and slowly realisation dawns on her. She remembers her forceful marriage and his monster husband Ryan who has been her childhood nightmare! She looks around at the room; the room is huge with modern decorations and colours. There is a large closet at the right side of the bed, beside which is the door to the washroom with a broken lock; the floor is covered with an expensive carpet. To the left hand side is medium sized sofa with a centre table. On either side of the sofa are two doors which are slightly open. One looks into an Open balcony and the other leads to another room, probably a small living room. At the front is a large flat screen TV and beside that is another door which is closed. On the left is a bed side table as well where a glass jug with water and one clean glass is placed. There is a small tray with several medicines.

The sofa is looking unorganised due to a white cloth bundled up casually on it. On looking carefully, she recognises it. It is her wedding dress, casually dumped on the sofa, hanging half on the floor! Above the sofa on the wall is a big laminated picture where a handsome man in perfect white three piece suit is kissing a much young woman in a fluffy white wedding gown! The girl in the picture is Olivia and the man is Ryan!

She keeps staring at the picture which is the evidence and reminder of her cruel fate! Her forced marriage! Her shattered dreams and happiness! Slowly the clear vision becomes blurred as tears well up in her eyes! She remembers each cursed moments of that day!

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Olivia sipped the alcohol from the metal flask and slept near the cave like rock curling up in a ball, shivering in the cold. She slept for several hours like a lifeless body. Her sleep breaks due to loud arguments and sound of crying and sobbing.

"Please madam, the poor child is having fever! She was exposed to this chilling weather all night. Please I beg you, don't force her! I will talk to her. Just give her a few days!" Nanny Agatha was crying.

"Agatha! Stay out of our family matters! Are you out of your mind? I don't have to give her any time! She has dared to run away before her wedding! She has brought shame to the family! How can she do this to us? No way! If not for Ryan, we would have never be able find her today! What a disgrace!" Olivia's mother cried and screamed.

"Madam please! I am not asking you to cancel the wedding; I am just begging you to postpone it for a few days. She is not well! How will she walk to the altar? Please Madam" Olivia opened her eyes and though in a daze, she saw Nanny Agatha kneeling on the floor with her arms wrapped around Olivia's mother's legs, begging for her.

"How dare you Agatha!" Caroline yells! Her fists are clenched tightly at her sides; she is trembling with surging anger.

Just then John, their butler enters slightly knocking on the open door and both Caroline and Agatha look at him.

"Madam, Mrs Bradley has come along with Master Ryan and they want to meet you and Sir. I have seated them in Sir's Study." John bows and leaves.

"God! I hope there are no more bad news!" Caroline leaves worrying and Agatha follows.

After a few seconds, Olivia manages to sit up and get down from her bed. She drags herself out to her father's study. The door is closed, but loud voices are coming from inside. She stands near the door, leaning on the wall.

"Mr Brown, we understand that the wedding was much desired and would have been beneficial for the alliance of our subsidiary companies and also we are neighbours and friends since last twenty five years, but I am sorry, we can't proceed with the wedding!" Mrs Amanda Bradley speaks in a firm voice.

"Please Amanda, believe us! It is not what you are thinking! Olivia is not in any kind of relationship! She never had any boyfriend. We agree that she tried to run away from the wedding but that is because of some childish fantasies! She is a pampered child. We have not been able to give her much attention but she has been grown with all kinds of luxuries. She has got whatever she ever wanted! May be because of this, she feels that her foolish fantasies will turn true!" Caroline pleads.

"Yes, besides this marriage will be beneficial for both the families. Ryan! I hope you understand how important is this marriage?" Olivia's father Victor Brown tries to convince.

There is a silence and then Amanda's voice comes again, "Are you sure there is no guy involved? I mean Ryan is a successful man himself and there are numerous girls who dream of marrying him! Our families know each other before even Olivia was born! She has known Ryan since childhood! Then what may be her reasons to deny the wedding?"

"Madam, if you allow me…" Nanny Agatha speaks. Olivia's eyes turn wide! Nanny Agatha is inside?

After several seconds of silence, Victor's voice comes, "Yes Agatha? You may speak your mind. You have been like a mother to Olivia and she confides in you….what do you want to say?"

Nanny Agatha speaks in trembling voice, "I am sorry to say but since her childhood, Olivia has been missing her parent's love and attention. Although Sir and Madam have given her all luxuries of the world, yet she has lived in pain, missing her mother's caress and attention. Maybe, it was my fault that she developed a character in her our fantasy world! Her prince charming! Initially I thought that it was a child's imagination and as she grows up she will forget this. But I realised when she turned twelve that she has grown too close to her imaginary friend who she thought will come and take her away and she will have her happily ever after!

She fell in love with him!"

"Who?" Mrs Amanda voice was heard.

"Umm… Santa, Santa Clause!" Nanny speaks hesitating.

"Santa Clause?" Victor yells.

"Yes Sir! In her dream world he is not an old man but a young handsome prince from a far away land!" Nanny pauses and then continues, "I know it is absurd and for her imaginary love she is refusing to marry. But I am sure if she is given some time she will understand! Also...." Agatha hesitates for a few seconds and speaks, "She fears Master Ryan since she was a child! So…"

Ryan cuts off Agatha and roars, "Let's Leave!"

They all rush to the door, while Amanda mumbles, "Sorry, if Ryan doesn't want and after all that has happened this marriage can't happen!"