Chapter 47Olivia froze at Christian’s words. She couldn’t breathe properly. Christian saw that she was likely having the reaction she had the last time, so he held her hand. “Breathe! Olivia, breathe!" he said in a panicked tone.“Look. I have put some detectives together—“, Christian continued before he was interrupted by Josh from the living room.“Why are the hosts standing by the door? Aren’t you supposed to treat your guests?" Josh said in a teasing tone from the living room.“Let’s go”, Christian said as he pulled Olivia’s hand. “Look, let's keep this to ourselves. We will inform Josh and Ruth when we have found a solution to this”, he whispered before dragging her to the living room.As Christian and Olivia entered the living room area, Josh’s sharp eyes went straight to their hands which were still holding each other. “I think we just disturbed their quality couple time together”, he teased with a grin.Josh’s teasing remark caught them off guard. Olivia quickly pulled her ha
Chapter 48Can you not give me that ass reason?" Josh interrupted Christian, slamming his hand on the table. “Is there anything wrong?" Ruth’s agitated voice echoed from the living room.“There’s nothing for you to worry about, baby. We’re just doing some manly garlic crushing here”, Josh quickly lied to prevent her from coming into the kitchen.“If you say so," she replied.“As I was saying, don't give me that silly excuse. Eunice clearly loves Olivia, and, moreover, didn’t you remember how delighted she was at your wedding?" Josh continued, reducing his voice a bit.Christian narrowed his eyes at Josh, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You don’t understand, Josh. It’s not just about Eunice. There’s more at stake here, and I can’t just ignore it. It’s about Olivia, too. She’s dealing with a lot right now.”Josh raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean? Is it about her feelings for you? Because from what I can see, there’s something deeper going on between you two.”Ch
Chapter 49Christian’s eyes immediately turned to Olivia’s before he excused himself to listen properly. On the other end of the phone, his secretary was reporting everything they had found out since Christian gave his order.“While the team was snooping around, we found out that Mrs. Mason’s employee records were either deleted or archived as some classified case”, Mr. Pitcher reported, sounding absolutely distressed on the phone.“We also found out that they are creating a new one all over again, in order to use her marriage to you as a trump card to flaunt their company's growth”, he continued.“Are you sure?" Christian asked in complete disbelief.“According to our informant, that is exactly what is happening. And we were able to get a copy of her previous employee record as a copy from an anonymous person, so I'll send the previous one and the newly created one, so you can do as you see fit”, Mr. Pitcher reported quietly."Send it to my email. You and the team of detectives shoul
Chapter 50All the adults froze at Eunice’s innocent question, and exchanged glances with each other and burst into laughter.“Eunice darling, Uncle Christian and Olivia are not steaming anything, okay? Ruth was just joking with them”, Josh said as he lifted her into his arms.“Oh! I thought they were going to make something again”, Eunice said in a downcast voice. Everyone sat at the dining table and they had a hearty meal together, chatting through out. Josh and Ruth did most of the talking, while Christian responded in agreement, while Eunice threw in some funny remarks occasionally.While all this was going on, Olivia couldn’t stop her mind from trailing back to Christian’s words from before. ‘Taking their relationship to the next step’, what could that mean? And he’d asked her to come meet him in his room at night. Were they going to do what she thinks they would?“Earth to Olivia!” Ruth shouted at her. “What were you thinking about so much that you forgot you had guests at your
Chapter 51Olivia wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he could protect her from the storm that was looming over her, but doubts crept into her mind. Could she really depend on him? Would he turn around and blame her again if things went south?Her silence stretched on as the weight of everything settled around them. She glanced at the laptop screen again, the damning reports staring back at her like ghosts from a past she couldn’t escape.Christian sat down beside her, his presence warm and steady. “I’ll start working on clearing your name tomorrow. We’ll get in touch with the right people to make sure the truth comes out. The detectives think they wanted to use you as leverage to get to work with me. So let me deal with them."“Why?” she repeated, almost to herself. “Why are you going this far for me?”Christian exhaled, his jaw clenching momentarily. “Because I can’t just sit back and watch them destroy you, Olivia. You’ve been through enough already, and I don’t want you to
Chapter 52About an hour later, Olivia could hear Christian and Eunice’s uniform breathing, indicating that they were already deeply asleep. She on the other hand, was unable to sleep, turning and tossing around on the bed, clearly remembering his last words to her before he fell asleep.Until recently, she’d been so determined to guard her heart, especially after Christian had rejected her, but now, he was confusing her.As she lay there, Olivia’s mind spun in endless circles, tangled in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions she hadn’t anticipated. His rejection had hurt deeply, and she’d convinced herself that keeping her heart guarded was the safest option. Yet tonight, he’d shown a vulnerability she hadn’t seen before—a warmth that made her question everything she thought she knew about him.She turned over, watching the faint outline of Christian beside her in the dim light. A part of her wanted to reach out, to feel the steady comfort of his presence and assure herself that this
