Niccolo Knights

When I heard about the name of the visitor, the hairs on the back of my neck went up. I willed my feet to walk me to the drawing room and face him.

Before I entered the room, I took a series of deep breathes and gulped to calm myself down. I didn't know that the day I will face him with uneasiness and nervousness will come. After one last deep breath, I went inside.

There I saw him sitting on the couch with a slight frown in his face. He looked deep in thought to notice that I entered. I tried to greet him but nothing came out so I cleared my throat. Through that, I got his attention and he looked at me, he nodded at me and pointed the couch for me to sit.

This is the first time he didn't smile when he saw me. Usually he would smile happily whenever he sees me. Well, what can I do? His daughter and I are not in good terms these days. What do I expect?

"Good morning, Tony." I greeted him seriously and took a sit in front of me.

He nodded and spoke, "I knew what happened and it wasn't Olivia who told me about it." He started and I know for a fact that Tony's not a guy who will beat around the bush. If he wants to say something, he'll say it to you frankly, just like Olivia.

I stayed silent because I didn't know what to say so I just looked at the ground.

"Zac did that you, right?" He asked and I know he's pertaining about the black eye I have then he continued.

"When Olivia was born, she was premature, she was so little and she needed to be kept in an incubator. We never held her for more than 30 minutes because she needed to go back to the incubator. Zachary was so heart broken when he learned that his sister will be staying at the hospital for two weeks. I remember when we got home, he said to us that once his sister got home, he will protect her from all the dangers in the world because she's his precious little sister." He chuckled lightly and I can see it in his eyes that he misses the good old day.

"When Emilia died, he was the one who took care of Olivia. He would call her almost everyday to ask if someone bullied her or if someone tried to take advantage of her even though he knew that she can take care of herself. Livy on the other hand would show him irritation but she's actually liking it." He smiled upon mentioning Livy's name.

"Then there's this one time she didn't know that Zac was at the manor and she came home with a big scratch on her arm. It's actually a scratch that was made by fingernails. Zac asked her what happened but she said that she had it when she was playing volleyball. Zac instantly knew that Olivia's lying so he didn't push her and treated her immediately. Then he asked Erin secretly and she told him that Livy has a foe in their school and her name's Cassandra."

"She bullies her in every possible ways but being a tough woman my daughter is and through the help of Erin and Jowee, they just ignore her until..." He took a deep breathe and shook his head lightly.

"Until Olivia learned about Cassandra sleeping with her boyfriend back then in highschool." I looked at him with shock evident in my face. Olivia must have gotten mad and saw red and attacked Cassandra when she knew about it.

"She was so mad at her and at Jason when she knew about it. Then just like a tough woman she is, she broke up with him on that day. She didn't even let them see that she was hurt nor angry, she just walked away." Tony said sadly while I, on the other hand, couldn't quite comprehend  what Tony just said. That she just walked away. Then he continued speaking.

"In college, they became schoolmates again, Olivia and Cassandra. They were in the same course but in different majors. Cassandra tried everything to bully Olivia again but she never succeeded because my daughter just ignored her antics towards her. Then when Cassandra knew about Olivia's relationships with Francis that time, she slept with him again and this time, Olivia saw them doing it at his apartment on the night of their anniversary. Same as what happened in their highschool, she broke up with him that night and walked away."

I frowned deeply as to what he just said. How did she not became angry? How did she not hit him or her when she learned and saw about them cheating on her. And why the fuck did this Cassandra tried to sleep with every man Olivia dated.

Then it dawned on me, that was why Olivia became so overprotective and territorial whenever Cassandra's appearing in front of us. Also, how did she cope up with her feelings back then?

"You see Niccolo, Olivia is a strong and independent woman. You know it right? But it was just her exterior facade. So when she got out of Francis' apartment, she went straight to Erin and Jowee's apartment and cried. She let her pain out and sought consolation in her two bestfriends. And you Niccolo, in the small amount of time you've been with her, you saw how sensitive she was." I nodded but he shook his head.

"You didn't see it, Niccolo." He told me and I tilted my head in confusion. I didn't see what? I asked myself.

"She showed it you. She trusted you her feelings and believed that you will not break it and hurt her." He paused and assessed me and continued.

"She showed you her true self. She showed you her vulnerability. She cried in front of you, she shares to how her day went, she complained to you the things that irked her, and most importantly, she gave and entrusted her heart to you. She loves you, Niccolo." I don't think I heard him right. I don't think she loves me, right? I heard her telling her friends that she was only acting.

Fuck! I don't understand! I stood up and went to the window. I don't know anything! What the fuck! What about what I heard about her acting only? Shit! I don't know what to think anymore.

"You know, why I chose you to marry her?" Tony spoke again.

"It's because I saw it in you that you will take care of her, that you will make her happy, and that you will love her unconditionally. And I was right Nick, you took care of her, you made her happy, and you love her but then I didn't see that you took your time in knowing who she really was and that you judged her without a doubt. You saw her as the heiress she is, a cold, arrogant, and a bitch." I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe, no I didn't see her like that.

