Only if you know (Book 1)

Chapter 3

After a long, deep sleep, Olivia finally woke around eight the next morning and made her way downstairs. When she stepped into the kitchen, she saw all seated around the table, chatting softly as they ate breakfast together. The sight almost brought a smile to her face, but it didn’t last long because she suddenly had a flashback to her life four years ago.
      Back then, her mornings looked a lot like this. Her mother hummed softly while preparing breakfast, her father teasing her as he helped set the table. And she and Ja... they would laugh, bicker, steal food from each other’s plates until their parents scolded them playfully. It had been an ordinary happiness, the one she’d thought would last forever.
      Olivia turned quietly, not wanting to intrude on their moment. She was about to head back to her room when she heard Eliana’s gentle voice call out from behind her.
      The universe, as usual, has other plans for her.
      “Livy! Good morning, sweetheart. Come, sit down. Have breakfast with us.”
      Olivia hesitated. She didn’t want to. Part of her wanted to disappear upstairs and stay invisible, but her body reminded her of its limits. She had hardly eaten in three days.
      So pushed herself towards them and sat opposite Caleb, who was once again watching her every move. She took a toast and ate it quietly, only speaking when spoken to.
      “How did you sleep, honey?” Eliana asked her gently.
      “All right,” she muttered quietly.
      The tension was palpable in the air, and she knew it was her fault, so she excused herself after a single toast, only to be interrupted once more.
      “Livy, you only ate one toast. A growing girl like you needs to eat,” she said, a worried expression on her face.
      “I am not really hungry,” she admitted quietly, and she wasn’t lying. She used to enjoy eating, but not any longer. She is not dieting or concerned about her weight, but her appetite has deteriorated with her happiness over time.
      “At the very least, sit with us for a while,” William added.
      Reluctantly, Olivia sat back down, folding her hands in her lap as quietness settled over the table once again.
      Eliana, sensing the thick silence at the table, tried to ease the tension by turning to her son. “So, Caleb,” she began brightly, “are you still going to that party tonight?”
      “Yeah,” he replied curtly, his eyes flicking briefly toward Olivia before dropping back to his plate.
      Eliana smiled, as though struck by a brilliant idea. “Why don’t you take Livy with you? It’ll be good for her. She can meet some of your friends.”
      Olivia nearly choked on the sip of water she’d just taken, coughing lightly as her eyes widened in disbelief.
      “Mom,” Caleb groaned, exasperation creeping into his voice. “She doesn’t know anyone there, and they don’t know her either. She’ll just get bored.”
      But only if he knows that the excuse he was giving is not true at all. But she didn't care enough to correct him. As it is, she didn't want to attend any kind of party, but after a few seconds, an idea came to her.
      “I won’t mind going to this party,” she said abruptly. “As you mentioned, I will be attending the same school as him, so this will be an excellent opportunity for me to get to know my peers. It will also serve as a nice distraction.”
      Caleb’s head snapped toward her, his dark eyes glaring at her.
      “So, it’s settled then!” Eliana announced, her voice full of delighted relief. “You two can go together.”
      “Be ready by seven,” Caleb said as he exited the room.
      Olivia didn't want to make him angry or ruin his mood, but she had no choice. Anyway, she won't ruin his night at the party, so he should be fine. With a polite goodbye to Eliana and William, she headed upstairs to her room.

The nerve of that girl!!
      Caleb was beyond irritated. When she showed up in the morning, he actually felt sorry for her and wanted to apologize for his behaviour the day before. But not right now, especially after the stunt she pulled.
      When she was eating, he noticed that she had just eaten a single piece of toast. Even after the unknown, tragic incident that happened to her, she desired to maintain her body. Sick!
      Maybe he wasn't aware of the incident, but he was sure that something terrible had to have happened for her to be shipped here to live with her godparents. He didn't even know who his parents' best friends were, let alone her. He may have seen their picture as a child, but he has no recollection of it.
      But that's beside the point.
      He wasn't sure why, but he's been feeling a wave of unspoken rage towards her, especially since she agreed to go to a party with him. If she believed he would be present at the party with her, she was mistaken because he wouldn't be there to babysit her. His only responsibility was to drive her to the party and drop her off. That's all there was to it.
      That's it. Full stop.