Chapter 119: Not My Mother

OLIVIA’S POV

The following morning, I was seated at the dining table, waiting for breakfast to be served. I had barely slept the previous night, and despite my attempts to stop thinking about what had happened between Lucian and me, his confession kept replaying in my mind.

He had a fated mate.

Goddess, even thinking about it made my heart ache. I knew he had assured me that he wanted nothing to do with her, but somehow, I couldn’t get rid of the fear that had settled inside me.

"Why are you setting another plate?" one of the maids suddenly asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "Have you forgotten that His Majesty doesn’t eat breakfast?"

The second maid smiled as she placed a plate on the table.

"Well, His Majesty personally instructed me to set his place this morning. He said he’ll be joining Lady Olivia for breakfast."

"Really?" The first maid looked surprised. "That’s strange. I can’t even remember the last time His Majesty came downstairs for breakfast. It’s been months!"

"I know!" the second maid replied with a quiet laugh. "But I think I know why he’s suddenly interested in breakfast."

"Why?"

The maid glanced in my direction, smiling mischievously.

"Because of Lady Olivia, of course."

Both maids giggled before turning toward me with knowing smiles. I managed a small smile in return, although I wasn’t particularly interested in their conversation. Under different circumstances, I might have found their teasing amusing, but this morning, I had too much on my mind.

"I wonder if His Majesty will start having breakfast every morning now," the first maid whispered.

Before the other could respond, footsteps sounded from the entrance. Both maids immediately straightened, their smiles disappearing as Lucas walked into the dining room.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," they greeted respectfully.

Lucas acknowledged them with a nod before approaching the table.

"Good morning, Olivia."

"Good morning, Alpha Lucas," I replied.

He pulled out the chair beside mine and sat down. One of the maids immediately began serving his breakfast while the other poured him a glass of juice. I picked up my fork and tried to eat, but after taking a few bites, I realized I had absolutely no appetite.

My mind kept returning to Lucian and the woman who had saved his life. I wanted to believe that his feelings for me were strong enough to overcome the mate bond, but what if they weren’t? What if I eventually gave him my whole heart, only for his fated mate to appear and take him away from me?

"Olivia?"

I blinked and turned toward Lucas.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

He glanced at my plate before looking back at me.

"You’ve barely touched your breakfast, and you seem distracted. Is something bothering you?"

I shook my head.

"No, I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep very well."

Lucas studied me for a moment, and I could tell he wasn’t entirely convinced. However, instead of questioning me further, he sighed and placed his fork on the table.

"Olivia, about what happened yesterday..."

I looked at him.

"I want to apologize."

His words caught me by surprise.

"Apologize?"

"Yes. I shouldn’t have announced my intention to marry you in front of everyone without discussing it with you first. I know I embarrassed you, and I’m sorry."

I stared at him, unsure what to say.

"Olivia, all of this is new to me," he continued. "I’ve spent years searching for you, and now that I’ve finally found you, I’m having a difficult time controlling my emotions. I’m not used to feeling this way about anyone, and sometimes, I act before thinking things through."

I lowered my gaze, remembering our argument the previous night.

"I understand, Lucas. But you can’t keep making decisions for me simply because you want us to be together."

"I know," he replied. "And I’ll try to do better. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable around me."

"Okay."

He smiled slightly, apparently relieved that I wasn’t still angry with him.

We continued eating in silence for a few minutes, although I barely touched my food. I appreciated his apology, but I was too exhausted to think about anything other than what Lucian had told me.

After a while, Lucas glanced at his phone before turning toward me.

"I have some matters to attend to today, so I’ll be away for most of the day. I should be back sometime this evening."

"Okay."

"Will you be all right?"

I nodded.

"Of course."

He studied my face for another moment before pushing his chair back and standing.

"All right, then. I’ll see you later."

Before I could respond, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead.

I froze in surprise, but he simply smiled and walked away.

I watched him leave, feeling even more confused than before. Between Lucas’s determination to win my heart and Lucian’s revelation about his fated mate, I honestly didn’t know what to do anymore.

I remained seated for a few minutes before finally deciding to return to my bedroom. I had barely risen from my chair when Ma’am Rebecca walked into the dining room.

"Olivia, good morning."

"Good morning, Ma’am Rebecca."

However, my attention immediately shifted to the woman standing behind her.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was her again.

The woman who looked exactly like my mother.

"Ma’am Rebecca?" I looked between them in confusion. "What’s going on?"

Rebecca gave me a reassuring smile.

