World B: Emma William's World (Now Olivia's)
"ArrrrHhhhgggg!"
The sound burst from Olivia's lips as Nemo leapt onto her, craving cuddles and attention as usual, only to be yanked off unceremoniously.
She jumped back like a frightened kitten, her heart hammering, while soft giggles filled the room.
Amy and Amelia stood nearby, dressed alike in simple maroon knee-length skirts and white tank tops patterned with tiny flowers. Amy's hair was a deep brown, while Amelia's was a lighter shade, almost blonde, both tied into twin curls that bounced as they moved. Their eyes sparkled with excitement as they watched the dramatic exchange between their big sister and Nemo.
Their thoughts were pure, innocent. To them, their sister was simply being playful.
Olivia, however, was still gasping when four tiny hands suddenly wrapped around her thighs. Two small heads rested against either side of her waist.
"Welcome home, sister! How was work today?" the girls chirped one after the other.
Olivia froze.
Did they just… hug her?
They hugged Olivia Smith?
These poor kids, living in this shabby house had just wrapped themselves around the heiress of the Smith Enterprise.
"Honey, you're back."
Caroline's voice reached her ears before Olivia could fully pull herself together or push the twins away. She looked up.
A woman in her late forties stood nearby, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Olivia's own mother, perhaps because both shared features tied to her original self. Yet the differences were unmistakable. While her own mother had always looked healthy and radiant, this woman seemed to cloak her sadness behind gentle smiles.
She was beautiful, there was no denying that but the years had been unkind. Wrinkles lined her face far more deeply than they should have for her age, likely carved there by poverty and hardship.
Olivia's brows lifted slightly as she noticed something else.
The woman wasn't looking directly at her.
Her irises wandered, unfocused, and a walking stick rested firmly in her grasp.
Memories flooded in, Emma guiding Caroline carefully, supporting her every step and Olivia let out a quiet sigh.
Great. She's blind.
Her gaze dropped to the twins again, their innocent eyes staring up at her with pure affection. She had already seen the memories o fEmma twirling their hair around her fingers, tickling their faces just to hear their laughter.
Parasites, Olivia thought coldly. No wonder that girl was so foolish. These people were the ones ruining her life.
She shook her head and gently but firmly freed herself from their embrace.
The twins stepped back, confusion clouding their expressions as they stared at Olivia's suddenly emotionless face. They drifted toward Nemo, who hadn't found being yanked off nearly as amusing as they had earlier.
The cat fixed his glowing, curious eyes on Olivia.
"Mom!" the twins cried out suddenly.
Caroline had nearly toppled over the couch, losing her balance. The girls rushed to her side, grabbing her hands just in time.
Caroline smiled apologetically, embarrassment flickering across her face. She had lived in this house for years, yet moments like this still caught her off guard.
Truthfully, she had been reckless because her daughter had come home. She'd expected Emma to meet her halfway, to wrap her in a familiar hug like she always did.
She could feel it now, the shift in the atmosphere.
Something was wrong.
Her daughter must have had a difficult day.
Caroline never spoke of it aloud, but she wished desperately that she could ease Emma's burden. Emma never allowed her to cook. The first time she tried, with Amy and Amelia helping, Emma had carefully moved the ingredients out of the twins' reach and insisted she rest instead.
It was dangerous. One wrong move could cause an injury to her or the girls, but Caroline still wanted to help.
She hated feeling useless.
Hated feeling like a burden on her own child.
Today, she hadn't been able to stop herself. She had cooked again. She knew Emma would scold her, but she was willing to accept it.
At least her daughter would eat.
Olivia watched the entire scene, her eyes narrowed and nose crinkled in disdain.
Then she felt it, an intense gaze.
Her eyes snapped toward it and locked with Nemo's.
The cat stared at her, unblinking, as if studying her.
Weird, Olivia thought, looking away quickly. For a moment, it felt as though the animal could tell she wasn't Emma.
"I'll… head to the room," Olivia said stiffly, knowing she had no real choice.
If she could, she would storm out of this house and never return.
But there were more pressing matters.
Enemies like Sammy didn't deserve time to plan.
She needed to strike first.
All she needed was a laptop and a stable internet connection and Sammy could forget about playing the innocent white lotus.
As Olivia's footsteps faded down the hall, Caroline and the twins finally stirred from their silence.
"What's wrong with Sis Emma?" Amy asked softly.
Amelia glanced at Nemo, who still sat in the same spot, waiting. Their sister usually took him to her room.
She scooped him up while Amy guided their mother back to the couch.
The family of four sat quietly for a long time.
Finally, Caroline spoke, her voice gentle but worried. "It's been hard on your sister. Today must have gotten to her."
She clasped her hands together. "This is when she needs us most, my babies. Let's help her get through it, okay?"
"Yes, Mama," the twins replied in unison.
Caroline's heart remained unsettled.
Did something bad happen to my baby at work?
She pushed the fear down and whispered, "Let's pray."
The twins mirrored her, clasping their hands and bowing their heads.
Soft whispers filled the room as their prayers echoed quietly through the house.