Chapter 53Olivia entered and sized up the young woman who was seated on the sofa, before turning to look at Christian. His smile towards her and eyes were very warm, like he was totally in love with her and it made her heart skip a beat. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” she said, forcing a lightness into her voice as she stepped inside, the aroma of the deli lunch wafting in behind her.Christian motioned for her to come closer, his smile softening the sharp edges of the office. “Not at all. Just the usual paperwork. But now that you’re here, everything else can wait.” Christian said, standing from his chair. “Let me introduce you two. Liv, this is Mrs. Oxnard’s daughter, Elle. She’s working as an intern in the office of the Chairman. And Elle, this is my wife, Olivia, as you know.“Good afternoon, Mrs. Mason”, Elle stood up to greet her with a handshake.“Just call me Olivia”, she replied as she returned the handshake.“I’ll leave you two and come back later”, Elle
Chapter 54As Olivia and Christian stepped out of the park with a tired Eunice nestled against Olivia’s shoulder, the cool evening air wrapped around them. They made their way to the car in comfortable silence, with Eunice already drifting off to sleep in Olivia’s arms. The day had been a whirlwind of laughter and rare moments that hinted at something deeper between them. But as Olivia glanced at Christian, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he had more on his mind.Once they returned to the mansion, they put Eunice to bed, her sleepy murmurs fading into contented silence. With the house quiet again, Olivia made her way to her room to freshen up, but Christian’s whispered words from earlier replayed in her mind. “Can we talk tonight?"After changing into something more comfortable, she found herself pacing around in her room, half-hoping Christian would stop by. Minutes later, she heard a light on her door.She went to open the door where she found Christian standing. His expression
Chapter 90The mansion felt emptier than ever, even with everyone inside. Olivia sat in the dimly lit living room, staring at the untouched cup of tea Ruth had placed before her hours ago. Christian hadn’t spoken to her since they returned from the failed rescue attempt at the warehouse. Not a single word, not even a glance in her direction. His silence was louder than any accusation could have been.From across the room, Ruth watched Olivia carefully. Her brows knit with concern. Josh entered, his laptop tucked under his arm. “Any updates?” Ruth asked softly.Josh shook his head, his expression grim. “No leads." The trail went cold after the warehouse. "I've got a few people digging into Elise’s connections, but...” He hesitated, glancing toward Christian, who stood by the window, his back to everyone.Olivia couldn’t take it anymore. She pushed herself up from the couch and crossed the room to meet him. “Christian,” she began, her voice small but steady. “We need to talk.”He didn’t
Chapter 89Olivia and Ruth were pacing around in the in the stifling atmosphere. Olivia sat on the edge of the couch, her hands twisting the scarf that had now become a cruel reminder of Eunice’s abduction. Ruth hovered nearby, her calming presence a balm Olivia desperately clung to. Meanwhile, Christian and Josh were locked in a flurry of activity, coordinating with law enforcement and private investigators. Every phone call, every lead, seemed to come up short.Olivia’s chest felt like it was being crushed under the weight of helplessness. Eunice is out there somewhere. Alone. Frightened. The thought nearly undid her. She forced herself to focus on Christian’s promise. He would move mountains to bring Eunice home. He had to.“We’ve got a lead,” Josh announced, though his tone lacked the confidence she had hoped for. “The car was spotted in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. A team is already on the way.”Olivia bolted to her feet. “I’m coming with you.”Christian’s
Chapter 88There was a long, tense pause before Christian responded, his voice cold and clipped. “I’m on my way. Stay there and don’t let anyone leave until I get there.” Olivia ended the call, her mind racing. Who had taken Eunice, and how had they known enough to impersonate Christian? As fear churned in her chest, she forced herself to stay calm, knowing she needed to keep her head clear.Olivia quickly dialled Josh’s number, her hands trembling. He picked up almost immediately. “Olivia? What’s wrong?” Josh’s normally laid-back tone was laced with alarm. “Eunice... she’s gone,” Olivia said, barely able to keep her voice steady. “The teacher said someone who looked like me picked her up. Christian’s on his way, but I need you and Ruth to check if she somehow made it home.”“What?!” Josh barked, his disbelief evident. In the background, Olivia heard Ruth asking what was happening. “We’re on it,” Josh said firmly. “Stay calm. We’ll call you back as soon as we check the house.” Olivia
