MasukAXEL SALVATORE ROSSI.“Ace!” Rosa shrieked, desperately trying to hold me down from leaving. “You can’t go anywhere in this condition.”I refused to listen. Nelly was somewhere waiting patiently to strike, and I couldn’t risk having Olivia get hurt.What if she’d been the one behind the whole attack?From capturing Alix to attacking Olivia that night and ever since she stepped foot in Willow Creek?I stared at the IV drip and ripped it out of my hand, shutting my eyes tightly as I winced in pain.Viper rushed to my side. “Ace! Cosa stai facendo?” [Ace! What are you doing?]“I need to find Olivia,” I said worriedly, ignoring the blood trickling down my wrist. “She’s in trouble.”“Trouble?” Rosa furrowed her brows, while Viper held onto me tightly. “How do you know she’s in trouble and—‘’“—I don’t need to fucking explain myself!” I thundered, panting heavily. “Nelly… Nelly is alive.”The look on their faces conveyed the fear that coursed through their bodies. Rosa staggered back; Viper
AXEL SALVATORE ROSSIWaking up and seeing Olivia in that vulnerable position wasn’t what I’d expected.Her eyes were throbbing, puffy, and red like she’d been crying for days rather than hours.What was worse?Realizing that she’d finally found out the truth her family had kept away for years.I did all I could to pacify her. I would have gone after her, but my chest tightened when I tried to stand up. My whole body felt weaker than usual, and I knew my condition was getting worse.I could barely keep my head up.She’d stormed out while crying, and her last words had me in a chokehold. How couldn’t I worry about her whereabouts?What if someone attacked her again?What if they hurt her?I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if anything happened to Olivia.I hated that I was confined to this stupid hospital bed. I hated hospitals, the strong smell of drugs, and the pitiful look on doctors' faces when they looked at you.One of the nurses walked in, carrying a small tray of medical equi
OLIVIAI had to be hearing things. Mum was playing a prank on me. It had to be a prank. I needed it to be a prank.I pushed my body backward, my chair scraping hard against the floor.My lips trembled. “W-what?”She was crying. Her eyes were red and throbbing, and tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.Nothing else mattered more than wanting to confirm what she’d said. How could Brianna be my mother?Someone I knew nothing about her existence until minutes ago?“I’m so sorry, Olivia." Her voice cracked as she tried to reach out to me. “I waited for the right time to tell you. I’m sorry you have to find out this way.”I scoffed, feeling a sharp ringing in my ears. Unshed tears blurred my vision, and I stood up quietly, my whole body trembling.“You…” I swallowed, almost choking when I tried to speak. “You’re lying, right? Everything you’ve said is a lie. Don’t… Don’t lie to me, please.”The words refused to settle in my mind. I shook my head profusely, my teeth chattering fr
OLIVIAWhy wouldn’t she lose her sanity? I wondered.With everything that was going on, and the pressure from her husband, Brianna was bound to lose more than just her mind.“You were sleeping with her husband while she was going through a lot, Mum,” I said sternly. “You were supposed to be her best friend.”“I know." Mum’s lips quivered. “And I regret doing everything. Not a single day goes without my mind thinking about her.”I gulped down a swallow, hating that I was sounding judgemental.“What happened after that?”She sighed. “Howard came back months later, and I was excited. I decided to end things with Oliver immediately, but… it was too late.”My eyebrows rose in curiosity.“Too late?”“I was already pregnant. I was carrying his baby.”“What?” I gasped.A single tear slipped down her cheek, and I felt my fingers tightening. “I didn’t want to get pregnant,” she lamented, shaking her head profusely. “It happened so fast, and I… I was so confused.”I didn’t know what to say. Nev
OLIVIAFor three days, I didn’t leave my apartment. I didn’t go to the hospital, and I made sure I was totally unreachable.I didn’t do anything at all.I had men standing in front of both wards and my house, keeping everyone around me safe.By the third day, I was strong enough to walk properly. I washed up, got dressed, and had the driver take me back to the hospital.Axel still wasn’t awake. I’d received nothing from the doctor as well. Viper, Rosa, and Damien were all outside the ward when I walked in. I ignored them like they were invisible.“Olivia,” Damien’s voice called as I halted slowly. “Rosa’s been trying to reach you for the last three days.”I clenched my teeth, glanced at Rosa, and returned my attention to the door.“I’ve got no time to waste.”“We haven’t seen Ace since we got here,” she complained, taking a few steps closer. “You’ve restricted all access.”“You of all people should know the reason, Rosa," I said flatly.Her countenance faltered before it was quickly r
OLIVIA.I wanted the truth. But after hearing her confession, something snapped inside me. I was speechless, my lips parting into a gasp.My throat tightened; I blinked my eyelids repeatedly, hoping something would change.Nothing did.I found my voice after staring at her for minutes, the background noises of people speaking and walking fading away in my ears.“Why?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why did you do that to him?”Tears streamed down Rosa’s cheeks. She clasped her hands together, pressing them tightly against her chin. I sniffled, taking deep breaths to steady myself.“It wasn’t intentional.”I scoffed. She's got to be kidding me. “You fucking gave him something that could kill him." I raised my voice. “And you’ve been doing that for ‘God knows how long.' What isn’t intentional about your actions?”Her breath hitched as she stepped forward. I retreated, refusing to let her get closer to me.“I was going through so much pain,” she whimpered. “I never intende
AXEL SALVATORE ROSSI.“What?” Her eyes widened. “You can’t call off the wedding?”Yes, I could. And I already did.I stepped closer, approaching her with slow, deliberate steps. Nelly locked her eyes onto me, watching every move. My feet walked towards the broken shards, threw my cigarette down, a
OLIVIA“You’d better eat before you starve.”Like anyone really cared. The guard muttered to me, pushing a tray of food towards me with a long stick they’d constantly used to hit me.I didn’t even take a look at it. One glance and I knew I’d puke into the disgusting food.I was tired. Weak. Worst
AXEL SALVATORE ROSSI.“Where are you going?”Nelly’s voice halted me as I held the doorknob, almost twisting it to step out.She looked messy. Her forehead wrinkled, and her brows were raised in an inquisitive manner.I halted, slouching as a calm smile crept up my lips. My fingers raked through my
OLIVIA“You stupid wretch!”Nelly smacked me hard across the face, making my head tilt backward from the hit. I winced silently, refusing to let her see how broken I was within.She was furious. And I couldn’t tell why or what had happened. She held a long whip in her hand, something different than







