Glass
Chapter 1
The papers didn't lie.
There was the truth in black and white, clear as crystal, staring right in front of her.
Olivia Jackson could only sit there rereading the fine print repeatedly; wanting to make sure she didn't miss anything. How was this even possible? It was tragic enough she had lost her parents in a horrific fire and now she was left with their dark secrets. This wasn't fair and didn't make any sense as Olivia pushed the papers away on the table, silent tears falling from her citrine colored eyes.
"Miss Jackson, do you need a moment?" The lawyer asked cordially, his heart going out to the poor woman sitting across from him.
"Please don't call me that." Olivia requested in a monotone voice, wiping the tears away somewhat angrily. "Because that is not my last name, according to these documents."
The lawyer smiled sadly. "On the contrary, Olivia, you were legally adopted by the Jackson family; so therefore, it is your last name." He corrected her gently, reaching over to pluck a few Kleenex from the box and handed them over.
Olivia wanted to believe that wholeheartedly because she had loved her family and had a relatively normal life. They lived on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia in a beautiful two story Victorian style home that was built back in the 1800's. She remembered running in the huge front yard and swinging on her tire swing her father had put up specifically for her.
Olivia was the Jackson's only child, so she had no siblings, but her parents showered her with love and anything she wanted to make up for that loss. Being brought up in a wealthy family, Olivia never wanted for anything and was homeschooled because her mother didn't trust the school system. Her parents hired one of the most well-known homeschooling teachers and gave Olivia all the education she needed to get through life safely.
As much as she should've, Olivia never resented her parents for keeping her closed up at home. Not only did it keep her out of trouble and away from peer pressure, but Olivia was able to focus solely on her studies, finishing school at the very top with straight A's and a perfect GPA. Olivia had one friend named Simone Turner, who she grew up with since their parents were long-time best friends. Simone was also homeschooled and often the girls would end up having their classes together whenever their designated teachers wanted them to do group projects.
Once Olivia finished school, at the age of seventeen, she ended up going to a local college in Atlanta, not wanting to be away from her family. It was only an hour drive, so Olivia wasn't that far away and, therefore, didn't need a dorm room. Olivia's major ended up being in journalism since she always loved to write, thankful her parents approved of her choice.
Simone went to college as well, though she was different from Olivia, wanting to break away from Atlanta. She ended up attending college at Florida State University and became a surgeon, having finished schooling a year sooner than Olivia because of her photographic memory. Whenever Simone came home from college, the girls made sure they spent time together, always maintaining their friendship somehow.
Olivia remembered sitting outside on the front porch swing with Simone on warm summer nights, just enjoying the buzzing of crickets and chasing lightning bugs. It was times that Olivia had taken for granted and thought she would have forever. Olivia was coming to the heartbreaking conclusion that nothing lasted forever and life could change in the blink of an eye.
The beauty the house possessed would forever be seared in Olivia's memory, since that's all she had left. The house had burnt to the ground, due to faulty wiring in the basement, and ended up taking her entire family's life. Olivia was actually in town doing some shopping and hadn't been in the house when the explosion happened or else she too would be nothing but ashes just like her parents.
"What happens now, Mr. Lewis?" Olivia asked quietly, leaning back in the chair and watched as an envelope slid in her direction.
"Your mother was very specific that you receive that in her will, along with all assets, properties and anything else they owned."
Closing her eyes, Olivia didn't know if she could handle any more surprises from her deceased parents and decided to open the envelope later. "Even though I'm not their biological daughter?" She asked in a clipped voice, standing up from the chair and slipped the envelope in her purse, sniffling.
"You don't have to be blood to be family, Olivia." Mr. Lewis stated soothingly, knowing this was extremely difficult for the poor woman to hear.
"Right." Olivia didn't believe him and pushed the chair in, trying to maintain her composure until she arrived back at the hotel she was currently staying at. "Is there anything else you needed from me today?"
