Chapter 5

KINGSTON MANSION ~~ Next Day

Olivia remained unconscious throughout the night.

She had been brought to the Kingston Mansion immediately after being rescued from the beach. The doctor had warned that her condition could have worsened if she had stayed in the water any longer.

Her eyes slowly opened, then closed again, before opening fully as awareness returned. The room was unfamiliar.

She tried to sit up, but something heavy rested on her lap. She lowered her gaze and saw a little boy asleep against her leg, holding her hand tightly as though afraid she would disappear.

Olivia stared at him in silence, confusion settling on her face.

A maid entered the room and immediately noticed she was awake. “You’re awake,” she said softly, but Olivia did not respond.

Her eyes moved between the maid and the sleeping child, and the maid followed her gaze. “Oh… he refused to leave your side since yesterday. He fell asleep holding your hand.”

Still, Olivia said nothing. Her mind felt distant, as though she was not fully present.

Fragments of memory returned slowly, the way she walked into the beach, how peaceful the water felt on her skin and hands pulling her out.

After that, everything went black. For a long time, she had not known real rest.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Lily struggling to breathe. Now there was only silence where her daughter used to be.

The maid stepped closer. “Do you need anything?” she asked, but Olivia did not answer. She only stared ahead blankly.

She did not ask who saved her; she did not want explanations. No answer could change what had already happened. Her daughter was still gone.

The door opened again and a doctor walked in. The maid quietly left the room as the doctor approached her carefully.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, but got no response.

“Can you tell me if you’re in pain?” Still silence. “Do you want to talk about anything?” he asked, but she still said nothing.

Alexander stood by the window in another part of the mansion, holding a tablet in his hand.

He was reading the report his men had gathered about her. His gaze paused on Lily’s photograph.

“Her daughter is just a year younger than Jamie,” he murmured. “She’s beautiful.”

A knock sounded at the door, and he turned.

“Sir, she’s awake,” the maid said. Alexander nodded once, set the tablet down, and walked out immediately.

The doctor was still trying to get a response when Alexander entered the room. Jamie was still asleep beside Olivia, refusing to leave her side.

Alexander’s expression softened slightly at the sight. “How is she?” he asked, and the doctor exhaled.

“She is in shock. The loss of her child, combined with everything she went through at the beach and the suicide attempt, has left her emotionally shut down,” the doctor said. He was already aware of everything from Alexander’s briefing.

Alexander looked toward Olivia. “Miss… can you hear me?” he asked gently, but still no response.

Before he could say more, Jamie shifted and woke up. His eyes immediately landed on Olivia, and he sat up quickly.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly. His voice was small and innocent. When Olivia’s eyes slowly moved toward him, something in her expression trembled.

Jamie smiled. “My name is Jamie. What about you?”

Olivia stared at him for a long moment. Her chest tightened painfully. He reminded her of Lily, not just in age but in innocence.

She looked away, and for a moment, she could almost swear she saw Lily smiling back at her. Not the way she had looked in the hospital, but healthy, bright, and beautiful, just as she used to be.

“Mummy, please live on for me so I can come back to you again, okay?” Lily said, smiling at her.

Tears slipped down Olivia’s cheeks even though she knew it wasn’t real. It felt too real.

Alexander followed the direction of her gaze, but there was nothing there. He turned to the doctor, who only gave a small nod.

“She’s trying to bring herself back,” he muttered.

Olivia let out a trembling breath. Her lips curved into a faint smile as she nodded slowly.

“Okay, my dear… mummy will live her life for you. I will never try to end my life again until we can see each other again.” As the words left her mouth, the image of Lily slowly faded.

A small hand touched her arm. She blinked and looked down to see Jamie smiling at her. Jamie smiled brighter and gently held her fingers.

“I’m Olivia,” she replied, and Jamie nodded.

“I was scared you wouldn’t talk,” he said honestly, and a soft, brief breath of laughter escaped Olivia.

Alexander watched quietly. “Is she stable now?” he asked the doctor, and he nodded.

“She is physically stable. Emotionally, she needs time,” he said and Alexander said nothing as he walked out with the doctor.

