Chapter seven: Morning of realization

Olivia woke up by 10 am the next morning, and she stood up from the king-size bed stretching up herself. She picked up her phone to check the time, and this was her daily habit anytime woke up in the morning. As a job seeker who has submitted applications to different companies and establishments, she does not want to miss out on a potential employment offer; hence, it has become a habit for her to always check her emails and messages every morning.

"What the fuck" Olivia shouted, it was past 10 am, and she couldn't believe she slept this much in a strange environment for the first time, "could it be because of the comfortable bed or the well-furnished room," she thought in her mind.

Scrolling through her contact, she clicked on the mixed-call section to return Helen's calls; she called her five times while she was still sleeping. If she were not in her old house, she believed Helen would have come down to break the door and scorn her tirelessly.

The call was answered on the third ring "You still know how to operate a phone huh," an angry voice sounded from the other end.

"What's wrong with your life, didn't we agree to visit grandma lucy at the hospital by 8 am and for the past two hours only God knows a dam where you kept your phone" Helen continue ranting from her voice one can tell she was furious.

Olivia moved the phone two meters away from her ears and was afraid of getting deaf from Helens shouting. She knew who her best friend was and responding or arguing with her would infuriate her the more; hence, she remains quiet.

When Helen was done, she calmed down a bit before asking "Where the hell are you, Olivia?"

Taking a deep breath Olivia answered "Where else apart from Alexanders' house, am sorry I overslept don't know what's wrong with me, how can I get so comfortable here the first night that I didn't even hear the ringing from your calls"

"Are you right"?

" Did Alexander touch or hurt you last night, did he force himself on you, or did you consent to him sleeping with you"

Helen questioned successively with worry evident in her tone not giving Olivia a chance to even explain or reply.

"Am.. fine you do not have to worry Alexander did not even look at me last night or talk less of touching me I just overslept that's all".

Olivia answered with a sense of loss and hurt: She felt Alexander did not find her attractive, which is why he rushed up to his study after returning last night.

"Ok you don't have to worry just dress up am coming to pick you up, we have already wasted two hours grandma lucy must be worried.

Olivia hung up the call, went to the bathroom, entered the bathtub, and turned on the shower; the warm water caressed her body, giving her a sense of comfort and pleasure; she loved the feeling and sensation that felt like a lifetime, a feeling she never had a chance to experience in her old apartment with her grandmother.

Olivia quickly woke up from her reverie when she applied some soaps and lotions she saw on her body's bathtub; everything seemed to have been prepared in wait for her coming, even if the shampoo for her hair was all in place, and other products she did not recognize but judging from their presence therein in the bathtub, she concluded that they might have been body washes of different makes. She hastily applied shampoo to her hair without allowing much time to settle, rinsed it with water, and dried her body with a tower hanging on the stand.

Stepping out of the bathroom Olivia headed for the dresser across, she sat on the chair and faced the mirror with her hair dry in her hand, she started drying her hair. When she was done, she took out somebody's lotions she saw in the drawer, a bit confused about which lotions to use. She chose one from the pink container and commenced applying it to her body.

After Olivia was done with her hair and rubbing creams, she opened the wardrobe and again faced the dilemma of choosing an outfit; everything looked new, expensive, and flashy, and most of the dresses were too revealing a contrast to what she was used to.

Olivia scanned through the wardrobe for more than twenty minutes, Olivia felt embarrassed and shy when she saw the underwear section

"was all this picked by Alexander"?

"No it must be the servants, she muttered to herself, A man of his caliber can't stoop so low to select underwear for a lady."

She later selects black lacy paints, designer jeans, a crop top with a girl next door inscription, and a small handy bag that compliments it.

Olivia quickly got dressed up; she was not the makeup type, so she applied a little powder on her face and a pink lip gloss and parted her hair into two buns giving the looks of a high school girl, the cute and innocent girl vibes.

Picking up her bag and phone she went through the door and walked down the stairs she meets Maria the housekeeper in the living room "Good morning young madam" she greeted with her head slightly bowed.

"Mr. Alexander already left for work this morning; he instructed I do not wake you up before leaving.".

"You don't have to address me as young madam, just call me by my name," Olivia instructed.

"Am sorry ma'am I can't go against the rules, I don't want to lose my job" Maria replied.

Olivia tried convincing her, but insisted that she was left with no choice other than to bear with it. She had to get used to this life, as she was going to be here as a house mistress for three years.

"What will you like for breakfast ma'am" Maria enquired,

"just server anything light with coffee" Olivia responded.

A few minutes later, she was served breakfast, sitting alone eating at a big dining table all by heart, which made her remember grandma lucy, and both would always have their meals together except on special occasions.

Olivia did not know when tears rolled from her eyes wetting the dining table, everything, although glamorous seems distant and empty, the big living room and mansion seem like a space.

Her thoughts drifted to Alexander; he left without dropping a message or checking up on her, so arrogant cannot he pretends to be nice for once?

"slapping herself to come back to reality she whispers to herself

"why am I even bothered about him or him not checking up on me, he made it clear that this is a paper marriage contract with no strings attached, hmmm I don't need him I will just force on my part once he secures his family fortune am gone," Olivia thought silently

After agreeing to the marriage contract, Olivia gave up hope for her dreams of love and the fantasy of her prince charming.

Little did she know that fate had much in store for her.

Her phone rang pulling her out of her thinking, she checks and saw its Helen, picking up the call

"Hello Helen"

"Come down Olivia am in front of the mansion, don't keep me waiting" Helen responded.

Olivia picked up her bag, leaving

Behind the leftover breakfast, she runs outside to join Helen in her car.