Love Conquers All

Chapter 1

Half way October 1997,  

Three months after the love of Nikita's life Andrew Martinez was buried she misses him still so much like it happened only a few hours ago instead of three months ago 

"Mrs Martinez do you need anything?" One of the many maids in the Martinez household asked softly seeing Nikita hadn't touched her dinner yet, it was nothing new this past three months but all they could do was make sure she eats 

"No thank you, you're free to go home" Nikita answered sadly 

"Are you sure ma'm? " the maid asked 

"Yes, go home, to your husband" Nikita answered chocking up "you're lucky to have a husband so don't waste your time here, go home" she told her wiping her tears "oh Andrew" she sniffed 

-- 

A few hours later, 

The enormous mansion was finally empty and Nikta opened a bottle of red wine and sat down on the steps by the front door, drinking from the bottle instead of a glass, her habit lately 

"Don't worry it's not a habit Andrew my love, I just miss you" Nikita sniffed looking at the stars above her for a while before she decided to take a walk on the huge property 

By the time the sun was beginning to rise she was at the end of her driveway, it's a quiet road and the perfect view to watch the sun rise 

---- meanwhile, 

Michael arrived back in the states after his last concert of the History tour in Durban South Africa 

Arrived at home he red his mail and found out he received an invite to a charity event in two weeks  

"Oh why not" he said shrugging his shoulders and placed the invite on his desk at his at home office before he made his way to bed to catch some sleep 

-- the next day, 

Nikita was in town doing groceries and getting looks from the local civilians of Los Olivos and of course she heard them whispering about her too  

"The joys of a small community" Nikta thought rolling her eyes behind her dark shades, she's not in the mood for having people stare directly at her  besides that daylight hurts her head because of her hangover from the night before 

"Did you hear she poisened him" 

"Yes poor Andrew must've suffered in his final moments" 

"I thought she smothered him with his own pillow" 

"Or both poison and smothering because poisoning took too long for her" 

"Do you all work for a damn tabloid magazine or what?" Nikta burst out having enough of it 

"Shit we better go before she kills us too" a few of them said and quickly left the store 

She shook her head and wanted to pay for her groceries 

"Mrs Martinez I'd kindly ask you to please no longer buy your groceries here, it's disturbing our other customers" the shop owner told her 

"What?" Nikta gasped 

"Why don't you buy your groceries in the city, you certainly have no trouble affording it" he told her 

"Fuck this small town and all its damn people in it!" Nikta told him and shoved the basket of groceries in his arms before she stormed off, bumping into the next person that wanted to enter the store "watch where you go!" She snapped not once looking up and continued her way 

"I'm sorry, are you Ok?" The shop owner asked 

"Yes I'm fine, I'm only here to pick up my pre ordered groceries" Michael answered, his gaze following the pretty dark haired girl that bumped into him, she looked familiar to him he just couldn't figure out why

"Sure, follow me sir i have them in the back" the shop owner told him and led him into the store 

-- meanwhile, 

Nikita picked out one of the cars from the garage and made her way to Los Angeles, she wanted to go as far away as possible right now but still close enough to home for her groceries 

She parked her car once she made the two hour drive and went into the store 

Once she was done she had no problem checking out 
Or so she thought 

"Wait you're Mrs Martinez, right?"  The person behind her asked  

"Yes" Nikita answered 

"Sorry for your loss" the woman told her 

"Thank you" Nikita answered softly  

"You two looked genuinely happy, I could see that" the woman told her 

"We were" Nikta answered and left the store to make the two hour drive back home to Los Olivos "if only I didn't love this place so much with all the happy memories" she sighed looking at the house once she parked her car "i miss you Andrew" she sighed sadly  

--- 

Arrived at home a few hours ago Michael decided to respond to the invite for the charity event and let them know he'll be there that night before he called his mother to check on her and later he decided to take a walk on his property and spend some time at the zoo 

After spending some time at the zoo he went back to the house and sat down in the library to read some of the various books while the maids did their thing in the other parts of the house 

--- 
Nikita checked the mailbox for the first time in three months and sorted trough the mail, mostly it was condolences cards from friends of Andrew and a few monthly bills

"And what's this?" She wondered and opened an eveloppe addressed to her "an invitation to a charity event?" She read "it is a great way to honor Andrew and to donate some money in his name" she decided and called the number to let them know she'll be there 

The rest of her day she spend at the house and as usual lately she spend her night outside on the property this time she laid down on the grass at the back and looked at the stars till she eventually fell asleep there 

As morning came the maids arrived and did their thing, no longer surprised to find their boss sleeping somewhere outside on the property, they all knew she hadn't slept in the master bedroom since Andrew had passed away, nobody was allowed in the bedroom anymore because Nikita had locked the door and not been there since that painful morning they all lost him

They all figured out Nikita would clean up the room when she felt ready to do so and they're all willing to help her if needed