"Yes, he worked for them. My papa was a hired hand Victoria." Olivia had enough. Her heart and pride took all they could. Or she thought so. 

"Did Austin tell you why he let your papa go?" Victoria bit into the ripe apple. 

"What do you mean? Austin let him go! " In disbelief Olivia's violet eyes got bigger. 

"Didn't you know? He wanted you for his mistress, and your papa working here became inconvenient. Austin asked Ewans to hire him. You seriously didn't think you were ever more than that? You got lucky to have his brat. Do you think she'll be your ticket to Jade fortune? Think again! He already saw the light, and I expect him to propose any day now. You can ask him about your papa if you don't believe me." 

Olivia's heart sank like a rock. The instant pressure built in front of her eyes. The hurt was too much to bear. The tears had gathered in her eyes and they threatened to fall. 

"Did he ask you to marry him!?" Victoria continued. It was more of a statement than a question, she turned around on the heel of her boot and added looking back over her shoulder, "I didn't think so!" With a smile on her face she walked towards the house. The only sound that echoed was her laugh and the ruffling of her skirt. 

Nelly had felt something was amiss.She went to the kitchen and run into Olivia. She was on her way to her room, and her eyes were full of tears. 

"Olivia! What happened Olivia?" 

"Mrs.Jade, please..." She sobbed too hard to explain or answer.

She wished she was back at "Estate", and far away from Big J ranch. 

Austin return to the house. It had taken him some time to deal with the young mare, and he felt tired. The colt was out safely, but it took some time for it to arrive. Afterwards it was just the wait to see that the mare and the young one were fine. Clay took over the watch. 

Nelly got very concerned about Olivia, " Austin you better talk to Olivia! Something happened, and she won't tell me what! She's in the sunroom right now. Please talk to her. Maybe you can find out what is bothering her." 

The icy feeling that went through Austin's veins soared high and it got stronger almost freezing him. The feeling was strongly embedded with suspicion he had lost them forever. He had lost Olivia and Grace. He had a good idea who was responsible for it. Austin didn't think Victoria would do it.

*** 

It was the truth! Olivia knew Victoria didn't lie about it. He was rich and handsome, and he could choose the bride from any well-known families in the country. All this time Olivia ignored the fact that Austin had never asked her to be his wife because it was easier to ignore it. 

Who was she compared to them? 

She would always defend her father for being a hired hand. The slight hope she had faded. Austin did let him go. He offered her the position of his mistress, and that was only offer she ever received from him. The fact Victoria knew about it spoke volume. The struggle to dismiss what she had heard tempted her. There was no other way out. She'll have to face Austin and ask him. It made her scared even if now she had a home to go to. She also knew Wilma patiently waited for the outcome of her stay at the ranch. Wilma and Mrs. Helms we're good company to each other, but Wilma missed "Estate". 

Olivia loved Austin, with a love that ran deep. Her heart beats on its own accord and it cannot be helped. The struggle almost too much to bare. She wanted, so much, not to believe Victoria. Olivia couldn't think, couldn't accept! It couldn't be the truth. The reality of it told a different story. 

Austin opened the door with dread and walked into the sunroom where Olivia was seated. Her swollen eyes and the confusion on her face spoke to him more than words. Something was terribly wrong. 

"Olivia, what has happened? Why are you upset?" 

"Ms.Thimken came up with some information about my papa. Tell me it isn't the truth!" She looked at him hopefully. "Did you let him go because of me? Tell me the truth!" Olivia demanded, but her eyes searched his face hoping to see denial, and that all will be well. 

His silence told the story she didn't want to hear. The deafening silence seemed to move into her. Shaking her head, she whispered, "No! It is the truth! Isn't it? All that Victoria told me, it's the truth!" 

A shiver broke through her. 

How he wanted to deny it. To take her into his arms and deny the whole thing. He couldn't make himself look at her and lie to her, so he remained quiet. Olivia walked away from him. She left him, ashen, standing in a sunroom. 

Her face revealed her pain. She walked through the house, not being aware of her surroundings. Nelly was in the room with Grace putting her to sleep. She looked up and got the feeling something was dreadfully wrong. 

Olivia closed her eyes and recollected everything. He did always say this was Grace's home. Never mentioned that it was also hers. How much clearer can he be? He didn't want her. He already took all he wanted from her and now he wished to marry his equal. Wilma's little estate didn't put her there.

He was after all the "Jade" and the name itself represented power. Only a handful of people got welcomed at the Jade's ranch or to their other homes. They had them in almost every town. Austin could select his bride in any one of them. 

Wiping her tears she looked at Nelly with pain and regret, "Nelly, I'm leaving and I'm sorry. You've been wonderful and Grace is lucky to have you as her grandmother. I'm not coming back here. The truth is, I should've never come. I don't belong here, and I never did." 

Nelly shook her head in denial, but there was something in the young woman's eyes that stopped her from interfering. 

Olivia got quiet. Love for him, was turning into something else, it felt like pain. Love faded away locking itself out of her reach. 

She needed to get away from here. The truth was that she couldn't stay at the ranch any longer. 

With each mile she was farther away from him, she sobbed harder. The sleeves of her dark blue dress were soaked with her tears.

Wilma hugged her and comforted her the best she could. It hurt her old heart to see Olivia suffer like that. Her old wrinkled hands stroked her hair, "It will pass Olivia, everything in life does. We will leave in the morning. I'll let Leo know, so he can make the arrangements." 

"Thank you, grandma." 

Olivia wanted to see, for the last time, the little cottage where she had lived with her father. She put on her shawl and walked down the narrow path. 

She stood in front of the old cottage where she and her father had lived. Dwelling looked abandoned and alone. The overgrown grass grew all around it, and the lonely window shutter was closed. There was almost no paint left on the tiny porch in front of it. It was all peeled off. The roof looked like it had sagged some more. The evidence of time passing by. The fence in the corner, of the now overgrown weed garden, lay on the ground. Tears slid silently down her cheeks and reached her chin and found their way down her throat. 

"Oh, papa how I miss you. I'm sorry papa! If it wasn't for me..." She stopped at the sound of approaching footsteps. 

Wilma came looking for her." Dear child it isn't your fault, accidents happen, and there is nothing we can do about it." 

***

The fear of losing them became the reality. The regret and pain pressed at him. Austin saddled his horse and took off to the northern part of the ranch. That one was more closer to the mountains, and farther from everyone. The wind swept through the pasture with the vengeance, but he didn't feel it. 

Olivia was gone, and she'll never forgive him. In truth, he couldn't forgive himself. In the past he was too arrogant and took his position for granted. He never thought it could turn on him. 

The horse trampled the bushes, and he gripped the reins till his fingers hurt. He couldn't deny the truth to her. Austin remembered the last look of pain in her eyes. How he wished to take her in his arms and say, " I love you Olivia! I will spend the rest of my life making you happy and try to earn your forgiveness." 

He couldn't! He couldn't even hope that one day she would forgive him.