05

OLIVIA

The bathroom door exploded inward with a bang that echoed off the tiles. Through my blurred vision, I saw a familiar figure charging through the darkness.

"David?" I whispered, barely conscious.

He didn't hesitate. Grabbing a metal towel rack, he swung it at the first masked woman. The sound of metal hitting bone made me flinch. She screamed and dropped her dagger, blood streaming from her head.

The second woman lunged at him, but David was faster. The towel rack caught her across the shoulder, sending her crashing into the mirror. Glass shattered everywhere with deafening noise.

"Don't move!" David shouted at them, his voice deadly. "Olivia, stay with me."

I tried to respond but darkness was pulling me under. The last thing I heard was David calling 911, his voice urgent and panicked.

"I need an ambulance and police at the Grand Plaza Hotel immediately. Two women just tried to murder someone."

Everything went black…

*****

I woke up to the sound of beeping machines and the smell of antiseptic. My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and my mouth was dry as sandpaper.

"Olivia?" David's voice was soft, worried. "You're awake."

I turned my head slowly. He was sitting beside my hospital bed, his shirt torn and blood on his knuckles. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

"The women..." I croaked.

"In custody. Both of them." His jaw tightened. "They're not talking, but the police found money transfers from an offshore account."

Before I could ask more questions, the hospital room door burst open. Marcus strode in like he owned the place, Victoria and Natalie trailing behind him. All three wore perfect masks of concern.

"Olivia!" Marcus rushed to my bedside. "My God, what happened to you?"

I stared at him in disbelief. How could he stand there acting innocent when he knew exactly what had happened?

"Where were you?" David stood up, blocking Marcus from getting closer to me. "Your wife was nearly murdered while you were conveniently absent."

"I was handling business," Marcus replied smoothly. "I had no idea anyone would hurt Olivia."

Victoria stepped forward, her face a picture of fake worry. "This is so terrible. Who would want to hurt our sweet Olivia?"

The audacity made my stomach turn. "You know exactly who," I whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Natalie asked, her voice dripping with false concern. "You're confused from whatever those women gave you."

Dr. Martinez entered, clipboard in hand. His expression was grim. "Mrs. Thompson, you were poisoned with a combination of sedatives and hallucinogens. If Mr. Lawrence hadn't found you when he did..."

He didn't need to finish. We all knew what would have happened.

David's hands clenched into fists. "She was drugged at your party, Marcus. Where were you when someone was trying to kill your wife?"

"Now wait just a minute," Marcus stepped closer to David, his friendly mask slipping. "Don't you dare blame me for this."

"Then explain how she got poisoned under your watch," David shot back. "Explain why you left her alone with people who clearly wanted to hurt her."

I watched the two men face off, tension crackling between them. Marcus was bigger, but David looked ready to tear him apart with his bare hands.

"David found you because your phone call went through at the last second," Dr. Martinez said to me quietly. "He heard you scream and traced your location."

Marcus whipped around. "She called you? Why would she call you instead of me?"

"Because he actually cares if I live or die," I said, my voice stronger now. The drugs were wearing off, and anger was replacing the fog.

Victoria made a disgusted sound. "You're being dramatic again, Olivia. Marcus loves you."

"Does he?" I looked directly at Marcus. "Then why were you planning to file for divorce next week? Why are you and Sophia planning your engagement?"

Marcus's face went white. Natalie and Victoria exchanged panicked glances.

"How did you..." Marcus started.

"They told me," I said. "Right before someone tried to kill me."

David moved closer to my bed, reaching for my hand. "Olivia, you don't have to deal with this now."

Marcus grabbed David's wrist before he could touch me. "Don't. She's my wife."

"Some husband you are," David snarled, jerking free. "She almost died tonight."

"Gentlemen, please," Dr. Martinez intervened. "Mrs. Thompson needs rest."

But neither man backed down. They stared at each other like wolves circling territory.

"I want to know who hired those women," David said, his voice deadly quiet. "And I'm going to find out."

Victoria laughed nervously. "You're acting like we had something to do with it. We're victims here too."

"Are you?" David turned his sharp gaze on her. "Because those offshore payments? They'll be traced. Every transaction, every communication."

Natalie grabbed Victoria's arm. "We should go. Olivia needs rest."

"I'm not going anywhere," Marcus declared, settling into the chair on my other side. "My place is with my wife."

The word 'wife' sounded like a threat coming from his mouth. David's jaw twitched, and I could see him struggling not to punch Marcus.

"Your place?" David's voice was ice. "You weren't there when she needed you. You left her with people who wanted her dead."

"That's enough," Marcus stood up, getting in David's face. "I don't know who you think you are, but.."

"I'm someone who actually gives a damn about her safety," David cut him off.

The tension in the room was suffocating. Victoria stood by the door looking bored, while Natalie kept glancing between the two men nervously.

My heart monitor started beeping faster as stress flooded my system. Both men looked at me with concern, but neither backed down.

"Olivia," Marcus said, his voice softening as he reached for my hand again. "Tell him. Tell him you're my wife and I'm not leaving your side."

David moved to block him. "After what happened tonight? You really think…"

The door opened again, and a police detective walked in. "Mrs. Thompson? I need to ask you some questions about tonight's attack."

Everyone froze. Victoria's face went pale. Natalie stepped closer to the door.

The detective looked around the crowded room. "I'll need to speak with each of you separately about your whereabouts tonight."

Marcus and David were still locked in their staring contest, neither willing to back down. The air crackled with unspoken threats.

But it was Victoria's expression that caught my attention. For just a moment, her mask slipped, and I saw something that chilled me to the bone.

Pure, undiluted hatred.

The detective pulled out his notepad. "Let's start with you, Mr. Thompson. Where exactly were you when your wife was attacked?”