I kept my calm and replied with a playful smile, “Well, maybe I know some big secret about your brother, and that’s why I did it.”
“Huh? What nonsense?” she said, clearly annoyed. “I’m not scared of you. It’s so annoying to be treated like a kid. If you were younger and cuter, it would be better. You’re way too old for me to talk to.”
Olivia said it with a smug look on her face.
“Well, I guess I do seem old to a high school student like you,” I replied, trying to stay calm.
“But you’re older than my brother,” she continued. “You should be earning more and supporting him. Working from home probably pays the same as a part-time job at a convenience store. I could make that much too.”
I was shocked that Olivia would say something like that. She’s still so young and has no idea.
“Actually, I make more than that,” I said.
“Really? I don’t believe it. There’s no way you earn much. Jerry must be paying most of the bills, right? You should be thankful for his good income,” she said, crossing her arms.
I was stunned. She didn’t believe me at all, and I didn’t know how to explain it. I just stood there, not saying anything, feeling frustrated.
“See? You can’t even argue back,” she said with a smirk. “And don’t think I’m going to stay quiet about this.”
It was clear that Olivia just wanted to pick a fight. I decided it was easier to stay quiet and let her complain.
Suddenly, I realized Jerry’s phone call had ended. I could hear his footsteps coming back toward the living room. As soon as he entered, Olivia’s face lit up, and she smiled sweetly.
“Jerry, was your call okay?” she asked, her tone completely different.
“Yeah, it was just a quick confirmation,” he said, sitting down on the sofa.
“That’s good.”
“Drink your tea before it gets cold,” I said, handing him the cup.
“Thanks,” he replied.
The way Olivia switched from being cold to sweet as soon as Jerry showed up was almost shocking. It felt like she was a completely different person when he was around.
Being alone with Olivia was definitely not easy. But when she only acted out with me, I decided to just see it as childish jealousy. I didn’t want to cause any problems between Jerry and me, so I never told him how she really acted.
As a result, Olivia grew bolder, knowing I wouldn’t fight back.
“Hey, what’s for dinner tonight?” she asked, leaning over the kitchen counter.
“Stew,” I answered, keeping my tone light.
“Okay, okay,” she said, giving a little shrug.
Olivia came over again today, but this time, something unexpected happened. While Jerry was in the bathroom, she came up next to me as I was making dinner and looked over my shoulder.
I felt the tension rise between us, but I tried to ignore it. Then suddenly, she did something I never saw coming.
“Oops, my hand slipped,” she said with a fake smile.
And before I could react, she grabbed the pot and dumped it into the sink with a loud crash.
I stood there, stunned, as the sound of the pot hitting the sink echoed in the kitchen. The stew I’d worked hard on was ruined, and I didn’t know what to say.
The stew I had carefully made was now splattered all over the sink. I quickly turned off the stove, feeling a mix of shock and frustration. Meanwhile, Olivia just stood there with a smirk on her face.
“Are you okay? I heard a loud noise,” Jerry said, rushing in from the living room.
“Sorry, I accidentally dropped the pot because she startled me,” Olivia said smoothly, lying without missing a beat.
“Laura, are you okay? Did you get burned?” Jerry asked, looking worried.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I said, not wanting to make a scene.
I was overwhelmed by how easily Olivia twisted the situation. I didn’t tell Jerry the truth right then.
Up until now, her actions were just words. But what she did was dangerous. If things had gone wrong, I could have been seriously burned. I knew I couldn’t ignore this anymore.
After Olivia left, I told Jerry everything that had happened.
“Really? Did Olivia actually throw the pot on purpose?” Jerry asked, shocked.
“Yes. Before, she would just say mean things, but this time she crossed a line,” I said.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t realize she could do something like that. It’s partly my fault for not paying attention, and she can be very sneaky,” Jerry said, clearly upset. “I’ll have a serious talk with her.”
I worried that telling Jerry might strain his relationship with his sister, but I knew I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
The next day, Jerry called Olivia and gave her a warning. That evening, she came to our house to apologize.
“I’m truly sorry,” she said, looking down.