Sign Here for Vengeance

Chapter 13: I Need To Leave

OLIVIA

-TWO WEEKS AGO-

"You can stay here if you want, Olivia. The customers love you. And we love having you here in the salon." Mary pleaded, holding both of my hands.

I felt a bit guilty making her feel this way. She took care of me and let me live with her parents, even got me a job at their salon. I was quite surprised that her family worked in the beauty industry, when I grew up knowing her as one of our best cooks back at the mansion. I did my best to repay her, and it paid off. Their sales blasted through the roof when I worked here as their hairstylist. But there's something I have to do. I can't just stay here in Ohio.

I sighed, "Mary, thank you for everything. But I have to go back. I need to redeem my Reagan name, and bring back everyone. Once I do it, I can get you your job back, and Flor, Anne, Denver... everyone."

"But Olivia." She frowned, "What about you? It's been almost a year. We all have families to return to. We're okay now. But you're a different story. You'll be alone out there. But you have us here. Please, just stay. I can't let you leave again. What if-"

"Shhhh." I pulled her in for a hug because it sounded like she was about to cry, "It won't happen again. I promise. They won't know I'm alive."

Mary told me that she was inconsolable when she heard about the crash on the news. The media reported that no one survived. I'm the only one who did, but I told no one that I was aboard that flight. When they found me passed out on the runway a couple months back, I told them I was from the beach, and that I drank a lot and passed out on the runway. They detained me for a few hours, then let me go. That's when I called Mary.

As soon as she heard I was alive, she rushed to me faster than a migrating bird. Then, she took me in. I told her what happened on the plane, and about Pauline. It made her want to keep me here more after she learned that Clyde attempted to kill me.

"Please, Olivia. Please stay." She begged once more. But I already made up my mind.

I held her shoulders and looked at her with all seriousness, "Mary. I won't be able to live in peace after what they did to me and my family. You know that. I promise. When the time comes, I'll return to you and get you back to New York, like you dreamed."

"O-Olivia, I..."

"A man like Clyde Harrison can't just live on top. He can't get away with it. There will be others like me, like you, who will be his victim. I can't let that happen, Mary."

Her brows got scrunched in worry, looking at me then at the ground. Her face clouded with hesitation. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh in defeat, "There really is no stopping you, is there?"

I shook my head.

"Alright." She straightened herself up, "I want you to be happy, Olivia. But I can't control you. So, I'm letting you go on one condition."

"Anything."

"Write to me at least once a week." She requested, "Don't text me. You know how powerful and clever the Harrisons are. They might detect you even if you're dead. So just write to me using the name Liv Grey, and always address it to this salon. No one knows my family owns it."

Ah, this is what I loved about Mary. She thinks ahead and always knows what to do, what to say, what to cook. Everything.

I nodded in compliance, "I promise. I'll even write to you as soon as I get an apartment."

"Okay." She replied with a smile. Then, she looked at me as if it was the last time we would be seeing each other.

But of course, I won't let that happen.

"Take care out there, Olivia."

"I will. I promise." I took my luggage and my bag and gave her one last hug. Then, I proceeded to leave. It's a good thing I decided to leave a few hours before the salon opens. If the crew was here, they would chain me to a chair and threaten to cut my hair if I leave. But they won't actually do it. They loved styling my hair because it grew so fast over the year. I always kept it below my shoulders, but now it reached my waist.

Speaking of hairs, maybe I should dye it? Just to avoid detection. Right. I should. I can decide about contact lenses later.

I turned around to ask Mary if she could dye my hair. But as soon as I did, she was already out the door with apron and gloves on. It was as if she read my mind. I smiled and ran back to her.

"I was about to ask you to dye your hair." She said, reaching for my locks, "You know, I've always wondered how you'd look like in platinum blonde?"

I frowned, "Hmmm... I don't think I would look like me."

Then we smiled at each other knowingly, and squealed in unison like a couple of school girls.

"Let's do it!"