Olivia's POV
The man before me was everything I didn't like. From his posture and his demeanor, everything I loathed. There was that one thing I found in men who thought they held too much power. The pride in their eyes.
“W-who are you?” I managed to say, despite the dry lump stuck in my throat.
“What? Surprised…I'm just an ordinary man who…likes collecting toys,'' again he spoke in a deep, calm voice. He wasn't trying too hard to be handsome. Even so, he was a compelling figure. He was good-looking, handsome. His dark brown hair, as thick and lustrous as mink fur, was cut in short layers. But it was the eyes that seized my attention, dark brown, a volatile color you could never forget once you'd seen it…I couldn't compare him to any man in terms of looks. His aura was overbearing as he stood with the insolent, loose-jointed slouch of someone who'd rather spend his time in a pool hall. Although he was well-dressed, it was obvious he didn't make his living sitting behind a desk, he was too rough and aggressive looking. The Blazer he was wearing was simple, with softer shoulders and a laid-back fit, with the sleeves folded to his elbows. His arms ripped with hard muscles, and his movements were grateful for his height and appearance. Nothing could soften that build…big-framed and rugged… like a roughneck or a bull rider. His long fingers were clasped gently around a folded white paper, which he kept playing with as if it were a toy. He was too much of an Alpha type of man and certainly not my type. I was interested in something more.
“Like what you see…little pet,” he whispered with a smirk, causing me to look away awkwardly.
“T-thank you for your help… kindly show me the door, and I'll be out of here," I said, avoiding his piercing gaze.
“Ms. Altamirano, that anger shouldn't be directed at me,” the man said as he fixed his sharp, piercing eyes on me. His expression had dropped from a playful one to a frightening one. Nothing could beat that look. Not even Luciano. The man who toyed with my feelings…if he knew the anger burning within me, then he wouldn't be provoking me like he was doing.
“Show me the exit door,” I murmured through clenched teeth, not daring to look away from him…if he had a mission to scare me with words and his looks, then he was in for something deadly. He seemed amused by my words, as a sly smirk tugged at the corners of his lips and morphed into a full grin. Why was he finding this funny? Looking around the large room, I realized it was an office. I had to say he wasn't so ordinary. Such well-painted brown walls. So shiny and rich looking, as if the owner wanted a wooden structure.
“Little one…do you think you can walk out of here…just like that?” the man said with a half-grin as he leaned down to my face. I didn't like him one bit. I hated anyone who gave me orders like he was.
“How much do you want…to save my life, huh…tell me?”I said straight. He should know any better than to think he could do whatever he wanted just because he saved my life.
“Hehe…how cute…how much does Pedro want…hahaha it's funny really, “the man said with a sarcastic chuckle as he muffled his mouth with his hand for a second then shifted his gaze to me. His eyes narrowed intensely.
“Your life…my price is your life little one…do you take me for a fool,'' he remarked and moved away from the desk he was half sitting on and walked around it until he reached his chair. What did he mean by my life…no one owned my life and I didn't care if he saved me because now I had nothing to lose? Even if he let me die, I wouldn't have cared.
“It took me a year to revive you, little princess,” he said as he sat down and crossed his legs elegantly. That didn't surprise me, but the mention of one year… What did he mean by one year…how was it a year, now he was lying to me?
“W-what…do you mean by…one year?” this was impossible, I thought it was just a few days, maybe a week. I could still go and find my parents. I was certain they didn't die, in that he'll fire Luciano and leave them to die. I was restless as I tried to get up. I didn't want this one bit, nor did I want to be crippled.
“Calm down, no need to fight it, ''he said as he flung up from his chair and rushed to keep me still. I would rather not stay in the wheelchair, but to find my little brother. My parents wanted my help. Why was it a year…how was it even possible that I was unconscious for a year?
“L-let me go!”I shouted and shoved his hands away from me. He had no right to touch me at all.
“Olivia, calm down damned it!” he yelled, startling me as I froze in place. My body went limp as I sat there like a corpse. My hands and body trembled as my eyes leaked non-stop. I couldn't take this anymore.
“Drink this” he came back and attempted to make me drink water, but I was unable to move my hands. I was unable to do anything constructive as I sat there like a vegetable.
“It will take three months for you to walk again…you suffered a hard fall…your face was unrecognizable…I had to ask the doctors if…they could fix it, and they did,”after some time, I was calm enough to listen to what he had to say. I was in a coma for a year. Fear reigned in my heart as I played with the crystal stem glass in my hands. The water was chilled but getting warm from holding it.
“H-how did you find me…what about my… family”I wanted to know how he managed to save me. I fell off the cliff, and it was a long way down. It was raining heavily and when.
“M-my baby…my…baby is fine right” something hit me…the most important thing I had forgotten about and reaching for my stomach I couldn't feel anything. I fought to lift the light shirt I was wearing hoping the man would tell me I gave, but unfortunately, what I found were fading scars. The proof of how Luciano drove a sharp knife into my flesh, mercilessly, killing his child. My heart ached as I began weeping bitterly, caressing my belly. I wanted to ask forgiveness from my child. He didn't even get to kick when that monster killed him.
“He…he killed my child” there was nothing that could comfort me… No number of tears could take away the pain which was like a sharp knife driven straight to my heart, killing me slowly. Being left to bleed mercilessly and Luciano.
“Why…why my face…I don't…look like this?”It was hard for me to calm down. He had no right to do anything to my face. This wasn't Olivia Altamirano.
“Is that a question you can ask me…or don't you want to take revenge against the people who killed your family…the people responsible for the loss of your child?” the man said, and upon hearing his words I looked up at him and found a raging monster.
He wasn't grinning like before but a full-fledged beast with a fire burning in his eyes. There was longer any playfulness in his eyes but rather a replacement of anger and disdain.