Vanessa smiled coldly.
"Daniel has made his decision. You should accept it."
Olivia looked at her.
"Who are you to make decisions about my relationship?"
Vanessa stepped closer.
"I'm the woman he actually wants."
The words struck Olivia harder than she expected.
She looked at Daniel again.
"Is that true?"
Daniel finally spoke.
"Olivia, this isn't the place."
She laughed through her tears.
"Of course it isn't. You never want to talk when the truth is inconvenient."
A few guests began watching.
Vanessa noticed them.
Instead of lowering her voice, she seemed even more determined to embarrass Olivia.
"Perhaps you should leave before you make an even bigger scene."
Olivia wiped her cheek.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she reached for her phone.
"Fine. If nobody here is willing to tell me the truth, I'll call someone who will."
Daniel's expression suddenly changed.
"Olivia, don't."
But she had already pressed the call button.
CHAPTER 2: THE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Olivia held the phone against her ear.
Her breathing was uneven.
She looked toward the hotel entrance as though she were waiting for someone to arrive.
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Who are you calling? Your friends? Your parents?"
Olivia ignored her.
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, someone answered.
"Hello?"
Olivia closed her eyes.
For a few seconds, she struggled to speak.
Then she whispered:
"Mom..."
Her voice broke.
"Mom, I need you."
There was a brief silence.
Then the voice on the other end became concerned.
"Olivia? What's wrong?"
Olivia looked at Daniel.
"He lied to me."
Her mother immediately asked what had happened.
Olivia tried to explain, but the tears kept interrupting her sentences.
"He brought her here. He stood in front of me and admitted everything. I don't know what to do anymore."
Vanessa could hear parts of the conversation.
She smirked.
"How touching."
Daniel stepped toward Olivia.
"Please end the call."
Olivia moved away.
"No. You don't get to tell me what to do anymore."
Her mother asked another question.
"Are you at the Imperial Grand?"
Olivia nodded, even though her mother couldn't see her.