Chapter 39 Olivia
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Olivia
I wake up with a headache that’s more of a reminder than anything else.
I should be sleeping, but my brain is stuck on repeat, running through everything that’s happened over the last twenty-four hours.
My bed feels too soft. The universe is telling me to take it easy, to just… rest. But I can’t. Not with the way everything feels so off.
I’m not even sure where to start. Should I be relieved that I’m not in a hospital bed anymore? Or should I be mad at myself for letting it get this far? I can’t decide.
I sit up, feeling every muscle in my body scream at me to stay put, but I’m not the type to just lie around and feel sorry for myself, even if it’s all I want to do right now.
Karl’s sitting at the kitchen table, his feet casually propped up on the empty chair beside him, nursing a cup of coffee. He’s gazing out the window like he’s got the world figured out, but I know better. He’s just an excellent actor.
“Morning,” I say, hoarser than I’d like.
Karl glances over. He’s been waiting for me to wake up. “How are you feeling?”
I rub my forehead, trying to shake the fog that’s still stuck in my brain. “Like I’ve been hit by a freight train.”
My body has been through a war, and my mind… well, my mind’s still doing laps around everything.
“You didn’t get much sleep, did you?” Karl asks, his eyes narrowing, already knowing the answer. “I kept noticing you waking up a lot.”
I shrug, trying to downplay it. “I slept some.”
That’s a lie. I didn’t sleep at all, not really. I tossed and turned for hours, too worried about everything to actually rest.
“Right,” he mutters. He knows me too well. “You need to take it easy. I mean it, Liv. You don’t want to end up back in the hospital, do you?”
I bite my lip, looking away from him. I hate that I need someone to tell me that. I should be able to figure it out on my own.
Before I can say anything, Karl’s phone rings, the sound cutting through the quiet as an unwelcome guest. He glances at the screen, then at me, his brows furrowing before he answers.
“Yeah?”
I can hear Leo’s voice on the other end, muffled but still urgent. “Karl, where the hell are you? What’s going on? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Olivia collapsed yesterday.” Karl stands up, pacing as he speaks. “She’s okay. Just… exhausted, Leo. The doctors said it’s from stress.”
There’s a long pause on the other end, and I watch Karl’s jaw tighten.
I can only imagine what Leo’s saying, but when Karl speaks again, it’s with more force. “She’s home now. Resting. I didn’t want to worry you, that’s all.”
I see Karl’s eyes flick toward me, and I force a small smile, even though everything inside me feels so damn heavy.
Leo’s words come through the phone again, this time sharper. “Alright. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in twenty. Don’t move.”
Karl sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ll see you when you get here.”
The call ends, and Karl slides the phone back into his pocket. He turns to me with an apologetic look.
“Leo’s on his way. He wanted to know everything, and now…” He rubs his hand over his face, clearly tired himself. “He’s not gonna be happy I didn’t tell him sooner.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I frown. “But it was all a bit chaotic, wasn’t it?”
“True. But thankfully, you’re alright.”
Karl’s eyes flicker to me, a mixture of concern and guilt, and I don’t blame him. This whole mess is too much for anyone to handle, especially when it’s me who’s been at the center of it.
I open my mouth to say something, anything, but my words get caught in my throat. There’s still so much swirling around in my head. I seem to struggle with focusing on one thing. I’m not even sure where to start.
“So…” Karl asks. “Now what?”
Before I can even respond, there’s a knock at the door.
“Leo already?”
Karl shrugs and opens.
“Liv,” Leo says in a rush, his gaze flicking over me, sizing me up, searching for signs of something more than exhaustion. His eyes soften when they land on me, but only briefly before the concern sharpens again. “What the hell happened?”
I wave a hand dismissively, trying to brush it off. “Just too much, Leo. I’m fine.”
“Fine?” Leo’s voice rises in disbelief. “You passed out, Olivia! That’s not fine. It’s this shit with your boss. I know it is.”
“I’m fine,” I repeat, more firmly this time, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I just need some rest, Leo. That’s all. You don’t need to worry.”
“I’m going to kill Richard fucking Stokes,” he rants as he paces up and down. “I’m going to hunt him down. I swear, I’m not going to let him get away with it. He’s going to pay for what he’s put you through, you hear me?”
My heart sinks. I’m already drowning in everything that’s happened. I don’t need Leo to drag me back into the chaos with talk of revenge.
“No, Leo,” I say, as I stand up, my legs wobbly beneath me. “I’m not going to go after him. I don’t want revenge. I just want to move on with my life. I just want the lawsuit to be done with.”
