Olivia North

I woke up from the smell of something being cooked. i willed to open my eyes and get up from the bed. as i have opened my eyes and readied it be adjusted from the brightness, my phone rang. i quickly opened my eyes to look for my phone somewhere around my room until i noticed that I wasnt in my apartment. oh yeah right, i am in Zac's apartment. last night, i decided to go to here to tell him about the presscon that dad was planning. he comforted me and offered me to stay for the night and cooked me my favorite spaghetti with meatballs. Unlike me, Zac knows how to cook, he was taught by mom because she said that we need to learn how to cook to survive on our own.

i decided to go out of my room and head towards my brother's kitchen. there i saw him flipping the steak from the pan. i went to his fridge to take a bottle of water to drink. he looked at me weirdly and continued cooking.

"I know what youre thinking, Zac, that youre sister is so beautiful even when she just woke up." i said to him and placed myself on one of his kitchen stools.

Zac snorted and said, "You know what, Nick is right, you really think highly of yourself." he joked.

"not funny, zac. please dont spoil my mood, i woke up in a very good mood today" i pouted and furrowed my brows.

he chuckled, he put the steak in front of me and proceeded to ruffle my hair. i patted his hand and commented, "you know, i really really love your cooking but seriously, steak in the morning?"

"it's already 6 in the evening, idiot."

i gasped and checked the clock hung on his wall. it really is 6 in the evening. i slept half of day? i thought.

"Yes, you slept half of the day." my brother affirmed.

"what? did i say it out loud?" i asked in horror.

"no you didnt but i knew that was what you were thinking. now, eat you piglet." he teased and started digging.

"call me that again and i will stab you with a fork." i threatened him and started eating.

"No need to be violent, piggy." he teased again and I smacked his arm. He laughed.

"You know, I have the right to be violent to you because of what you've been doing to me at the office. You give me your meetings, you give me short notices to draft a proposal, cover letters, and what not." I complained while stuffing myself with a piece of steak.

He chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"That's how I train you, my dear sister."

"Exactly, I am your sister. Be nice a little, you moron." I replied.

"I can't promise that I'll be nice." he told me as we resumed eating.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Seriously, Livy, Niccolo is a good man. i've known him since he was an intern in our company." Zac said.

currently, we are sitting on his floor while playing snakes and ladders on his coffee table. Childish but timeless, and this is one of our favorite board games to play.

"So he was an intern in our company?" i raised my brows.

"yup, and after he graduated, he worked in our company for 3 years. after that, he resigned and started building his company."he explained and rolled the dice.

"were you two close? or was he close to dad?" i inquired while he's busy counting the square.

"yup, until now. you see, he is a very good man. Responsible, respectful, and most importantly, a good father to Dylan." he said while tossing me the dice. i rolled the dice and counted the box, oh my god, i landed at the mouth of the longest snake.

"ugh, what the hell?!" Zac chuckled and uttered, "i guess im going to win, Livy."

"no you wont, you ninny." i said.

While he was rolling the dice, i inquired again. "so you met the kid?"

"yup, a couple of times actually. he looks so much Niccolo. anyway, why are you suddenly so interested in Niccolo?" he wriggled his eyebrows and he looks so funny.

"because i want to know if he's really a good man like what dad has been saying." i rolled my eyes and rolled the dice again.

"He really is a good man, Olivia. that's why i was shocked to know that he agreed to marry you." he stated and rolled the dice again.

"maybe because he wanted more money or the status im bringing when he married me." i answered his question and what the hell, he won.

"i won!! in your face, Livy." he exclaimed while waving his arms side to side. seriously, if someone saw him now, no one would think that he acts like this. in the office, he would be the almighty Zachary North, but when he's with me or alone, he acts like a 3 year old.

"Anyway, I don't think he's doing it for money. He's a good guy. Maybe he did it for some other reasons. Seriously, try to get to know him before you throw a tantrum, piglet."

I threw a pillow to him and it hit his face. His expression was so epic that I laughed so hard. But I stopped when a pillow hit my face and it hurts. I felt the force he exerted on throwing the pillow. I saw him laughing his ass off, I glared at him and was about to throw him another pillow when another pillow hit my face.

I heard him say loser and we started to have pillow fight.

