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 When I left Olivia's hospital room, something about Olivia’s reaction didn’t sit right with me. She had looked genuinely shocked and startled when I mentioned Ryan was missing.But the revelation of her remembering her memory and continuing lying to us was something that added to my suspicions.I didn't know if I should trust her now or still keep my suspicions up. I was not far from her room, about to go back to my hospital room when I heard her hospital room door close. I looked towards her door and saw her slipping out. She was no longer in a hospital gown but dressed in the casual clothes she was rushed into the hospital with, just that it was now clean My stomach clenched. Where was she going? I stepped back, hiding in a corner as she looked around to check if anyone saw her. Why was she acting too suspicious? Like she was scared of people finding out she hadleft her bed?Did she know something about Ryan? Maybe his whereabouts? Without wasting another second,
Ophelia's Pov When I dropped in front of the hospital, I turned to the driver thanking him for the ride. He had seen me walking and offered to take me to where I was going. I was skeptical about entering his car, but my legs were almost giving up, and I got inside his car before I collapsed, hoping he was a serial killer.The moment I entered the hospital, my feet hitting the pavement, I noticed the eyes on me.I saw two nurses standing by the entrance and they exchanged glances as they saw me, whispering under their breath. A few patients who were sitting in the waiting area stopped mid-conversation and turned to stare at me. Their gazes weren’t just casual glances, they were long, lingering stares. Was there something on my face? I touched my face but found nothing on it. I didn’t even realize how disheveled I looked, but it was clear from the whispers and stares that something wasn’t quite right.Maybe it was my feet or hair or, better still, my dressing.As I walked further i
Ophelia's Pov Ryder didn’t speak for a few seconds. His gaze was locked on me, his expression blank. The silence stretched between us, heavy, and suffocating. Then, in a dangerously quiet voice, he asked, “What exactly made you think that and what did you see to say that?” I hesitated. How much should I tell him? “She remembers everything.” Ryder’s fingers, which were drumming against the armrest of the couch, slowed down.“She had regained her memory?” He asked and I nodded.“And?” I swallowed. “I followed her outside when she left the hospital. It was a shady place but that was the only way I could see before I came back.” His jaw clenched and he exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Ophelia.” He shot to his feet, pacing the room. “She was still weak. Why the hell could she have left the hospital in that condition?” “I don’t know,” I said. “But I think she was faking it. There is something we are missing about her Ryder. I know she was the one
Ophelia's Pov I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing. Disoriented, I blinked against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Ryder’s arm was still draped over my waist, his body warm against mine. For a moment, I just lay there, soaking in the comfort of his presence. Then the phone buzzed again. Careful not to wake him, I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed it.My heart clenched when I saw the caller ID— Mom. I hesitated before answering. “Hello?” I whispered. “Ophelia.” My mother’s voice was tight and urgent. “I need you to come to the house. Now.” I sat up slowly, trying not to disturb Ryder. “Mom, is everything alright?” There was a pause. Then, in a low voice, she said, “Yes you need to see if this.” A chill ran down my spine. “What happened?” I asked, worried.“Just come.” She said before the call ended. I sat frozen for a moment, my pulse pounding. What now?I felt the bed shift behind me. “What is wrong?” Ryder’s groggy voice
Ryder's Pov The letter was already in the hands of my investigator. Now, all I could do was wait. Wait for the kidnappers to make their next move and to tell me what to do next. What I knew I would never do was to allow Ophelia to go and meet the kidnapper with the money.I will never risk her and our babies' lives. I would find another way.If luck is on my side, my team will analyze the damn letter and find something useful before he reaches out to us.The weight of it all settled like a stone in my chest as I paced in Alice’s house. Ophelia sat stiffly on the couch, her arms wrapped around herself, lost in thought.I could tell she was trying to hold it together, but the moment I stopped moving and looked at her, I saw the quiet devastation in her eyes. I had to fix this. I had to bring back the joy in her eyes. Her eyes had lost all the happiness and she was more quiet lately. My phone buzzed. I grabbed it immediately, hoping for an update from my investigator. But when I
Ophelia's Pov The heaviness of everything weighed on me, and I felt like I was suffocating under the burden of questions without answers. How had Olivia managed to pull all of this off right under our noses? I kept replaying the scene from the video where she turned, and she was the one in front of the burning car. Her calm expression as the flames burnt the person and the person kept screaming for help made me sick to my stomach. She had been so close to me; she was like my best friend, and I just found out she was the one behind the destruction that had been happening to me.“Ryder,” I said, my voice trembling, “Can you find out who was the person in the car that was burning?” Ryder turned to me. The storm in his eyes mirrored my own. “I don’t know, but I will try”The words were sharp, final, like a promise. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something bigger than this, something we hadn’t yet uncovered and was yet to. I needed to know more. I thought I had known
