HIDDEN LEGACY : THE FAME OF THE FORGOTTEN HEIR

Chapter 5 : Olivia, I'm Leaving!

"Do you really not know?" Elizabeth asked again, and Olivia still shook her head.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before speaking, as if trying to contain the pent-up anger.

"I want your husband to realize his mistake, and for you to introspect as well, so that you both don't repeat these mistakes in public, especially ... at grand events like this." Elizabeth's gaze once again sharpened on Benjamin, her grandson-in-law.

"Benjamin!" Edward called out in a raised voice.

"Shouldn't you have some self-awareness? Is it pleasurable for you to slander Matthew like that in front of the guests? Are you aware that you've embarrassed your own brother-in-law in public?" asked his father-in-law again with anger.

For a moment, Ben closed his eyes, the sound of his voice calm, then his gaze met Edward's, who was now also looking at him. "Forgive me, if I interrupted your words, Mr. Edward, but I have never slandered anyone. I speak the truth by saying what I saw and believe in.

"I don't doubt myself because I am confident that I can recognize the authenticity of that item," Olivia glanced at her husband, who looked confident and steadfast. Benjamin stood firm in his opinion, showing no sign of wavering.

"So, you mean ... I'm the one lying and intentionally trying to poison my grandmother like that? You really have no shame." Matthew suddenly interjected, only to defend himself.

"But Mrs. Elizabeth has verified its authenticity. Are you saying she can't recognize genuine items?" continued Mrs. Victoria Bennett Davis.

"No! I never doubted Mrs. Elizabeth's expertise in this matter. I'm sure she knows the truth, in fact ... I'm very certain that grandma knows much more than I do," Ben replied, glancing briefly at Elizabeth, who seemed to avoid that gaze.

Tensions escalated.

"So, are you also accusing my mother of being a liar?" Edward snapped.

"Quite bold," Matthew interjected in a whisper.

"She doesn't even speak, let alone embarrass you in front of guests, even though she could actually do all of that.  You should know your place, or I'll make you realize where you stand!" Edward shouted again, this middle-aged man looked truly enraged.

"Remember Benjamin, you're just a son-in-law picked up off the street by my father, all of this you've gained is merely out of pity, nothing more! Get that through your head!" His father-in-law continued to berate, leaving Ben truly hurt this time.

"Shameless!" Matthew intensified the atmosphere.

"Mom, you should do something!" Victoria urged her mother-in-law, who appeared to be silent.

Elizabeth took off her glasses and wiped them briefly. "Olivia, I want to ask you something," this old woman said, pausing for a moment as she looked at her granddaughter, who remained silent with swollen eyes, clearly having just finished crying.

"Do you love this man?" Elizabeth asked again, making Olivia glance briefly at Benjamin, then she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry Olivia, but I have to make a decision," Elizabeth continued with a serious look after putting her glasses back on.

"Just send him away, Grandma. This man is only a burden for us," interjected Matthew again, this time causing Benjamin to glare at him with clenched fists. Since earlier, Ben had been holding back his anger.

"For the honor of this family, I think you should get a divorce!" her grandmother's words startled everyone, especially Olivia.

"... and Benjamin must leave from here, because his presence only causes turmoil in our family. I hope you understand, Ben. I have to be firm with you. I cannot accept anything that could embarrass my family.

"Perhaps ... my husband was likes you, but not us. We cannot live alongside a liar who deliberately tries to disgrace the reputation of the Campbell family in public," Elizabeth explained, causing Ben, who was not in agreement, to raise his voice.

"This is not fair, Elizabeth. I have never lied, and I am very confident that you know the truth." Benjamin glanced briefly at his wife, who had been silent all along, offering no defense for him at all.

"Remember, my decision cannot be changed, and I am not speaking falsehoods about this. I ask you to leave my house!" Elizabeth stated firmly.

Matthew's face looked pleased, he couldn't suppress a smile, and now he continued to taunt his brother-in-law. "Go away, loser! Go back to being a vagrant. Your place is on the streets, and never set foot here again."

Benjamin restrained himself from getting emotional (anger). He looked at the faces of all the family members with a sense of pain. What was even more painful was that Olivia didn't speak or defend him at all.

Mrs. Victoria stood up and pulled her daughter's arm to move away from Benjamin. "Go and reflect on your mistakes! But remember, never come back! Because we can't accept you anymore."

Ben stayed silent, offering no response.

After a few moments, several people in black uniforms entered the room, as if they wanted to restrain Benjamin, but he immediately pushed them away.

