Chapter 22 A Betrayal
Olivia’s composure cracked. Her gaze darted toward the knife again. Without thinking, she took a step toward it, but just as her fingers twitched, reaching for the handle, a voice cut through the tension.
"Mrs. Whitlock," Sawyer stepped into the room. He had been listening to their conversation from the hallway, waiting for the right moment. Just as he saw Olivia reaching for the knife, he moved swiftly. His long strides brought him beside her in an instant.
"It’s alright," he said smoothly, striding toward them. "I’ve taken care of everything."
Jessica stiffened. "What are you talking about?"
Olivia froze for a second, then quickly withdrew her hand, masking her unease. Sawyer wrapped an arm around her shoulder and spoke lightly. "Jack, Jessica, let’s all calm down."
Jessica stared at him in disbelief. "Sawyer, this isn’t a small matter—"
"It’s fine," he interrupted. "I’ll handle it. Trust me."
Jessica's jaw tightened. "No," she said firmly. "She lives under my roof, and I will not allow a murderer in my house. Get her out. Now."
Sawyer turned to Olivia with a practiced smile. "Go out for a bit, okay?" He pulled a black card from his pocket and slipped it into her hand. "Do some shopping. Clear your head. Let me talk to Jessica and Jack. Don’t worry about anything."
Olivia’s expression softened. "I knew you still loved me," she whispered. "You don’t care about Ellie, do you?"
Sawyer shook his head. "Obviously not. She was just a woman I picked up off the street. You’re the one I’ve spent my life with. How could you think I’d ever choose her over you?"
A victorious smile spread across Olivia’s lips as she turned to Jack and Jessica. "See? This is love. You two should learn from it. I’m your only daughter. How could you even think of throwing me out?"
Jack's fists clenched, but before he could explode, Sawyer gently pushed Olivia toward the door. "Go on," he urged. "Let me handle things."
"Alright then." Olivia smirked and walked out, confidence dripping from her posture.
As soon as the door shut behind her, Jessica whirled on Sawyer, fury blazing in her eyes. "You’ve disappointed me, Sawyer," she spat. "How could you even think of letting this go?"
"One minute, Mrs. Whitlock," Sawyer said quickly, holding up a hand to quiet her. He turned to the maid. "Karen."
Karen stepped forward.
"Make sure Olivia gets in her car and leaves. Then lock the doors."
Karen nodded and disappeared.
The moment they were alone, Sawyer turned back to Jessica and Jack, gripping their arms and steering them toward the couch. "We need to talk. Now."
Jessica and Jack exchanged a look, confused.
Sawyer took a steadying breath, lowering himself onto his knees in front of them. His voice was low but urgent. "Listen to me carefully—and keep an open mind."
Jessica’s heart pounded in her chest. "What’s going on?"
Sawyer didn’t waste time. He knelt on the floor in front of them, his voice grave. "That’s not Olivia."
Jessica’s breath caught. "What?"
Jack frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Sawyer reached into his jacket and pulled out a file, handing it to them. "I did a DNA test. She’s not your daughter. She’s someone else. Possibly that friend Olivia had—the one who was always jealous of her. Do you remember Kelly Jones?"
Jessica’s face paled as realization dawned. Jack’s hands tightened around the file. As Sawyer explained further, Jack and Jessica’s expressions darkened, grief mixing with rage.
"Where is our Olivia then?" Jessica’s voice broke as she grabbed Sawyer’s hands in desperation. "My Olivia. Where’s my daughter?"
Sawyer’s face was pained as he swallowed hard. His voice came out hoarse.
"She… she probably died that day in the fire, Mrs. Whitlock."
The room turned deathly silent. Then—
Jessica let out a shattered cry, her body trembling as she covered her face. Jack’s breathing turned ragged, his hands shaking at his sides.
Deep down, a part of them had always known. The Olivia they had brought home had never been the same person as their daughter.
They had suspected, but never thought of confirming it, assuming Olivia was just traumatized and will recover soon. And now, with Sawyer’s words, their world came crashing down.
Jack’s hands shook as he suddenly shot to his feet. His face twisted in rage, his entire body trembling.
"I’m going to kill her," he growled. "She stole our daughter’s life—she must have had something to do with Olivia’s death! I’ll make her confess!"
He turned toward the door, ready to storm out, but Sawyer caught his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
"Jack," Sawyer said sharply. "Think. We need to do this the right way."
Jack’s fists clenched, but the look in Sawyer’s eyes made him pause.
Because whatever Sawyer had planned… it wasn’t going to be mercy.
"Mr. Whitlock, I doubt it too. That's why I came here today," Sawyer said. "You should check your finances. You gave the fake Olivia control over the company for a while. I suspect there are serious discrepancies. She must have done something." His expression darkened. "Meanwhile, I'm gathering all the evidence we need to make sure she pays for what she’s done. Once her involvement is confirmed, she won’t just walk away."
