Chapter 4

Olivia's POV 

He stood there, towel low on his hips, water still glistening on his chest, and instead of horror or regret, Theodore Sinclair was smiling.

“Well, well,” he said, that same deep baritone that had unraveled me all night wrapping around the words like silk. “Looks like fate has a very twisted sense of humor, Venus… or should I say, Olivia Sinclair.”

My mouth went dry. “I don’t understand. Aren’t you supposed to be embarrassed? You just had sex with your nephew's wife!”

“Ex-wife,” he corrected smoothly, stepping closer. “You’re divorced. You don’t belong to him anymore. And on the brighter side…” His eyes dragged down my naked body again, 

“The woman my nephew treated like trash is someone I definitely don’t want to lose. You see what you did to me last night? No woman has ever done that to me.”

I scrambled off the bed, yanking the sheet with me to cover myself.

“Alright, stop! This is insane! I feel so ashamed. I don’t know… I’m going to return your money, sir. All of it. We’ll go our separate ways and pretend this never happened between us.”

He laughed, genuinely amused.

“That’s the thing, Olivia. We can’t pretend. I was inside you for nine hours. You came apart for me over and over. You begged. You screamed my name without even knowing it was me. You expect me to wake up one morning and move on? You and I both know that’s impossible.”

He walked to the armchair, picked up a plush white robe, and tossed it to me.

“Sit.”

I caught it, wrapped it around myself, and perched on the edge of the bed, legs pressed together like that could hide the evidence of last night.

He sat across from me, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on mine.

“I saw what happened. It’s all over the news. The viral video. The proposal to your sister in front of the entire world. You didn’t deserve any of it and I know whatever your sister said you did is not true, I believe you” 

I looked away. “I don't know what to say”

“Sometimes I doubt he’s even my nephew,” Theo cut in. “We’re so opposite. I walked away from my father because I refused to be controlled but Liam? He went crawling back behind my back, kissed the old man’s ring, and took the CEO seat at Nova Group. We haven’t spoken in ten years. You already know that.”

I nodded faintly.

“Contrary to what everyone thinks, the firstborn of the Rockwell family l is broke and hiding from his family, I’m actually very rich. I managed to start up my own company with my trust fund and now, I’m the CEO of Apex Global Media.”

Apex Global Media was the number-one media conglomerate on the planet, every other network feared them.

Theo leaned forward.

“Here’s the thing. I’ve been single for far too long. I want a wife. And that’s you.”

I stared at him. “I’m not sure you know what you’re saying, sir. What would people say when they find out I married my ex-husband’s uncle?”

“They can say whatever they want. We’ll give them the headlines.” His voice dropped,  “You’re my kind of woman, Olivia. I want to give you the perfect opportunity to get revenge against Liam and your family for everything they did to you. And I want to teach my nephew a lesson for betraying me. I’m here to claim my inheritance as well. So marry me. Unless, of course, you want to keep wallowing in self-pity when revenge is standing right in front of you.”

I sat there, robe clutched tight, what were the odds. Theodore looked at me like I was everything Liam said I wasn’t.

The difference between them was like night and day.

I took a deep breath and lifted my chin.

“I’ll marry you.”

“But first,” I continued, “this marriage will be on my terms.”

He tilted his head and smiled. “Explain”

 “I won’t be your revenge tool. I won’t be hidden. If I marry you, I stand beside you publicly. As your equal. And I want a seat at Apex Global Media. A real position.”

A slow smile spread across his face.

“There she is,” he murmured. “That’s the woman I saw last night.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” His voice lowered. “You won’t be my shadow, Olivia. You’ll be my partner.”…But listen to me clearly, Olivia.” 

He reached out, fingers brushing my cheek, then sliding down to rest possessively on my hip right over the folds Liam always mocked. 

“Don’t try to change a single thing about what I already crave. I’ll marry you either way. Your size doesn’t determine who you are”

He stood, offering his hand.

“We leave for New York in two weeks. By then you’ll be ready, and we’ll have our marriage certificate ready. Then we go public.”

He pulled me closer as I smiled against his lips.

Liam doesn't know what's about to hit him.