"Oh my good Lord." Amy had her eyes glued to Olivia's fingers as she turned it from side to side, admiring the ring on it. It was obvious that she was so amazed by it. She had never seen something so extraordinary in all her life.

The kitchen was entirely quiet as Olivia smiled cheekily, trying so hard to bite back on her excitement. She loved how her cousin's jaw dropped lower with every second.

Amy raised her head to meet Olivia's. "This is a dream isn't it?" Amy asked her. Olivia shook her head, biting hard on her lip. It wasn't a dream. She was still trying to wrap her head around it herself. She still couldn't believe it. "Wow. This is really good news sister."

"Tell me about it. I still can't believe it myself." Olivia said. "And that's not all, Rafael wants us to break the news to his parents over lunch this afternoon. The chairman has invited us for lunch."

"By chairman, you mean Randy Okonkwo?" Amy asked her and Olivia nodded. "The famous Godfather?"

"Yes." Olivia whispered. "Him." She was giving Amy more reasons to not shut her mouth. Olivia exhaled and then reached for Amy's hands. She wrapped hers around them and then squeezed them gently.

"I'm just happy everything is falling in place Amy. For the first time in my life, everything feels right. Everything feels perfect, you know."

"You've been through a lot Olivia, but just look how you've managed to rise above everything. You got your freedom back, got your daughter back, you got justice for the wrongs that were done to you, you have a man that loves you unconditionally, that would move mountains for you and then there's that job you just got, I don't see God blessing you in any other way sister."

Olivia exhaled.

"You managed to get through everything in the end even when you thought you couldn't." Amy had a chunk load of tears in her eyes, and she couldn't even hide it anymore. "You're going to start over again, God is giving you a chance to start over again but this time with someone deserving of you, with someone that would never hurt you."

Olivia let out an exhale as she watched tears fall from her cousin's eyes. She slowly took her hand away so she could reach for it and help her wipe it.

"You're happy," Amy let out a sniff, followed by a soft chuckle as she felt Olivia's hands rest on her face.

"Thank you Amy." She told her. "I would never have gone this far without you, without your support and unending loyalty, without your love." Olivia was trying so hard to stop herself from crying too. "You've been a sister to me these past few years, my sister and I just wanted you to know how grateful I am and how special you are to me and I hope God keeps us both alive so I can be able to repay your kindness one day."

Amy scoffed.

"What are you talking about? It's what family does. You're more than my cousin, you're my sister, and there's nothing I would not do for you."

A warm smile appeared on Olivia's face just as another tear fell from her eyes. She slowly leaned closer to Amy and then hugged her as tight as she could.

"Thank you."

************************************************

"Woah,"

Olivia couldn't take off the stench of surprise in her eyes the moment they drove past the huge silver gate. Olivia held her breath in excitement as they drove down the cleared pathway between the two perfectly mowed lawns, leading to the vast two stories at the far end of the road. It was the biggest two stories she had ever seen. She could have sworn she couldn't find the end of the building. She had never seen anything like it before. She stuck her head out of the window the moment they drove past the Cupid fountain.  She could see statues of what looked like philosophers on the lawn, and there it was, the biggest statue of them all, the chairman's.

Rafael noticed how excited she was, taking a quick glance at her through his thick sunglasses with a wide smirk on his face right before turning back to the steering. Olivia loved how the birds chirped in the sky even though it was past morning. She loved how the air and everything surrounding it smelt so much like nature, a huge smile growing on her face at the sight of the white roses growing in the garden and the lilies that blossomed right beside them.

She drew a deep breath .

She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. She slowly turned back to Rafael who stole another quick glance at her just to see the excitement on her face. He reached for her hand and engulfed it with his, driving closer to the house. Olivia turned to the house as they got really close. She could see an older man in a suit standing right in front of the door with a young maid standing close to him. They both had bright smiles on their faces.

She watched as a younger man in a suit hurried to them the moment the car came to a stop. That was it. That was the moment she had spent the entire morning preparing for, lunch with her future in-laws. All of a sudden, she wasn't really sure she was brave anymore. She took a deep breath the moment she realized that they were actually there. Having lunch with the Okonkwo's wasn't just words anymore, they were words coming to life. She felt all her courage slip through her palms as she slowly tried to wipe off the sweat on them on her silky Oxblood short dress she had picked at the mall earlier. Yes, she had actually shopped for the occasion. She knew how much of a perfectionist Rafael's Mother was.

Lucy had given her the briefs. She had to make sure she was up to date on everything even when Rafael told her it didn't matter. Olivia could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead. It was like the air conditioning in the car wasn't working anymore, like she was slowly suffocating from all of that nervousness. The last time she was in a house to see the parents of the man that had proposed to her in Christmas, she was literally kicked out. Family meals weren't exactly her thing.

