29. Oliver
Sitting at the foot of the lounge chair, I drop my head into my hands, my eyes fixed on the ground, lost.
Flashes of that bastard touching me while I begged him not to run through my mind. Visions of my nephews being attacked by him invade my thoughts, anger and rage surge through my veins, causing me to boil over and lose control of my temper.
I’d spent my whole life running from him.
And now he’s back—wrecking everything all over again.
Not just my life. That kid’s too.
Help us so my son can sleep at night, the father said.
And hell, if I don’t know that feeling.
That helplessness.
That rage that eats at you from the inside.
But I can’t. I can’t call them. I can’t show my face.
Footsteps echo in the room. She’s probably worried about me—and she has every right to be. I wasn’t fair to her. She didn’t deserve my temper. So, when her arms slip around me from behind, I let myself fall into her scent, her warmth pressed against my back.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“It’s okay,” she whispers, her hands stroking my arms—and God, she doesn’t know how much I need that right now.
“I can’t go to the police,” I say. “I’m a public figure. The media would have a field day.”
“And since when do you give a damn what the media thinks?”
She’s right.
“It could hurt the company,” I counter weakly.
She steps in front of me, her gaze steady. “Then let me ask you something—do you really care about the company? Or are you terrified your brothers will find out what happened to you?”
Her words hit like a hammer to the chest. My stomach knots just picturing their faces if they ever found out what Eder did to me.
“You already know the answer,” I growl. She knows me too damn well.
“Do you really think it’s worth letting more kids suffer just because you’re too afraid to tell your brothers what was done to you?”
“Cala, you don’t know what—”
“I know,” she cuts in softly. “I’ll never truly be in your shoes. But just… think about it. Think about Julian and his friends. Think about how much you needed someone to step in back then, when you couldn’t.”
She presses a kiss to my shoulder and stands. “I left a blanket in case you decide to sleep here.”
Like I said—she knows me too well.
The door clicks shut, and I’m alone again. Alone with the noise in my head, chasing solutions I can’t stick to. Every time I think I’ve found the answer, my mind backs out, dragging me right back to the start.
By the time I crawl into bed, it’s past three a.m. Cala’s facing away, and I wrap my body around hers. I need her close—the calm she brings when the storm inside me threatens to drown me.
She stirs, her hand sliding over my arm, pulling me closer.
“I need you,” I whisper against her ear, trailing kisses along her jaw, down her neck. “I’m sorry for waking you, but I need you.”
She doesn’t say a word. Just turns in my arms and holds me tight, giving me space to lose myself in her, to remember why I have to keep going.
“Oli…” she gasps softly.
I focus on her face, her eyes heavy with sleep and desire. The most beautiful sight I get to see every damn day.
“I love you,” I whisper against her lips. “Thank you for being here… for being mine.”
I rest my forehead against hers, my movements growing desperate, chasing that edge.
And when we both shatter, she gives me one of those smiles that undo me completely.
“I love you, Oli,” she breathes. “And I’m so proud of you. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”
Her words sink deep, silencing my mouth—but filling my chest in a way nothing else ever could.
My three brothers stare at me in silence.
All of them are seated in the living room of my home—because that’s what it finally feels like now. A home, not just a house. We’re alone, and I’m standing in front of them, my voice rough with anger and tears I can’t seem to stop, laying bare the pieces of my past.
Shame burns in my chest, no matter how many times Cala’s told me it wasn’t my fault—that nothing that happened was deserved, that the blame belongs somewhere else.
I’ve heard her. I’ve even believed her.
But deep down, I still feel it—that helplessness, that endless what if…
What if I’d called our parents?
What if I’d asked my brothers for help?
What if I’d fought back?
There are no answers. That wasn’t my reality, but this is.
The present.
The chance to reclaim my name, to put an end to this nightmare, and to finally stop him before he hurts anyone else.
When I finish speaking, silence fills the room like water rising around my throat.
Silas is the first to move. He grabs his head with both hands, elbows braced on his knees.
His voice breaks through the silence, trembling with guilt and pain.
“Jesus, Oliver… I—I was supposed to take care of you. I was the one in charge—” His words hang in the air, heavy with regret.
He can’t seem to meet my eyes, his head bowed as if the weight of responsibility is pressing down on him, threatening to crush him beneath memories he can’t rewrite.
