Ophelia's Pov We burst inside to find Olivia collapsed on the floor, her body limp with blood gushing from her wrist to the floor.Jacob was kneeling beside her, his face tight with worry, while Ryder placed her on his lap, applying pressure on her cut“She is bleeding. Tell the driver to bring the car to the front,” Jacob said, looking up at Sandra and she rushed out to do what. He turned to me “She had called Ryder on the phone, telling him to come and the next moment she was on the floor, bleeding” Sandra quickly ran back inside.“The car is ready. We need to get her to the hospital now.” Ryder snapped into action, “I will carry her,” he said, standing up. He placed her on the floor before he crouched, easily lifting her in his arms. I stood frozen as I watched the whole scene. Everyone's expression was darkened with worry. A lump formed in my throat, but I pushed it aside.“I will drive,” Jacob said, already heading toward the door.Ryder nodded, carrying Olivia out, and w
Ophelia's Pov My breath hitched as realization struck me like a bolt of lightning. “Ryan.” I breathe out.He was still at home, alone. I shot up from my seat, my hands shaking. “Ryan… I left him at home!” Sandra’s eyes widened in confusion. “What?” Ryder’s head snapped up. “What do you mean you left him at home?” His voice was sharp, laced with disbelief. I swallowed hard, guilt washing over me. “I— I put him to bed before you came in with Olivia and everything happened. I forgot about him when Olivia—” Ryder was already on his feet before I could finish, pulling out his phone. He dialed a number and pressed it to his ear. “Pick up. Pick up.” he chanted impatiently.I didn't know who he was calling but the call went straight to voicemail. His jaw clenched, and without another word, he strode toward the exit. “I am going to get him,” he said, his voice tight with urgency. “I am coming with you,” I said immediately, but he shot me a glare. “No. Stay here.” “But—
Ryder's Pov The house was too quiet. Too still. I stood in the middle of Ryan’s bedroom, my fists clenched at my sides as my pulse thundered in my ears. The bed was empty. The blankets were still slightly rumpled from where he had been sleeping earlier. But he wasn’t here. Dad stepped out of the closet, shaking his head. “He isn't in there.” I exhaled sharply, pushing down the rising frustration. “ Let's check the security footage.” Jacob nodded and strode out of the room. I turned in a slow circle, scanning every inch of the space again as if I had somehow missed something the first time. How could I also forget about him? He was also my son after all.The door had been unlocked. Someone had been in this house. Or worse— Ryan had been taken. But how? The guards won't allow anyone in or out without my permission.The thought sent a sharp, burning rage through my veins. I stormed out of the room, moving through the hallway, checking every door, every corner, every
Ophelia's Pov I had to be placed in a VIP room so my health could be monitored. Based on the Smiths influence, I was given a room without having any medical problems.The hospital room was too bright, too sterile. I hated it. It made my skin crawl. But none of it mattered to me except the crushing weight pressing down on my chest. Ryan was gone. My baby was gone. I clutched the blanket tightly around me, my fingers digging into the fabric as if it could hold me together. My head pounded from exhaustion and from crying.Sandra had left me to get me something to eat but I was not having the appetite. I had thrown up the little breakfast I had in the morning. I just wanted my baby. I want to see him. Where was he? Is he safe? Is he scared? Is he calling for me? Has he eaten? A sob threatened to escape, but I swallowed it down, forcing myself to stay strong. I have been crying since Ryder told me he was nowhere to be found. But I wanted to be strong for myself, for Ryan.I
Ophelia's Pov Ryder had left me to look for Ryder and I was alone in the hospital room with my thoughts. Ryder made sure there were guards surrounding the hospital and my hospital room door.I didn't want to go back to that house. It would only remind me of the situation and I don't think I can survive the night there.Sandra had insisted on staying with me but I declined, wanting to be alone with my thoughts.She was reluctant to leave me alone, but I assured her I was going to be fine, especially when I could call the nurses and doctors if everything was to happen.I was staring at the wall where the reflection of light from the window cast a shadow and was lost in my thoughts.“I am sorry but you can't see her now. You can come back tomorrow,”“What do you mean by I can't see my daughter? I want to check up on her,” the voices outside my room pulled my attention.“That is the instructions from Mr. Smith. If you want to see her, you have to call him and get an order from him,” I h
Ophelia's Pov “I don't know what to say. I thought you disliked me, especially when I had to leave New York for London, and you didn't even try to stop me,” I said after a while of not responding to her. I didn't know what to say to her after all she said. She had always had my interest at heart but I never got to see it. When I was leaving for London and she didn't try to stop me, I assumed she wanted me gone from her life.“You are just like your father, stubborn as a bull,” She chuckled and I smiled. That was true. Dad was stubborn and adamant.“I knew stopping you wasn't an option. You had made up your mind. The night you were packing your bags, I stood by your door, hoping to talk to you but I backed out at the last minute.I was scared of having a heated argument with you and never seeing you again so I let you go. I knew you would be happy there but I couldn't stop my mother's instinct of worrying about you like a mother hen.I love you, Ophelia. As much as your sister. I kno
