"Of course you can. I await your visit, Violet."
Mrs. Rosalie gave her farewell to my mother before leaving.
"...I'm very happy about the progress you've been making, Violet."
My mother spoke with a soft gaze. The cool evening air brushed past my face, a few strands of my hair flowing along the direction of the wind.
I'm not making progress, I never did and I never will. Claudia Amaryllis, the epitome of success and the person who carried me inside her womb for nine months. The woman who faced thousands of humiliations to gain people's respect. Just what will she think of me after Killian breaks off our engagement?
"I didn't think that you'd still remember Rosalie's daughter, and I didn't think you'd talk about her."
"Well…I just suddenly remembered her, that's all."
I frowned with my eyes boring holes into the ground.
"You should go to bed now, it's getting late."
My mother playfully pushed me back inside the house with a grin on her face.
"And how did your talk with the young master Entrinia go?"
F*ck! I thought they already forgot! Nobody asked about it during dinner, I initially thought that the guests did not know about, but my parents…Why did I think they would forget about such fatal situations?!
"It went well…"
"Really? No type of violence displayed?"
"No."
I don't consider slamming someone's head into the floor is a type of violence. It was…self defense.
My mother only raised an eyebrow, looking at me in disbelief. Even my mother doubts me, but then again, I don't remember anybody believing me in situations like this.
"Olivia is already waiting for you at your room."
I bid goodnight before separating ways with my mother. I went back to my room with my feet aching, I shouldn't have worn heels.
But my parents prefer it if I wear heels. It's more elegant and more sophisticated they say, but is feels like walking on a field of broken glass after wearing it for a few hours.
"Olivia, we're visiting Mrs. Rosalie's estate tomorrow…"
I opened the door to my room and quickly slipped off my heels and threw it aside.
Olivia was getting my bed ready, fluffing up the pillows and steadying the bed sheets and blanket.
"I was…going to ask if I could take a day off tomorrow. I wanted to go back home, it's been a long time since I checked on my mother and sister, but…"
Olivia pressed her lips together, hoping that I'll agree to request. It has been two months since she went back to her hometown.
"It has been two months since you went home…How's your mother doing?"
I asked in a soothing tone. I don't bring up this topic very often—only when she returns to the estate after her day off, which she usually spends by going back to her hometown, every time she returns, she would bring a basket of fruits. I would ask how her trip went, how much her sister has grown, and if her mother was getting better.
"She could walk out of our front door without help the last time I visited, her voice was lively too…"
Olivia chuckled as she spoke.
Olivia's hometown was located at a remote village at the south. Commonly, the main source of food and income for the people there is by farming. I visited Olivia's hometown a few years ago, so I should know.
They lived in a little house nearly at the edge of the village. All sorts of flowers grows from every nook and cranny of their home. Although the exterior of their house seemed colorful and the interior was very cozy, the atmosphere when you walk inside is very different.
Her mother, who is extremely ill would be lying in bed all day—she can't eat on her own, can't walk, can't stand up, and can barely speak.
With their useless father who abandoned them, their mother bed ridden, and her dream for her sister to finish high school, Olivia stopped her studies and worked in order to bring food on the table. Now, she was the one raising her family. No one else could fill in this role except her, the eldest child.
"You can take three days off if you want, I'll drop by your village after I visit Eloise…"
"I-I don't have to take three days off…A day is enough to check on my mother and sister."
"Ah, you're saying you don't want me to visit the village again…"
"It's not like that!"
A pillow came flying directly at my face but did not get the chance to land. My hand caught it swiftly, and in the same second, I threw it back to Olivia. She didn't have time to dodge or to catch it.
"It's obviously like that."
I pouted with my eyes closed shut, trying to mess with her reasoning.
"You can come to our village anytime you want!"
Olivia placed the pillow that got thrown around cleanly back onto the bed.
"Go change your clothes and go to sleep already…"
I went to the bathroom to change my clothes into comfier ones and just before Olivia was about to leave the room, I took something out from the bedside drawer.
"Here, if your mother still needs further medications, you can use this. If she doesn't, then…You can give this to your sister for extra allowance."
I handed her a bundle of cash that I placed aside. This money was collected from my monthly allowance of course. I never spent my monthly money all in one go, instead I keep portions of it, only spending a bit on my necessities such as books. The money received from my commissions…I don't remember where it ended up, but I remember going to an orphanage once. Maybe I left all my money there.
After taking a portion of it to spend on my necessities, I split the remaining money into fractions such as emergency money when I get kicked out of our house, emergency money for when I get an idea on what I want to do with my life, and money to help Olivia's family—it's not much and it won't solve their problems right away, but at least it will help ease out their current conditions.
"Violet…I already told you, you don't have to give us money. My salary is already enough to keep our house standing," Olivia said while shoving the money back to me.
"Take it or else…I'm going to enter a gang war again."
"You-you can't threaten me!"
While she was spewing words, I pushed the money back to her again, forcing her hand to clasp it.
"Goodnight."
I said with a smile as I slammed the door shut, leaving her and the money outside.