Chapter 19

• Granny Claire opened the door, and Olivia wasn't surprised to see a middle-aged man sitting behind the desk, wearing glasses perched on his nose, his eyes focused intently on the square screen in front of him.
• She clearly recognized the man. A man who often wore a blank expression but had a heart that was very, very gentle and caring. Who else could it be but Sir Antony Quirino? A man whose age was no longer young but still exuded an aura of leadership.
• "Darling, Olivia has arrived," Granny Claire said softly. The man nodded his head without diverting his attention from the screen. "Please, have a seat," Granny Claire said, while she herself approached her husband and stood behind him to see what had captured his attention. "I told you, don't be too serious," Granny Claire scolded her husband gently.
• "I'm just monitoring the company's stock movements, dear," the man said wearily. "It's not that I don't trust Meizar. It's just that he has been carrying too much workload, and beyond that, he tends to create a lot of problems. I'm afraid his negligence might have repercussions on our company," he continued, taking off his glasses and placing them casually on the table.
• Granny Claire simply smiled gently and then moved behind her husband, massaging his shoulders gently. The sight was so serene and affectionate that it made Olivia lower her gaze out of envy.
• "Let it be, just trust Meizar. Didn't you say that one of his burdens will be lifted soon?" Granny Claire said hopefully. "I believe it won't be long before Ignazio returns to Kralligimiz and resumes his duties just like he did years ago," she added, her tone filled with calming optimism.
• Olivia looked up at the wrong moment, catching sight of Sir Antony reaching for his wife's hand on her shoulder and kissing her palm. A simple gesture that once again showed respect and affection.
• Shortly after, the elderly man stood up, taking the cane by the side of the table and slowly walking towards Olivia. Yes, the heart attack he had suffered some time ago forced him to walk with the aid of a cane. Doctor Geremia said Opa Antony was lucky to survive without having a stroke. If that had happened, it would have been a continuous heartbreak for the Quirino family.
• The tall, once sturdy man slumped into the single sofa on Olivia's right, while Granny Claire sat on another long sofa in front of Olivia.
• "Granny has already explained her plan to ask for your help, Olivia," the man said in his deep voice. "Honestly, I was initially against her plan. It's not that I underestimate you, but I was afraid of the potential consequences if Granny's plan fails. I feared that we might end up growing apart due to our egos clashing. But Granny insisted that you can help us bring Ignazio back."
• Listening to the middle-aged man's optimism, Olivia suddenly became aware of the consequences if she failed in this mission. She glanced at Granny Claire, and the woman just smiled, as if reassuring her that what Olivia was worried about would never happen.
• "Just like Granny believes in you, I believe in you too. Can we trust you, Olivia?" the man asked again, making Olivia straighten her back due to the tension.
• She lifted her gaze, mustering the courage to look at Grandpa Antony before shifting her focus to Granny Claire and nodding her head without hesitation.
• "Good," Grandpa Antony said again. "Because after this, whatever happens in this house, whatever you see and hear, it must not leave. Do you understand?" Mr. Antony said, a statement that was met with Olivia's nod.
• There was a pause as Granny Claire stood up and walked towards the table. She took something out of the drawer and sat back in her place.
• "I don't doubt you, Oliv. But this is just an anticipation for what might happen in the future," she said, placing two envelopes with different colors in front of her, one white and the other light brown.
• Olivia glanced at the envelopes, and then back at Granny Claire.
• Both envelopes had the Coskun Company logo in the upper right corner, a detail Olivia recognized, indicating confidentiality, but with different colored envelopes.
• "Open the white envelope," Mr. Antony said again. Slowly, Olivia reached out and took the A4-sized white envelope. The back of it was not sealed or stamped with a logo like important documents she had seen in movies or dramas.
• A contract. That's what Olivia gathered from the top part of the paper.
• "Read and consider all the terms and obligations. If you find something lacking or unfavorable, we can make some changes," Granny Claire said in a soft tone, to which Olivia responded with a nod.
• Olivia tried to focus her attention on the contract in her hands. There weren't many articles, not many terms and obligations. It stated that Olivia had to keep the secret about what she saw and heard regarding 'Ignazio's condition,' as Mr. Antony had mentioned earlier. If she became a source of information leaking out, the Quirino family had the right to punish her in any way they saw fit, excluding criminal, civil, or financial penalties. Olivia furrowed her brow and raised her head as she read that part. She looked at the married couple alternately.
• "What does this mean, Granny?" she asked, more directed towards Ana.
• "Later, you'll find out something about Ignazio that others don't need to know. This is a secret among us, the family. And because we're seeking your help, automatically you will also gain access to this information. We're anticipating if this ever leaks out. Even if it happens unintentionally, we won't stay silent. You do know we're not merciful to those who make mistakes, Olivia," Granny Claire's gaze turned cold and threatening, making Olivia nervous, fearing she might make a mistake in the future.
• With a dry swallow, Olivia nodded her head slowly.
• Olivia continued reading the other clauses, about her days off and leaves she could request. She was quite surprised when she saw the monetary figure she would receive if she accepted the job. It was clear her monthly salary equaled a year's worth of what she earned at Italian House and was much larger than her previous salary when she used to babysit Gianna.
• Olivia felt that if she succeeded in bringing Ignazio back to Gianna, she could become wealthy at a young age.
• "Granny, isn't this too much?" Olivia asked, looking at Granny Claire with a disbelieving gaze.
• "We know how to show gratitude to those who help us, Olivia," Granny Claire replied plainly. "What about it? Is there anything you'd like to change?" Granny Claire asked again.