Olivia’s POVI sat in my office, gripping the edge of my desk so tightly my knuckles turned white.Lucas was in jail because of me.I had tried to focus on work, tried to push the weight of my guilt to the back of my mind, but it was impossible. My heart pounded, my stomach twisted, and no matter how many deep breaths I took, nothing could shake the horrible feeling that all of this was my fault.Ryan. Lucas. The lawsuit. The accusations.If I had just handled things differently, maybe Lucas wouldn’t be behind bars right now.Natalya walked in without knocking, her face tight with concern. “Olivia, you need to eat something. You’ve barely touched your lunch.”I shook my head. “I’m not hungry.”“You haven’t been hungry for two days.” She crossed her arms. “And don’t tell me it’s not about Lucas.”I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temples. “Of course, it’s about him. He’s sitting in a cell because of me.”Natalya softened, moving closer. “It’s not your fault.”I gave her a hollow
Chapter 68Olivia’s POVThe cool night air brushed against my skin as we walked along the quiet streets. Lucas’s steps were a little unsteady, but he wasn’t completely lost in the alcohol—just enough to let his guard down.He glanced at me, his eyes dark with something unreadable. “You’re quiet,” he murmured.I smiled, but it felt weak. “I’m just thinking.”“About what?”I hesitated. About us. About what I wanted to say but couldn’t. About how I was aching to tell him everything.Before I could answer, his stomach growled, and I laughed. “I think we should get some food before you pass out from hunger.”He smirked. “That bad, huh?”We found a small restaurant, dimly lit and quiet. It was late, and most people had already gone home, leaving the place mostly empty except for a few night owls. We slid into a booth, and Lucas leaned back against the seat, watching me with an intensity that made my skin warm.“I missed this,” he admitted, swirling his drink in his glass. “Just us. Without
Chapter 66(Lucas’s POV)I woke up feeling like my head had been trapped in a vice.The past few days had been nothing but a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and betrayal. I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying the same questions I still didn’t have answers to. Ryan West. Olivia. Amelia. The lawsuit. EthanIt felt like my entire life was closing in on me, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to get a grip on things.I exhaled heavily, rubbing my face before pushing myself upright. The air in my bedroom felt suffocating. I needed to clear my head.Dragging myself to the bathroom, I turned on the cold water and let it run over my face. The chill bit into my skin, but it didn’t wash away the tension sitting like a weight in my chest.Amelia had told me Olivia was marrying Ethan. I acted like I didn't care but I did.I wanted to believe she was lying—wanted to believe Olivia wouldn’t do something like that—but I had been wrong about her before.I had been wrong about a lot of thing
Olivia’s POVI tightened my grip on the letter, my mind racing. The words on the paper weren’t just a threat; they were a reminder that someone was watching me, someone who wanted me to break. But I wasn’t going to let that happen.Vivian sat across from me, her arms crossed, worry evident in her eyes. “Olivia, you can’t ignore this,” she said, her voice firm. “Whoever sent this knows too much. You need to tell report to the cops or let's just call Ethan.""I let out a slow breath and leaned back in my chair. “Telling Ethan won’t change anything, Viv. I need to find out who did this myself.”She exhaled sharply, frustration flickering across her face. “And if you can’t?”“I will,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I’m not as helpless as everyone thinks.”Vivian sighed, shaking her head. “It’s not about being helpless. It’s about being careful.”“I am careful,” I countered. “And that’s exactly why I need to handle this alone.”She studied me for a long moment before standing up. “Fine. If you
Olivia’s POVMy pulse pounded in my ears as my gaze darted around, taking in the unfamiliar space—bare walls, a single wooden chair, a bed and a locked door. A chill ran down my spine. Where was I?Then, I saw him.Ryan.My breath caught in my throat. He stood across from me, arms folded, his dark eyes locked onto mine with an unsettling calmness. The sight of him sent a jolt of fear through me. It wasn’t possible. He was kidnaped.I forced my voice steady, though my hands trembled. "How… how are you here?"He said nothing.My heart pounded harder. "Ryan, how did you escape, who kidnapped you?""Silence.A slow, sickening smile curved his lips, and my stomach twisted.I swallowed hard. "Why am I here?"Ryan finally moved, stepping closer. His movements were slow, deliberate, and it made my skin crawl."You already know why, Olivia," he murmured.I shook my head. "No, I don’t. I was getting threats that there were going to take your life and...""He chuckled, the sound devoid of warmt
Olivia’s POVThe cold night air hit my face as I ran. My heart pounded violently against my ribs, my bare feet scraping against the rough ground. I didn't care about the pain—I just needed to get away.Branches whipped against my skin as I pushed forward, breath ragged and uneven. Behind me, I could hear Ryan’s footsteps. Heavy. Angry. Determined.I had no idea where I was. The only thing that mattered was escaping him.But then—A strong hand yanked me back.I screamed as I was thrown to the ground. Ryan’s face loomed over me, twisted with fury. His chest heaved, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter."You really thought you could run from me?" His voice was low, deadly.I scrambled backward, but he grabbed my ankle, dragging me toward him. I kicked wildly, trying to break free, but his grip was unyielding."Let me go!" I shouted, thrashing with everything I had.Ryan’s hand shot out, grabbing my chin in a bruising grip. "I was trying to be a gentleman, Olivia