Leo’s face hardens, his eyes flashing with the same protective anger I’ve seen before. “You think it’s normal just to let him get away with this? He’s ruining your life, Liv.”
I shake my head, the frustration starting to build in my chest. “I don’t need you to fight my battles for me, Leo.”
Karl’s stance widens as he squares off with Leo. “That’s enough, man. Let her decide what she wants to do.”
Leo whips his head toward Karl, his face turning red. “And what’s that supposed to mean? You think I’m wrong for caring about her? For wanting to protect her from the asshole who’s been using her like a damn punching bag?”
“No,” Karl responds coolly, though laced with irritation. “But this isn’t your fight to pick, Leo. Olivia doesn’t need you throwing punches for her. She’s telling you she wants to move on, so you need to respect that.”
Leo’s eyes narrow, and the anger rises to a dangerous level. “You think I’m just supposed to stand by and watch this happen, Karl? Watch her crumble under the weight of that asshole’s actions and do nothing? You can’t be serious.”
“Maybe you’re not serious,” Karl snaps back. “Olivia doesn’t want to keep fighting. This lawsuit is killing her. Every word out of your mouth right now is just piling more pressure on her. Can’t you see that?”
Leo takes a step toward Karl, his fists clenching at his sides. The tension between them could explode at any moment. I can feel my pulse picking up, my stomach churning with dread.
“I’m trying to help her!” Leo growls, full of raw frustration. “You think I don’t see what’s going on? You think I’m the one who doesn’t get it? She’s my damn friend, too, Karl. I’m doing what I think is best for her!”
“Maybe you should listen to what she thinks is best,” Karl shoots back. “She’s the one who’s been dealing with this, not you. She’s the one who gets to make the choice.”
My chest feels tight, my breath coming in shallow bursts. I want to calm things down, but it’s like no one’s hearing me anymore.
“Both of you,” I say, trembling. “Just stop.”
But neither of them even acknowledges me. Leo’s eyes stay locked on Karl, filled with defiance, while Karl’s glare is cold and firm.
I feel the walls closing in, the space between us suffocating. The anger swirling around us is too much for me to handle right now. My heart races, and I know I need to get out of this before it goes any further.
Without warning, Leo throws up his hands in frustration, turning away from both of us.
“You know what? Fuck this,” he spits. “I can’t do this anymore. If you two want to sit around and pretend everything’s fine, go ahead. But don’t expect me to sit here and watch.”
I watch in stunned silence as Leo storms out the door, his footsteps heavy and fast.
The door slams behind him, leaving me standing amid this wreckage. I feel hollow. The fight took everything I had left to give.
Karl looks at me, his face softening as he takes a step closer. “I’m sorry, Liv. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
I shake my head, blinking back tears. “I didn’t either. I understand why he wants to attack, but this is a legal thing. I can’t just…”
Karl holds me. It’s rough to see Leo like that. It reminds me of when I first met him, when it seemed like he hated me. I know he’s on my side now, but that doesn’t make any of it right.
I blink rapidly, trying to push the rush of emotions back down, but they’re already spilling over the edges.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing, but the lump in my throat makes it impossible to get a good breath in.
Karl watches me for a moment, his brow furrowed in concern, before he steps closer.
His hands hover for a second, unsure, before they settle on my shoulders, pulling me into a gentle but firm hug. I can feel the tension radiating off him, his muscles tight beneath his shirt.
In this moment, Karl is everything I need.
Karl’s expression softens even more, and in that moment, everything else fades away. The world outside, the mess of my legal battles, Leo’s fury, it all disappears as he leans down, just enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath against my skin.
His lips brush against mine, soft at first, tentative, asking for permission to stay, to be here with me in this moment, despite everything.
My heart stutters, a mix of emotions flooding me all at once. I don’t think about the implications or the mess. I don’t think about anything except that he’s here, and in this moment, that’s enough.
The kiss deepens, slow and steady. The world’s still spinning, but we’ve found a place to stop, to breathe, just to be.
The tension I’ve been carrying melts away with each gentle press of his lips, and for the first time in a long time, I feel… safe.
When we pull away, neither of us says anything right away. The air between us feels different now. Lighter, but still heavy with unspoken words. Karl’s eyes search mine, as if he’s trying to see if I’m okay, really okay.
“I’m here,” he says. “Whatever you need.”
I nod, finally feeling I can take a breath that’s all my own.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my hand sliding gently over his chest, where I can feel the steady thrum of his heart. “You have no idea what that means to me.”