Ophelia's Pov The morning light filtered through the hospital room’s blinds, painting soft golden lines on the walls. My body felt heavy, but my mind snapped awake in an instant. Ryan. I sat up abruptly, my eyes darting around the room. Ryder was seated beside me, his elbows resting beneath his head which was the bed beside me. He looked so exhausted. His shirt was wrinkled, and faint stubble shadowed his jaw. I dipped my hand inside his hair and massaged his scalp. I felt his head move beneath my hand before his eyes opened but he didn't move.He stayed like that for some while before taking my hand in his and kissing it as he raised his head from the bed.“How was your night's rest?” He asked. “It is the worst. I feel weak and this hospital bed is the worst,” I complained.“Did you sleep at all?” I asked him as I noticed his dark eyes.“I couldn't sleep,” she said and his smile dropped.“You didn't find any trace of him?” I asked.“The person avoided the CCTV cameras well. H
Olivia's Pov.I was watching a movie which was playing on the television in the room when I heard a knock on the door and the door pushed open.My eyes moved to the person and met Ophelia's eyes. With her protruding stomach, she entered the room, her eyes scanning around the room before she walked up to me on my bed.“Are you feeling fine?” She asked, her eyes trained on me now.“Yes,” I replied to her and she nodded her head. “You scared us. Why would you try to harm yourself?” She asked.I returned my gaze to the movie I was watching.“I was trying to restore my memory back with the only way I knew. I needed to know who I was,” I said.“This is who you are, Olivia. You don't have to hurt yourself to find out about your past,”“Why? Afraid I am going to remember and tell Ryder about the awful things you did,” I taunted with a smirk on my face before moving my eyes back to her.She kept her gaze on me, staring at me intensely before realization crossed her eyes.“You remember. You kno
Ophelia's Pov “Ryan, Richard, Raymond, come down this minute,” I shouted at the top of my voice as I carried plates out from the kitchen to the dining table.I heard multiple steps running down the stairs. I sighed, tired of telling them to stop running around the house.“Mum, I need help with my hair,”“Mum, I can't find my blue shirt,”“Mum, where did you put my socks,”The three of them immediately said as stopped in front of me.I looked at them in awe.Ryan was dressed, but his hair was still damp from the shower, Richard was holding an orange shirt, and Raymond was barefoot.“I will help with your hair after breakfast, Your shirt is in the second drawer by the left, and your socks are in the basket beside your bed,” I answered them and turned, returning to the kitchen.“I didn't see it there,” I heard Raymond complain as his brother's footsteps faded up the stairs.“If you check properly, you will see it,” I shouted from the kitchen and heard him mumble under his breath before
Ophelia's Pov I felt a little hand holding onto my hand. I felt weak and heavy in a kind of way.“She will be fine,” I heard Olivia's voice.I opened my eyes slowly but shut them when the light rays entered my eyes.“Too bright,” I muttered as I opened them again but this time more slowly.“Ophelia?” Olivia came to the other side of the bed. Her eyes were puffy as worry etched on her face.Did she cry? I thought to myself before I heard Ryan's voice beside me on the bed.“Mama,” he had a wide smile on his face as he held onto my hand and the other one on my face.I raised my body up to sit down when I felt like something was taken from my body.“Olivia, where is my baby?” I asked as I looked around the room for my baby.“Relax Ophelia, your baby is fine. He is in another room receiving care,” she smiled at me even though her eyes were saying another thing.“My baby is a boy?” I asked as joy slowly crept into my voice.“Yes,” Olivia replied with a gentle nod, her voice cracking just
Ryder's Pov The voices around me faded as I stared at the door long and hard, the image of her lifeless body boring my head.I slumped to the floor as tears flooded down my face. I didn't know for how long I sat on the floor until I heard a footstep behind me.“Ryder” I heard a familiar voice and raised up my head. Olivia was standing over me, her eyes worried as she looked down at me.“Why are you on the floor? Is the delivery successful?” She asked as her eyes moved to the door swiftly.“The delivery was successful,” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper as I kept my gaze on the door. “We have a baby boy.” Her eyes lit up briefly, “That is good news, when will they be done with her in there?” She asked and I didn't reply to her. I didn't respond. Not because I didn't want to but because I didn't know what to tell her exactly. Her eyes dimmed when she noticed the way I was trembling. “Why are you out here like this?” she asked, crouching beside me. “Is Ophelia and t
