Chapter 36 Olivia #2
I grab my phone and pace the room. This is a mistake. What am I doing? I need to turn around, go back downstairs, and spill my guts. Beg for his forgiveness.
But I don’t.
Instead, at nine-fifty-nine, I sit on the edge of the bed and dial the number Dr. Heller gave me. It rings once. Twice. Then a familiar voice answers.
“Hello, Olivia.”
My heart thuds and my blood rushing in my ears sounds like an ocean tide. “Natalia.”
“Are you alone?”
I glance toward the door. It’s shut, no signs of any footsteps approaching. “Yes.”
“Good. I wasn’t sure you’d call.”
“I wasn’t sure I would, either.”
She laughs softly. “Honesty. I appreciate that.”
“Dr. Heller said you wanted to talk to me.”
“I did. I do.” There’s a pause. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. After everything that happened.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you? My son can be very intense.”
I bristle. “He cares about me.”
“I’m sure he does. In his own way.” Another pause. “Has he told you what he plans to do with me?”
“He said he wants to keep you away from his family.”
“By any means necessary, I’m sure.”
“He’s scared, Natalia. You hurt him.”
“I know I did.” She sighs. “And I’ve regretted it every day since.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Everything with your family seems to be complicated.”
She laughs again. “You’re not wrong about that.”
I take a breath. “I read your husband’s journal. About the tumor.”
“Then you know the truth.”
“I didn’t kill him, Olivia. The drugs did. The tumor did. I was trying to save him.”
I close my eyes. “I want to believe you. But I don’t know if I can.”
“That’s fair.” She exhales somberly, as if gathering her thoughts. “What if I told you I could prove it? That I have medical records, doctors’ statements, evidence that everything I’m saying is true?”
That gives me pause. “Why didn’t you show Stefan before?”
“He wouldn’t have believed me. He was too angry and hurt. He’d already made up his mind about what happened.”
“And you think he’ll believe it now?”
“No. But maybe you can help me show him.”
I open my eyes. “How?”
“Let me talk to him. Face to face. With you there as a mediator.”
“He’ll never agree to that.”
“Then convince him. You’re the only person he trusts.”
“I don’t know if that’s true anymore.”
“It is. I can hear it in the way you talk about him. He loves you, Olivia. And you love him. That kind of love can bridge even the widest gaps.”
My throat threatens to close up. I keep glancing at the door, praying that Stefan doesn’t suddenly barge in and catch me stabbing him in the back red-handed. “What if you’re wrong? What if showing him the truth just makes things worse?”
“Then at least we tried. At least I got to see my son one more time before...”
“Before what?”
“Before this war destroys us all.”
A chill runs down my spine. “What do you mean? Are you threatening me?”
“No, dear, I’m warning you. There are forces at play here that are bigger than any of us. And if we don’t find a way to work together, we’re all going to lose.”
I stand and pace to the window. “This is insane. How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t. But what choice do you have?”
I press my forehead against the cool glass. “If I help you set up a meeting with Stefan, you have to promise me something.”
“What?”
“That you won’t try to hurt him. That this is really about reconciliation and not revenge.”
“I promise. I swear on my grandson’s life.”
“Could be your granddaughter,” I correct automatically. “We don’t know yet.”
“Either way. I swear.”
I take a shaky breath. “There’s something else you should know.”
“What?”
“It’s about Mikayla. Stefan has her in the basement.”
The silence that follows gives me enough time to wonder if I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’m not even sure why I said it; it just felt important at the moment. And if my gut is the only thing I have left to guide me through this nightmare, I have to believe it’s pointing me in the right direction.
“He’s keeping her prisoner?” Natalia asks finally. “And he hasn’t killed her?”
“Not yet.”
“That’s interesting.” I can almost hear her thinking. “Very interesting.”
“Why?”
“Because it means he’s changing. The old Stefan would have put a bullet in her head without a second thought.”
“Maybe he’s trying to be better.”
“Or maybe you’re making him that way.” Her voice softens. “Thank you for telling me about Mikayla. That changes things.”
“How?”
“It means there’s hope. If Stefan can show mercy to someone who betrayed him, maybe he can show mercy to me, too.”
I’m not sure that logic tracks, but I don’t argue. “So what happens now?” I ask.
“I need to think about how to approach this. And I’d like to talk to you again. In person this time.”
“Where?”
“I’ll find a safe place. Somewhere Stefan’s people won’t be watching.”
“And if I say no?”
“Then I’ll respect that. But I hope you won’t.”
I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Heavy, confident steps that can only belong to one person. “I have to go,” I blurt into the phone.
“Think about what I said, Olivia. Please.”
“I will.”
I hang up before she can say anything else. Right as I’m tucking the phone underneath my thigh, the door opens. Stefan’s head sticks in.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Just needed to grab my laptop before you fall asleep.” He crosses the room and takes it off the nightstand, then stoops down to kiss me on the forehead. “Get some rest, Olivia. You deserve it.”
I try my best to smile normally, though it feels like every muscle in my face has forgotten how to do that. “Thanks,” I say. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
He steps out of the room and pulls the door shut. When he’s gone, I lie back and stare at the ceiling, wondering how everything got so complicated so fast.
And hoping that I haven’t just made the biggest mistake of my life.