Letting Go (Part 1)

When Olivia opened the door, she found Belle standing there with a sweet smile on her lips but weary eyes. Though it was expected, Olivia was still not prepared to see the mother of her boyfriend a few days after finding out that she had killed people…men before.

Though the idea of standing in front of a bloodthirsty assassin would make anyone have chills on their back and run for their lives as if they offended someone revengeful for them to send an assassin to them, Olivia didn't feel that way.

How would she feel that way when the woman standing in front of her looks like a scared mouse fidgeting her feet on the ground she was standing on?

Olivia doesn't understand why Belle would be anxious when she should be the one to be anxious facing her.

"Hey," Belle greeted her with a smile. This time, her weariness traveled to her lips as they twitched.

"Mom," Olivia said. Surprisingly, Olivia doesn't feel it in herself to feel indifferent about Belle. She still sees her as her mother so calling her 'mom' still feels the same. If there is anything changed, it is the way she sees her. Belle is definitely one hell of a woman hiding behind her sweet and charming facade.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia wanted to scold herself for uttering such insensitive questions as if Belle shouldn't be on a property that is owned by her son.

Before Olivia could take back her words, Belle answered her. "I just wanted to see you,"

Olivia didn't know what to say because it was out of the blue.

Belle and Olivia always have a day or two every month to spend time with each other, like real mother and daughter and sometimes, they would randomly see each other which was always. Belle would call her or text her to check if she was okay and if Matthew is treating her well. There were also times that Belle would come to her apartment to bring her food but she would never say that she just wanted to see her.

It made Olivia wonder if Belle knew of what transpired between her and Matthew. Though Matthew's illegal activity was supposed to be a secret to his mother, they all know that there is a great possibility that Belle knew but was just not saying anything about it. So Olivia will not be surprised if Belle knew what almost happened to her and that she was at the underground facility.

When Olivia realized that she was staring at Belle for an unusually long moment, she blinked and hastily said, "Oh…come in," She wanted to smack her head for letting Belle wait outside her apartment.

Olivia widened the opening of her door and gestured to Belle to come inside. She was internally glad that she cleaned up the whole place because it would be embarrassing if Belle came into the chaos that she called 'work' in her living room.

Olivia looked around the apartment and applauded herself for how she managed to make it look like she just moved in even though it was not the first time that Belle surprised her with a sudden visit. She didn't even notice that Belle was barely bothered with how the apartment looked as her gaze was fixed on the kitchen.

When Belle noticed the spotless kitchen, she turned around and asked, "Have you had lunch?" Because the way she saw it, either Olivia had eaten and had cleaned the kitchen perfectly or Olivia hadn't touched the kitchen ever since she used it.

Even though it was mid-afternoon, Belle thought that there should be at least a glass of water on the kitchen counter or near the sink but there was nothing as if Olivia doesn't even use her kitchen.

"Uhm…" Olivia suddenly glanced at her watch and realized the time. Her eyes went wide when she realized that she didn't notice the time and the last time that she ate was during breakfast.

Belle, who knows how to read people, could only shake her head. "I guess not," She said, and then she walked toward the dining table. "Matthew says you tend to skip or rather forget meals whenever you are too immersed in your work,"

Olivia followed her. It was just then she realized that the paper bag that Belle was carrying, and now she placed it on the dining table. "Uhm…I am not…I was busy cleaning the apartment," She said.

Belle looked around and noticed the three huge trash bags near the kitchen.

Though Belle didn't ask, Olivia explained, "I requested for a two-week break and I thought why not start it by cleaning my apartment," She now stood at the other side of the table as she watched Belle take out food containers from the paper bag.

Belle noted that Olivia took a break and she was glad about it because she knew that Olivia needed it but she didn't comment on that, instead, she looked at Olivia with an amused face and said, "I've never seen your apartment messy," It was the truth. Even if she randomly visits Olivia in her apartment, she never sees her apartment in a mess except for the occasional paper or folder which is understandable because Olivia sometimes brings her work to home.