Olivia’s POVRyan collapsed onto the floor with a sickening thud. The shattered bottle slipped from my trembling hands, glass shards scattering across the wooden planks. My heart pounded against my ribs, my breath coming in sharp gasps as I stared at his motionless body.Was he dead?I didn’t want to check. I wanted to turn and run, to leave this nightmare behind—but what if he wasn’t dead? What if he woke up and came after me?I took a shaky step forward, my knees weak beneath me. My stomach twisted violently as I crouched beside him, my fingers hesitating before pressing against his neck.Warm skin. A pulse.Relief crashed into me, quickly followed by fear.He wasn’t dead.I jerked my hand away, my heart hammering harder. I didn’t have much time. He could wake up any second, and if he did, he wouldn’t give me another chance to fight back.I needed to go.Now.I stumbled to my feet, my legs burning with adrenaline as I rushed toward the door. My hands fumbled with the lock, my finger
Olivia’s POVLucas’s fist came down again. Ryan barely had time to react before Lucas grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up, his face battered and bloodied. I could see the fury burning in Lucas’s eyes, the way his body shook with pure, unfiltered rage.“Lucas, stop!” I ran forward, my pulse hammering as I grabbed his arm. “Please, don’t!”His breath was ragged, his knuckles bruised and bleeding. His grip on Ryan’s collar tightened as if he hadn’t heard me.“Lucas,” I whispered, stepping closer. “You’re better than this.”His chest heaved as he looked down at Ryan, who was barely conscious, then at me.For a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to listen.Then, slowly, his grip loosened.Ryan slumped to the ground, groaning weakly. Lucas stepped back, his hands clenched into fists as he exhaled sharply, trying to regain control.I reached for him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “We need to go.”Lucas didn’t move at first. Then, with one last glare at Ryan’s crumpled form, he tu
Olivia's POV The office was quiet, the hum of the day winding down as I stood at my desk, stacking files and shutting down my laptop. My heart was a tangle of guilt, longing, and a fragile hope I couldn’t name, caught between Lucas’s pull and Austin’s steady care within the past few weeks.I rubbed my eyes, exhaustion seeping into my bones, when my phone buzzed, Austin’s name lighting up the screen. A small smile tugged at my lips, his reliability a quiet comfort in the chaos.“Hey,” I answered, my voice soft, tinged with weariness but warmed by his call. “You checking up on me again?”His chuckle was low, grounding, a sound that eased the knot in my chest. “Always,” he said, his tone light but laced with concern. “You done? Ready to head home? I can swing by.”I glanced at the clock—nearly five, the office emptying out—and nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yeah, I’m just finishing up,” I said, my voice steadier now, a flicker of relief at the thought of him waiting for
Lucas's POV The weight of the past weeks clung to me like a second skin, a relentless burden of accusations, betrayals, and the constant threat of losing everything I’d built. My office, once a sanctuary of control, felt like a battlefield, littered with the fallout of Amelia’s outburst, the press’s relentless scrutiny, and the plummeting stock prices that mocked my every effort to salvage my reputation. My chest was a knot of frustration, exhaustion and sleepless nights.I’d been hounding the police daily, my calls and visits a desperate attempt to force them to act, to find the source of the false story that had painted me as a murderer. Each time, they’d met me with barely concealed irritation, their eyes narrowing when they challenged my alibi to the press, their voices dripping with skepticism.“You told the world you were working late with Ms. Holmes,” one detective had snapped last week, his tone sharp, his arms crossed as he leaned across his desk. “But your story’s got h
Olivia's POV My screams tore through the air, raw and desperate, as I lunged toward Austin, my voice breaking with every plea. “Stop, Austin! Please, stop!” Tears streamed down my cheeks, my heart pounding with a mix of horror and fear as I watched him pummel Ryan’s father, his fists a blur of rage, blood staining the pavement beneath them. Richard’s face was a mess, his movements weak, his groans fading, and Austin’s fury showed no sign of slowing. My legs trembled, my chest heaving as I grabbed at Austin’s arm, my fingers slipping against his tense muscles, my voice a choked sob. “Enough! You’re going to kill him!”Finally, my words—or maybe my touch—broke through. Austin froze, his fist raised, his chest heaving, his face twisted with a rage that slowly melted into shock. He dropped his arm, stumbling back, his eyes wide as he looked from Richard’s bloodied form to me, his breath ragged. My tears fell faster now, my body shaking as I stood there, the violence of the moment
