Chapter 43 A MYSTERY
Growl.
Olivia’s hand instinctively went to her stomach.
She was hungry.
Her gaze drifted back to the bed, where Emma’s money lay spread out in uneven stacks. Earlier, she had loosened the tie around it and poured everything onto the mattress, counting and recounting with a critical eye.
It was a lot, shockingly so when compared to Emma’s living conditions, but still nowhere near enough to purchase the laptop Olivia used in her own world.
That laptop had been a masterpiece.
The keypad never faded, each alphabet and numerical key encased in glass. The entire body had been crafted from real gold.
Olivia exhaled slowly.
She wasn’t happy with this world, but there was one thing about it that kept her from loathing it completely.
Freedom.
Money lay in front of her, money she could spend however she wished. She could walk out, buy what she needed, and not have to watch her back like a hunted animal. No pitiful stares from citizens who recognized her face from the news, no whispers about the latest assassination attempt.
She sighed softly.
After that thought surfaced, she forced herself to endure. This world wasn’t entirely bad.
Her eyes swept the room again. It needed polishing, serious polishing, but that could wait.
Right now, she was starving.
She rose from the bed and opened the wardrobe, pulling out a towel and fresh clothes before stepping out.
Darling watched her in silence.
The system couldn’t understand the sudden calm. Just minutes ago, Olivia had been on the verge of exploding, rage simmering beneath her skin. Now she moved with controlled composure, as though she had already accepted her circumstances.
Darling couldn’t read her thoughts. She wasn’t inside Olivia’s head, and worse, the girl seemed to have forgotten she existed.
What Darling didn’t know was that Olivia’s calm had roots.
She hated Emma… less.
The memory of the loan sharks, the fear, the pressure, the helplessness Emma had lived with, had done something to her. Feeling that turmoil firsthand had shifted something inside Olivia.
Another reason lingered deeper.
Emma was sponsoring two girls’ education. She made sure her blind mother was safe. After exhausting workdays, she still rushed home to cook.
It forced Olivia to understand her.
She didn’t like the family, really still didn’t, but she was smart enough to know that Emma hadn’t chosen this life.
For the first time, Olivia understood what the system meant.
Her potential could fix Emma’s world.
Even without a mission attached, there were two people she would willingly deal with.
The loan sharks.
And Sammy.
With steady steps, Olivia headed toward the bathroom, her expression calm but calculating.
She found herself thinking the same thing Emma often did.
There was something wrong with the Williams family’s fate.
After accessing more of Emma’s memories, Olivia realized the girl was qualified for better jobs, far better. Yet every time she tried to move forward, something pushed her back.
Jobs that promised her a start date suddenly pretended she never existed.
The only places that accepted her were humiliating ones, like the shop that sold food nearing expiration.
Emma believed it was a warning.
A reminder not to dream too big. To survive on scraps. To stay small.
Olivia didn’t believe in coincidences.
Someone powerful was suppressing this family.
But who?
The bathroom pulled her from her thoughts.
It was clean. Neat. It smelled faintly of soap.
There was no jacuzzi, but the shower looked new, recently installed after Emma’s acting job slightly improved her finances. The cemented floor immediately joined Olivia’s mental list of renovations.
She showered quickly and headed to the living room.
Unlike her mansion, where meals were served in a formal dining hall, Emma’s family ate in the sitting room.
The entire family sat on the couch.
Silent.
The twins’ eyes locked onto her. They looked like they wanted to rush over, then hesitated, staying rooted where they were.
Olivia’s gaze met Nemo’s.
She remembered now that he wasn’t just a pet. He was Emma’s comfort, her only confidant.
For reasons she didn’t fully understand, guilt pricked her chest.
Not for the family, because she still believed they were part of Emma’s burden.
But for Emma.
For calling her a fool.
Anyone trapped in that life would struggle.
Emma wasn’t weak.
She was strong, brutally so.
“Is there food?” Olivia asked. “I’m hungry.”
The twins’ eyes lit up instantly.
“Yes, Sister Emma! Mommy, Amy, and I cooked today!” Amelia chirped excitedly.
Olivia stared at her blankly, then nodded. “Go bring it.”
She walked toward Caroline, who sat quietly with Nemo beside her, and took the seat opposite the woman.
She scanned the room once before returning her gaze to Caroline.
The twins sprinted off toward the kitchen.
Olivia realized Darling had gone silent and was about to search for the system when the voice sounded in her mind.
“I’m here.”
Olivia ignored it.
“Baby, how was work today?” Caroline asked softly.
Olivia wanted to brush it off, but when she saw the woman’s smile falter, she answered.
“It was hectic,” she said evenly. “But bearable.”
Caroline’s smile returned immediately. She began talking about the meal, how she had cooked Olivia’s favorite, how she hoped she would like it.
Olivia only hummed in response.
Caroline didn’t mind. She believed her daughter was simply stressed.
Within minutes, the small wooden round table was set.
The food wasn’t extravagant, but the aroma was intoxicating.
Olivia inhaled deeply, like an addict, earning a smile from Caroline and giggles from the twins.
Amy was already filling Nemo’s bowl.
Under Amy’s eager gaze, Olivia began to eat, while Caroline sat anxiously, hoping this time, her daughter would allow her to cook more often.
She had put in extra effort, but then…
Prrrrrrrrr.
Olivia froze.
Her mouth fell open.
The half-chewed food nearly slipped out.
Silence slammed into the room.
Her eyes widened in horror.
She had just farted.
Oh God.
This had to be Emma’s body.
There was absolutely no way it was her.