6 Words of Grievance

Finn's chubby little fingers pulled Olivia inside the Lin's ancestral house, giving her a tour of the home as if it was her first time seeing the place.

The Lin's ancestral house was a bungalow atop a hill on the outskirts of the metro that had an overlooking view of the sea. Big adobe bricks stacked against each other were used as the house's foundation, giving it a feeling of depth and stability – something that could withstand any storm that would cut across the country.

According to Olivia's grandma, it took a decade for the ancestral house to be built because the late Lin patriarch searched far and wide the country for the sole purpose of gathering those adobe bricks. 'Surely, it was a great investment. The place even looked like a fortress,' Olivia thought as her eyes wander around the place.

"Wook wook! A pawot! Say, pangit (ugly)!" Finn pointed on the gorgeous hyacinth macaw who leisurely sat on its swing inside a netted garden. However, the striking royal blue colored bird only let out a whistle when it met Olivia's exotic hazel eyes. She smiled at the bird, and rubbed her fingers against the fine green net. "Of course, even animals could tell a beauty," she whispered, a beautiful smile shone brightly on her face.

"This bird needs to get its eyes checked," Oliver scoffed, crouching as he tapped the net with his pointy finger. However, just before he could straighten his back, the hyacinth macaw snapped its head toward his way and squawked, "Pangit! Pangit!"

Finn mimicked the bird, repeating its words while he happily munched on his finger, drool dripping down his white polo shirt. "Ah pangit! Pangit!" Olivia could not contain her proud smile, glad at how honest her nephew was and the bird too.

In a distance, Auntie Martha almost cried for joy at the sight of her nephew, niece, and grandnephew sharing a good laugh in one frame. With her hands on her chest, she savored every second of the moment for she never thought that she would still be able to witness such a heartwarming scene.

After visiting her grandma first, Olivia found herself standing outside her father's office as she waited for his father's assistant to let her in – making her feel like she's not a family member at all.

"Olivia, have a seat." Henry Lin cleared his throat upon seeing his daughter who looked exactly like his wife. He took his eyeglasses off, clipping it on his dress shirt and crossed his legs.

Across the room, Olivia stood tall, declining the offer. There was something in her father's hushed tone and calm demeanor that sent shivers down Olivia's spine. It felt like she's in for a long and painful lecturing and sitting down would be a death sentence for her.

"I heard about your little show from your sister-in-law, Ava."

Olivia sneered at her father's words. Of course that 'lucky lady' would tattletale about her every move just to gain favor from their father. She was ready to defend herself when Henry Lin's imposing voice beat her to it.

"Now, before everything blows out of proportion, I settled everything for you and cancelled that foolish contract. It was not his fault that he fell out of love, Olivia. I heard he broke up with you nicely before dating that girl." Henry Lin furrowed his brows. Disappointment written all over his face. He never thought that his genius daughter would run after an engaged man and disgrace their family name. However, instead of bowing and asking for forgiveness, he was appalled to see his daughter shook with anger.

"You 'settled' things without even asking me the truth?" Olivia's beautiful long slender fingers curled into an angry fist. She derided herself when she realized how silly her question was. Henry Lin never looked back after throwing her in a faraway land. Now why would he even listen to what she had to say?

"I don't need to ask you because I know a lot of things even without you telling me. For starters, I know how much money you've given that guy over the course of your relationship and the way I see it, it's simple: you are angry that he broke things up so you retaliated." His tone was not a matter-of-factly but that of a mocking one, pushing Olivia to her anger limit.

"I'm not seeking vengeance, Father. I'm merely collecting interest," Olivia said with gritted teeth.

"Enough!" The echo from Henry Lin's loud and booming voice even woke up the sleeping books on the shelves from their slumber. He pounded his fist in the mahogany table, shaking Olivia in her spot. Folding his arms across his chest, he met his daughter's contemptuous eyes and said, "You collected your interest when you pulled out your money. GL.com almost went to ruins if not for the Lees swooping in after its shortfall. And look at this!" Henry Lin threw photographs on the floor. She didn't need to look at it because she's the one behind those photos being taken anyway.

"Sleeping with an engaged man! How dare you soil the Lins name!"

HAHAHAHAHA!

Henry Lin sunk on his seat as Olivia pressed her stiletto's heel on the photo, puncturing the disgusting lustful grin on Lance's face.

"I never soiled the Lin's name because nobody knew who I was in the first place… Father. Yes, you are my father and you should have stood up for me! You don't have to settle things with those people because they're the ones who owed me! And they owed me big time!"

Olivia was shaking in anger as she said words of grievance one after the other towards her father. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with suffocating air as she fought back to hold her tears. She would never let this prideful man see her cry, she thought to herself.

Henry Lin pursed his lips and didn't say more. Whether Olivia's happy or sad, it didn't matter to him. His heart ached everytime he sees his daughter and that was something that he could never get over with.

"Go back to England and live there in peace," Henry Lin said as he picked up his eyeglasses and started wiping the lenses.

"Sorry to disappoint you then. Because I'm staying here for good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a nephew to play with."

Olivia turned her back, her hand shook as it held the door knob. She heard her father call out her name yet, with her back against him, she chose to ask the question she was dying to hear an answer: "What have I ever done to you, Father?"