Chapter 28 Investigating the Past
Windy leaned in to apologize, her eyes faintly showing a hint of anticipation. She wanted to see Olivia angry and upset.
But Olivia wasn't mad. She gave a mocking smile, making Windy feel uneasy.
Windy couldn't help but ask, "What are you laughing at?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Well, that must've been tough for you. I've noticed, Windy, you've got real potential to be a maid. You even took care of my husband for a whole night. Next time you look after him, just let me know in advance. I'll pay you for your work."
The smile on Windy's face vanished instantly.
Olivia stepped closer and lowered her voice. "But you can say stuff like this to me, just don't go spreading it around outside. Luca and I aren't divorced yet. People might easily misunderstand if they hear you took care of him for a night."
Windy's expression soured, and Olivia felt a surge of satisfaction. "People might start saying you go after married men and break up families—just like your mother did."
Windy's face went pale in an instant, her body trembling with anger. A flash of bitter hatred appeared in her eyes. "Olivia, why do you have to bring up my mother again?" Windy choked out, tears streaming down her face.
Olivia almost had to give her credit. Those tears came so quickly—even professional actresses couldn't pull it off like she could.
Just then, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
It was Luca. He hadn't seen Windy come downstairs for a while, so he came up to check. He saw her holding a bowl of pasta, standing in front of Olivia, crying pitifully. Olivia, on the other hand, looked cold and indifferent, as if she was bullying Windy.
"What's going on?" Luca frowned, walking over to demand, "What did you say to her this time?"
"Luca…" Windy cried even harder, explaining through her sobs. "I just saw that Olivia hadn't eaten dinner, so I kindly brought her some food. But she said such harsh things and even insulted my mother…" She cried louder, as if Olivia's words were incredibly cruel.
Luca's face darkened. "Olivia, do you really have to talk to her like that? If you were a bit nicer, you wouldn't keep making her cry like this!"
His unwavering defense of Windy made Olivia furious. "This is just how I am. If you can't stand it, you can take her and leave right now! And one more thing—I'm not teaching her anything about work. Let me make myself clear: I don't have to, and I don't want to!”
Luca's expression changed. He was about to speak, but Olivia cut him off. "If you push me any further, I'll call Grandpa right now and tell him how you're forcing me for Windy!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Luca's face turned ice-cold. "Grandpa's health isn't good. Don't bother him!"
Olivia's gaze was firm. "If he gets bothered, it's your fault. Why don't I even have the right to say no? If you don't want to disturb Grandpa, then stop annoying me with this nonsense!"
Luca frowned, his eyes burning with anger. But Olivia wasn't scared at all. She stared back at him calmly, showing no sign of backing down.
After a tense standoff, Luca had no choice but to give in. He didn't want this mess to reach Grandpa and get scolded again.
Luca took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration, and comforted the still-crying Windy. "Windy, go back for now. Let's drop this. I'll find you a teacher another day."
Windy froze, biting her lip in reluctance. She hadn't managed to drive a bigger wedge between the two of them, so she spoke pitifully, "I haven't finished dinner yet, and I'm scared to go back alone…" Her eyes were full of pleading, begging Luca not to leave her on her own.
In the past, Luca would've softened immediately and gone with her to eat. But now, after Olivia had irritated him, he wasn't in the mood to eat at all.
"Have the driver take you to your favourite restaurant. Eat there and then head home."
Windy sensed the coldness in his tone and felt even angrier inside. She didn't dare show it, though, and obediently agreed. "Okay, I'll go now." Windy left with the bowl of pasta.
Luca wanted to say something else, but Olivia's cold expression made it clear she didn't want to talk. He lost the desire to speak altogether.
After he left the room, Olivia walked over with a cold face and shut the door.
The room was quiet now. But her empty stomach reminded her that she needed to eat something.
Olivia instinctively pressed her hand to her stomach. She couldn't skip meals. If she didn't take care of her body, how would she have the energy to deal with these people? How would she get a divorce and have her surgery?
Olivia walked to the window and saw the driver already taking Windy away. She went downstairs to the living room.
Luca wasn't there either. She didn't know if he'd left with Windy or gone somewhere else.
The maid set out the food and pulled out a chair for Olivia. "Madam, please enjoy your meal."
Olivia nodded, sat down, and sipped the warm, nourishing soup.
The living room was silent except for the sound of her quietly eating.
At that moment, soft chatter came from the kitchen where the maids were talking.
"Looks like Master took Windy out for dinner again. Poor Madam, eating alone at home."
"It's just a business marriage anyway. Master doesn't even like her. He's never spent time with her all these years."
"I don't get it. Madam's beautiful and capable. Why doesn't he like her?"
"Seems like Master really cares about Windy."
Olivia gripped her spoon tightly. Hearing this made her feel even worse.
She forced herself not to care and kept sipping her soup, but her mind wandered to something else.
During her therapy session that afternoon, she had a dream about drowning. It felt so real.
So real that even now, just thinking about it, she felt like her whole body was submerged in icy water.
Had she really experienced drowning before?
If that's what caused her memory loss, then what had happened in those lost moments?
And her mom had never said a word about any of this. If it was just an accident, knowing her mom, she would've told her. Unless it was something too painful to talk about.
Her mother had already passed away, so she couldn't ask her. And she had no intention of contacting her deadbeat father.
But…
Olivia suddenly thought of someone.
The maid, Elena.
Elena had worked for her mother and taken care of Olivia as well. After her mother passed, Olivia no longer needed care, so Elena quit her job, returned to her hometown, got married, and started a family. They'd lost contact since then.
Maybe Elena knew about the past and the drowning incident.
Olivia hurried upstairs, opened her laptop, and found Elena's name in her private email. Below it was a fixed phone number and address.
It wasn't too late in the evening. Olivia picked up her phone and dialed the number.
The phone rang a few times before a gentle woman's voice answered.
"Hello, who is it?"