Ophelia's Pov Desmond and Ryder shared a glance between themselves.“He is the owner of the fingerprint in it,” Ryder said and my eyes left the picture and fell on him.“How? Why would his fingerprint be on the letter?” I asked.The tension in the room thickened as Ryder’s words lingered in the air. I stared at the picture of Paul Waters, the man who had once been so important to Olivia and obsessed with her. Now he was tied to all of this betrayal and mystery. I couldn’t fathom why his fingerprint would be on the letter.Desmond leaned forward, his voice low and measured. “We don't know yet. But we have a few leads to follow. So we are looking to. It is possible he has been involved in everything from the start, or maybe even helping Olivia orchestrate all this.”I felt a shiver run down my spine. The realization hit me hard— Olivia might not have been acting alone, she might have had the help of her ex. There was someone else behind the curtain, pulling the strings, and Paul Wate
Ophelia's Pov The air in Joe’s office was thick with tension as the two of them had a stare-down. Ryder’s grip on Joe’s hand was firm, too firm and while Joe maintained a professional posture, I could see the way his jaw tightened ever so slightly.I shifted uncomfortably, moving Ryan in my lap to adjust him as I glanced between them. "Joe was a great help to me when I had no one else," I said quietly, attempting to ease whatever silent conflict was occurring between the both of them. Ryder was the first to release Joe's hand but didn't lean back to his seat. His expression was still stoic, his eyes fixed on the doctor as though looking for something.Joe, though, just nodded and leaned back in his chair. "I can understand why you would this way, Mr. Smith. But Ophelia was in a difficult spot at the time. I simply did what I thought was best to keep her and the baby safe."Ryder's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his eyes still trained on Joe.I coughed to clear my throat becaus
Ophelia's Pov I snuggled closer to Ryder but found the bed empty. I sat up from the bed rubbing my eyes. The last I could remember was in Ryder's arms in the bathtub. I must have fallen asleep and he carried me to the bed. I looked down to my body and I was wearing his shirt and boxers.I flung my feet to the floor and stood up from the bed. I went into the bathroom and did my business. I went inside the closet and chose the cloth to wear. Standing in front the mirror, I stared at my reflection.I looked better than the nights before and my bump was bigger. I put a reminder in mind to visit the hospital. I would be due in few weeks times and I needed to be careful. I dressed and left the room, closing the door behind me. Before getting to the living room, I could smell something coming from the kitchen. The smell was faint at first but it grew stronger as I moved closer to the living room. It was until I reached the living room and looked into the kitchen, discovering it was br
Ophelia's Pov The silence of the moment enveloped us, and for the first time in days, I could finally breathe. Ryder's presence was an anchor, it was grounding me in the center of the hurricane I could feel brewing inside. I leaned back against him, allowing the warmth of the water and the strong beat of his heart to fill the empty spaces in my head. The weight of my worry didn't lift from me, but for a moment, it was easier to carry."I don't know what to do, Ryder," I panted, the words tumbling out before I could catch them. "I keep thinking about Olivia most of the time, I keep thinking about all of it. I don't even know her anymore."Ryder's arms wrapped me close, pulling me more against him, giving me the unspoken reassurance of his presence. I attempted to steady my breath, keeping my eyes shut, but uncertainty within me was cruel. Olivia was changing before my own eyes, and I was uncertain how to relate to her anymore.The woman who spoke to me wasn't the Olivia I grew up w
Ophelia's Pov Getting home, Ryder went straight to his study while I headed to the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. I poured the water into a glass cup and brought the cup closer to my mouth. What was that about? Olivia was into drugs?I drank the water inside the cup at a gulp and set the cup down in the sink. She didn't look like someone who does drugs, so how? How did she end up that way?I shook my head, trying to shake off the thought.I dropped the cup and headed to Ryan's room. The door was slightly ajar, so I pushed it open and saw Ryan beside Mum as they were both sleeping.They both looked peaceful. Mum's hands were over him in a protective manner while he snuggled closer to her. I walked closer to the bed and bent a little, brushing my hand over Ryan's hair. He turned and snuggled more into Mum. They both look cute and so much alike. The aging line in Mum's eyes was so where to be seen. I stood there just staring at the both of them
Ophelia's Pov The interrogation room seemed to be closing in on me, weighted down by unspoken questions, thick with the seriousness of Olivia's confession. They had barely been spoken when she had first said them, but now that I let them settle in my mind, they tumbled at me like a starving beast. "Running from myself," she had said.I did not get it. Who was she really running away from? Hadn't she always been the confident and perfect daughter? Hadn't she always been the one to get everything she wanted? But here, in front of us, I saw something else. I saw the vulnerability, the seething self-loathing that burned in her eyes.I wanted to know. I needed to know. But the more I thought about what she had said, the more obvious it was that I didn't know her at all. "Olivia," I began gently, trying to hold back the tremble from my voice."What did you mean? What is going on here?"She didn't answer at first, hands clenched in her lap, knuckles white with the pressure of her hold.