She felt his warm hand tighten it's grip on hers slowly. She turned to him, a gashing look of worry evident in her eyes. Rafael let out a warm smile. She knew he was trying to give her courage, to give her all the courage she needed and at that moment, it felt like nothing else mattered. She felt like she could do anything. Olivia let out a sigh the moment she heard the door open. She slowly turned to the chauffeur beside her and took his hands as he helped her out of the car. She tried so hard to stop her legs from shaking so hard.

She heard a loud bark as a dog pushed its way out of the house the moment Rafael walked away from the car and threw the keys to the man beside her. The dog ran as fast as it could to Rafael with its tongue stuck out just as he bent over to give him a rub on his fur. A huge smile appeared on his face as she watched the dog lick Rafael's face, making Rafael chuckle over and over again.

"Hello Louis."

That must have been it. Rafael's fifteen year old birthday gift from Sommadina, the Golden retriever he told her about one or two times in the past. Rafael slowly got up from the ground just as the butler and maid walked towards them, maintaining the smiles on their faces.

"Welcome home young sir," they bowed slowly in respect. "The chairman and chairwoman are waiting for you," The butler turned to Olivia. "And your guest of course."

"This way please." The maid gestured to the front door. Rafael walked to Olivia and held on to her hand. She turned to him.

"You ready?"

She faked a smile and then nodded.

Olivia exhaled as the maid led them into the house, through the huge door. She inhaled sharply as the sweet fragrance of jasmine filled the air, and the breeze from the air conditioning made the house so cool. Olivia kept her eyes on the marbled walls endowed with majestic paintings as they walked down the hallway, her heels knocking silently on the shiny glossy floors on their way. Olivia could basically see her reflection in it.

"I want everywhere to be perfect,"
She clenched her fists at the sound of Sommadina's authoritative voice as they drew closer to the room at the side of the hallway, where maids were running in and out of.

"The China wares go to the dining." She said to a maid with a pile of glass plates. She bowed and then hurried along. That had to be the kitchen with the way the workers kept walking out with plates of food and napkins. Olivia had never seen anything so organized before in all her previous life of luxury. It was like everyone knew their place, they knew what they had to do, what they were supposed to do.

"Mum."
She saw Sommadinah make an abrupt pause the moment she heard Rafael call out her name. She slowly turned to them with a huge smile on her face. She looked so bright, brighter than the last time Olivia saw her.

"My son." She hurried to them with her eyes wide open.  Olivia stepped out of the way just so she didn't have to be an obstruction. She bit on her lip the moment she saw her wrap her arms around Rafael, a warm smile on her face. She felt so happy to see him.

"My beautiful boy. I've missed you so much."

"Mum," Rafael slowly pulled her away from him, the smile on his face remaining the same. "You don't have to be dramatic. We saw just a few days ago remember?"

"I've been away from you for so long, so forgive me if I'm always very happy to see your face again. After all, you're my only son."

Rafael scoffed the moment she squeezed his hands.

"Thank you for allowing this mum, for inviting us."

Us?

It was only at that moment Sommadina had realized that Rafael wasn't alone. She had totally forgotten that Olivia was standing right beside him. She took a deep breath, the smile on her face fading as she slowly turned to her.

"Good afternoon mother." Olivia forced a smile on her face the moment Sommadina examined her from head to toe and then back to her head again, her eyes settling on the tiny bag in her hand. Olivia raised it up so she could see. "We got you something." Olivia stretched the bag to her, brining out the wine in it slightly so she could see.  "Rafael told me it is your favorite."

"Mother? Aren't you a bit too old to refer to me in that term?" She asked her. "We're almost the same age."

"Mother," Rafael exhaled as she returned her gaze to him, and Olivia pursed her lip in utmost embarrassment. "Not today, please." Sommadina sighed.  "Olivia is our guest and I'd like it if you could just try to accept her and get to know her today, because she's just as important to me. Or we could leave, right now-"

"Of course not." She snapped at him, squeezing his hands as tight as she could. "Why would you leave me because of her? I've not seen you in almost a year, you're so mean."  She said beneath gritted teeth and then clicked her tongue. "Whatever, Whatever." She rolled her eyes. "I'd hold my tongue today just because I want to spend more time with my beautiful boy." She squeezed his cheeks and then slowly turned back to Olivia.

She let out a frustrated exhale and then turned to the maid that had walked them in.

"Take that to the cellar." She instructed the maid and then turned back to Rafael as the maid hurried to the wine, taking it carefully from Olivia.

"You both came right in time. The table is set and your father has been waiting for you." She pulled Rafael's arm, the smile on her face brightening. "Let's eat?"