Olive sat in the cramped seat of the plane, her fingers tracing the outline of the leather handbag resting on her lap. She had only packed the essentials—clothes, a few personal items, and the lingering sense of uncertainty about what awaited her back in Chicago. For the first time in days, she felt a small but real sense of calm. She had made up her mind. New York was where she wanted to build her life. It would be her escape, her fresh start.
The past three days in New York had done something for her—brought her peace, gave her space, and allowed her to breathe. The messages from her father had only confirmed that there was no going back to the life she had known. She wasn’t the same woman who had left Chicago, and she never would be again.
As the plane touched down in Chicago, Olive stared out of the window, unsure of what she was walking into. It was hot for the middle of the afternoon, and the heat pressed against the window as the aircraft taxied to the gate. She had no intention of sticking around for long. She would visit the hospital, confront whatever issues needed addressing, and then leave this city behind for good.
With only a small handbag in hand, Olive stepped off the plane and made her way to the hospital. The weight of her decision was heavy, but she had already come this far. She could deal with whatever came next.
She entered the sterile white walls of the hospital, taking a deep breath to steady herself. A nurse directed her to the waiting room. There, she sat, tapping her fingers impatiently against her knee. The time seemed to drag on, and Olive could feel the eyes of those around her, curious and judgmental.
Minutes later, the door opened, and Raymond Stone walked in. The air around him shifted, like the atmosphere had suddenly thickened. He was taller than she remembered, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. His piercing gaze swept over her, and his expression hardened when he recognized her.
“Well, well, well. Look who we have here,” Raymond’s voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a knife.
Olive raised her eyes to meet his, her pulse quickening. This was the same man she bumped into at the airport, what's he doing here?
“If you want money, I can give it to you,” Raymond continued, his voice dripping with condescension. “But you need to stop stalking me.”
The words hit Olive like a slap across the face. Her lips tightened, and her gaze hardened. “Excuse me, Mr. Suit,” she replied, her voice smooth but laced with venom. “I’m not here to beg for your money. So save your assumptions.”
Raymond’s eyes flashed with irritation, I am Raymond stones not suit he warned. He simply turned and moved to stand across from her, arms crossed.
Olive felt the tension in the room thickening, but she didn’t back down. She wasn’t the naive woman she once was. She wasn’t going to let anyone intimidate her anymore, especially not him.
Just then, the door opened again, and Dr. Harris walked in, looking between the two of them with a puzzled expression.
“Miss Olive, thank you for coming in today,” Dr. Harris began, his voice professional yet warm. “We need to discuss the results of your recent tests.”
Olive’s heart skipped a beat. The memories of the test she had taken three weeks ago rushed back to her. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she knew it wouldn’t be good.
“Please, Dr. Harris, get to the point,” Olive said, cutting him off. “I have other family matters to attend to.”
Dr. Harris nodded, acknowledging her impatience. He turned to Raymond briefly before focusing back on Olive.
“Miss Olive, we’d like to run a pregnancy test on you,” Dr. Harris said, his tone serious. “We’ve encountered a situation regarding the child you may be carrying.”
Olive’s brow furrowed. “A pregnancy test?” she repeated, unsure of what the doctor meant.
“Yes,” Dr. Harris continued, “We have reason to believe you may be carrying Mr. Stone’s child.”
The words hit Olive with the force of a freight train. She froze, her mind going blank.
“What?” Raymond scoffed, his disbelief ringing out in the otherwise silent room. “This arrogant girl? Carrying my child? That’s impossible.”
Olive felt her heart slam against her chest. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her, but she refused to show any weakness. She forced herself to speak, though her voice trembled. “I’m pregnant,” she said, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. “And I’m being summoned by my fiancé to compensate him for time wasted.”
The sting of Frank’s accusation flashed in her mind, but she shoved it away. This was about something bigger now—something she couldn’t ignore.
“And I don’t want this child,” Olive added, her voice growing stronger. “That’s why I’m here. I want to terminate it.”