Ophelia's Pov The quiet in the house was unbearable. Dust hung motionless in the stale air, soaking up the weak light sneaking through broken windows.Olivia leaned back against the freezing wall, pressing her hand onto her belly as if shielding life inside. Not a word passed her lips. She just looked at us— suspiciously, cautiously.Ryder took a step closer, his voice sharp and adamant. "Tell me, Olivia. Who is the father of your baby?"She breathed in slowly, her gaze skittering back and forth between him and me before focusing on the detective behind us. "Can we speak in private and not in front of anyone else?"Ryder's jaw worked. "Not going to happen."The detective turned to us, then Olivia. "Miss Hamilton, if you do have information that can help us, you need to share it now. We are investigating a series of crimes, including the case of your disappearance and Paul's participation in a kidnapping act. If you are in harm's way, we need to know from whom."Olivia laughed— bitter
Ophelia's Pov The sun burst through the curtains and illuminated the bedroom with a warm golden hue. I hadn't slept at all. Regardless of how many times I attempted to shut my eyes, Ryan's screams haunted me, screaming repeatedly in my head. His tiny hands had clasped me all night, and even now, as I inched cautiously to check on him, his tiny fingers gripped tightly in fear that he would lose me.I smoothed out his curls, planting a soft kiss on his forehead. "I am here, baby."He stirred slightly but didn't wake.Ryder was up already, in the armchair by the window, sitting there with an unreadable face."You didn't sleep either?" I whispered to him.He breathed deeply and ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't. I had to make sure you two were okay."I nodded. We were both running on fumes of anxiety and fatigue.And today, I was not moving. I was home with Ryan, keeping him safe.*****The morning passed quietly, and I thanked God. I made Ryan's favorite breakfast of chocolate
Ophelia's Pov The sun pierced the curtains, its golden beams casting soft lines on the room. I woke up, my body aching, fatigue clinging to me like a second skin. But it was not fatigue— it was the weight of all that had happened.Beside me, Ryan’s tiny fingers were still curled around my nightgown. Even in sleep, he held onto me as if I would vanish the moment he let go. His face, usually so full of light, was troubled, his small brows drawn together in distress.I threaded my fingers through his hair, my heart shattering for him. He had endured too much. The kidnapping, the fear, and the terror are still imprinted on his mind.A gentle tap at the door. I went to find Ryder standing there, his gaze gentle but concerned."How is he?" Ryder breathed, stepping closer.I sighed, rolling slightly. "Still sleeping. But he continued to mutter in his sleep, Ryder. He is terrified."Ryder's eyes clenched tightly as he leaned against the foot of the bed. "I should have better protected him."
Ophelia's Pov That night, I was discharged and we went home. On getting home there was a little welcome party for Ryan organized by Sandra. Mum, Jacob, Sandra, and Desmond were there already.Fatigue clung to my frame like a heavy blanket by the time we arrived home, but I set aside the desire to fall. The golden glow of the living room lamps welcomed us, and the soft hum of conversation drifted toward me as we walked in."Surprise!"Ryan blinked, his pinhead eyes stretching wide as he took in the decorations— blue and white balloons attached to table legs, a small cake sitting on the table, and a homemade sign reading ‘Welcome Home, Ryan!’ in bold, happy letters. Sandra came over, her own face sporting a look of sheepishness. "I thought he should have something after all that he had endured."My chest tightened as I soaked it all in. The soft but significant ornamentation, the affection of those around us, and the gentle way Sandra clasped Ryan like she was trying to comfort him i