Olivia's PovThe morning sun beamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the breakfast table, but my heart was still heavy, tangled in the aftermath of yesterday’s chaos. Austin’s quiet defense of me—they swirled in my mind, a relentless storm of guilt, longing, and fear that kept me awake most of the night. My coffee sat untouched, cooling in its mug, as I stared at the table, my fingers tracing the grain of the wood, trying to anchor myself in the present. Austin’s confession—“I’m starting to fall for you”—echoed in my chest, a tender ache that clashed with the pull I still felt toward Lucas, making every breath feel like a battle. I wanted to be grateful, to lean into his care, but my heart was a mess, and I didn’t know how to untangle it.Austin appeared in the doorway, his presence steady but cautious, his eyes searching mine with a concern that made my throat tighten. “Olivia,” he said, his voice gentle but firm, breaking through my haze, “I’ve been thinkin
Lucas's pov I stood frozen, my heart pounding, my breath shallow as I processed the sight of her—Amelia, the woman who’d always wielded her pride like a weapon, now stripped bare, her ego shattered in a way I’d never imagined possible. My chest tightened, a surge of surprise mingling with the anger still burning from her slap, her accusations, the public spectacle she’d turned our lives into. The press was gone, their cameras silenced for now, but the weight of their lenses lingered, a reminder of the chaos she’d unleashed, the chaos I’d fueled with my own choice.I should’ve felt triumphant, seeing her humbled, but instead, a hollow ache settled in my gut, a mix of guilt and exhaustion that made my shoulders sag. Her desperation was real, her tears a mirror of the pain I’d caused, but it didn’t erase the fury still simmering inside me. She’d pushed me too far—her rage, her accusations about Olivia, the way she’d humiliated us both in front of the world. Yet here she was, beggin
Lucas's povThe sting of Amelia’s slap burned across my cheek, a sharp, searing shock that snapped my head to the side and left my ears ringing. I stood frozen at the base of the podium stairs, my heart pounding, my mind reeling as the press conference hall buzzed with the chaos of her outburst. The cameras flashed like a swarm of fireflies, their relentless clicks a reminder of the vultures circling, ready to feast on this fresh scandal. My chest tightened, a mix of shock, anger, and dread flooding through me as I registered Amelia’s face—twisted with fury, her eyes blazing with a venom that made my stomach churn. Before I could even process the pain, her voice erupted, shrill and piercing, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd like a blade.“You didn’t come home for two days!” she screamed, her hands flailing, her words dripping with accusation. “You’ve been cheating with your ex, haven’t you? With Olivia!”Her words hit like a punch, stealing the air from my lungs, my heart
Olivia's pov Austin’s confession hung in the air like a fragile thread, his words—“I’m starting to fall for you”—settling into my chest with a weight that was both startling and strangely familiar. I sat frozen in the café booth, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my heart a frantic drumbeat as I processed what he’d said. I wasn’t shocked—not entirely. Deep down, I’d suspected it, a quiet whisper in the back of my mind that no one could be as kind, as steadfast, as Austin had been without some hidden feeling driving it. Nobody signed up to be a husband on paper, to weather my chaos and stand by me through it all, without something more attached. Yet hearing it aloud, raw and unguarded, sent a tremor through me, a mix of warmth, guilt, and fear that made my throat tighten and my eyes sting with unshed tears.I looked at him, his face open, vulnerable, his eyes searching mine for a reaction, and my chest ached with a tenderness I hadn’t expected. Austin—steady, caring Austin—had
Olivia's povAmelia’s departure left a hollow echo in the corridors my office, her heels clicking away into the distance, her silence a victory I hadn’t expected but didn’t fully trust. My words—“I’ll marry him again… fight for full custody”—hung in the air like smoke, bold and reckless, their weight settling into my chest with a mix of triumph and dread. My heart pounded, my hands trembling as I stood there, the morning air sharp against my flushed skin. I’d faced her down, held my ground, but the fire of my defiance was already fading, replaced by a gnawing guilt that twisted my stomach. What had I done? Threatening to take Lucas back, to tear apart their family—it wasn’t me, not really, but the words had spilled out, fueled by her venom and my own tangled longing for a past I couldn’t reclaim. I took a shaky breath, my legs unsteady, and forced myself toward my desk, desperate to bury the encounter in work, to escape the storm of emotions threatening to drown me.I settled at
Olivia's POV The morning sun was barely cresting the horizon as I pulled into the company parking lot, the engine’s hum fading into a heavy silence that matched the turmoil churning inside me. My hands lingered on the steering wheel, knuckles pale from gripping it too tightly, as if holding on could steady the storm of emotions still raging from last night. Austin’s words—“I didn’t ask you to care for me”—echoed in my head, each syllable a fresh wound, laced with guilt and regret that burned hotter with every replay. My eyes stung, gritty from tears and sleeplessness, my chest a tight knot of anger, shame, and a longing for Lucas I couldn’t shake, no matter how hard I tried. I took a shaky breath, willing myself to focus, to bury it all and face the day, but the weight of it clung to me, heavy and unrelenting.I pushed open the car door, the cool morning air hitting my face like a slap, and stepped out, my heels clicking against the asphalt. That’s when I saw her—Amelia, standin