Justice For The Billionaire's Daughter

NEW HOME, NEW JOB.

OLIVIA

Richard Alfred Shannon is an honorable man, one who I respect so much. He is a very close friend to my late father and I came to know about him due to the many visits he paid my father. Every time he came the two men would spend a lot of time discussing business, then they would laugh, drink together and generally be happy around each other. My father would personally drive him to the airport when the time to go back home came.

I know his home because many times I have visited him when father send me and I even have my own room in his expansive house that I occupy whenever I visit. Mr Shannon, although he insists that I should call him Richard, treats me like his own daughter and every moment that I spend in his home is memorable. He lives alone because his wife died a few years ago and their only child, a son, is never at home.

His property lies in the outskirts of the city, in a quiet section where he spends most of his time. His business is run by people he has hired and he seldom goes to his office. Therefore I am certain that I will find him at home this morning, as the plane touches the ground in his city.

I have thrown away my SIM card, it was the first thing I did before boarding the plane. Nobody is going to track me, at least not by using my phone. Without calling to inform him of my visit, I am going to appear before Mr Shannon unannounced. I just hope that he will understand the reason when I explain it to him.

“Sorry Olivia. You have been through a lot of trauma. Please go to your room and try to relax." He tells me after I narrate my ordeal to him. It has taken me about an hour to narrate the sad story because I had to stop severally after being overcome by tears.

If there's something I had never prepared myself for, it was the death of my father. I never thought that death would visit him. Or maybe I would have wanted for it to come slowly, maybe after he has grown very old, then slowly by slowly death would eat him slowly, and I would prepare myself psychologically so that when it came I would be ready to accept. But this was so abrupt that I am now left very devastated. The news have also devastated his good friend Mr Shannon. It's the first time I have seen his tears.

“This is very painful Mr Shannon. I can't even give him a good send off. I even don't know who will bury him." I say. Richard gives me a tight hug as he silently muses on what to tell me. I have now let out all the tears in my body.

I had toughened myself, made myself strong in order to save my life, but now I am a soft wreck, unable to control my tears.

“You need to rest Olivia. Just go to your room. I will see what I can gather about your father. Of course I'll be discreet and no one will know you are here." He says as he releases me from the tight hug.

My room in this house is on the upper floor and it now occurs to me that I am not here for a visit, I am here to stay. This is going to be my home for a long time, maybe years. As I take the stairs I realize that Mr Shannon has not left his position. He stands by the window staring outside, his mind detached from the surroundings. I walk back to him.

“Excuse me Mr Shannon, I'm sorry for bringing you the bad news." I say, seeing that it has affected him grossly. He jumps out of his reverie and looks at me.

“No. As a matter of fact you did a good thing to come here. Now I have someone to talk to in these distressing times. Your father was more like my brother and his death has caught me unawares. I'm trying to come to terms with it." His words trigger another bout of tears from me and he holds me as I cry.

My father was a good man and he always treated us like princesses. We never lacked anything, and we loved him back. When the divorce came, we became even more close, because none of us, Carla and I, supported what mother did.

“I will go now. Excuse me." I tell Mr Shannon and walk away. I notice that he has been fighting tears and I hurry up before I witness him crying.

“Olivia!" He calls and when I turn I see him facing away from me.

“Yes Mr Shannon." I say.

“This is now your home. If you need something just tell me. I am always like your father." He says. Emotion overcomes me again and I burst into tears, but I proceed up the stairs and to my room.

Of course I need clothes and other accessories, and also money, but I don't think I should tell him just yet. My room is clean, as if they were expecting me. But this is the state I always find it. Mr Shannon's house is constantly cleaned by a cleaning company.

I settle in the room for a few minutes, then arrange the few items I have on the shelves and take a shower. I lie on the bed and quickly slide into a deep sleep, maybe out of tiredness.

I have a bad dream, where my father is still alive and we are walking by the banks of a river. We both need to cross to the other side but the current is so strong. However, he decides to cross regardless of the odds that are against it. The current overpowers him and he starts drowning, then he starts calling, “Olivia! Olivia! Olivia!" He calls me to help him but there's nothing I can do.

“Olivia!! Olivia! Olivia!" He calls again and I struggle to get up and rescue him. That's when I wake up and hear Mr Shannon's voice just outside the door. I realize that I am sweating profusely.