"No need to kick me out, I can leave on my own, and I know my place!" he snapped at the men trying to hold him.

The people released Ben, in accordance with the subtle signal given by Elizabeth's left hand, as she still sat calmly in her chair.

Benjamin continued to speak. "Before that … allow me to say thanks to all of you, because for all this time you have been willing to give me the opportunity and share a place with me. Thank you so much, Elizabeth, Edward, Victoria, and also Matthew.

He lowered his voice as he glanced at Matthew, restraining himself from displaying any signs of anger towards his irritating brother-in-law.

“Even though, from the very beginning, when I first came here, I knew that none of you ever liked my presence, let alone accepted me as a member of your family.

"Whether I was scolded or humiliated, I remained silent, because I tried to understand your feelings, which I thought were just having a hard time accepting the presence of someone new like me.

"I respect Mr. Campbell, and I stayed here because of that, but … because all of you don't expect me to stay here any longer, I bid farewell. I'm leaving and I won't take anything with me, because I don't want to be accused of theft for it.

"Olivia, I'm leaving, just as you and your family wish." With a calm voice, Benjamin walked away, leaving Olivia and her entire family still in the room. Olivia herself could only bow her head in silence, unable to speak.

This woman was confused by the uncomfortable feelings she was experiencing. She thought she should feel happy for being free from Ben, but in reality, her heart felt a little heavy, as if she was experiencing the pain of disappointment.

"Ben really left?" Olivia wondered in her heart. Her feet wanted to follow, but her arm was held back by Victoria, who gave a subtle shake of her head.

"No, you don't need to chase after him. He's just a parasite, and you should be free from the burden you shouldn't have to bear," Victoria said, keeping Olivia from moving.

***

Olivia sat in her dark room, illuminated only by the faint light from the night lamp. She curled up on the bed, her heart not in a good place.

Strangely, now this woman was sobbing uncontrollably, spending the long night in tears until her eyes looked swollen.

"Why should I be crying over Ben? Shouldn't I be happy to be free from him? But my heart feels painful, very sore right here," she said to herself, while patting her left chest.

"I have to forget Benjamin! I hate him! He's just a parasite and a vagrant picked up by my Grandfather off the streets, and I was forced to marry him. He's disgraceful and only brings shame upon me in public.

"I hate you, Ben. Go far away from me and never come back!" she thought, then laid down, pulling the blanket roughly and wrapping herself from head to toe.

"Are you alright, dear?" Victoria's voice inquired, only to be answered by Matthew, who was evidently standing by Olivia's bed as well.

This made the young woman, who had just laid down, open her blanket and rise, sitting up.

"I don't think so, look at her swollen eyes, she must have been crying for her vagrant husband. I think we'll hear her crying all night," Matthew said, causing Olivia's sharp eyes to focus on him.

Victoria gently touched her daughter's cheek. "Is that so? How could I not notice this?" she asked, followed by a short sigh. "Darling ... you have to move on! You shouldn't be thinking about that man anymore, he's gone," she advised.

"No, Matthew is just making things up," Olivia replied, her face annoyed with her brother.

"If I'm really making things up, then you should just get a divorce. Sign the divorce papers and go through with it without thinking!" Matthew's words left Olivia speechless, not knowing what to say.

That man then handed over the divorce papers, which seemed ready to be signed.

How could they have already prepared this document, when Benjamin only left a short while ago?

Victoria smiled, patting her daughter's shoulder. "I think it's not good to prolong this, wouldn't it be better to get it done sooner?"

"Even Grandma and Dad are still in the family room, they're waiting for your decision," Matthew interjected.

"But... if you're not ready yet, maybe we can wait for you," Victoria suggested, eliciting a shake of the head from her eldest child.

"No, there's no time, Mom. Elizabeth is not that patient," Matthew interjected again, further unsettling his sister's feelings.

"Leave me alone!" Olivia exclaimed loudly, causing her mother and brother to understand, and they got up.

"Alright, if that's the case, think about it! And we'll be waiting there," Victoria said, pulling Matthew's arm, who seemed like he was not quite satisfied with disturbing his sister.

***

For a while, Olivia was alone, staring at her divorce papers, and she seemed determined to end her relationship with Ben. "Why am I thinking so much? I never liked him, and I hate him!"

Olivia held the pen hesitantly.

Without much further thought, she signed the document and then rose from the bed, quickly making her way to the family room to meet her family members and deliver her decision.

In her haste, she forgot to knock and paused for a moment in front of the door upon hearing snippets of her family's conversation that left her speechless with her mouth agape.

"How could they do this to me?" Olivia thought, disappointed.