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…
«What did you say?» he asked again, leaning forward. Olivia nervously wrung her hands, as if gathering strength for the answer. She took a deep breath and said: «In that photo, you are with my mother.»
«Her name is Lydia Sanders.» «You knew her 20 years ago.» Leonard froze, as if time had stopped.
The name he had tried to forget all these years suddenly surfaced so sharply, as if from the depths of long-buried memory. Lydia. Her face instantly flashed in his mind.
Auburn curls, light eyes, and that smile that once made him the happiest man on earth. «Lydia,» he repeated quietly. «You mean she’s… your mother?»
Olivia nodded, avoiding his gaze. «Yes.» «Mom always said my father died.»
«But one day I found her diary.» «She wrote that she loved you, that you were going to get married.» «And then you disappeared.»
«I didn’t know how to find you for a long time.» «But then I saw your photos in a magazine.» «And when I got the job here, I realized it was my chance.»
Leonard fell silent. He didn’t know what to say. Olivia’s words sounded so strange that he tried to find a catch in them.
But instead, he saw only her sincere eyes, full of pain and hope. «You mean…» he couldn’t finish the sentence. «I’m your daughter,» Olivia finally said, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
These words stunned him. It seemed to him that he was hearing something impossible. He tried to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.
He had to stand up from the desk and pace the office to comprehend what he heard. «How is this possible?» he finally exhaled. «Why didn’t your mother tell me anything?»
«Why did she hide it?» Olivia raised her head and answered with bitterness: «She said you left her.» «That you got scared of responsibility and just left.»
These words struck Leonard like lightning. He froze and looked at Olivia with pain. «That’s not true,» he said firmly.
«I didn’t leave her.» «I loved your mother.» But then something happened.
He broke off, realizing he couldn’t gather his thoughts. Olivia looked at Leonard, seeing his confusion. She decided to tell more.
«You know, when I was little, I always wanted to know who my father was.» «Mom didn’t like talking about it, but I felt she was hiding something important.» «I dreamed of seeing you at least once.»
«I wanted to understand what kind of person you are, why you left us.» She fell silent, wiping away tears. Leonard felt for the first time that behind this girl hid much more than he assumed.
He sat back at the desk and looked her straight in the eyes. «You think I abandoned your family?» he asked, trying to stay calm. Olivia nodded.
«Mom said so.» «But I see you’re not like I imagined you.» «I don’t know what to think.»
«But I want to know the truth.» Leonard felt his confidence waver. There was no hostility in her voice, only a sincere desire to understand what happened.
He sighed heavily. «Listen, I don’t know what your mother told you, but we were really happy.» «Up to a certain point.»
«Then…» he fell silent. «Something went wrong.» «But I would never have left her if I knew about you.»
These words were true. For the first time in many years, Leonard felt his mask of a cold, calculating person cracking. He wanted to figure out what happened back then, twenty years ago.
«We need to find out the truth,» he said finally. «We must talk to your mother.» Olivia froze, as if frightened by his words.
«I don’t know how she’ll react,» she whispered. «She doesn’t know I got a job with you.» «It doesn’t matter,» Leonard answered firmly.
«If she once loved me, she’ll listen.» They sat in silence, pondering what to do next. Finally, Leonard broke the silence.
«Where does your mother live?» Olivia looked at him with anxiety. «In the suburbs.»
«She works remotely, hardly leaves the house.» Leonard stood up from the desk and said firmly: «We must talk to her.» «If this is really true, I want to know why everything happened this way.»
Olivia hesitated. Her eyes expressed fear. «I’m not sure.»
«She always said you were a coward and a scoundrel.» «She doesn’t want to remember the past.» These words hurt Leonard, but he held back.
«All the more reason we need to talk,» he said. «I want to hear it from her personally.» After a short pause, Olivia nodded.
«Okay.» «But please, don’t pressure her.» Leonard nodded briefly.
«Agreed.» «We’ll go tomorrow morning.» The next day, gathering his thoughts, Leonard and Olivia got into the car.
The whole way they hardly spoke. Leonard looked out the window, and Olivia nervously fiddled with the strap of her bag. The tension in the air was almost tangible.
When the car stopped at a small house, Olivia timidly said: «This is it.» Leonard took a deep breath and got out of the car. He was about to learn the truth that could change everything.
Leonard sat in the back seat of the car, gazing at the landscapes flashing by the window. He looked composed, but inside him emotions raged. Olivia sat next to him, clutching her bag tightly.
Her face showed concern, and in the silence of the car, tension was felt. «She… She might not be glad to see us,» Olivia said unexpectedly, breaking the silence. Leonard, without turning his head, replied: «It doesn’t matter.»
«We need to hear the truth.» «And it’s better if we do it now.» They drove the rest of the way in silence.
From time to time, Olivia nervously adjusted her hair, and Leonard thought about how much his life had changed in recent days. He wasn’t ready to face the past, but he had no choice. When the car stopped at a small cozy house, Leonard involuntarily noticed its well-kept appearance.
A small garden in front of the house was neatly trimmed, flowers bloomed in the flowerbed, and an old but sturdy wooden chair stood on the porch. «This is it,» Olivia said quietly, pointing to the house. Leonard nodded.
Determination was in his gaze. «Let’s go,» he replied, getting out of the car. Olivia nodded, took keys from her bag, and, gathering courage, headed to the door.
Olivia slowly opened the door with the key and called: «Mom, it’s me.» «We have a guest.» From the depths of the house came a calm voice: «Olivia.»
«Who is with you?» A few seconds later, a woman appeared in the doorway. She looked younger than her years.
Her auburn hair was neatly gathered, she wore a green dress and a light cardigan. Leonard recognized her immediately. Lydia.
She was still the same as he remembered her, though the years had slightly changed her face. When her gaze fell on Leonard, her eyes widened in shock. She involuntarily covered her mouth with her hand, unable to say a word.
For a few moments, silence reigned in the house. «Hello, Lydia,» Leonard said quietly, trying to stay calm. Lydia looked at him as if he were a ghost from the past.
She shifted her gaze to Olivia, then back to Leonard. «What? What are you doing here?» she finally squeezed out, her voice trembling.
«I came to talk,» Leonard replied. «We need to discuss what was left unsaid.» Lydia took a sharp breath, trying to cope with the surging emotions.
«Come into the living room,» she said, turning around. Leonard and Olivia followed her. The living room was cozy: an old sofa, a small table, books on shelves…
