Chapter 9 - The Rejection Rejected
Two weeks later.
Olivia was sitting in the estate's private courtyard, reviewing flower orders for a massive charity gala the Duca family was hosting to fund local children’s hospitals.
Maria walked out onto the stone patio, holding a silver tray with a visiting card.
"Miss Brooks," Maria said, a subtle, dry smirk on her face. "There are three people at the front gate asking to see you."
Olivia looked at the card.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Brooks. Her parents. And beside them, her ex-husband, Mark.
Word of the High Council meeting had leaked out into high-society circles. Everyone in New York now knew that the rejection of the poor florist had ended with her becoming the most powerful woman in the city, backed by the terrifying power of Gabriel Duca.
"Show them in, Maria," Olivia said calmly, setting her coffee cup down.
A few minutes later, her parents and ex-husband were escorted into the courtyard by two massive, armed Duca guards.
Her mother, wearing an expensive mink coat, looked around the breathtaking stone estate with wide, greedy eyes. Her father stood nervously, clutching his leather hat, while Mark—the man who had abandoned Olivia during her darkest hour—looked pale, uncertain, and deeply ashamed.
"Olivia!" her mother squealed, stepping forward with fake, overflowing affection. "Oh, my sweet girl! Look at you! We’ve been so worried about you!"
"Worried?" Olivia asked, staying seated, her voice cool and detached. "Three weeks ago, Father told me I brought shame into his house and that my husband left because I wasn't worth staying for."
Her father cleared his throat nervously, stepping forward. "Olivia... we were just upset. We didn't mean those things. Family forgives, doesn't it?"
Mark took a step forward, trying to offer her a weak, manipulative smile. "Liv... I made a mistake. That woman I was with... she was a distraction. I realized I still love you. We can start over. I can help you manage all this..."
Olivia looked at the three of them—the people who had torn her spirit down, who had watched her bleed and laughed while she scrubbed her hands in the cold.
She felt no anger. No bitterness. Only a deep, profound indifference.
Before she could answer, heavy footsteps echoed on the stone path.
Gabriel walked out onto the patio, dressed in an imposing black suit, flanked by four guards. The air pressure in the courtyard dropped instantly.
Mark flinched, stepping back three paces in pure fear. Her parents froze, staring at the legendary mafia boss in utter terror.
Gabriel walked up to Olivia, placing a firm, loving hand on her shoulder. He looked down at the three intruders as if they were dust on his boots.
"Are these people bothering you, my love?" Gabriel asked softly.
"No, Gabriel," Olivia said, standing up and tucking her hand into his arm. "They were just leaving."
She turned to her parents and Mark.
May you like
"You told me I was too soft for a hard world," Olivia said quietly, her voice ringing with absolute confidence. "You were wrong. I wasn't soft. I was just waiting for a garden where I could grow. Goodbye."
Gabriel raised his hand slightly. The guards immediately stepped forward, escorting the three weeping, terrified visitors off the property, closing the massive iron gates behind them forever.