Raymond’s face twisted into an expression of fury, his jaw tightening as he glared at her. He took a step forward, his fists clenching. “You can’t be serious,” he growled. “You think you can just get rid of my child like it’s nothing?”
Olive didn’t flinch. “I don’t owe you anything, Mr. Stone. I don’t owe anyone anything. This is my body, and I’ll make the choice for myself.”
Dr. Harris cleared his throat, breaking the heavy tension that had settled between them. “Miss Olive, I must remind you that abortion procedures are only performed when the father of the child agrees. Legally, we cannot proceed without his consent.”
Olive’s gaze flickered toward Raymond, whose eyes burned with anger. But she didn’t care. She was done letting others dictate her life.
“Well, I don’t need your consent,” she said, her voice icy. “I’m not asking for permission. I’m telling you what I’m doing.”
Raymond let out a low growl, his patience wearing thin. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you?”
Olive stood her ground, her resolve unshaken. “I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Stone. And I’m certainly not afraid of the man who thinks he owns my life.”
For a moment, they stared at each other, the tension thick in the air. Finally, Raymond spoke, his voice cold and filled with contempt. “We’ll see about that.”
Dr. Harris cleared his throat again, clearly uncomfortable with the exchange. “I suggest we schedule the test for another time,” he said, his voice steady but urgent. “We can discuss your options then.”
Olive nodded, her gaze not leaving Raymond. She had made her decision. She didn’t need anyone’s approval. She was done being controlled.
As the room fell silent, Olive turned and walked out of the waiting area, leaving both Raymond and Dr. Harris behind. Her heart pounded in her chest.
Olive left the hospital with a heavy heart. The encounter with Raymond Stone was still fresh in her mind, but she couldn’t dwell on it. She had more pressing issues to deal with. As she hailed a cab to the courthouse, her thoughts raced. She had to face Frank, her ex-fiancé, and his ridiculous demands. The very idea of compensating him for “wasting his time” felt absurd, but Olive knew she had to remain calm and strong. The courthouse loomed ahead, and as the cab stopped, Olive paid the driver and stepped out. She saw her lawyer, Henry Porter, waiting for her near the entrance. Helen gave her a reassuring smile, but Olive’s attention was quickly drawn to the two figures standing near the steps—Frank and her sister, Delilah. Delilah spotted her first and smirked, her eyes filled with mockery. She stepped forward, holding an envelope. “Oh, dear sister,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “you’re just in time. I have something special for you.” Delilah tossed the envelope at
Olive stared at her phone after ending the call with Dr. Harris. Her chest tightened with anger, frustration, and disbelief. The audacity of the situation was overwhelming, and the very idea of carrying Raymond Stone’s child felt like a cruel joke. She had been an unwilling participant in someone else’s mistake. The fact that she had been accidentally inseminated with Raymond Stone’s child felt like a violation of her very being.“Surrogacy mistake,” she muttered bitterly. “As if that excuses anything.”She got up from the couch and paced the living room, her thoughts spiraling. “How could they confuse me with someone else?” she muttered. “This is my life they’re playing with!”At the same time, Dr. Harris sat in his office, staring at his phone. His palms were sweaty as he replayed Olive’s words in his mind: “Pretend it never happened. I’m terminating this child.”Before he could gather his thoughts, his phone buzzed again. The name on the screen made his stomach drop—Raymond Stone.