I just think that she has a very strong personality and always will do whatever she does as long as she delivered it to the person.

"She's actually not like that. She's the most kind hearted person I knew and I wasn't saying it because she is my daughter but because I've seen her being one. She helps the one in need, Niccolo. Everyone around her that she kept with her today, she gave them a helping hand."

"Jones, I hired him as Olivia's bodyguard and chauffer because she saw him in the hospital, while we were accompanying Emilia to her check ups, literally on his knees begging the doctor to proceed with the brain operation to save his son. Livy begged me to help him and of course before I helped him, I did a background check at him and knew that he's a retired army. That's why I offered him to work for me to guard my daughter."

"As per Belle, she was the daughter of her highschool janitress, Jacinda. Jacinda was the one who always accompany Olivia whenever she's staying late in her school due to her extracurricular activities. That's why when she knew that her daughter won't be able to go to college, she offered her to pay Belle's tuition but Jacinda turned it down because it would look like that she befriended Olivia for her money. So instead, she offered Belle a job, to be her personal assistant while she's studying in college."

I saw Tony smiling proudly but the sadness in his was still evident. I sighed and listened when he spoke again.

"When Belle graduated, Olivia told her that it will be the end of her being her PA because she wanted her to practice what she studied for. But Belle didn't want to leave Olivia so my daughter thought of a way to retain her as her PA as well as to let her practice her course. And that was appointing her the Director of her charities. Whe--"

"Charities? What do you mean about charities?" I asked in so much confusion. All these revelations made me want to cut open my brain.

I heard Tony sighed and I looked at him.

"You still didn't know, didn't you? When Livy's 16 years old, she founded The Angels' Cabin and four years later, she founded Hope for Elderly. I'm pretty sure you know those charities are." Tony paused when she saw the shocked look on my face. I guess he's giving me time to let all the information sink in to me.

Those two charities, they're like the biggest charities in the country that helps and gives home to children and elders that were abandoned, harassed, and being battered by their loved ones. They help them by giving them a safe place to stay, to give the children education to prep them for their future, and they help elders in their medical needs.

No one knew who the founder of those charities are for she was always represented by someone. Now that I knew who it was, I just couldn't believe it.

"She never showed herself in any of those gatherings..." I spoke in small tone.

"That's because she's afraid that when people knew that she's the founder, they'll pull out their fundings. You see, Niccolo, Olivia may look like she's tough and a bitch, but she's not even close to it."

"Ah, Bethany, you know why she hates her so much? That's because she was the daughter of one of the elders in hope. She saw in the cctv that she splashed water to her father. That's why every time she sees her, she always humiliate her because she wanted her to feel the humiliation her father felt."

That was why she hated her so much. That's why on the night of our dinner, she was so adamant for a glass of water even though she's carrying heavy comforters and linens. And that's why she poured water on her head not because she called her Livy, but because she wanted to avenge the poor man.

All this time, she was being arrogant not because she wanted to but because she's returning to them what they did to the person who has no voice nor power to defend themselves.

How the fuck did I overlook into that?

"And do you know that even though she hated me these past few years, she always make it a point to take care of me. She would make me a sandwich every morning of my birthday, she would ask Lorna to put whatever she shopped for me in my closet directly, and she would always kiss me on the forehead every Christmas eve thinking that I was already asleep. That is a kind of person Olivia is." With that, he stood up and patted my shoulder and left me alone in my thoughts.

That night, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned on my bed and thinking how much of a dick and idiot I was. Alex was right, I was afraid to confront her about her feelings towards me because I let my pride dictate over me. I let Cassandra's words get to me.

My phone rang and I saw Domenik's name.

"What did you find?" I asked him not caring for any greetings.

"The photos were from Cassandra Tucker, she was Ms. North's arch enemy since high school. Their history was ---"

"I know that." I interrupted him and walked to my balcony.

"Very well. As I was saying, she has a strong dislike to Ms. North that's why she manipulate the media to tell lies for her. She even asked one of the photographers she's sleeping with to follow Ms. North wherever she goes that's why when they knew about Adolph Vogel, they used it and published that she was cheating on you with him. When in reality, they're in the midst of a business deal and not to mention, Adolph Vogel is gay. He's also Jowee Bradley's second cousin."

Jesus Christ! I really was an idiot! A motherfucking idiot! Geez! I should've asked and confirmed it to her. Oh my God. Then I remember her looking at me dead in the eyes while I was throwing at her those allegations I said to her.

She stayed silent to conceal the hurt she's feeling that moment not bevaise it was true!Oh my God! I really am a fucking idiot!

"Anything else?" I asked gloomily?

"Cassandra Tucker is Rebecca Thompson's cousin." What?! 

"Rebecca who?" I asked him again to confirm if I heard him right.

"Rebecca Thompson, your childhood friend, sir." Domenik told me cautiously and I gasped silently and hung up.

Dear God, this day was full of shocking revelations. From knowing that Olivia loves me, to me being a huge jackass to her, and to knowing that Cassandra's related to Rebecca.