"Olivia, come with me. There’s something we need to discuss."

I nodded and followed them out of the dining room. Rebecca led us to the study, and once we were inside, she gestured for me to sit down.

I took a seat, but my eyes remained fixed on the woman. No matter how many times I looked at her, I couldn’t understand how someone could resemble my mother so closely and still claim to be a completely different person.

Rebecca sat opposite me while the woman remained standing beside her.

"Olivia," Rebecca began gently, "I’ve spoken with her about everything you told me. I’ve also explained why you believe she’s your missing mother."

The elderly woman stepped forward.

"My dear, Lady Rebecca has told me everything about your mother and how long you’ve been searching for her. I understand why you believe I’m the woman you’re looking for, but I assure you, I’m not your mother."

I stared at her.

"But you look exactly like her."

"I understand that, dear. However, I’ve never lost my memory. I know who I am, and I remember my life. There’s no period of my past that I can’t account for."

I shook my head slowly.

"I don’t understand. You have her face, her eyes, and even the way you speak reminds me of her. How can two people look so much alike?"

The woman sighed sympathetically.

"I wish I had an explanation for you, but I don’t."

Rebecca reached across the table and gently touched my hand.

"Olivia, I know this is difficult, but perhaps there’s another way we can confirm whether she’s your mother."

I turned toward her.

"What do you mean?"

"Is there anything distinctive about your mother’s body? Perhaps a birthmark, an old scar, or something that would make it easier to identify her?"

I frowned, trying to remember. For several seconds, I searched through my memories, wondering whether there was anything unusual about my mother’s appearance.

Then something suddenly occurred to me.

"Wait!"

Both women looked at me.

"I remember something!"

"What is it?" Rebecca asked.

"My mother had a scar on the back of her thigh. Years ago, she accidentally spilled a pot of boiling water on herself while cooking. It burned her badly and left a noticeable scar."

Rebecca’s expression brightened.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes! I remember it clearly. I was there when it happened, and even after the wound healed, the scar never completely disappeared."

I turned toward the woman, my heart pounding with anticipation.

"Please, can you check? If you’re really my mother, the scar should still be there."

The woman nodded without hesitation.

"Of course, dear."

She turned slightly and lifted the fabric of her dress enough to reveal the backs of her thighs.

I leaned forward, examining her skin carefully.

There was nothing.

No scar.

No burn mark.

Her skin was completely smooth.

I stared in disbelief, feeling the little hope I’d been holding on to slowly disappear.

"But... how?"

The woman lowered her dress and looked at me sympathetically.

"You see, dear? I told you I’m not your mother."

I shook my head, unable to understand what I was seeing.

"But you look exactly like her. How is that even possible?"

"I honestly don’t know," she replied.

Rebecca moved closer and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Olivia, don’t lose hope. I’ll have some trackers and investigators look into this. We’ll find out what happened to your mother, and if she’s still out there, we’ll do everything we can to locate her."

I looked up at her gratefully.

"Thank you, Mother Rebecca. I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me."

"You’re welcome, dear. You’re part of this family now, and I want to help you."

The elderly woman also smiled gently.

"Don’t worry, Olivia. I hope you find your mother soon. To be honest, I’m quite curious to meet her myself. I’ve never heard of someone looking so much like me."

I managed a weak smile.

"Thank you. Both of you."

After exchanging a few more words, I excused myself and left the study.

By the time I returned to my bedroom, my head was filled with questions. I sat on the edge of my bed, trying to understand everything that had happened.

How could that woman look exactly like my mother?

I had been so certain she was the person I’d spent years searching for. Every time I looked at her, I saw my mother’s face, and yet she had no memory loss and none of the scars my mother had carried.

Was it really possible for two unrelated people to resemble each other so perfectly?

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Between everything that had happened with Lucian and this new disappointment concerning my mother, I was beginning to feel completely overwhelmed.

Just then, someone knocked on my door.

"Come in," I called, assuming it was one of the maids.

The door opened, and I looked up.

To my surprise, the woman who resembled my mother stepped into the room.

"Oh, it’s you," I said, immediately sitting upright.

She closed the door behind her and approached me.

"Olivia, I’m sorry to disturb you."

"That’s all right. Is something wrong?"

She hesitated for a moment, glancing toward the door before turning back to me.

"There’s something I need to tell you."

I frowned.

"Okay. What is it?"

The woman took a deep breath, her expression suddenly serious.

"I think I know who took your mother... and where she might be."