The next day, as I was preparing my breakfast, I heard my doorbell ringing, I saw Jones at the video intercom. I clicked open on the intercom to automatically open the door. I saw Jones entered and stopped at the foyer and spoke. "Ms. Livy, I am here to fetch you."

Of course he is. My dad surely thought about me ditching the press conference he set up today.

"Whatever, Jones, I am here at the kitchen." I replied while I took another egg from the fridge. I turned around to face him as I sensed his presence, and saw him smiling. I rolled my eyes at him and went to the stove.

"Do you want some egg sandwich?" I asked and cracked the egg to the pan.

"Apologies, Ms. Livy but I already had breakfast." he answered.

He did not just reject my offer and what's with him calling me Ms. Livy, there's no one here. I took a deep breath and turned around to face him. I folded my arms across my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. I saw him smiled and he spoke, "Perhaps I can still eat your sandwich, Livy."

I smiled upon hearing that.

We were eating in silence when Jones decided to break it.

"You know, you have to get ready now for the presscon, Livy." he stated carefully while looking at my eyes.

I looked at him sadly and put my sandwich back to my plate.

"Jones, I really don't want to go. If I go there and announce that Niccolo and I are in a relationship, then this marriage agreement thing will now be real to me. That means we needed to be seen together often and by doing that, we have to go on dates and be mushy mushy with each other. And that would give Dad more reasons to push the wedding, and that's what I don't want. I've been delaying everything for a month now." I said in a silent tone.

"Did you ask your dad why did he want to marry you off to Mr. Knights?" Jones asked.

"I did, and he only told me that Niccolo is good for me, and I don't see how is he good for me. If I know better, he's only doing this for money." I said truthfully.

"Maybe he saw something in him that he knew he can trust him for you. Why don't you try to get to know him, Livy. He seems a good guy. Also, I don't think he's doing this for money, if he really does, then your father would've sensed it already and won't ask him marry you." he commented and I sighed.

"Trust me, he's doing this for money." I affirmed.

"How do you know?" he inquired.

"Because that's what every one wants." I said in a duh tone.

"You will only know if you try to get to know him. Besides, your father won't go into great lengths such as trying to shut your charities, if he doesn't trust Niccolo for you." he suggested and yes, he knows about it because he was with Belle and I when we prepared all the documents.

I sighed and thought about my two charities, The Angels' Cabin and Hope for Elderly. I first founded the Cabin when I was 16 years old, when I saw a 5 year old boy crying at the mall while I was shopping with Erin and Jowee. We went to him and asked his name and why was he crying and all alone. He looked at us and I saw fright in his eyes and plead to us to not hurt him. I assured him that we're not bad guys and then, he proceeded to tell us that his mother left him here at the mall since morning and he's been wandering around to look for her. He also showed us a note that says she could no longer support Brandon, the boy's name, that's why she left him here and hoped that someone would take him. It angered me because of her irresponsibility and because no one in this mall helped the child. I told him that we will help him and bought him food. After that, we went to the police station with Brandon to report his case. The police called for the social welfare and reported his case. We waited for the representative to come to the police station. They interviewed us about how we saw Brandon. After that, they took Brandon away.

That night, I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking about Brandon. I knew how being abandoned feels like, and it hurts like hell. It cuts you deeply. And with that, I promised to myself that I wont let any children to feel that way. So, I founded The Angels' Cabin to give not just a roof for the abandoned and abused children but to also give love to them. Then, at the age of 20, I founded Hope for Elderly for the abandoned elders.

"ivia... Olivia." My reminiscence were interrupted by Jones by calling my name and shaking me a little.

I looked at him and raised my brows. "You were calling me?" I asked.

"Yes, I was. Please don't tell me you're thinking about ditching the presscon today." Jones asked nervously.

"I was thinking about the Cabin and the Hope." I chuckled.

He sighed and thanked God. I looked at him weirdly and asked, "What made you think that?" as i took a bite of my sandwich again.

"Because I know you, Livy. I know what you're capable of doing once you set your mind to it." he answered truthfully and looked at his wrist watch and added, "You need to get ready. You're dad will surely kill me if we come there late."

I rolled my eyes and stuffed myself with the last bite of my egg sandwich. I gulped some water and stood up to put my plates on the sink.

"Leave it, let me wash the dishes so you can get ready now." I heard Jones said and smiled at him.

I walked to my room to get ready for this day.