Outside the room, Alexander spoke quietly. “Why do you think Jamie is so attached to her?”

The doctor paused and turned to him.

“The last time Jamie had a severe asthma attack was around the time his mother passed away,” he began and Alexander’s expression shifted slightly.

“He associates that moment with fear and survival,” the doctor continued. “When she saved him, his mind linked her to safety. To him, she represents someone who brought him back from danger. She saved him, and he saved her. They are each other’s anchors now,” the doctor said, and Alexander understood silently.

“Thank you,” he said, and the doctor left.

When he returned, Olivia finally spoke. “Thank you for saving me,” she said quietly. “If not for you…”

“It’s nothing,” Alexander interrupted. “I’m just returning a favor.”

Olivia looked up slightly. “Favor?”

“You saved my son four days ago,” he said simply, but Olivia blinked slowly. Her eyes went to Jamie, who was still clinging to her.

She had completely forgotten about it. With everything that had been happening in her life lately, how could she even remember?

“I remember now,” she said faintly. “I was just there… I’m glad I could help him.” She said, still staring at Jamie. At least she had saved a life, even if it wasn’t her daughter’s life.

“I’m sorry about your daughter. I didn’t mean to do a background check on you. I had to… I’m sorry,” he said.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind,” she replied softly, turning her attention back to Jamie, who was playing with her fingers.

“How old are you?” she asked him.

“I’m seven years old, and I’m in Grade Two,” Jamie said proudly and Olivia smiled a little more.

Jamie was clearly a boy version of Lily. Everything about them felt similar, except for their gender.

“Lily would have been in Grade One too if she was still alive,” she murmured.

“What is your daughter’s name?” Jamie asked, and Olivia looked at him again.

“Lily,” she said softly. “Her name is Lily.”

“Okay, Lily, I will take care of your mummy,” he said seriously. “I will be a good boy and never make her cry.”

Both Alexander and Olivia stared at him in silence. For a moment, he sounded far too grown.

Olivia thought quietly, Why is he so smart? Kids these days… or is that how kids their age talk nowadays? Lily was exactly like this too.

A faint smile touched her lips as she patted his hair slowly.

They all went to the dining room afterward. Olivia barely ate, but Jamie’s presence made her take a few bites. Still, her thoughts kept drifting back to her daughter.

After breakfast, Jamie was taken to his room by a maid, though he refused at first, insisting he had something to discuss with Miss Olivia before he finally went.

Now only Olivia and Alexander remained in the living room. They sat opposite each other in silence.

Finally, Olivia spoke. “Why did you save me?”

“Because Jamie wouldn’t stop asking for you,” he said, but she said nothing. “He refused to eat or sleep until I found you.”

Olivia lowered her gaze as Alexander leaned back slightly. “He became attached to you faster than I can explain.”

Olivia didn’t respond. She stayed quiet for a moment, her thoughts darkening again.

She had not wasted her life… not yet. And now that she had chosen to live again, they would pay.

Everyone who contributed to her daughter’s suffering would face what was coming.

“Miss, are you okay?” Alexander’s voice pulled her back, and she nodded quickly.

“As I was saying,” he continued, “Jamie got attached to you far too quickly. I wish you could stay with him, but I understand you have your own life. Still, I want to repay you for saving my son. You can ask me for anything. I’ll do whatever it takes to help you start living properly again.”

Olivia didn’t say anything. Instead, her eyes drifted to a large portrait on the wall. It was a portrait of a woman.

“His mother?” she asked and Alexander nodded.

“What happened to her?” she asked.

“She died in an accident when Jamie was younger,” Alexander replied and silence settled in the room again.

Olivia’s gaze lingered on the portrait for a moment longer. Her expression didn’t change, but something behind her eyes dimmed further, like she had simply accepted that loss existed everywhere, not just in her own life.

Revenge still sat inside her like a sharp, constant ache. It kept her moving, but it didn’t feel like living anymore… only survival.

She faced Alexander and spoke quietly. “You said I can ask for anything?”

“Yes,” he replied.

A brief pause followed, not hesitation but emptiness.

She spoke softly. “Then… give me a reason to survive.”