Jack’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. Jessica, still shaken, wiped away her tears, her breathing uneven.
Sawyer's voice remained calm but carried an edge of steel. "And before she goes to jail, you and I will have a little chat with her, don’t worry. She won't get away with this."
Jack exhaled sharply, his fury barely contained. Jessica clutched her trembling hands together.
"Please make sure you don’t alert Kelly.” Sawyer continued, his tone lowering. "You both need to act normal around her. Don’t let her suspect anything. Let her believe things are fine, and endure her presence without making her doubt you. If she catches on, she might run. Give me a couple of days, and we’ll have everything we need to take her down."
Jessica sniffled and nodded. "We’ll do it, Sawyer." Her voice was steadier now, filled with quiet grief. She then stood up, grasping his hands tightly. "Sawyer, make sure she pays for hurting our Olivia."
Sawyer’s chest tightened, a crushing weight settling over him.
Memories of Olivia flooded his mind—the girl who had been his whole world since childhood. Her laughter, the way she’d cling to his arm, her endless dreams about their future together.
Now, all of it was gone. Stolen.
His heart twisted painfully, grief clawing at his throat—Olivia was dead.
The person he had once promised to protect, to cherish, was lost forever, and he hadn’t even known. He had failed her. The ache in his chest deepened, an unbearable hollowness swallowing him whole.
"I will," he promised. "No matter what, I will."
***
Ellie stirred awake in the morning, shifting slightly—only to find herself completely trapped in the small hospital bed. A strong arm was locked around her waist, holding her in place. She let out a small groan and tried to wriggle free, but the grip tightened.
Turning her head, she froze. Sawyer.
He was fast asleep, his hold on her like a death grip. She turned to her side, her fingers brushing against his face with utter tenderness. Her gaze lingered on his features, tracing every line, every breath, as if memorizing him.
There weren’t many people who looked this good while sleeping, but Sawyer was definitely one of them—handsome, his jawline sharp, features sculpted to perfection, dark brows resting over closed eyes, and lips that tempted her far more than she wanted to admit.
Everything about him was so alluring that she could barely breathe.
Before she knew it, her fingers had a mind of their own, slowly trailing over his face. A slow glide over his brow, his nose, his lips…then lower, down his neck, skimming lightly over his skin. Her touch slipped and glided over his skin, reveling in the warmth beneath her fingertips.
The moment his eyes stirred, she snatched her hand back and shut her eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep.
Sawyer’s lips curved into a smirk. He had already felt her touch, so when she recoiled and feigned sleep, amusement flickered in his gaze.
At once, he leaned down and captured her lips in a punishingly rough kiss.
Ellie’s eyes flew open in shock, but he didn’t let her regain control. He shifted over her, pressing her into the small bed. It wasn’t big enough for the both of them, but it was enough for him to pin her beneath him, comfortably claiming the space he needed—and that was all that mattered.
His lips dominated hers, his tongue teasing, demanding, until she was gasping against him. Then, just as roughly, he moved to her neck, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses over her skin before sinking his teeth in.
Ellie shivered, her body reacting helplessly as the sensation shot through her. Soft and rough at the same time, his lips left scorching marks in their wake. Her breathing quickened, her body betraying her entirely.
Within minutes, her neck was covered in red bites, and she couldn’t even resist—because, God, they felt too good. The contrast between the softness of his lips and the roughness of his touch made her breath hitch, made her body tense with something that coiled low in her stomach.
"Sawyer…" she rasped after what felt like an eternity. "It’s morning. Let go."
His mouth hovered over her pulse, his breath warm against her skin. "Where do you want to go?" he murmured, inhaling deeply as if intoxicated by her scent.
Before she could answer, he kissed her again. And again. Each one more insistent, more possessive, as if he was trying to etch himself into her soul.
A sharp knock at the door made them both freeze.
Sawyer stilled but didn’t move away. He had locked the door before falling asleep with her last night. When no further sound came, he simply ignored it, diving back in, his lips reclaiming her throat, his pace growing rougher, more demanding, as if he was determined to take everything her body had to offer.
Another knock. This time, louder.
"Ms. Ellie? Are you alright?"
Ada’s voice.
Ellie’s eyes widened as she pushed at Sawyer’s shoulders, but he didn’t budge, waiting for Ada to leave.
But she didn’t.
"Oh my—should I call a doctor?" Ada's pounding on the door turned frantic. "Ms. Ellie? Are you awake? Do you need help?"
At this rate, the entire hospital would be outside their door in a minute.
Sawyer let out a low, frustrated breath and reluctantly pulled away.
