MICHAEL The door to my office swung open. I looked up to see Lydia walk in like she owned the place, shoulders high and head held even higher. Slowly, I stood, my eyes locked on her as she crossed the room and sank into the couch without a word. “I know what you did,” I said, skipping any kind of greeting. She raised one perfectly shaped brow, pretending she had no idea what I was talking about. “What are you going on about?” “You went to my grandfather,” I said, my voice tight. “You asked him to bring you into Blackwood Hotel by promising an investment from your family, didn’t you?” She held my gaze in silence, like she was waiting for something. For a second, I wondered if I had it wrong. Then she let out a quiet breath, the corner of her mouth twitching like she found it all slightly amusing. “Oh,” she said quietly. “That.” My anger flared fast and I slammed my hand on the desk. “Why?” I yelled. “Why would you do that?” “Why would I do what?” she replied, her tone calm—t
OLIVIA I leaned back against the headrest, my eyes drifting past the tall buildings as we sped by. I tried not to think about Christian but the memories kept pushing their way in. Seeing him again yesterday had almost pulled me under. Those feelings I thought I’d buried came rushing back. For a second, I even questioned my decision about the party, until her name popped up again. This morning, I’d woken up with a clear head and a stronger sense of resolve. That part of my life, him, would not affect me anymore. Now, I was on my way to Blackwood Fashion with Greg and Grace to pick out a dress for the dinner party tonight. I sighed, letting my thoughts drift to what I might wear. It wasn’t like I didn’t already have options—I just needed an excuse to get out of my room because I was extremely bored. The car came to a stop in front of Blackwood Fashion. I stepped out, adjusting the flannel shirt I’d thrown on without thinking. As I walked toward the glass doors, I noticed a fain
CHRISTIAN “How do these damn binoculars work?” I muttered under my breath, frustration creeping in. Cursing again, I smacked it, trying to make sense of the device. Sighing deeply, I focused intently, eventually figuring out how to work the damn thing. What was I even doing here? Sitting in this car, staked out opposite this restaurant. What was I expecting to find? Lifting the binoculars to my eyes, I positioned them toward the glass fronts of Joe’s Bistro fast food restaurant across the street, leaning slightly back in the seat to avoid being spotted. And as I adjusted the focus, I froze, a jolt of shock running through me. So, Olivia was seriously here? And who was she with? That hair… Nicholas? I adjusted the binoculars again, unease spreading through me, which quickly turned into rage when I confirmed it was really Nicholas Sterling sitting there. I glared through the lens, my jaw tightening as I saw Olivia’s smile, my chest burning with jealousy. I yanked the binoculars aw
OLIVIA Nicholas led me down the hallway, and I couldn’t help but look around, taking in the calm, elegant atmosphere. Everything about this place felt peaceful. Working here would be both easy and healing. “We’re here,” he said, stopping in front of a clear glass door. A small smile played on his lips. “Your soon-to-be office.” He pushed the door open and stepped aside. “This is what it looks like.” My eyes widened as I stepped inside. I took in the space, stunned by how beautiful it was. Every detail, from the soft white walls to the stylish furniture, was perfect. It felt like walking into a dream. “Wow,” I whispered, moving toward the sleek desk near the floor-to-ceiling window. “This is… beautiful.” Behind me, Nicholas gave a polite scoff. “Right? And it only gets better from here.” Maybe it would. But honestly, this already felt like more than enough. I was beyond impressed. “So,” he said, clearing his throat, “do you like it?” Was he serious? I loved it. But the way he l
OLIVIA I stepped onto the terrace, my heels clicking softly against the stone floor as I glanced around at the guests streaming toward the entrance. This was clearly another high-society event—elegant, extravagant, and carefully planned. “Olivia!” I turned at the sound of Liam’s voice and saw him standing by the doorway, a bright smile lighting up his face. Smiling back, I lifted the hem of my dress slightly and quickened my pace. He met me halfway, his grin widening as he took my hand. “I’m glad you made it,” he said, his gaze sweeping across my face. “Thank you for inviting me,” I replied, smiling. “So, shall we?” I nodded, my eyes drifting over his casual outfit. He looked effortlessly handsome, wearing a fitted blazer over a plain white shirt. His dark jeans added a laid-back touch, and the slicked-back hair gave him a sharper look I hadn’t noticed before. “You look so beautiful, Olivia,” he whispered as we stepped into the softly lit lobby. A faint blush touched my c
OLIVIA I felt Liam step up behind me as I kept watching Ivy. She stood a few feet away, awkwardly adjusting the strap of her dress and smoothing down her hair over and over again. Those little movements told me just how uncomfortable she felt, and how hard she was trying to hide it. It was almost sad. Strangely, I wasn’t angry about the way she had snapped at me. I should’ve been because she humiliated me when I was only trying to be kind. But instead, all I felt was a mix of sadness and curiosity. “So,” Liam said, nudging me gently, “How’s the party? Having fun?” I shrugged, still half-distracted, my focus on Ivy. “It’s… okay. I’m not really used to these kinds of events. Not much of a party person.” He glanced at me, waiting for more. I shifted my attention away from Ivy to him. “Honestly,” I added with a small smirk, “It’s kind of boring. Maybe it’s all the old people but I feel like I walked into a retirement gala.” He laughed, a low, amused sound. “That’s fair.”