“Olivia! You need to come down. It's time for lunch." He says. I jump out of bed and realize that I am indeed starving. Quickly I put on some clothes and walk down to the dining room. The smell of food rekindles an appetite that had taken a recess.

“Come, let's eat. I know you haven't eaten for a while." He tells me as he serves some meat on my plate. We eat in silence, a silence that says that we both know how each of us feels. My feeling now is about revenge. I pray that I stay long enough to see the killers put to book. I think I shouldn't rest until I have achieved this.

“Olivia!" Mr Shannon says as he wipes his mouth. He hasn't eaten much. Maybe his appetite is gone.

“Yes Mr Shannon." I say.

“After lunch I am going to take you shopping. I need you to make a list of everything that you need. I want your life here to be very comfortable." He says. He takes the remote and presses a button and his big TV screen comes to life.

The death of my father is being reported on all major channels. I try not to see but Mr Shannon comes to my rescue. He switches off the TV.

“I will help you Olivia. I will protect you from your enemies. I will make sure that you settle here and get a job. You will prosper in this city my daughter. But you need to shake away your past. For example, don't let your mother know where you are. Don't talk to her, it's important for you not to do that. I'm going to my room, please wait, I'll be back shortly" He says as he rises from the table and moves away.

At four o'clock in the evening he drives me to the city and he takes me to the boutiques. He gives me the money and I do the shopping as he patiently waits for me in the truck outside. It's a process that takes me almost two hours and when the shopping bags are carried to the truck it's almost getting dark.

“Let's have dinner here. There is still a lot of time. Maybe we can talk." Mr Shannon tells me when I get in the truck.

“That sounds fine." I agree with him. The truck roars to life and he drives away. I start looking for words to thank him with. If not for him offering me a place to hide, to call home, I wonder what would have happened to me. Maybe I would be dead. Then his sacrifice, and the large amount of money he gave me for my shopping.

“Your father once rescued me from adversity and I am forever indebted to him." He says, his eyes on the road. I wonder if he was reading my mind.

“He was a kind man." I say in response.

He steers the truck to the parking lot of a huge restaurant and we disembark.

Once we are settled and food has been served we are joined by another gentleman, the same age with Mr Shannon, if not older. He takes a seat directly opposite me and asks the waiter to serve him a cup of tea. Mr Shannon does the introductions.

“Olivia, I'd like you to meet my friend Mr Phillip Marshall. He is the owner of MARSHALL LIMITED, a construction company. Phillip, this is Olivia Forrester, daughter to my long time friend Robert." Phillip nods as Mr Shannon talks. His tea is served and he takes a sip, then takes out a notebook and pen and writes something.

“It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Forrester." He says, extending his hand. “The pleasure is all mine," I reply as we shake hands.

“Phillip, I must thank you for honoring my invitation even on short notice." Mr Shannon says, but Phillip cuts him off even before he can proceed further.

“What are friends for?" Phillip asks. “I can see something is bothering you. Just cut to the chase." He adds. I wonder what it is that Mr Shannon wants to say.

“Well, I'll be brief and to the point. Olivia, or Miss Forrester, has just gone through some traumatic experience. Her father was killed yesterday and she came here to hide from the same killers who are still looking for her. I need you to help her." Mr Shannon says. I feel tears starting to well up in my eyes but I try very hard to suppress them.

“Am sorry for that." Phillip says, toying around with his cup. “ I'll do anything for you my friend, just mention it."

“To keep this young lady busy, I am asking you to offer her a job at your company. I know her as a very hardworking person." Mr Shannon says. I take out my handkerchief and wipe my moist eyes.

“You don't need to ask my friend. There is always a vacancy for hard workers in my organization. Speaking of which, I need a personal assistant. Miss Frazer send in her resignation last week and I have been so busy that I forgot to hire another." Phillip says.

“Well, we can say that Miss Frazer's loss is Olivia's gain. I can assure you that you won't regret hiring her." Mr Shannon quips. There's some silence as Phillip writes something in his notebook.

“Thanks for your kind words Mr Shannon. Mr Marshall, I guarantee you that I will never let you down. I'll work diligently." I say.

“Well, let's put your words to test. Be at my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, then we can proceed. Now Mr Shannon, if you excuse me, I need to be home early." He says as he rises from his seat. We all rise and shake hands. It's only after he has left that we resume our seats.

“Thanks Mr Shannon." I say.

“Any time my daughter." He says.