Alexander's POVReaching the top of the cliff left my muscles screaming in agony, but it didn't matter. Every breath I took felt like a reminder that time was slipping away. Gently, I laid Olivia on the rocky ground, cradling her head. Her skin was so clammy and pale, much too cold. I pressed my lips to her forehead and whispered, my voice trembling, "Please stay with me, Olivia. I can't lose you. I love you."My plea hung in the air as if begging for a miracle. I knew I couldn't afford to waste another second. Biting back my overwhelming sorrow and pain that overtook every muscle in my body, I scooped her up, cradling her frail body against my chest, her head resting just beneath my chin. Liam stayed close to me, his small hand clutching the hem of my shirt. His eyes, wide and filled with fear, kept glancing at his mother's still form, searching for any sign of life.Making my way back through the caves, my body screaming at me to stop, I pushed forward. My own pain meant nothing to m
Alexander's POVThe ride back to Victor's palace was a blur, a whirlwind of tormented thoughts and smothering despair. My mind could only fixate on Olivia, her pale face flashing before my eyes every time I blinked. The journey felt both agonisingly slow and brutally fast; I remembered nothing of it, only the consuming fear and guilt that overtook my soul.As the carriage finally groaned to a halt, I flung the door open and bolted towards the palace, ignoring the startled looks of the guards. My legs moved on their own. I needed to be with her. Every heartbeat chanted her name, propelling me faster and faster down themaze-like corridors.Rounding the corner, I saw the door to the infirmary. Relief surged through me like a tidal wave. Just as quickly, it was dashed to pieces. The doctor emerged, wiping sweat from his brow, his expression unreadable."Where is she?" I shouted, my voice raspy and edged with panic."Alexander, you can't see her yet. We're still—" The doctor's words were c
Olivia's POVAm I dead? The thought floated aimlessly in my mind as I seemed to walk through an endless expanse of darkness. There was no sound, no light, just the oppressive weight of nothingness pressing down on me. Finally, I pushed open a heavy door that appeared out of nowhere. On the other side, it was blindingly white. Squinting, I took a few cautious steps forward. It took me several moments to recognize where I was: Alexander's palace. My heart skipped a beat as realisation dawned. I had been transported back in time to two months after I had married Alexander.It was a time drenched in sorrow, for it marked the anniversary of my sister's death. The memory washed over me with painful clarity. I looked around at the room where we were holding a grand memorial for her, one that I had put together for her, pouring every ounce of my effort into making it perfect. I could still see the mournful faces, hear the soft whispers of condolences, and feel the overwhelming weight of grief
Olivia's POV The memories kept on coming, leaving me more confused than ever. My head felt as though it was going to explode along with my heart. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. Standing in the corner of the kitchen I watched myself making Alexander yet another plate of food. The kitchen smelled of freshly baked bread, creamy soup, and spicy grilled vegetables—aromas meant to wrap him in warmth and comfort. But he never touched any of it. My heart clenched with each meal I saw thrown away untouched, each discarded plate a silent rejection.I watched myself as I arranged the food perfectly on the plate, swallowing the lump in my throat. The Olivia I saw, the Olivia from the past, was trying so hard, pouring love and effort into every dish. But he never saw it. Or rather, he refused to see it. His heart was still with Cassandra, whose shadow loomed over every corner of this kingdom.I stepped back to watch the painful scene unfold, my chest tight with a sorrow that ne
“Please, I can't take any more of this,” I begged.The memories continued their relentless assault on me, each one a jagged piece of my past cutting deeper than the last. Standing in my old bedroom, I felt like an unwelcome visitor in my own life, a distant ghost watching my past self navigate through nights filled with loneliness and days heavy with silent judgments.I let out a loud sigh as I threw into yet another unwanted past moment, I saw myself getting ready for dinner at the palace. Olivia from the past appeared in the mirror in front of me, eyes tired from the weight of expectations and a heart heavy with confusion. A knock on the door snapped past me out of her reverie. It was the maid holding a delicate box.“Madam, Alpha asked me to bring this to you,” she said, opening the box to reveal the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. It sparkled with an elegance that seemed almost otherworldly. My past self gasped, her fingers trembling as she touched it.“Where did this come
Alexander's POVI glanced at the clock on the wall, its minute hand crawling with agonising slowness. Liam sat next to me, his small hand gripping mine so tightly. The feeling of his hand on mine reminded me I was still here, still waiting for her."How much longer?" Liam whispered, his eyes never leaving the closed door."I don't know, buddy," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "We just have to keep waiting."Hours passed in a silent torment. Every time a nurse or doctor walked by, my muscles tensed, hoping they had news. Liam shifted restlessly next to me, his young face contorted in worry. I wished he would never have to know.The door to the operating room finally creaked open, and a doctor stepped out. He looked exhausted, his face lined with shadows of a sleepless night. My heart pounded in my chest as I leapt to my feet, holding my breath."How is she?" I blurted out, my voice cracking.The doctor sighed, looking down at his clipboard before meeting my eyes, his expressi
Alexander’s POVThe room was dark, the only light coming from the soft glow of the monitors surrounding Olivia's bed. I sat beside her, my fingers intertwined with hers, refusing to let go as the days bled into one another. My body was numb, every muscle aching with the strain of holding onto hope.I've sat by her bedside every day for the past month. The twins came to see her every day. The more I saw them, the more I understood why she did what she did. She did it out of love for them, and I could never hate her for wanting to keep our children safe, even if she was keeping them from me. I'd thought about it a few times, telling them that I was their father, but then it dawned on me: who was I to disrupt the only sense of normalcy they had in their lives? They had grown up believing Allan was their father, and he had treated them as if they were his own. How could I be the one to destroy that?One late night, as fatigue weighed heavily on my eyelids, the room suddenly felt colder. My
Olivia's POV:Darkness swirled around me, a thick, suffocating presence that refused to let go. I relived the same nightmares repeatedly: I had begun to believe that I was going to be stuck in this horrible place forever. The oppressive blackness seemed endless until a voice, faint but insistent, pierced through the void."Olivia… Olivia…"The sound was my lifeline. I stumbled forward, driven by a desperate need to reach it. Just as the voice grew louder, a blinding light seared through, blinding me. Startled, my body felt unbearably heavy. Scents—sterile, medicinal, and oddly comforting—filled my senses.The harsh light burned as I pried my eyes open, my vision swimming in a sea of blurriness. "Olivia," the voice repeated, and slowly, the haze began to dissipate."Where am I?" My voice came out gravelly, foreign to my ears.As if my own voice in my ears set something off inside of me panic surged through me as the memories of me standing on the edge of the cliff flashed through my hea