The millionaire decided to test the new housekeeper, leaving the safe open and turning on the camera. But after reviewing the recording, he was STUNNED by what he saw…
The safe and the money remained untouched, as he had left them, but that proved nothing yet. Sitting at the desk, he turned on the laptop connected to the surveillance camera and opened the saved recording. The image appeared on the screen.
Olivia entered the office in her black uniform. She began methodically wiping dust from the shelves and desk. Her movements were careful; she didn’t touch the safe and didn’t even look in its direction.
Leonard felt the tension inside him easing with every second of watching. «Looks like Sarah found a really good person,» he thought. But fast-forwarding the recording a bit, he noticed Olivia returning to the office already in her street clothes.
She stood in place and seemed to hesitate. This made Leonard tense up. He zoomed in the image to see better.
«What is she doing?» he thought anxiously. Olivia approached the bookshelf, pulled out an old photo album, and started flipping through the pages. Then she quickly took out one photo, looked around, and hid it in her pocket.
Leonard froze. His hands clenched into fists, and anger reflected on his face. «So, after all…» he whispered.
When Leonard turned off the recording, a wave of rage swept over him. He leaned back in the chair, gritting his teeth and drumming his fingers on the armrest. Thoughts tangled in his head: why did Olivia need his photo?
Perhaps she was a journalist or paparazzi, deciding to get dirt by deception. «That’s why she’s so quiet and modest,» he said aloud with sarcasm. «Pretending to find out something.»
His suspicions only grew stronger. Leonard decided that the next day he would definitely call Olivia to him and demand explanations. Leonard sat at his desk and laid out the old photo album in front of him, the one he rarely opened.
His fingers slowly flipped through the pages. Each shot brought back memories of the past, which he had tried not to think about for many years. But now, knowing that one photo was missing, the memories flooded back.
He found the spot where the photo had been torn out. The empty corner of the album seemed to scream about the loss. Leonard clenched his jaw tightly.
He remembered that photo perfectly. On it, he was captured with a woman who once meant everything to him. Lydia.
The name rang in his head like a blow. Her image, long blurred by time, suddenly came alive. He recalled her laughing eyes, auburn curls that flowed so beautifully in the wind, and that day when he, still young and naive, was sure they would be together forever.
But everything went wrong. Leonard leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. The memories cut him like a knife.
Why did Olivia take exactly this photo? What could she be looking for? Maybe she worked for someone who wanted to dig up his past?
These thoughts only fueled his anger. «Enough,» he muttered, sharply closing the album. The decision came on its own.
He needed to call Olivia and demand explanations. Leonard took out his phone and called his secretary Sarah. «Sarah,» he said briefly when she answered.
«Contact Olivia and invite her to my office tomorrow morning.» «I need to talk to her.» «Of course, Mr. Sullivan, I’ll do it,» she replied, noticing the firmness in his voice.
Hanging up, Leonard looked at the album again. The empty spot reminded him of the time he had lost. He clenched his fist, promising himself that this time he would get answers.
The next morning Leonard arrived at the office a bit earlier than usual. He walked through the spacious lobby where his secretary Sarah was already preparing documents for upcoming meetings. «Sarah, is everything ready?» he asked, stopping by her desk.
«Yes, Mr. Sullivan.» «I contacted Olivia last evening.» «She said she’ll come at the appointed time,» Sarah reported, looking at him attentively.
«Excellent,» he replied briefly. «When she arrives, bring her straight to me.» Leonard went into the office, sat at the desk, and opened his laptop, trying to focus on work.
But his thoughts kept returning to the upcoming conversation. He couldn’t understand why a modest housekeeper needed that photo. The only explanation that came to mind was something dark: blackmail, dirt, journalistic investigation.
An hour later, there was a knock on the door. Sarah peeked into the office. «Mr. Sullivan, Olivia is here.»
«Let her in,» he said dryly, pushing the laptop aside. Olivia entered the office hesitantly, barely crossing the threshold. Her gaze was directed downward, as if she was afraid to meet his eyes.
She wore the same modest black skirt and light blouse. She looked as if she knew an unpleasant conversation awaited her. «Sit down,» Leonard said, pointing to the chair opposite.
Olivia sat, carefully placing her hands on her knees. Her fingers trembled slightly. «Do you know why I called you?» he asked sharply, not wasting time.
«Not really,» she answered quietly, but her voice betrayed anxiety. Leonard leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. «Fine, I’ll explain.»
«There was a camera installed in my office.» «And I saw what you did.» Olivia froze, her face turning pale.
«Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about,» she began, but her voice treacherously trembled. «You do,» Leonard interrupted her. «You took a photo from my album.»
«And now I want to know why.» Her eyes widened in surprise, and she whispered quietly: «The photo?»
Leonard leaned slightly closer to the desk, staring at Olivia intently. «Yes, the photo,» he confirmed, trying to speak calmly but firmly. «It was torn from the album.»
«And I saw you do it.» «So tell me, who do you work for.» «I don’t work for anyone,» Olivia said hastily, her voice sounding pleading.
«It’s a misunderstanding.» «A misunderstanding?» Leonard raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming sarcastic. «So you took it by accident?»
«Or was it for your collection of old photos?» Olivia lowered her gaze and fell silent. Her hands trembled as she clasped them on her knees.
«I didn’t steal anything except that photo,» she finally said. «And why did you need it?» Leonard persisted. He didn’t believe her.
Too often in his life people pretended to be innocent and then stabbed him in the back. He was ready to hear another excuse, but Olivia’s answer surprised him. «That’s my mother in the photo,» she whispered.
«What?» Leonard didn’t immediately understand what she said. «Repeat.» Olivia raised her eyes, and for the first time he noticed something in them he hadn’t seen before—pain.
«In that photo is my mom,» she repeated louder. «And next to her is you.» These words hit like thunder on a clear day.
Leonard froze, looking at her in bewilderment. «Your mother?» he asked again, not believing his ears. Olivia nodded, and tears appeared in her eyes.
«I found that photo while cleaning.» «And I took it because I wanted to know if what my mom told me was true.» Leonard looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.
Her words sounded too unexpected to be true, but in her eyes he saw sincerity. «Who is your mother?» he exhaled, feeling something warm and painful creeping into his chest. «Lydia Sanders,» Olivia answered, wiping away tears.
«You knew her 20 years ago.» Leonard didn’t take his eyes off Olivia. Her words about her mother sounded so unexpected that he first thought he misheard…