Olive watched Daniel sip his coffee with deliberate calmness, his demeanor completely unbothered. The aroma of the coffee wafted toward her, and she frowned, her stomach turning. She didn’t know whether it was the smell or the situation itself, but everything about this moment felt wrong.“This feels like a waste of time,” Olive muttered under her breath, drumming her fingers on the table.Daniel glanced up from his cup, his expression unreadable. “I know you feel that way, Miss Bennett, but this meeting isn’t about wasting time. It’s about finding a resolution to this… complicated matter.”“Complicated?” she scoffed, leaning back in her chair. “That’s one way to describe it. I’d use a different word.”The smell of the coffee grew stronger as Daniel lifted the cup again, and Olive’s stomach churned violently. Her face turned pale, and she shot to her feet without another word, rushing to the restroom.Inside, she barely made it to the sink before the bile rose, and she retched uncontr
Olive’s thoughts swirled around her, too rapid for her to make sense of them. Her mind kept drifting back to Raymond’s unexpected appearance in her hospital room, his words lingering even as the pain in her head grew stronger. I don’t need you, she had whispered, but the truth was, part of her wanted him to stay. She closed her eyes, trying to escape the confusion in her heart, but exhaustion overcame her, and her eyelids fluttered shut, pulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.The night passed in a blur, and as the first light of dawn crept into the room, the quiet was broken by a gentle knock on the door. A nurse entered, her presence calm and reassuring. She checked the monitors by Olive’s bed, adjusting the drip and checking her vitals.But something was wrong.The nurse’s brow furrowed as she noticed Olive’s temperature climbing. She pressed her fingers to Olive’s forehead, confirming the rising fever. Without wasting a moment, she called for assistance, and soon, a team of doct
Raymond sat still, his gaze fixed on Olive as she lay unconscious in the bed, the rhythmic beep of the machines the only sound filling the sterile room. He had been here for hours, watching over her, but his mind was far from peaceful. Olive’s condition had stabilized, but the unease he felt gnawed at him. There were too many questions swirling in his head, too many things he didn’t understand about what was happening to him, to her, and to the child she carried. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger than him was at play, something that threatened to unravel everything.His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and in walked the doctor. The man looked at him with a serious expression, his lips tight.“Mr. Raymond,” he said, glancing at Olive briefly before returning his attention to Raymond. “I need to speak with you in my office. It’s about Olive’s condition. There’s something important we need to discuss.”Raymond’s brow furrowed, his concern for
Olive was finally discharged from the hospital. The sun’s warmth touched her skin. The doctor had assured her that her condition was stable, but she needed rest and proper care. She stepped out clutching the small bag. She couldn’t bring herself to thank him. After all, her life was a mess because of him. Outside, a sleek black sedan waited. A uniformed driver stepped out, offering a polite nod as he opened the car door. “Miss Olive, Mr. Raymond has asked me to take you to the penthouse.” Olive hesitated, She had always been independent, and this sudden reliance on Raymond’s resources felt suffocating. After a moment of internal debate, she refused to entered the car, deciding she can stay on her own and do better. “Tell Mr. Raymond I can take care of myself.” Olive said to the driver. The driver’s brow furrowed, but Olive didn’t wait for his reply. She turned on her heels and hailed a cab, her resolve hardening. She wouldn’t let Raymond or anyone else control her. The ride to
Olive packed her belongings in silence, her small apartment growing eerily quiet as the evening deepened. Her heart ached with every item she placed into the suitcase; this had been her refuge, her sanctuary during trying times. Now, she was being uprooted, thrust into a life she didn’t want but couldn’t escape.A sharp knock at the door startled her. Was the driver here already? She glanced out the window and saw the black car pulling up, the driver only just stepping out.Her stomach knotted as she approached the door. Another knock sounded, more insistent this time. Olive hesitated before unlocking it and pulling it open, her eyes darting into the dimly lit hallway.No one was there.Her breath hitched. The corridor was empty, save for the faint shuffle of the driver approaching the building. She leaned out slightly, her gaze scanning the shadows.“Did you knock just now?” she asked as the driver reached her door, his expression neutral.He shook his head. “No, Miss Olive. I only j
