Chapter 5:-Forbidden moment

OLIVIA

Xavier Blackwood’s cold eyes settled on Emily as he slid his phone back into his pocket. The room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

“Emily Thompson,” he said, his voice sharp and commanding. “You will apologize to Miss Olivia. Right now. In front of everyone.”

Emily’s face flushed crimson. “But Mr. Blackwood, I already said the necklace was just misplaced…”

“Now,” Xavier cut her off, his tone brooking no argument.

Emily’s eyes scanned around the room, landing on the wealthy guests staring at her. Chris avoided her gaze, and Daniel stood protectively by my side. Her jaw clenched so tight, I thought it might snap.

“I’m… sorry,” she forced out through gritted teeth, the apology sounding like it was being wrenched from her. “Olivia. I was… mistaken about the necklace.”

Her words were so forced and insincere, they almost made things worse. Still, I nodded. “Thank you,” I whispered.

As the guests slowly resumed their conversations, Emily brushed past me and hissed in my ear, “This isn’t over, you little rat. You’ve just made things worse for yourself.”

She made good on that threat by 3 AM.

::::::

A bucket of ice-cold water crashed over my bed, jerking me awake. Johnson, on the other bed, sleeping undisturbed.

“Get up,” Emily snapped, eyes gleaming with cruelty. “The guest bathrooms are filthy. I told everyone it was your fault.”

For the next four hours, I scrubbed six bathrooms with a toothbrush while Emily hovered over me, criticizing every move.

“You missed a spot,” she said, pointing to areas I’d already scrubbed three times. “Do it again.”

By the time I finished, my knees were bleeding through my uniform, and my hands were raw from the harsh chemicals.

“Oh, and one more thing,” she added with a wicked smile, “I spilled red wine on the white carpet in the main sitting room. Clean it before anyone sees it or I’ll tell Mr. Blackwood you did it.”

I spent another two hours scrubbing that stain, knowing it was no accident. When Daniel found me there on my hands and knees, tears silently streaming down my face, his expression darkened.

“What happened?” he asked, kneeling beside me.

“Just… an accident,” I lied, not wanting to cause more trouble.

Daniel gently took the scrub brush from my trembling hands. “These aren’t from an accident,” he said quietly, examining the cuts and bruises. “Someone did this to you.”

Before I could respond, he scooped me into his arms and carried me to his private bathroom. My heart raced as I breathed in his clean scent, warm and comforting.

“This has to stop,” he said as he gently cleaned my wounds. His touch was so tender, a stark contrast to the cruelty I’d endured.

“I’m fine,” I whispered, though we both knew I wasn’t.

“No, you’re not.” He looked into my eyes as he wrapped my hands in soft bandages. “You shouldn’t have to go through this. No one should.”

That afternoon, he surprised me again.

I was hanging laundry behind the kitchen when he appeared with a picnic basket.

“I thought you might be hungry,” he said, setting it down on a stone bench beneath a blooming rose bush.

“Daniel, I can’t,” I said, looking around nervously. “If someone sees…”

“Let them,” he said firmly, taking my hand and guiding me to sit. “You deserve to eat in peace.”

He had brought all my favorite foods, even though I’d never told him what they were. Fresh bread, cheese, strawberries, and a small chocolate cake.

“How did you know I love strawberries?” I asked, surprised.

Daniel smiled softly. “You always serve them to everyone else first at breakfast. But you save one small one for yourself when you think no one’s watching.”

The fact that he’d noticed made my cheeks burn with warmth. As we ate in that quiet garden, the world’s cruelty felt far away. For a while, it was just us.

But Emily wasn’t done.

That evening, she cornered me in the laundry room as I folded towels.

“Enjoying your little fairy tale with my fiancé?” she sneered, yanking my hair back.

“Nothing happened,” I gasped. “We just had lunch…”

“Just lunch?” she laughed darkly. “I saw the way he looked at you. The way you looked at him.”

She twisted my hair tighter, tears pricking my eyes. “Let me make something clear, you pathetic little tramp. Daniel is mine. This family is mine. And if you think your sob story is going to change that, you’re more naive than you look.”

She pushed me, and I stumbled into the folding table.

“Stay away from him, or I’ll make sure your sick brother doesn’t get his medication. Don’t test me.”

That night, I couldn’t sleep.

Her threats echoed in my mind, especially the one about Johnson’s medication. I couldn’t risk his health. But I also couldn’t stop my heart from racing every time Daniel looked at me.

The next day, he found me crying quietly in the library as I dusted the shelves. Without a word, he pulled me into his arms.

“What did she do now?” he asked softly, stroking my hair.

“I can’t tell you,” I whispered into his chest. “It’ll only make things worse.”

“Olivia, look at me.” He tilted my chin until our eyes met. “You don’t have to face this alone. I’m here.”

The way he looked at me, so full of care, made everything else disappear. His thumb brushed away my tears.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. “Inside and out. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. “Daniel, we can’t… you’re engaged…”

“That engagement means nothing,” he said firmly. “Not compared to you.”

He cupped my face so gently, like I was fragile and precious.

“I know this is complicated. And I know it’s unfair to ask. But I’m falling in love with you, Olivia. I can’t pretend anymore.”

“Daniel…” I breathed, my resistance melting.

“Let me show you how much you mean to me,” he whispered. “Just this once.”

When his lips met mine, the world faded away. The kiss started soft, tender, then deepened as I melted into him. All the pain, the fear, the cruelty disappeared in that perfect moment. There was only Daniel. Only us.

I’d never been kissed before, and the way he held me like I was everything made my chest ache. His lips were warm, his arms steady, and when he pulled me closer, I could feel his heart racing in sync with mine.

“I love you too,” I whispered against his lips, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Daniel smiled and kissed me again, this time with more urgency. I was completely lost in him, forgetting Emily, forgetting the world, forgetting the impossible divide between us.

“I’ll find a way to end the engagement,” he murmured against my neck. “I’ll find a way to be with you properly. I promise.”

I was about to respond when a sharp gasp echoed behind us. We turned in horror…

Xavier Blackwood stood in the doorway, his face filled with shock and fury. He had seen everything.

“Daniel,” he said coldly. “My office. Now.”

Daniel stepped protectively in front of me, his face pale. “Father, I can explain..”

“Now,” Xavier repeated. Then his eyes moved to me.

“As for you, Miss Olivia,” he said, his voice like ice, “pack your things. You and your brother will be gone by morning.”