Chapter 20. Back to the Real world


    Olivia


    We woke up early on Sunday morning, the sense of serenity from the beach still fresh in our minds.


    The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in our cottage. I couldn''t help but


    sigh, knowing that reality was waiting just outside the door. A pleasant smell was wafting towards


    my room. I followed the smell to the kitchen where my mom was preparing breakfast. My mouth


    watered as I stared at the array of pancakes, bacon, eggs, coffee and juice my mom hadid out on


    the table.


    My dad came out of his room, soon followed by Josh. My dad and I kissed my mom''s cheeks while


    Josh thanked her as we all sat down to eat. We were all silent as we ate, each of us seemingly


    deep in our thoughts. I caught Josh several times as he typed on his phone beneath the table.


    I knew my mum had also caught him when she cleared her throat and said, "Josh, no phones


    allowed at the table. You can talk with Gwenter after breakfast."


    I coughed to cover my chuckle, winking when he surreptitiously shot me a finger gesture my mum


    mustn''t have seen.


    Soon, breakfast was over and we all pitched in to clean up after. We all retreated to our rooms to


    pack.


    As I dressed and prepared to leave, a sense of mncholy settled over me. The pce, the triplets,


    Helen and all the drama of thest few days seemed a world away from the carefree days we had


    spent by the beach.


    Josh, too, was quieter as he packed his belongings. The connection he had found with Gwen added


    ayer ofplexity to his life. Although I knew he was happy about it, it also meant he had new


    issues to face. No one wanted to be away from their mates, especially not when they were newly


    mated. I sighed as I thought of the possibility of Josh leaving our pack to be with his mate.


    My parents were also silent, but I knew they were only worried about me.


    My dad cleared his throat, “Hmm, how perfect would it be if we were toe back here for Livvy''s


    birthday which ising up next month? We could also invite your parents and siblings, Josh. How


    about that?”


    I squealed and threw my arms around my dad as my mom and Josh looked on, smiling. With our


    moods lifted, we allpleted our packing and headed to the car. The drive was silent,pletely


    different from how it was when we were driving down Friday evening. I was busy immersed in my


    thoughts on how to always avoid the triplets and Helen.


    Josh was busy texting Gwen and I saw my mother ncing at us through the rear mirror


    asionally. My dad was focused on the road, but I caught him ncing at me worriedly a couple


    of times.


    We finally arrived home. My parents dropped him off at home and chatted with his parents a bit


    before we headed home. He was so happy that he couldn’t wait to share the news about his mate


    with his parents.


    We eventually got home and dragged our luggage into the house. We all sat on the couch looking


    tired. My dad managed to pull me and my mom up and urged us to eat. We declined and decided to


    go straight to bed.


    I got up and headed to my room. I sprawled out on my bed and brought out my phone to scroll


    through the pictures I had taken at the beach. They all came out nice. Just then I went to check on


    the message I sent to Lucas to see if he read my message.


    I felt relieved when I saw that the message had been read, but he didn’t reply. I felt bad and locked


    my phone before tossing it on the other side of the bed.


    I wonder if Helen is still at the pce. Her father should be back from her business trip. I''m sure if it


    was left up to her, she would stay there forever.m


    The thoughts enveloped me as I fell into a deep sleep.


    The next morning, it was Monday, and it was time to get back to school. The weekend at the beach


    seemed like a distant dream as I put on my clothes, mentally preparing myself to face the week.


    I had breakfast and kissed my parents goodbye before heading off to school with Josh.


    The presentation I had worked on had gone surprisingly well. Our teacher praised our efforts, and I


    couldn''t help but feel a sense of aplishment even though I had to share it with Helen and the


    triplets who were smiling smugly like they were involved.


    Back at the pce, as the school day ended, I couldn''t shake the feeling of impending change. I''d


    half-expected Helen to have left for her home, as she''d mentioned. But to my surprise, I found her


    lounging in the game room of the pce with the triplets. The trio''s eyes were twinkling with


    mischief, and they exchanged secretive nces, which set off rm bells in my head.


    "Helen, you''re still here," I said, my tone neutral.


    She smiled sweetly, "Yes, Olivia, my dad isn''t back from his trip. But it allows me to spend some


    time with my good friends, that''s if you don''t mind ."


    I rolled my eyes as she smiled smugly, lifting an eyebrow as if she was daring me to say something.


    I ignored her and went about cleaning the room. Helen continued to do things that wore on my


    patience, like asking me to bring her a ss of juice only to change her mind after and ask me to


    get her something.


    The triplets were focused on their video game, allowing her to let her bitchiness shine through,


    without having to hide it. I bit my tongue throughout the entire encounter, thinking of the time I had


    just spent at the beach to calm myself down.


    "Hey guys?" Helen called as I walked back into the room for the fifth time as I carried in the bowl of


    popcorn that Helen had ordered.


    "Yeah?" Lucas replied absentmindedly, his tongue out as he focused instantly on the screen.


    I tried to ignore how he looked absolutely adorable at that moment.


    Snap out of it, Olivia!


    Just then, the sound of a car pulling up in front of the pce caught my attention. It was Helen''s


    father, returning from his trip. This was the moment when Helen should''ve left. She had her chance,


    but she surprised me once again.


    As Helen''s father walked through the pce doors, ready to take his daughter home, Helen stepped


    forward and said, "Dad, I''d really like to stay here for the week. We have important testsing up,


    and I need to study with the triplets and Olivia."


    Her father looked confused, as she looked up at him pouting. Finally, he nodded reluctantly, his


    eyes flitting "Alright, Helen, but we''ll have a nice trip nned for the weekend."


    Helen beamed at her father, "Thanks, Daddy. You''re the best."


    She frowned as she looked down at the briefcase in his hand. "You didn''t get me anything from your


    trip?"


    "Of course, I did sweetie. It''s in the car. Do you want me to take them home or bring them in?"


    "Bring them in Daddy. You know I love presents."


    Her dad chuckled before ordering the maids to bring in Helen''s presents from his car.


    He turned to me, "What are you waiting for?"


    "Pardon?"


    "Didn''t you hear me? Go get in my daughter''s presents from the car."


    I felt torn and utterly humiliated. I could ept working for the triplets as their maid, but the way her


    dad spoke to me made tears of anger well up in my eyes as I curled my hands into fists.


    I turned to the triplets to see if they would say anything about it, but they remained silent.


    "Well?! What are you standing there, looking at me for? Get going, girl!"


    A deep voice growled, "Beta Benley."


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I froze.