OLIVIA I forced a smile before he could catch on that I’d missed about 99.98% of whatever childhood story he’d just told. “I think—” “Liam!” a deep voice called from across the hall. We both turned toward it to see his father, waving him over. “I’ll be right back,” He said with a quick, apologetic smile, his fingers brushing my arm gently. I nodded and gave him a little wave. “Go on,” I muttered, silently grateful for the rescue. Any longer and I might’ve choked on my own attempt to fake interest. As soon as he walked off, I exhaled. My mouth felt dry. I scanned the room for a server, but none were in sight, so I slipped away and headed for the kitchen, hoping to grab a bottle of water. The kitchen was quieter than the sitting room, almost peaceful…..until I saw her. Ivy stood beside the marble counter with her back to the door, one hand fussing with her hair while the other rubbed at her bare arm. She looked smaller here, less put together. Sad, even. A flicker of
OLIVIA Wiping her nose with the handkerchief I handed her, Ivy sniffled and stared off into space. Her shoulders slumped like she was carrying more than just her sadness. “When I was twelve,” She began after a long pause. “My mom would always tell me to only make friends with girls who were in the same… bracket.” She lifted her hands and air-quoted, “You know status-wise.” I stayed quiet, just listening. Something in her tone made me feel like this wasn’t something she shared often. “She even forbade me from being friends with a girl whose mom was a hair stylist. Can you believe that?” she asked with a bitter chuckle, not really waiting for an answer. “And then at seventeen,” She went on, her words quick and clipped now, “She started taking me to parties filled with powerful, much older men.” Her voice tightened. “She made me smile, laugh, and play nice with them. She told me I had to climb my way to the top using their backs.” A hollow smirk formed on her lips, but her eye
CHRISTIANEven before he showed up, I’d known, no, I’d felt, this wasn’t some random crash.A stolen car, the driver trying to run, it was clearer now that someone targeted Olivia. And I knew it deep in my bones.I forced myself to move, retracing my steps back toward her ward.When I entered the room, her mother and brother were sitting close by, their faces lined with worry.And Olivia…Her wide, bright eyes found mine the second I stepped inside. And relief crashed over me again like I hadn’t seen her before. Truly, what the fuck would I have done if she hadn’t survived the crash? Even the thought alone put a sick ache in my chest.Reaching her bed, I cleared my throat, and Mrs. Carter and James turned their attention to me.“Well…” I licked my lips, my gaze locking onto her mother’s. “Olivia’s being discharged today.” I paused, swallowing hard. “And she’ll be moving in with me. Temporarily.”From the corner of my eye, I caught Olivia’s wide-eyed stare and her mother’s matching i
CHRISTIANI stepped out of the ward room, and the nurse followed closely behind. I turned to face her, pausing just outside the door and she stopped a few steps behind, waiting for me to speak. “I need to ask you something.” “Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”“The other victims from the accident,” I started. “Where are they?”“You mean Miss Grace and…” she looked down at her clipboard, then up at me. “Mr. Gregory? They are both in surgery and you’ll be updated soon.” I frowned. “Just the two?” I pressed. “There was another car involved in the crash. Where’s the driver?”Her eyes flickered, and she hesitated. “There was no driver…”“Was he taken to another hospital?” I interrupted, my voice more insistent than I intended. She flinched, a slight tremor in her hands.I exhaled sharply, pushing a hand through my hair, trying to rein in the rising frustration.It made sense that she didn’t have all the answers. She was just a nurse, after all, and I was pushing her harder than I should. I knew that,
CHRISTIAN“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to steady my breath, but I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up in my eyes. Her gaze shifted slightly to me, and slowly, the faintest trace of a smile crossed her lips, despite the pain. “Are you… crying?” “Look at you,” I gasped, my voice strained. I blinked away the tears, but they came faster. “You’re hurt.” She shook her head slowly. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “Just had a glass stuck in my thigh, some cuts, and possibly a few broken ribs.” Her hand moved up, brushing my jaw with a weak touch that made my chest ache. “The baby’s fine too, hmm? See, I’m fine.” I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a shaky breath, feeling a deep, crushing wave of relief. “I was so scared,” I admitted. “I was scared too,” she whispered. “I thought I lost the baby… I thought I wouldn’t get to see you again. Everything we worked so hard for… it felt like it was just gone.” My eyes snapped open, locking onto her tear-streaked face. “Is that what you think?” I