“Sir Raymond, Miss Olive has arrived at the mansion safely,” the housekeeper’s voice came through the phone. “She’s settled in and well taken care of.”“Good,” Raymond replied, his tone brisk. “Make sure everything she needs is provided.”The call ended, but Raymond’s mind lingered on Olive. He leaned back in his chair, his office dimly lit except for the desk lamp that illuminated the mountain of paperwork in front of him.Despite his focus on work, her face kept slipping into his thoughts. He smirked, recalling the doctor’s earlier words:"You need to engage her in sexual activities to strengthen her pelvic walls for the child."Raymond shook his head, chuckling softly to himself. The idea amused him, but it also planted a dangerous thought in his mind.With a sigh, he pushed Olive out of his head and returned to the matter at hand. His phone buzzed on the desk, pulling him away from his work.It was a text message from Olive:"Please, I need the documents of your real surrogate mo
"Oh, I see," Raymond said, his voice low and bitter. "That’s your plan, right? Your plan to kill her?"Ezra blinked, stunned, feeling like Raymond had just slapped him across the face."No, Raymond," he said quickly, shaking his head, heart pounding against his ribs. "No... I just want to confirm she's okay."Raymond stared at him slowly, as if he was peeling Ezra apart layer by layer with just his eyes. His gaze was cold. Distant. Dangerous."Ezra," he said, his tone almost mocking, "tell me something… what exactly is your plan? Haven't you done enough already?"Ezra clenched his fists at his sides, feeling the heat rising in his chest. He sucked in a breath, closing his eyes tightly.He opened them again, forcing himself to meet Raymond’s furious glare without flinching."Raymond," Ezra said carefully, steadying his voice, "we might be connected to Olive. Somehow. We just... need to find out the truth."Raymond gave a short, cold laugh. No humor in it. Just pain."Connected?" he rep
The nurse turned and looked at Ezra, her expression unreadable. “Sorry, sir,” she said flatly, then turned away.It was as if the moment never happened. The nurses resumed their tasks in silence, their quiet efficiency louder than any words. Ezra stood there, ears ringing from the weight of what he’d just heard. That silence… it wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what he needed. He didn’t want calm or polite shrugs—he wanted answers. He wanted someone to tell him that what he heard was wrong.With panic rising in his chest, Ezra spun on his heel and ran down the corridor. He remembered the ward Olive had been in, where Raymond's assistant had guarded the door like his life depended on it.His heart pounded in his ears, his shoes squeaking across the tiles. When he reached the room, he yanked the door open.Empty.The bed was stripped. Machines unplugged. Everything was so neat, it was like she’d never been there.“No. No, no, no—” he whispered, stumbling back a step.A nurse was inside,
Olive lost her childEthan felt like the ground had shifted beneath him. His eyes were fixed on nothing, yet everything around him swirled in chaos. His chest rose and fell sharply as the weight of Ezra’s words settled in.“She… she lost the baby?” His voice cracked, almost too soft to hear.Ezra nodded, his face drawn. “Yeah. The doctor said the trauma and stress were too much.”A silence fell between them.Ethan turned his face away, ashamed. “This is my fault,” he said bitterly. “All of it. If I hadn’t given in to Mia’s manipulations—if I hadn’t allowed my hatred for Raymond to blind me—Olive wouldn’t have been hurt.”Ezra didn’t respond at first. He just sat down beside Ethan’s hospital bed, leaning forward with his hands clasped. His posture was stiff. They had both walked the same path, driven by envy and resentment, thinking they were justified. But now, the consequences stared them down in the most brutal way.“You’re not alone in this,” Ezra finally said. “I let my emotions t
As soon as Ezra bent to pick up the object, Frank had already realized what it was. With desperation fueling his bruised and battered body, he lunged forward, ignoring the searing pain in his ribs, and snatched the phone off the ground before Ezra’s fingers could graze it.Ezra stood up slowly, straightening his jacket with the composure of a man who had not just been in a fight minutes ago. He smirked coldly. “We have to end this here. I have better things to do than stand here breathing the same air as you… unless, of course, you’re asking to die.”Frank chuckled despite the blood dribbling from the side of his mouth. His eyes, though nearly swollen shut, gleamed with something more dangerous than fury—conviction. “Ezra, you really do think highly of yourself.”He lifted the phone, his thumb dangerously close to the screen. “You see this? You’re not getting it back. This time, I’ll make sure it gets to the authorities. You won’t be able to lie your way out of this.”Ezra’s expressio