But still I won't jump into useless conclusions because I know Rebecca, she's a kind woman not like her cousin Cassandra. But then she's with Nana all the time, and Nana despised Olivia since the first time she saw her. Knowing Nana, she will try to get to know someone before she judged that person but when she saw Olivia, she hated her immediately and hurled insults at her.

Oh my God. I don't know what to think anymore but there's only one thing I'm sure of, Olivia's was just being framed and I was the dumb one who believed everything without confirming it to her.

*****************
The next day, I decided to go to parents' house and ask Rebecca about her relationship with Cassandra.

As I entered the living room of my parents' house, I heard Jesse reprimanding Ellie.

"Ellie, tell me why are you being disrespectful to Aunt Rebecca? She was only giving you your favorite cupcake and yet instead of telling her that you don't like it you didn't acknowledge her and stormed off. That's not very nice, Ellie." Jesse said in a stern voice.

"I hate her, mommy! I hate Uncle Nick too!" Ellie replied angrily and what did I do for her to hate me? I stay rooted in my place to listen.

"Elly, what are you saying? Why suddenly you hate Rebecca and your Uncle Nick?" Jesse's tone became confused. Well I was confused too.

"She hurt Aunt Livy and Uncle Nick believed Aunt Rebecca without listening to Aunt Livy." Ellie replied and I furrowed my eyes. What was she talking about? I know that it's about the incident but does she know anything?

"Elizabeth, what are trying to say?!" Jesse asked and I heard mom spoke.

"Ellie, is there something you want to tell us?"

"I was trying to scare Aunt Livy when I saw her talking on her phone so I hid behind the bush. Then when I was going to scare her, Aunt Rebecca came and called her a whore. Mommy, you told me that it was a bad word right?" I heard multiple gasps and I believe it came from mom, Jesse, and Tessa.

I fisted my hand when I heard that she called Olivia a whore. Why would she call her a whore? I didn't know that Rebecca can spit out profanities.

And then Ellie resumed telling the story.

"Aunt Livy ignored her by passing her by but Aunt Rebecca held her arm tightly. I could see from the bush that it hurts Aunt Livy so she spoke but she was slapped twice by Aunt Rebecca. Aunt Livy pushed her but Aunt Rebecca pulled her hair. When Aunt Livy got out from her hold Aunt Rebecca said to her that Uncle Nick hates her and preferred her over Aunt Livy. Then that's when Aunt Livy pushed her to the ground and had a fight with her. She scratched Aunt Livy to her arms then daddy and Uncle Nick came to pull them away from each other."

"I thought Uncle Nick will save her but he saved the bad woman, mommy. That's why I hate both of them." After she finished telling the whole story, it's as if I felt my whole world collapse.

I remember how disheveled she looks like and when she pointed her index finger at Rebecca, I saw some blood dripping from her arm. She never forced herself to explain because she knew that no one would believe her, that I will not believe her.

Nevertheless, she walk out from here with her head held high. She didn't show to anyone that she's hurt. Tony's right, she would just walk away without any emotions and would cry somewhere else.

Then I remembered how broken and vulnerable she was when she was crying.

"FUCK!" I shouted and all the ladies looked at me. I didn't care if I spoke a bad word when there's a child in here. I just want to let it out from me.

"Niccolo!" Mom called my name in a tone that is a mixture of warning and surprise.

"Is it true, Ellie? Rebecca hurt Olivia?" I went towards Ellie and Jesse stood beside her daughter and put a hand on me to calm me down.

"Yes, Uncle Nick. You can ask Mrs. Robinson for the footage. She has cctv on her backyard too." Ellie spoke and I looked at Jesse who's also in deep thought.

Mrs. Robinson is the old woman who lives next door, she installed multiple cctvs on her house because her son forced her to when Mr. Robinson died.

"I have to go to Mrs. Robi---"

"I have it already, Niccolo." I turned around and saw Jericho, he has a USB dangling in his hand.

I furrowed my brows and he spoke while walking towards me.

"I'm a lawyer, Nick. When I saw those scratches in Olivia's arm, I knew right away that she was not the one who started the fight. That's why I asked Mrs. Robinson to review her cctv and look what I found." He turned on the tv and plugged in the usb and pressed play.

There I saw the woman I've been missing these past weeks, standing beautifully while talking on the phone. Then Rebecca came and they talked a little, Olivia tried to walk passed her but she held her arm and slapped her both in her cheeks.

Olivia stumbled due to the impact of the slap and she pushed Rebecca away and the cat fight started.

It was true, Olivia didn't do anything and I was so dumb to side with Rebecca. I humiliated her by shouting at her and telling her how a hotheaded woman she is.

I didn't believe her words. I chose to believe someone over the woman I love.

I'm sorry Olivia. I'm so sorry.

Hello!!!

I apologize for all the profane words in the recent chapters and sorry sorry sorry if I offended you with those words.

Anyway, Niccolo now realizes his mistakes. What do you think will happen next?

Dun dun dun...

Please vote for this chapter if you liked it. 🙏

Once again, thank you for reading my book.

xo

kimmypatata.