Ryder's Pov I entered the room where Ophelia was and saw a nurse with her.“Babe, are you okay?” I asked immediately I got to her side, and the nurse excused us. “I started coming immediately the driver called me and told me what happened. Are you in any pain?” My drive to the hospital was a reckless one after I got a call from the driver. I honestly didn't know how I got to the hospital so quickly.She nodded. “I need to have more contractions before I can be fully dilated and go into labor,” she told me, and I rubbed my hand on hers as a sign of support.Her eyes moved behind me, and I followed her gaze to Olivia, who was standing by the door, just staring at us. Just then, her eyes flickered to Ryan, who was sleeping on my shoulder.“Did you talk to her?” she asked, her voice in a whisper only for me to hear. I shook my head.“You should talk to her. It won't be bad to have that talk with her now,” she said and I shook my head.“Not while you are yet to give birth. I am not leavi
Ophelia's Pov I checked myself in the mirror for the last time to make sure I was ready before taking my bag and heading to the living room.“Good morning, babe,” Ryder said from the kitchen as soon as he saw me coming from the stairs. I went into the kitchen where he was cooking wearing an apron. He looked very sexy and hot. I don't know if it was my hormones messing with me but I wanted to jump on him and have my way with him.I kissed his lips, lingering much longer than I anticipated.“Good morning,” I said and peeked at what he was cooking. “You are really good in the kitchen. It is very attractive and hot” I said, inhaling the sweet scent of the food.“You are becoming more daring,” he looked at me in awareness. “Anything for my wife,” he said before taking my lips in his.After a few seconds, I pulled away from him. “We better stop before we return to the bedroom to finish what we started,”“That is far. We could do it right here,” he winked at me, and I slapped his chest play
Ophelia's Pov I opened my eyes to the cold room. I checked beside me but didn't find Ryder with me. The duvet was on me which I didn't do myself.I swung my leg to the floor and stood up from the bed. I headed to the living room, and I saw Mum sleeping on the couch.What is she still doing here? I thought she went home.I walked past her to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. At the sound of moving about and making noise, she woke up and sat straight, rubbing her eyes.When her eyes settled on me, she stood up immediately.“You should go home, Mum. You will have body pain by sleeping on the couch,” I said without giving her a glance.“I am not leaving until you talk to me,” I continued doing what I was doing.“And I don't want to,” I said.“Please, even if it is the last thing you do if I join your father,” I froze before turning to look at her.“Are you threatening me with that now? I have lost Dad, not you, again. Is that how you want to play it? I am angry with you but I
Ophelia's Pov I moved my eyes from the bottles on the table to Mum.“What truth mum?” I asked, curiosity eating me up.“I would like you to listen to the story I am about to tell you,” I said slowly, trying to gain my acceptance and I nodded.“When your father died, it was the darkest time of my life. I couldn't handle a kid all by myself not to talk more of two girls.I tried to handle both of you together, bring you closer, and make sure you are alright, but you withdrew yourself totally. I should have put in more effort but I didn't. I only made sure you were safe because of your illness, but emotionally, I didn't try.Olivia was the only one who I was close to so when the two of you went to university, I didn't monitor her like I did to you. I knew nothing about her love life or health,” she paused before continuing.“Few days for you both to graduate, I stumbled across your book when you wrote about hating a guy Olivia was with. Then I started looking after her and that was when
Ophelia's Pov As the car drove from the station to the house, Olivia's confession didn't leave my head.How? How did it happen? I have always blamed her for everything but I was the villain in her story. She was hurt because of me.As I rested my back on the passenger's seat, my thoughts went back to 20 minutes before I left the station.******“Since when and how long do you have more?”“Since I was in university. I had a breakdown and was rushed to the hospital, tests were conducted and I knew about it. I don't know how long I have but I know it isn't soon.”“Why did you tell Mum or me?” I asked as a tear escaped my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.“It was bad enough I was the black sheep. I didn't want to make Mum worried. It was hard seeing her breakdown during Dad's death and how she struggled. If you don't notice, she still dies and that is why she buried her head in work.”“You should have told someone, we could have helped. Is there any treatment for it or any way you can man
Ophelia's Pov “Why?” I paused trying to brace myself together, “I didn't take dad from you. I never did,”“Really? You didn't?” She moved her chair and fixed her gaze on me. “Who was his perfect princess? Why read day and night to make sure Dad is proud of her? Who goes to meet Dad any chance she gets so he can spend time with her? Who was Dad's favorite?”“Olivia—” I started, but she interrupted me.“You made him distant from me. Then you came sick and all the attention was shifted from both of us to only you. Only Ophelia deserves to rest while I go to school activities. Only Ophelia deserves 24/7 monitoring. I began to fade and I became your shadow. It was all about you,” she screamed with tears flowing down her eyes.She is getting it all wrong, or is she right with what she said?I was suffocated and choked. I blamed my sickness for that and envied Olivia whenever she could go anywhere she liked or do anything she wanted.“I didn't know you felt that way,”“You wouldn't because