"No, I'm afraid that's all. I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Olivia." Mr. Lewis grabbed her hand, patting it gently with saddened blue eyes. "Martin and Maggie were some of the kindest folk I've ever met. Don't hate them for keeping the adoption from you. They loved you, that's all you should keep in your mind and heart, darlin'."
Even his deep southern accent wasn't making Olivia feel better as she nodded curtly, slowly pulling her hand from his. "Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Have a nice day." She walked out and headed straight for the exit doors, the tears already falling.
Everywhere Olivia went, all she saw was pity in people's eyes and it made her wonder if they all knew her parents deep dark secret. That she really wasn't Jackson blood and wasn't worthy of their fortune. The Jacksons owned quite a few properties throughout the state of Georgia, one in Mississippi and, for some odd reason, one in Virginia. Olivia probably should've asked if Mr. Lewis had any information regarding who her biological family was, but honestly didn't care right now.
Slipping behind the wheel, Olivia blinked fresh tears away and slipped the key into the ignition of her Ford Focus, putting the car in reverse, driving away. Her cell phone vibrated away in the front pocket of her Coach purse, but Olivia couldn't bring herself to answer any phone calls. It was Simone checking up on her for the millionth time, worried about her since the funeral. As much as Olivia loved Simone and wanted to talk to her, she needed time to process everything Mr. Lewis told her in their meeting.
The funeral was huge and beautiful, everyone in the Atlanta area showing up to pay their respects to the Jacksons. Olivia had to set up all of the arrangements, with Simone's help, which killed her to do because she didn't want to say goodbye to her parents. They were the only people she knew, her only loved ones, and now they were gone because of a tragic turn of fate. If her father would've just updated the house with new wiring and whatnot, they would still be alive and Olivia wouldn't be feeling as though her entire world was shattering around her.
"Damn it!" Olivia shouted, hitting the steering wheel as a surge of rage coursed through her, the hot tears she tried holding back spilling freely down her cheeks.
Luckily, she had stopped at a red light before lashing out, but now the blaring of horns was clearly telling her the light had changed. She glared in her rearview mirror and flipped the driver behind her off, not caring about being a 'lady' right now. Her parents would probably roll in their graves if they knew their little angel just performed an obscene gesture. Olivia was definitely raised better than that, but she was so angry that she just didn't care about manners.
Arriving back at the hotel, Olivia snorted disdainfully as she slammed the door shut, storming inside and went straight to her room. It was actually a suite with a Jacuzzi and two bedrooms, a mini bar, kitchen, two bathrooms and a sitting area with a huge flat screen television. The hotel was actually owned by the Jackson family so Olivia didn't have to pay a dime, making it her new home until she could find one.
Tossing her purse to the side, Olivia kicked her black pumps off and unbuttoned her long sleeved white silk blouse, after removing her black and white pinstriped cardigan, letting both flutter to the floor. She then yanked the comforter back and slipped into bed, curling up in a ball before finally letting the breakdown consume her. How could her parents keep the fact she'd been adopted away from her for the past thirty years? Olivia was turning thirty-one in a few weeks, more tears falling at the harsh realization that her parents would never again celebrate her birthday.
No more Christmases, Thanksgivings, New Years, Easters and Fourth of Julys.
"I should've died with them." She whispered heartbrokenly, her tears soaking through the already tearstained pillow, every part of her body wracking violently with sobs.
Sometime later that night, Olivia woke up after crying herself to sleep and took a shower, washing away the day's events. If only it were that easy. Olivia stepped out, wrapping a towel tightly around her body, brushed her teeth and long auburn hair before walking out into the main room to order room service. Sitting down on the bed, Olivia picked up the phone and began dialing downstairs, when her eye caught something out of the corner.
It was the envelope Mr. Lewis had given Olivia that her mother left in her will.
Slowly hanging up the phone, Olivia timidly moved toward the envelope, forcing one foot in front of the other, until she stood over it. Everything she wanted to know was in that envelope, all of the questions that were burning in her mind could be answered. Gritting her teeth, Olivia bent down to snatch it up from the carpeted floor and walked back over to the bed, sinking down on it.