CHRISTIAN “Yes, we’ll be arriving by six-thirty,” I said into the phone, as I stared out the floor-to-ceiling window. The sky, just an hour ago, clear and blue, was now heavy with dark clouds. A storm? I narrowed my eyes, watching the way the clouds thickened, pressing closer to the city like a warning. The restaurant manager’s voice droned on, polite but distant in my ear. I caught something about the table arrangement, maybe dessert options, but most of it blurred into noise. “Sounds good,” I murmured automatically, my attention slipping again. Some seconds later, a soft click ended the call. I turned away from the window, a slow grin pulling at my mouth. Olivia was probably losing her mind right now, trying to guess where I was taking her. Typical. Always overthinking, always so easy to read. And somehow, it never stopped being endearing. I shook my head, laughing under my breath. In less than an hour, I’d get to see her face light up and honestly, that thought alone mad
OLIVIAI chewed my lip anxiously, tapping my phone and waiting for his reply. Just as the tension in my chest built, Miss Elowen closed her laptop with a sigh, signaling the class was finally over. I glanced down at my phone again. He’d sent a string of even more ridiculous emojis, and I couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking my head. His humor was always unexpected, yet it never failed to make me smile, even if it was in the middle of something so… intense. I sighed, sliding my book into my bag and getting to my feet as Miss Elowen exited the hall. Grabbing my bag from the desk, I moved toward the door. “Olivia!”I turned around to see Ivy coming toward me, smiling brightly. “Ivy, hey,” I greeted her, returning the smile as she linked arms with me. “You seem to be in a hurry,” she remarked, her eyes lingering on the phone in my hand. “Got plans?” I chuckled, a little too nervously. My fingers hovered over the screen, glancing at Christian’s last message. “You could say that.” He
OLIVIA I groaned in exhaustion, glancing out the window. Miss Elowen had been yapping on and on for what felt like over two hours, and I was bored out of my mind. After everything that happened between us a while ago, I couldn’t focus in her class for the life of me. I tried to steer my thoughts somewhere else, but they kept drifting. Back to Christian. Back to the way his body had moved against mine last night. The way we were both sweaty and desperate, tangled up in each other, until I was half out of my mind. Sighing heavily, I picked up my phone. Liam had sent a few texts, checking on me, and I decided to respond to some. There was one from Nicholas too, but I didn’t even bother opening it. After a few minutes of scrolling through social media and getting even more restless, I huffed out a breath, feeling hot and uncomfortable in my own skin. What was this heat? In the haze of boredom, a thought crossed my mind. Chewing the inside of my cheek, I slid to my contacts and p
OLIVIAI smiled. “Yeah, I’m good.” He nodded once and rose to his feet, casually shrugging off his shirt. I didn’t even pretend not to look. The hard lines of his body, the way his muscles flexed when he tossed the shirt aside, it was enough to send my thoughts spinning. Without thinking, I reached for him, my hands finding his waist. He stilled, his eyes dropping to mine. “What’s that look for?” he asked, a slow smile playing on his lips. Smirking, I tugged at his trousers, pulling him down onto the bed with me. He landed beside me with a low grunt, and before he could catch his breath, I pushed him onto his back, climbing on top of him with a wicked grin. I bent low, dragging my tongue slowly down his chest, savoring the way his body trembled beneath me, each shiver sending a pulse of heat straight to my core. His muscles tightened, his hand coming down with a sharp slap to my ass, making me gasp and then laugh, breathless with excitement. I kissed my way back up to his
OLIVIA I sat beside Christian in the backseat of the moving car, stealing glances at him when I thought he wouldn’t notice. “You know I can feel you staring, right?” he said without opening his eyes. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I quickly turned to the window, pretending to admire the passing streets. He sighed and shifted slightly toward me. “What is it?” I fiddled with the hem of my dress. “I’m just… surprised,” I admitted, sneaking a look at him. “The way you stood up for me tonight, how you made it clear to everyone that I come first.” My voice trailed off in a shrug. “It was… kind of hot.” He scoffed under his breath, the corner of his mouth lifting. “You fixate on the smallest things, Olivia. Sometimes it’s cute, other times, it’s just…” he trailed off with a low chuckle. “What?” I turned toward him, pouting. “I mean,” I waved a hand, “you see it all the time in movies and books. The guy just sits there like a dumbass while his girlfriend gets humiliated. Isn’t that weird
OLIVIAHe sat down heavily, his glare burning into both of them before turning it directly onto Christian. “I don’t think you have enough reasons to turn Miss Hale’s offer down.” Christian exhaled. “I understand you’re the chairman, Grandfather,” he said. “But I’m the president of Blackwood Hotel and Air. I have the full right to make these decisions.” He let the words settle in the heavy silence. “And frankly, having this discussion right now is an insult to my relationship and I won’t tolerate it.” His gaze slid to Lydia, his jaw clenching. “I won’t accept her investment, and I sure as hell won’t bring her onto my board. Not just because she’s an insufferable, exhausting human being but because she has no place there. Quite frankly,” he added. “She knows nothing about business. So why bother?” Lydia looked stricken, her mouth hanging open like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. And for once, I could actually savor the silence that followed. Just then, Ophelia broke the