Chapter 16: The Witch And Demon
"And then they lived happily ever after." Abi had crawled over Olivia at some point and was lying on her stomach. Olivia's steady breathing and warm body gave her comfort.
Leo was lying on the left side. His arms were wrapped around Olvia's arm. He was listening to the story carefully.
"Ha! It is such a fake story. How could they live happily ever after if the prince left his empire for her. They are going to starve to death." Olivia helplessly smiled. It was Abi who looked like Oriana but her thoughts match with Leo.
"Because they love each other. Love is more important than money." Abi raised her head and held Olviva's cheeks with her tiny hands and waited for the affirmation.
She only let go when Olivia nodded.
"This is just a childish story. I do not believe it." Leo refused, frowning, "even if mother is cold to us, we need this palace to live. We will starve to death if we leave it." he harrumphed making Olivia wince.
"No Leo, we live here because we love our mother and our mother loves us. Did you know she invited me to dinner tomorrow? She had brought a gift for me. And look, she had brought a gift for Olivia too." Abi sat on Olivia's tummy. Olivia would have complained if she was not glared at by her nephew.
"Is it?" Although he asked Abi, he was glaring at Olivia for her lie.
"Of course, have I ever lied to you? Do you not know, if we lie, our nose will grow." she announced in a righteous tone.
"Of course. I could see the nose growing." Leo scoffed at Olivia but it was Abi whose eyes widened. She touched her nose with both hands and only sighed with relief when it was still normal.
"Leo you are bad! You are teasing me. Hmph." Olvia pulled the girl in her arms and forced to lie down. "Alright, sleep. Or else you would not wake up on time tomorrow. You do not want to give your sister a chance to complain and cancel the dinner. Do you?" the girl gasped. She was so scared that she laid down instantly and closed her eyes.
It only took a few minutes before her breathing was even and her body relaxed.
Olivia rubbed her cheeks with affection when Leo sighed.
"Why did you do it?" He knew better than the world what kind of mother they share. "Do you think she would be happy when her dream would break?"
Olivia sighed. She looked at the child who should only be worried about his studies and scoldings he gets from the teachers. Yet, all his worries were about his mother and sister.
"I will find a way." Leo shook his head. He could feel uncertainty in his aunt's voice but he could not blame her. He knew how his sister had cried and Olivia would have only lied to make her feel better.
"Mother will never agree until she makes a profit. But if the father asks her or if there is a higher noble present there and she could not show her real color in front of them, it might work. But you would be punished again. How is your cheek?" Olivia blinked. When did that cute little child grow so much that he could consider all these points?
Looking at the stunned silly look on his aunt's face, Leo sighed.
"Aunt! Do you think I am a child." he glared at her when she nodded at once.
"Aunt!"
"Leo! You should not worry that much." she leaned closer. When he was expecting patting, she wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him with force. "You rascal! If you knew that your mother was going to slap me, why did you not come to save me? Who did not know that you are her favorite?" she glared at him.
Leo was stunned but then he pushed her and struggled hard. He elbowed her on her chest and she held his other hand. Struggling, they both fell on the ground but continued their strange wrestling until he was out of breath.
He tried to kick her but she wrapped her legs around his leg and trapped it. He tried to push her with another leg but failed.
"You brat. Return all the gifts I have ever given you." she growled as she finally let him go.
"Cough! Cough! You are too vicious." Leo rubbed his neck. His whole body was aching. He stretched his muscles and glared at her.
"How was I supposed to stop my mother? I even brought my father to intervene but you were not giving up. Why did you challenge her in the public when you know her image was everything for her." not everything! She loves power and wealth equally too.
"Sigh! What do I do now?" She sat on the ground and sighed. Leo sighed back, rubbing his neck.
"How about I kidnap Abi and take her far away. She would not have time to think about mother. She would be busy living as Valentine." he laughed at his own joke as he shook his head.
Olivia pulled him in embrace again, this time a loving one. The boy struggled but when he realized she was not going to beat him anymore, he leaned and hugged her back.
"I have missed you." she really had! The thought that she would never be able to see them again was so painful that he could not let him go.
Leo frowned. They just had dinner last night together.
"There there, we will find a way to save yourself from that old witch. We will be like Hansel and gretel." then he gave her a knowing look. "you can be an extra." She laughed at it. But her eyes were already full of tears.
If only he knew, they would have failed and so would the witch. The Demon had won instead.
"Alright, you will handle the witch." and I will handle the demon.'