Olivia’s POVThe prison’s waiting area was a cold, sterile purgatory, its flickering lights casting jagged shadows across the linoleum floor, amplifying the dread that churned in my chest. My heart pounded, a relentless drumbeat that echoed the nervous anticipation gripping me as I stood outside the visiting room, the decision to see Lucas—a choice I’d made myself—now a weight that threatened to crush me. My hands trembled, clutching the strap of my purse, my throat tightening with a suffocating mix of fear and guilt. My jaw clenched, my breath shallow as I glanced at Lily, her tiny hands clutching his shirt as I carried her. Her giggles a spark that warmed my heart but pierced it with the shame of my role in taking her father away. My chest heaved, my heart racing with the fear of facing Lucas, of seeing judgment in his eyes, my throat burning with the desperate need to apologize, to make things right. My chest aching with the weight of every harsh word I’d spoken against him,
Austin’s POVThe visiting room in the prison was a suffocating box, its cinderblock walls painted a sickly gray that seemed to leech the life out of me with every passing second. My heart pounded, a furious rhythm that matched the rage boiling in my chest, my hands trembling as I sat across from my lawyer, Kessler, his polished suit and calm demeanor a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me. My throat tightened, my jaw clenching so hard I felt my teeth grind, my breath coming in sharp, angry bursts as I leaned forward, my chest heaving with the betrayal that consumed me. Olivia’s face haunted me—her tears in that interrogation room, her venomous words, “Don’t you ever say my name again,” echoing like a blade that pierced my heart. My love for her, once a steady flame, now burned with a twisted desperation, my throat burning with the fury of her ingratitude, my chest aching with the need to make her pay, to make them all pay—Ethan, Lucas, everyone who’d torn her from me.I sl
Olivia’s POV The drive to the police station felt like a descent into a nightmare, the car’s hum a mocking contrast to the storm raging in my chest. My heart pounded, a frantic pulse that echoed the fear and guilt that had consumed me since Austin’s bruised entrance, his demand that I lie for him, my desperate text to Ethan begging for a way out. My hands trembled, clutching my purse, my throat tightening with the suffocating weight of regret, my jaw clenching as I sat beside Austin, his presence a blade that pierced my chest with every glance. My breath came shallow, my chest heaving with the realization that I’d chosen him over Lucas, that I’d let his lies blind me, that I’d condemned an innocent man to prison. Ethan’s text had been a lifeline, a spark that warmed my chest but deepened my dread: “Hold tight, Liv. Hargrove’s using his police connection to get Austin arrested at the station. Stay calm.” My heart thudded, my throat easing as I reread the words, my hands steadying
Olivia’s POVThe living room felt like a prison, its familiar walls closing in around me, the soft glow of the lamps casting shadows that seemed to mock my trapped existence.My heart pounded, a frantic rhythm that echoed the desperate urge to flee, to escape the house that now felt tainted by Austin’s presence.My hands trembled, clutching the edge of the couch, my throat tightening with a suffocating mix of fear and self-loathing.Ethan’s warning echoed in my mind—his discovery of the bug on my phone, his insistence that Austin was dangerous, the chilling possibility that he’d killed Ryan’s father and framed Lucas.My jaw clenched, my breath shallow as I stared at the coffee table, my chest heaving with the weight of my regret, a crushing realization that I’d chosen Austin over Lucas, that I’d let myself be manipulated, blinded by his charm, his lies.My care for Austin, once a steady flame, had flickered out, replaced by a smoldering rage that burned in my chest, my heart racing wi
Lucas's POV The café door swung shut behind me, the jingle of its bell fading into the city’s hum, but my heart pounded with a euphoric rhythm, each beat a triumphant echo of Austin’s confession. My hands trembled with adrenaline, my throat burning with the thrill of success, my jaw unclenching as I slid into the driver’s seat of my car, my chest heaving with the weight of what I’d just accomplished. The speaker in my jacket had caught it all—his smug admission to Ryan’s father’s murder, his threat to kill me in prison, his arrogance laid bare. My throat tightened, my heart racing with the hope that this was the turning point, my chest aching with the realization that Olivia was safe for now, my hands steadying as I grabbed my phone, my jaw grinding with the urgency to share the news. My love for Olivia, a steady flame, burned through the dread, urging me to act fast, to ensure Austin’s words reached Hargrove, my lawyer, before the police closed in.I typed a quick text to Ethan
Lucas's POV The city streets blurred into a gray haze as I gripped the steering wheel, my heart hammering like a war drum, each beat a visceral echo of the desperation clawing at my chest. The GPS tracker’s blinking dot on my phone, pinned to the café near Olivia’s company, was my only tether to Austin, the man I was certain had framed me for Ryan’s father’s death, the man who threatened everything I held dear. My hands trembled, slick with sweat, my throat tightening as if squeezed by an invisible fist, my jaw grinding so hard I felt the ache in my teeth. My breath came in shallow gasps, my chest heaving with the weight of what lay ahead—a confrontation that could either clear my name or destroy me. My heart racing with the resolve to protect Olivia, to expose Austin’s lies, my chest aching with the unbearable thought of losing them both. My hands tightened on the wheel, my jaw clenching as I navigated the traffic, my heart pounding with the dread that the police were closing