A Dangerous Liaison

-7-

Olivia

Sunday 

The house had never felt so quiet. A disquieting knot twisted cruelly in Olivia's stomach, the chilling silence awfully deafening as she ambled towards the living room, the images of this past week parading themselves in her head. The memory of Pa on his bed - cold and unresponsive - haunted her unceasingly. She simply couldn't shake the recollection of it - it frightened her at night, and those visions tormented her.

There was so much she had hoped to share with him, so many moments she had imagined they would experience together, all now lost to time. She had tried to bury herself in her studies, to focus on the upcoming winter exams, but Akira was absent, preoccupied with his restaurant, and so his promise fell short, and she found it impossible to concentrate on even the simplest tasks.

Every time she opened a textbook or attempted to take down notes, her mind inevitably drifted back to her father. She wondered if he had been afraid before the end, if there was something he had wanted to tell her but never got the chance. The thought of him dying alone, collapsing with the grim knowledge that his heart was failing, pushed her anxiety to unbearable heights. How cruel and relentless must death be? How terrifying?

Sitting on the sofa, staring quietly out at the garden, Olivia heard footsteps approaching from behind. Nino entered the room, accompanied by a man she assumed was their father's lawyer, followed by the rest of her siblings. Ma walked in last, her arm linked with Star's. Everyone, except the lawyer, was dressed in black. Ma had insisted the family mourn for another four weeks to pay the utmost respect to their late father, and no one had dared to contradict her wish. So, they remained in black, both at home and, most importantly, in public.

Everyone in the room was on edge, anticipating Nino's next words—the reading of the will was a delicate matter, requiring time and care. And it wasn't for the faint hearted, neither. 

Like Olivia, Kita had taken time off from his studies. Pa's secretary, P'Deen, had handled the arrangements, ensuring both children had the time they needed to grieve, with the option to catch up on their studies when they were ready and in a positive mindset. Olivia was relieved; she wasn't prepared to return to school, dreadeding any social interaction and even more unwilling to confront the outside world, burden her friends with her grief, or fall under the attention of the public eye. 

Ma had demanded that nobody leave the house until the mourning period ended, but understandably, most of her children disobeyed that order as they had to work and attend pressing  business matters that required attention outside the family estate. Olivia and Kita were the only two that remained put, not daring to risk upsetting their grieving mother any further - comforting her was a challenge, for all she did was push them away. 

Kita sat beside her, taking her cold hand in his. He squeezed it gently, pressing his forehead against her temple in silent comfort. She felt a lump in her throat, preventing her from speaking, crying, or even expressing her gratitude with a sigh. Kita always knew how to keep her afloat, far from her own thoughts; in turn, did her best to support him in every way she could. 

The lawyer cleared his throat, prying open the file in his hand. "First, I would like to express my condolences to your family. It was an absolute pleasure to work for, and with, Mr. Jitkunattapol. I was truly devastated by the news," the lawyer began, briefly glancing up with a fragile smile.

"Despite your husband's passing, Mrs. Jitkunattapol, there are legal matters regarding the will that must be addressed. I have a copy of Mr. Jitkunattapol's wishes, detailing the distribution of his assets, estates, and personal belongings," he began, turning the page. "As per tradition, the youngest member of the family will receive their inheritance first."