For five minutes straight, Olivia just stared at it, afraid of what the contents would reveal. She fingered the small silver cross around her neck, a gift from her mother on her sixteenth birthday. Olivia never took it off, not even when she showered because her mother had been adamant about making her promise to wear it at all times. Chewing her bottom lip, Olivia blinked back building tears and flipped the envelope over, slowly breaking the seal on it.
Unfolding the thick white papers, Olivia took a deep breath and began reading…
My sweet Oli,
As you're reading this letter, I know you must have a lot of questions and I promise to answer every one of them, sweetheart. I know it must be difficult for you to find out the truth about being adopted, but you have to know Daddy and I loved you unconditionally. I need you to believe that, even if you are angry with us for keeping you in the dark.
Before your father and I planted our roots in Atlanta, we both lived in a small town up north called Mystic Falls, Virginia. We were actually both born and raised there, went to school and even got married before making our way down to Atlanta because of your father's work. He wanted to extend the business his father left him and we both promised to leave Mystic Falls behind once we left.
After we were married, we stayed in Mystic Falls for a few years and tried starting a family, but I had a lot of difficulty conceiving. We tried everything, my darling, but nothing worked and we were starting to wonder if we'd ever be able to have a child. That's when we started looking into adoption and found you.
How we found you was out of sheer luck because I was good friends with a woman named Lucille Sommers. She was in a rocky marriage to a man named Blake and ended up having an affair with another man. Lucille was devastated and instantly came to me because she knew about my problems conceiving a child and we ended up striking a deal.
She told us that she would adopt the baby to us as long as we left Mystic Falls and never looked back. Blake was doing business overseas in Europe at the time for his company and wasn't home for an entire year. We helped her as much as we could throughout the pregnancy and, luckily, her daughters were too young to remember what was happening. We were at every doctor appointment, every ultrasound and I was even in the room the night you were born. Daddy and I fell in love with you instantly, Oli, and a few days later we moved down to Atlanta.
Your biological sisters are named Miranda Sommers-Gilbert and Jenna Sommers. Jenna was only one and Miranda was two when Lucille ended up pregnant with you. Unfortunately, my darling, your biological mother, Lucille, is no longer with us and died of cancer ten years ago. I wanted to tell you about all of this then, but I was so afraid of losing you that fear stopped me. I was selfish and I'm so sorry because I know how heartbroken you must be right now with all of this newfound information.
Olivia, I know you probably hate me right now and I don't blame you one bit, sweetheart, but you need to understand something. Mystic Falls is not a safe place to live, at all. It's not a place to settle down and have a family, especially raising children.
That necklace that's around your neck, the one you've never taken off since your sixteenth birthday, isn't just an ordinary necklace. Lucille gave it to me the night you were born and promised me to give it to you on your sixteenth birthday. It will protect you against the evil that is in Mystic Falls should you decide to track down your biological family.
In closing, I just want to say that I am extremely proud of you, Olivia and, no matter what you think of me and Daddy, we have always loved you. You ARE and always will be our daughter. It never bothered us that you were never our blood. You are our daughter, you are a Jackson and don't ever forget that. We love you so much, my darling, and we know you will make the right decisions and travel down the right paths in life.
Until we meet again in the next life.
All our love,
Mommy & Daddy
The letter slowly floated to the carpet as Olivia sat there staring straight ahead, feeling as though she couldn't breathe. She had siblings? Another family and they were in Mystic Falls, Virginia…or what was left of it anyway. Jenna and Miranda were the only keys she had to unlocking all the information about the Sommers.
Swallowing hard, Olivia shakily stood up from the bed and walked over to her purse; pulling her cell phone out, calling the only person she could count on. "S-Sim, its Oli, y-you need to g-get to the h-hotel…" Olivia was crying so hard, she could barely speak and hung up as soon as Simone confirmed she was on her way, dropping to her knees as the tears flowed.