LOGIN[Olivia’s pov]My breath hitched.I could leave.I could walk away right now.No! No, no I rebuked myself. Enough.Drawing in a slow breath, I pushed the doors open.And froze.Ronan stood near the grand fireplace, one hand tucked into the pocket of his charcoal trousers. He turned at the sound.Our eyes met.The sight of him sent a strange ache through my chest. He looked exactly as I remembered.Tall and composed.Impeccably dressed.His dark hair was neatly styled, his sharp jaw tense. But his eyes—His eyes held something new.Distance.Not anger.Not bitterness.Just restraint.And somehow, that hurt worse. “Olivia.” His voice was quiet, controlled and low.I stepped inside, my fingers clutching the fabric of my gown. “Ronan.” An unbearable silence stretched between us.Then his gaze dropped to my stomach. His expression shifted not dramatically. Just enough for me to see the flicker of realization.The understanding.And the pain.He looked back up slowly. “You’re glowing. Pregn
[Olivia’s pov]The moment the knock sounded against my bedroom door, my stomach twisted.Not because I wasn’t expecting visitors.But because something in the rhythm of it. Careful, measured, almost hesitant that it felt wrong.I had spent enough time in Pierce’s estate to recognize the household’s patterns. The maids usually entered after a soft announcement, cheerful and efficient.This knock felt different.“Come in,” I called, shifting against the mountain of silk pillows supporting my back.The door opened slowly, and one of the younger maids stepped inside, lowering her gaze respectfully.“Miss. Olivia,” she said softly. “Mr. Ross is here to meet you.”For a second, my mind refused to process the words.Then my breath caught.Ronan.What was he doing here?A cold ripple ran down my spine.My fingers instinctively pressed over the slight swell of my stomach, the rounded curve unmistakable now beneath the satin fabric of my nightgown.Four months.Four months of my world unravelin
[Olivia’s pov]The force of it startled a soft laugh out of me. “There she is, that’s my girl.” she murmured into my hair.I blinked. “What?”“That little bit of hope.” Her arms tightened. The warmth of her embrace wrapped around me completely. And suddenly the tears I’d barely been holding back spilled freely.I buried my face against her shoulder. Nina’s hand immediately moved to the back of my head, stroking gently through my hair.“It’s okay,” she whispered.The tenderness in her voice cracked something open inside me. For days now, I’d been carrying fear like a second skin.Fear for myself.Fear for my baby.Fear for Carter.Fear that everything around us was too tangled, too broken, too dangerous to ever fully unravel. And now…now there was finally a glimpse of light.Nina seemed to understand exactly what was breaking loose inside me. She held me tighter. “Everything’s going to be alright.”Her voice was quiet and certain. And somehow, coming from her, it didn’t feel like empty
[Olivia’s pov]My hands trembled as I pulled up Elara’s contact. Would she answer? Was she surrounded by lawyers? Security? Chaos? I pressed the call anyway. I had to talk to her because she was the one who had ever understood me. Now it was my time and my place to help her through this.It rang once.Twice.“Olivia.” Relief hit so hard my eyes immediately burned.“Elara.” My voice came out shakier than I intended. “Are you okay? I just heard the news.”There was a brief pause. Then a soft exhale. “Yes.” Her voice sounded tired. But steady. Stronger than I’d ever heard it.I swallowed hard. “Are you sure?”A faint warmth entered her tone. “I’m certain.”I closed my eyes briefly. Behind me, the television continued replaying clips of the announcement.Nina quietly lowered the volume and moved to give me space. I clutched the phone tighter. “Elara…”Emotion clogged my throat.“I just saw everything. I don’t know where to start and what even to say to you. I am certain it is a tragedy
[Olivia’s pov]I was halfway through my second attempt at pretending to read the same page of a book when Nina burst into my room carrying enough snacks to feed a small army.Again.This woman wouldn’t leave me alone.At this point, I was beginning to suspect she believed emotional distress could be solved through excessive carbohydrates.Honestly, she might not have been entirely wrong. “Emergency provisions, girl!” she announced dramatically as she nudged the door shut with her hip.Balanced in her arms was an enormous tray overloaded with popcorn, chocolate-covered strawberries, chips, fruit slices, cookies, and two steaming mugs that smelled suspiciously like expensive hot chocolate.I blinked.“Nina. What the fuck!”She set the tray down on the coffee table near the sitting area with exaggerated care. “What?” She chirped happily as Nina nearly shouted at me.“This is enough food for six people.” I yelled back at her while glancing at the whole food.She gasped in mock offense. “
[Carter’s pov]Something dangerously close to triumph. Sahl thought he’d broken her. Instead, he’d awakened her. I couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at my mouth.She noticed.And for the first time tonight, the faintest trace of her old warmth flickered through her expression. “You thought I’d fall apart?”I exhaled a quiet laugh. “For a minute.”One elegant brow lifted. “Oh, please.”There she was.Still wounded.Still shaken.But unmistakably herself.Emotion swelled painfully in my chest. Before I could stop myself, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes briefly.Then rested her hand against my cheek. “Thank you, son.”The words stunned me. “For what?”“For telling me.” Her voice softened. “Even when it hurt.” A lump rose hard in my throat.I nodded once.Unable to trust my voice.Then I stepped back and pulled out my phone. As I dialed the lawyer’s private number, my mother moved toward the window, staring out into the dark gardens beyond.Her posture w
[Olivia’s pov]The room felt like it had stopped breathing.Just like I did silently.Camilla stood in front of me, the wine bottle raised in her hand. I glanced at her once again, pleading with my eyes that she stops. Meanwhile, Camilla had made it clear with her threat that she held so many grud
[Carter’s pov]Then there was silence. I could not speak anything. My mind struggled to catch up.“That’s not—” I shook my head instinctively. “That doesn’t make sense. How could Candice even do something so gruesome like this?” I denied. Not that I was worried that perhaps Olivia was lying to m
[Carter’s pov]My phone rang just as I was about to take a turn toward the school. I didn’t hear it at first among my worry and scattered mind. The phone rang once again and when the car stopped at the red traffic light I snapped out of it.Olivia.Her name flashed across the screen. For a second,
[Carter’s pov]The restaurant door closed behind Olivia with a dull thud. But the sound echoed inside my head like a gunshot. I felt it as if my heart had stopped pounding. My soul died at that moment.For several seconds, I didn’t move.I even forgot to breathe. Didn’t even blink.My eyes remaine







