The Beginning Of All Sins

*

Olivia was about to step into the car when Ana's call came through. She answered promptly. "Hi, Mom." "Did you deliver it to him?"

"Yes," she replied after a brief pause.

Ana's suspicion heightened at the momentary silence. "Don't make me call the Harris Group to verify."

"He's not at his office, Mom. I called him, and he instructed me to leave it at the front desk."

"And now you're leaving," Ana noted.

Olivia glanced down. "Yes."

"You're not leaving. The purpose of afternoon tea is to personally hand it to him!"

a moment of silence, Ana's tone hardened.

of her daze.

"Good. Goodbye."

call ended. The driver glanced at Olivia, asking tentatively,

"No. We'll wait here."

driver

didn't explain. Instead, she pursed her lips, her face slightly

to Naomi's ward, where she immediately asked, "Was that

placed his phone on the coffee

moment before sheepishly suggesting, "Um, Tyler? work needs your attention, you should

looked up from his book. "It was just a

fretted about hindering his work.

that he would

if it were important. Nodding,

room lapsed into

and exclaimed, "Ms.