Ellie scrambled up, wiping her lips with the back of her hand before quickly adjusting her clothes, tugging her shirt up to hide the fresh bite marks littering her skin. Then, composing herself, she rushed to the door.
The moment she opened it, Ada’s worried face shifted to one of relief. “Oh, Ms. Ellie, you’re alright!”
"I’m fine, Ada. I just overslept," Ellie said breathlessly, her body still trembling slightly.
If she was being honest, she hadn’t wanted to stop. But now, with Ada here, there was no choice.
Completely oblivious to the thick tension in the room, Ada strutted in, holding up a lunchbox. When she spotted Sawyer lounging back on the bed, she beamed. “Oh my, SNS is here too? Good thing I brought extra breakfast!"
Sawyer, who had been buttoning his shirt, suddenly frowned. He turned to Ada, his brows furrowing. “What’s SNS, by the way?”
Ada froze.
Her little face turned a shade paler as she stammered, "Uh—sorry, Mr. Stark! It—it was just a slip of the tongue."
She had grown too used to calling Sawyer ‘SNS’ around Ellie and hadn’t even realized when it slipped out. Now, she cast a worried glance at Ellie, silently pleading for help.
Sawyer’s gaze flickered between them, then landed on Ellie. "What’s SNS? Is that my name?"
Ellie’s heart nearly stopped.
"Oh right! I forgot—I need to go to the bathroom!" she blurted, spinning around and dashing toward the washroom like her life depended on it.
She shut the door behind her, pressing her forehead against it.
Why was disaster striking when she was stuck in a hospital?! If this monster found out what she and the maids had been calling him for the past three years, he’d devour her alive right here!
Hiding was the only option.
When she finally emerged a few minutes later, Ada was arranging breakfast on the small table. Sawyer was nowhere to be seen.
Ellie exhaled in relief. Crisis averted… for now.
"Where’s Sawyer?" Ellie asked as she gingerly sat down on the couch.
“He just left,” Ada replied, then slowly edged closer to Ellie, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Ms. Ellie, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah?” Ellie smiled, taking a spoonful of the oats Ada had brought.
Ada leaned in, grinning. "What does SNS mean? Is it something romantic?" Her voice was giddy, practically bouncing with excitement. "Is it something sweet? Like a cute nickname for Mr. Stark?"
Ellie almost choked on her oats.
Romantic? Sweet?
She set her spoon down, eyes twinkling as she leaned forward, her voice just as cheerful, matching Ada’s energy.
"Ada," she said, "SNS means… Sawyer. Narcissist. Stark."
She emphasized each word, saying them slowly, savoring the brilliance of her own creation.
At the same time, Ellie watched as Ada’s sweet face slowly morphed into one of absolute horror. Her eyes widened, her skin turned pale, and for a moment, it seemed like she had stopped breathing altogether.
A second later, she let out a dramatic gasp, scrambling back with a hand over her mouth in pure horror.
"Ms. Ellie!” she cried out, “We’ve been calling Mr. Stark—Sawyer Narcissist Stark—for three years?!"
Ellie’s shoulders shook as she tried to suppress her laughter, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
"Oh, holy God!" Ada’s face flushed deep red as she struggled to breathe, practically hyperventilating. "Ms. Ellie, why didn’t you tell me sooner?! I’ve even called him SNS to his face a few times! If he ever finds out—oh lordddd—"
Ellie lost it. She threw her head back, laughing so hard she had to cover her eyes to stop the tears.
"Ms. Ellie, you’re going to get us all fired!" Ada wailed, her hands flailing. "If Mr. Stark finds out, I’ll be in big trouble!"
"Oh come on! "He’s not going to fire anyone, Ada," Ellie managed between fits of laughter. "And don’t tell me you disagree with the name. Sawyer Narcissist Stark. SNS. Isn’t it fitting?"
Ada, still reeling from shock, hesitated—but then, seeing Ellie laughing so hard, she couldn’t hold back. A chuckle slipped out, then another.
"Hush, Ms. Ellie!" She waved her hands, trying to smother her laughter, but it was useless. Soon, her eyes watered too, her whole body trembling from trying to hold it in.
Then—
"Ellie Madden!"
A voice, cold and seething, cut through the air.
Both women jumped, their laughter dying instantly.
Ellie turned her head slowly, dread pooling in her stomach. Over Ada’s shoulder stood the man of their conversation, glaring at her with narrowed eyes.
Ada went rigid, her face turning pale once again.
"Ada—" Ellie’s voice trembled as she whispered through clenched teeth, "Didn’t you say he left?"
Ada, equally horrified, whispered back, "He did. To wash his hands, Ms. Ellie. Now it seems like he’s back."
"Ada!" Ellie hissed in betrayal.