Olivia chuckled and shook her head. "Well, you haven't seen my office," She said, and then she helped Belle take out what she assumed was home-cooked food from the paper bag. She doubts if Belle had ever seen her office because Matthew had probably told her that it was off-limits. Not that what she was working on was classified, but because she is afraid that something might get misplaced.

Olivia gathered plates and utensils from the cupboard and then they both pulled chairs so that they could start eating.

Belle brought homemade salad and a sandwich which Olivia was thankful for because she doesn't know if she can stomach a heavy meal at the moment.

While eating, they talked about the apartment and random stuff that Belle noticed in the apartment which made Olivia anxious because she felt that it was not really what Belle came for.

And she was right.

Because while Olivia was washing their plates and the food containers, she heard Belle speak behind her, "Liv…you know you can talk to me, right?"

Olivia's back tensed. As rude as it may seem, Olivia ignored Belle's statement and continued to wash the dishes internally hoping that she has hundreds of plates to wash to prolong the impending serious conversation with Belle about her boyfriend who happens to be her son, or the crimes that they committed.

Unfortunately, there were only two plates and a few utensils so she didn't even take five minutes to wash them. That means, she has to turn around and face the inevitable.

Belle knew. Olivia realized. Was she too obvious and transparent for Belle to notice that something is amiss? Or Belle was just good at observing people. After all, Matthew said that his mother was good in that department.

Olivia wondered how much Belle knew.

The answer came when she turned around and Belle immediately spoke, "I know what happened in the past few days," Belle was still sitting on the dining chair as she watched Olivia lean on the kitchen counter staring at her with a dumbfounded look on her face.

What does she mean by that? Olivia asked herself. Was she talking about Latimer? What did she do to uncover Latimer's dirty secrets? What she found out inside Latimer's mansion? That she almost got kidnapped because of that?

Or the fact that Matthew rescued her and then he took her to the underground facility and unfolded in front of her the other side of Matthew Brown that she was not aware of? Including the fact that Matthew told her about his mother's dark past.

"H-he told you?" Olivia stuttered as she stayed rooted in her spot.

"He doesn't have to tell me," Belle said while shaking her head.

"You knew…" Olivia started to become unnerved by Belle's presence. It was obvious by the way Belle talked and looked at her that she knew a lot of things that happened in the past few days. Olivia doesn't know how Belle knew and she doesn't want to ask or even find out how.

It was clear that Matthew didn't tell her so probably, it was Arthur, Matthew's father since he was friends with Timothy's father who happens to run the underground facility so he knew what was going on in there.

Either that or Belle was just really good at a lot of things that it was starting to scare Olivia. Should she be surprised? Belle was an assassin and to be an assassin, you have to know a lot of skills and one of that is being a keen observant.

But Belle shake the nerve and the little wariness that Olivia felt towards her when she looked at her affectionately and softly said, "You may think that I am biased because he is my son but please believe when I say that he will never hurt innocent people, especially you,"

Olivia lowered her head and unconsciously played with her foot. She bit her lower lip and prepared herself to say that she believed her. She believed that Matthew would not hurt innocent people. Matthew will not hurt her.

But still…what he was doing was unlawful.

But before Olivia could say a word, Belle continued as if sensing that Olivia was hesitating. "What he did…what he was doing might not be right in the eyes of the law, but it was not wrong in the eyes of the people who he helped in the past. They may not know that it was him…that it was them, but I am sure that they were grateful and they really appreciated it. Because I was once a victim and I knew how it felt living and hoping for justice," Belle stood up and rounded the dining table so that he was standing in front of Olivia.

"I never get a peaceful sleep until I get the justice that I deserve…that they deserve. And I am sure that those people did as well," Belle added.

Olivia never doubted that. She might not have felt what Belle felt or experienced what she did. She was never a victim of such violence which she was thankful for but she studied psychology during college so she knew how victims would feel once they got the justice that they deserve no matter what the process of getting it.

Olivia smiled faintly. "Matthew is lucky to have you," Not all mothers would condone the unlawful actions that their son is doing. But then, not all mothers are like Belle.

Even before Olivia found out about Belle's dark past, to her Belle is simply one of a kind.