Chapter 87The sun rose over the Mason mansion, bathing its grand façade in golden light. Christian stood in the kitchen, dressed in a sharp navy suit, scanning through his emails on his phone while sipping his morning coffee. The distant sound of Eunice’s giggles echoed upstairs, followed by Olivia’s cheerful voice coaxing her to finish her breakfast.The excitement of the day was palpable. It was Parents’ Sports Day at Eunice’s school, and the young girl could barely contain her enthusiasm.“Uncle Christian! Olivia!” Eunice’s voice rang out as she bounded into the kitchen. She wore a bright yellow T-shirt with the school logo and black athletic shorts, her hair tied back in a ponytail that swayed as she moved.Christian smiled, setting down his coffee. “Ready for your big day, champ?”“More than ready!” Eunice grinned, clutching a water bottle and a small towel. “Are you coming with us?”Christian crouched to her level and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. “I’ll drive yo
Chapter 86It was September already. Two months since Carey’s arrest and the end of their misery. The air was cool and filled with the faint scent of fall, signalling the start of a new chapter. Sunlight poured through the grand windows of the Mason mansion, casting a golden glow across the marble floors as the household stirred awake.Eunice’s excitement was infectious. She bounced down the stairs dressed in a neatly pressed uniform, her hair tied into two perfect braids adorned with small blue ribbons that matched her school colours. Her backpack was almost as big as she was, but the confident grin on her face made it seem like nothing could weigh her down.“Olivia! Uncle Christian! Are you ready yet?” Eunice called out, her voice echoing through the halls.“Someone’s excited,” Christian said, emerging from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand, dressed impeccably in his tailored suit. He ruffled Eunice’s hair playfully, earning a giggle.Olivia appeared moments later, balancing
Chapter 85The Mason mansion is suddenly alive with an air of celebration and gratitude, a stark contrast to the tensions that filled its halls for months until the day before. The soft glow of chandeliers reflected off the polished floors as Christian stood in the centre of the living room, his expression relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever.Olivia entered the room carrying a tray of champagne glasses and juice boxes. Her simple dress highlighted her elegance. Eunice trailed behind her, holding a plate of cookies, her face beaming with excitement.“Is everyone here yet?” Olivia asked as she set the tray down on the table.“Almost,” Christian replied, his gaze softening as it landed on her. “Josh just called. He and Ruth are on their way.”“Good,” Olivia said with a smile, glancing down at Eunice. “Go wash your hands before they get here, sweetheart.”Eunice nodded and hurried off, her footsteps echoing faintly in the distance.Minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Ch
Chapter 84Olivia perked up on the bed. “What good news? Is it about the recent happenings?" she asked eagerly.“Yes and no”, Christian said vaguely.“What do you mean by yes and no? Just choose one. Yes or no," she said, glaring at him.Christian sighed. “Josh didn’t say everything. He says he doesn’t want to jinx it, but when he confirms, he will tell me about it in the morning. We just need to wait."Olivia nodded in response, while Christina got on the bed and turned off the lights.The next morning, the first rays of sunlight spilled through the curtains of the master bedroom. Christian stirred, his arm resting protectively over Olivia as he blinked himself awake.Olivia lay beside him, still fast asleep, her features peaceful despite the storm they had faced. He watched her for a moment, marvelling at her resilience, before carefully slipping out of bed. He couldn’t afford to waste time—not with the opportunity they now had to strike back.Downstairs, Christian poured himself a
Chapter 83Time quickly rolled by, and it was already evening. The sun had already set on the other side of the city. Inside the Mason mansion, Olivia had just finished making some spaghetti. She stood by the kitchen window, watching Eunice play with her dolls in the dining room. Her earlier resolve to tell Christian about the phone call lingered in her mind, but the worry had begun to twist in her chest like a persistent ache.The sound of the front door opening broke her thoughts. Christian’s familiar stride echoed through the hall. He appeared in the kitchen doorway moments later, his tie loosened and a tired yet relieved look on his face.“Hey,” he greeted, his voice softening as his gaze landed on her. “Hey,” Olivia replied, brushing a stray curl off her face.Christian’s eyes shifted toward the patio. “She looks happy,” he said, nodding toward Eunice, whose laughter floated through the air.Olivia smiled faintly. “She had a good day. Her scrapbook is coming along. Glitter everyw
Chapter 82The dawn of a new week painted the Massachusetts skyline in hues of gold and rose. Inside the Mason estate, a tranquil scene unfolded. Olivia, with a gentle hum, prepared Eunice’s breakfast. The little girl, her usual sparkle dimmed by the post-graduation blues, was greeted with a plate of whimsical star-shaped pancakes. The sweet aroma of maple syrup filled the air, a comforting reminder of simpler times.Eunice’s eyes lit up, her frown melting away. She took a bite of the fluffy pancake, a smile spreading across her face. Olivia watched her daughter with a fond smile, relieved to see the return of her cheerful spirit. As they sat together, the warmth of the morning sun and the joy of a shared meal filled the room. It was a simple start to a new week, but it was a start filled with love and hope. Of course, threats from Carey and other unknown sources lurk behind the shadows somewhere.Christian entered the kitchen, already dressed in a sharp charcoal suit. He stopped to p