Chapter 20

• Olivia glanced back at the pages in her hands. The contract Granny Claire had given her was only valid for one year.
• One year?
• It wasn't a short amount of time, but when lived through, it would pass by swiftly. Would she be able to bring the father and daughter closer together within that timeframe?
• And what if she failed?
• "Do I have to take a leave of absence from college?" she inquired.
• "The decision is up to you. As long as you can handle the job in Kralligimiz and also deal with Ignazio and Gianna, Granny doesn't think it's necessary," Granny Claire replied.
• "Granny, what if within that year Olivia's efforts don't bear fruit?" Olivia asked.
• "We will reconsider, evaluating how much progress you've made by then," this time it was Mr. Antony who answered.
• "Even if at that time you don't succeed and want to give up, it's fine. At least we have tried. You have tried," Granny Claire replied again.
• "If within one year you manage to make Ignazio and Gianna close again, like a father and daughter, the doors of the Quirino family companies will be open for you," Mr. Antony promised, his gaze directed at Olivia. "Whether it's Coskun, Kralligimiz, Abrisam, Quirino Corp, and all the companies and subsidiaries we and our family own, you can enter and get a position that matches your education and interests."
• "Atau, jika you're not interested in working under the Quirino family, we'll assist you in getting into another company of your choice," the elderly man promised, a pledge that was nodded at by his wife.
• Slowly but confidently, Olivia nodded her head.
• "Review the contract again. Is there anything else you'd like to add or change?" Granny Claire asked, her question coinciding with a knock on the door. "We'll revise it at once since our lawyer has just arrived," she said as the door opened.
• A handsome white-skinned man in his early thirties entered. He was wearing a short-sleeved collared shirt and fitted pants. His left hand held a square-shaped leather bag that Olivia presumed to be quite expensive.
• The man greeted everyone and approached, kissing the back of Granny Claire's and Mr. Antony's hands in turn before extending his hand to shake Olivia's.
• "Olivia, let me introduce you to Keir Thomas. He is our lawyer. You must have met his parents," Granny Claire said, furrowing Olivia's brow. "Keir is the son of Tessa and Duncan Thomas," Granny Claire added, conjuring images of the husband and wife who were close friends with Mrs. Adaline and Mr. Altezza Quirino.
• The man named Keir smiled politely at Olivia, and she responded with a nod and a polite smile in return.
• Shortly after, he sat down and took out his laptop from his bag. They discussed the points they wanted to change, adding a few promises Mr. Antony had mentioned for Olivia and some other additions through the discussion of the four of them.
• Once the other three had agreed on the contract's contents and received approval from the homeowners, the man got up, turned on the printer, and then wirelessly printed the document.
• After the document was ready, he handed it back to Olivia and Granny Claire to read.
• "Is there anything else that needs to be changed?" he asked after a few minutes of silence. Granny Claire looked at Olivia. When Olivia shook her head, Granny Claire placed the document on the table.
• "Are you ready to sign it?" Keir asked again, to which Olivia nodded. The man took something out of his wallet inside his bag—a stamp and a stamp pad with his company's logo.
• Then, Granny Claire stood up and brought two ballpoint pens in her hands, giving one to Olivia. Both of them signed the document in the places Keir had indicated.
• "This document is official and confidential. Each of you, Aunt Ana and Miss Olivia, will have the original document for safekeeping, for future reference. If any party violates the terms, the consequences will be as stated in the contract."
• Olivia nodded in understanding. Keir then nodded and stood up.
• "My job here is done," he said in a casual manner, which was met with a nod from Granny Claire. The lawyer glanced at Olivia once more, nodding his head, before leaving the office.
• Silence fell again. Now, they were looking at another envelope on the table.
• "The contract is now official. And it's time for you to know why this contract was made," Granny Claire said as she pushed forward another envelope that had been on the table all along. "This contains a comprehensive summary of Ignazio that you need to know, and of course, it's 'only' for you to know. I hope it can help you bring Ignazio and Gianna closer together."
• "I believe you can do it, that's why I asked for your help." Granny Claire handed the envelope to Olivia, who accepted it with her heart pounding irregularly in her chest.
• After leaving the office, Olivia walked back to where she had stored her suitcase. With heavy steps, she lifted the suitcase and headed straight up to the room assigned to her.
• Olivia entered her room and immediately closed the door behind her. It felt like she was suffocating. It was as if she had deliberately put herself in danger, a danger she wasn't sure of. Olivia took a deep breath, walking wearily toward her bed.
• This room was the same as the one Olivia had occupied for the last three years while taking care of Gianna. Inside, along with the bed, TV stand, and study desk doubling as her vanity, there was a door leading to a walk-in closet and a spacious bathroom equipped with a shower, bathtub, and separate wardrobe.
• Others might consider Olivia foolish for relinquishing such luxuries and choosing to live in a simpler room. However, for Olivia, the smaller space made her feel more comfortable, allowing her to truly understand herself.
• Olivia walked toward the balcony door on the opposite side of the room. The balcony was her favorite spot when she stayed in that room. She often brought Gianna there to play because of its ample space and exposure to sunlight.
• The balcony faced the backyard of the Quirino family's residence. Olivia could see the employees' quarters adjacent to the balcony, separated by a four-meter-high dividing wall. Their yard was vast, with well-maintained green grass and small holes scattered in various spots. The Antony-Claire family had a private golf course in their backyard, along with a resting bungalow and a spacious swimming pool.
• This was the reason why Olivia wanted to be wealthy. She wanted to enjoy life.
• While Olivia never dreamed of becoming as rich as the Quirino family, she understood that achieving their level of success required hard work, time, and a lengthy process. The Quirino family took three generations to reach this point. Although nothing was impossible, Olivia tried to maintain a realistic mindset.
• For her, having a permanent home was enough. It didn't matter if it was small; simplicity was all she desired. The essential thing was knowing where she could return. She didn't have to worry about what to eat tomorrow or fret about not having money for transportation when she needed to go somewhere.
• Yes, one day, Olivia was confident that she would achieve her dreams. She had saved up from the salary Granny Claire had been giving her all this time. All she needed was to obtain her degree, find a good job, and eventually decide on a place to settle down where she could peacefully spend her later years.