Chapter 5

OLIVIA

“I promised her I would keep her happy, but I was unable to. I thought I would fulfill that promise through you, only to realize how much of a loser I am.”

“Stop it, Dad. You have not failed. When you get out of this place, you’ll show them who’s boss.”

I managed to light up his face.

As my father regained his health, he instructed Julian to set up a meeting with the press, and my stomach fluttered with butterflies. It gave me joy to see him able to walk and work.

I hated myself for speaking to him rudely like that. I decided to do everything to help him regain his dignity. That was the only way I could free myself from the hell I was trapped in.

I crossed paths with Ethan’s father at my father’s press conference. This was my second time seeing him since Ethan and I had married. He imposed so much duty on his son that Ethan had to work his butt off to prove to his father that he was worthy of taking over. Sometimes, I wondered if that was why Ethan was so cold.

Ethan’s father walked up to meet my father before the press conference started. He asked me to excuse him while he spoke with my father. I watched my father’s countenance change to a gloomy one, and I became worried about him. What was Ethan’s father probably saying to make him look like that? I prayed he had not sown tares in the wheat with his words.

Immediately, I walked over to meet them as I was barely ten feet away.

“I believe you will make a good decision tonight. It is for your good.”

That was the last sentence I heard Ethan’s father say to my dad before he strutted away with a loud chuckle and a proud look. He patted my father on the shoulder.

“What was he saying?” I asked my father.

“It’s nothing important. Let us go.”

My father’s countenance remained sullen until the press conference commenced.

“Good evening to you all,” my father said as he leaned forward to the mic. “I have a very important announcement to make.”

I watched the cocky expression on Mr. Stone’s face and tried to picture if it was related to my father’s announcement. His expression ushered in a harbinger of the most ominous circumstances I could imagine.

I started to worry.

“As you all know, for the past few months, ZPatch has not been able to maintain its financial stability due to some miscalculated investments and failures on my part as the CEO,” he paused, cleared his throat, and continued, “However, we have had such an impressive run even in our difficult time. Nonetheless, that does not change the fact that the company is in such a dire state, and the best we can do is to make a change—”

I glanced at my father as he made his speech and realized things were about to go haywire. My father had a change of mind. Whatever Mr. Stone whispered to his ears outside had gotten into his head.

“—We have prayed. We have hoped. We have fought. But all to no avail. We realized a change is what we need. A change in power. A change in leadership—”

My face froze for a moment. It must have been a dream, but it wasn’t. Every single word he spoke was very real.

“—Due to the need for change, there has to be a restructuring, a rebuilding of the company. And there is only one building that breaks down first.

In my sound mind and health, I announce that ZPatch will plead bankruptcy. Also, to ensure that the company gets out of bankruptcy, I now announce that the full ownership of ZPatch and all its assets is transferred to the leadership of Stone Group of Companies immediately.”

The whole crowd murmured in shock.

I gasped, then beheld the teary look on my father’s face. I saw a scornful smirk glued to Mr. Stone’s face, and I knew it was all his doing from the very start. It was exactly what he wanted all along.

“What is your reason for doing such, Mr. Wilson?” a journalist questioned from the crowd.

“I realized to steer a ship safely out of a storm, you require a skilled captain. Similarly, I am not qualified enough to steer ZPatch away from the storm it is in right now, let alone take it to its destination.”

My father walked out of the conference room. Everything still flooded my consciousness without giving any signs.

It had been two months since my father’s shameful exit from what he built with his sweat and blood, together with my mother.

As usual, Ethan was already gone by the time I woke up.

I checked my phone to see a notification of seven missed calls. It was Julian.

He called back, and I picked up.

“Olivia?”

“Yes, Julian. What is it?”

“Your father, h-he—”

“What happened to my father?” I asked, jumping out of bed.

“Your father is d-dead, Olivia.”

***

I watched in pure awe as my father’s body was laid into the coffin. It was almost as if my world had ended at that moment, and although I wanted to cry so badly, I couldn’t bring myself to let out those tears that badly wanted to make their way through my eyes.

It was so difficult for me as I watched him there. His body was all pale and his skin blue; there was no denying at that moment that my father had already gone, and there was no coming back.

That was the sad truth that haunted me, and those tears I had constantly been fighting back suddenly made their way through my eyes. It didn’t help it anymore; I couldn’t hold it back.

I broke down right there and then, not caring about the crowds that gathered around me. I felt so helpless; everything appeared dark to me, including everyone around me. I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer, and both Julian and Emily held me, saying different words to comfort me.

The ground had already been dug, and everyone was dressed in black, which was normal. Everything seemed a little dizzy for me. I glanced and saw a lot of people around me, but even though everywhere didn’t seem clear to me, I didn’t see any sign of Ethan.

“He didn’t even care enough to come,” the thought hit me like a dagger.