“What truth are you talking about?” Ezra asked, his voice edged with curiosity as he lifted himself from the body of his car. His head was feeling dizzy because of the stress lately but it seems Frank has something to say about him.A smug smirk played on Frank's lips.“Oh... look who suddenly wants the truth,” he said with a lazy chuckle. “I thought you didn’t give a damn when I exposed you. Or were you too busy playing the villain in a suit to care?”Ezra clenched his jaw, as his fist clenched by his side trying to calm the anger already building up in him.“Speak if you want to speak, and if you don’t—get lost.” His tone was tight, words pushed through gritted teeth.Frank scoffed, walking forward more closer to Ezra this time.“You’re still playing hard when you’re about to be ruined?” His words dripped with taunt, his confidence unwavering.Ezra’s eyes darkened.“Do what suits you. I don’t care. Just don’t bring Olive into this. If you do, you’ll have yourself to blame.”He turne
“I think I know what to do,” Frank muttered under his breath, the tremble in his voice betraying the storm raging within him. His shoes echoed against the sleek hotel floor as he strode toward the hallway, each step fueled by desperation and unresolved regret.He didn’t get far.“Excuse me, sir,” a firm voice cut through the air, halting him mid-stride. Two security men stood in his path, their stance unwavering, their eyes alert.Frank blinked, startled. “What’s this?”“Passage card, sir,” one of the guards demanded.Frank’s hand instinctively darted to his pocket, looking for a card—though he clearly knew he had none.“Hmm… I don’t have any,” he said, trying to maintain composure. “But I think we can talk, man to man.”“No. We don’t do that here,” the guard replied sternly.“Gosh,” Frank muttered. “Why are the people here so strong-headed? First it was the receptionist, now it’s the guards.”He knew there were empty rooms, but the receptionist had refused to give him one.“Okay, how
The person that just came down was Frank.Ezra stood still, his hand resting lightly on the curtain. The streetlight outside wasn’t too bright, but it gave enough glow to make out the tall, dark figure leaning on the car. There was no mistaking that face. The jawline, the hair, the posture—it was undeniably Frank.Ezra’s brows tightened. “What the hell is this clown doing here?” he muttered under his breath.He just stared.Frank? After everything? After what happened at the warehouse? Ezra had pulled him out with his own hands. Dragged him out. And now he was here? Following?Ezra slowly released the curtain and stepped back from the window. He rubbed his forehead with both palms, exhaling quietly. The day had already been messy. Too messy. And now this?He wasn’t scared. Just... fed up. Tired.He turned away from the window, running a hand over his head. His muscles were tight, jaw clenched. He pushed his damp curls back, then rubbed the back of his neck as if that could ease the ti
"Don't look for my boss; this is not a warning, but the truth. With his state of mind right now, he might kill you, and he definitely does not care about the consequences,” Daniel coldly said.Ezra didn’t flinch. He didn’t acknowledge the threat, the coldness in Daniel’s voice, or the dangerous warning behind it. Instead, he simply kept walking, his footsteps echoing off the sterile hospital walls. He was numb, his mind a whirlwind of confusion, guilt, and frustration. His brain couldn’t even begin to process everything that had just happened, the gravity of what was unfolding around him.As he reached the parking lot, Ezra could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, a constant reminder of the mess he was now in. He opened the door to his car and slid inside, slamming it shut behind him with a soft thud. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he started the engine, the low hum of the car grounding him for a moment.He drove off, not knowing where he was go
Ezra had caught a glimpse of Daniel, so he approached him with the hope of finding Raymond.“Hello,” Ezra greeted, his voice steady but cautious.Daniel didn’t acknowledge him right away, keeping his attention firmly fixed on Olive’s door, like it was the only thing worth focusing on at that moment. His stance was rigid, almost like a soldier guarding an important post. Every muscle in his body seemed wound tight—a simmering tension that Ezra could almost feel from where he stood.Nurses were moving about hurriedly, attending to one patient or another. But none of them dared approach Daniel. They respected the silent authority he carried—one that demanded you either obey or keep your distance.Ezra shifted his weight, clearing his throat. "I’m Ezra," he said again, though there was still no reaction. "Ethan's brother."Daniel barely spared him a glance. His jaw tightened, eyes never wavering from the door. Ezra hesitated, unsure whether he should press on or let the silence stretch.“