Each syllable is thick with sorrow, his hands clenched tightly in his lap as he fights to hold himself together.
The burden of being the eldest, the protector, is too much for him to bear right now, and the anguish in his voice is almost too much for me to hear.
“No.” I cut him off, raising a hand. “The only ones responsible are our parents—for leaving four kids alone for a damn month. Don’t you dare carry that weight, because I don’t.”
Luca gets up, not saying a word, his body tight and shaking with anger.
He paces around the living room, restless like a trapped animal.
All at once, he grabs his phone and throws it hard against the wall.
It breaks, the noise ringing out and leaving a neat hole in the drywall—a perfect snapshot of how furious he is.
I stare down at my palms. Lying there is Cala’s lapis lazuli necklace.
My grandma’s gonna give you strength, she told me last night when we planned this meeting.
I don’t know if I feel strong right now—but I do know my brothers need time to process this in their own ways.
Killian sits still, his tattooed hands clasped, face unreadable.
“I knew it,” he murmurs. We all look at him. “I suspected something. That bastard took control of the house like he owned it and your voice, Oli… I remember hearing you behind the door, upset. I told myself it was the illness, but deep down… I knew something was wrong.”
I nod silently.
“I remember you begging us to sleep outside,” Silas says quietly. “And after that night, you changed.”
“Yeah,” Luca adds. “You weren’t the same kid. It was like the sickness had taken your light when really…”
“It was him,” I finish.
“Fuck, Oliver…” Luca’s voice cracks. “Why didn’t you ask for help?”
The same question I’ve asked myself every damn day since.
“I was ashamed,” I admit. “Still am.”
“No,” Kill says, voice firm. “Not shame, not you. You’re the bravest man I know.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, eyes dropping again to the necklace. I can’t meet their eyes after that.
“Does Cala know?” Silas asks.
“She does. Has for a while. She’s the one who convinced me to do this—for me, and for the other kids he might hurt.”
Silas nods. “She’s a wise woman.”
“I know,” I say softly. “I’m damn lucky.”
Killian moves first, crossing the room. Without warning, he pulls me into a hug—tight, grounding. I let him.
Let myself be held.
Then Luca and Silas join in.
“We’re here for you,” Luca says when he finally let’s go. “Whatever you need.”
“I’ll probably have to warn the marketing team about some incoming bad press…” I start.
“Screw the company, Oliver,” Silas cuts in, his eyes fierce. “Don’t even think about that. None of us give a damn about the business right now. All that matters is you.”
I nod, my throat too tight to speak.
“Thank you,” I manage at last.
And for the first time in years, I don’t feel like that scared kid anymore. I feel like their brother again.
My brothers left this morning.
After last night’s talk, the three of them stayed for dinner—home-cooked—and we ended up talking past midnight. About life, about the things we want but never say out loud.
We’d never had a conversation so open, so honest. I learned more about them in a few hours than in all the years before.
I heard their real fears—like when Luca admitted he worries about his little girl’s heart because she’s the gentlest, kindest soul he knows.
Or when Silas confessed he’s thinking about retiring but doesn’t know if Julian will want to take over the company or chase a different dream.
Listening to them made me feel… less alone. Safe. Like part of a family again. For the first time in years, I felt a net under me—strong, unbreakable, and real.
“You ready?” Cala asks, gathering her things off the kitchen island.
We’re about to head to the town where I grew up—the same town where that boy was hurt by that man.
“Yeah,” I answer with a tight smile. “My parents are meeting us there.”
“Did you tell them anything yet?”
“No. I want to see their faces.” My tone comes out darker than I meant it. I guess, deep down, part of me still blames them most of all.
Cala nods and slips her hand into mine.
“Let’s go.”
After a two-hour flight, I’m standing face-to-face with my parents in the police station. They listen as Officer Cruz—an impossibly kind woman, kinder than they deserve—lays everything out for them, steady and patient.
My mom cries.
My dad says nothing. Not a word.
When it’s my turn, I walk into a small room with Cala beside me. There’s a camera, a microphone, and I tell everything. Every detail. How that man stole my childhood and shattered the person I was supposed to become.
The officer listens closely, asks her questions, takes notes.
When we’re done, I open the door and let Cala step out first. I’m about to follow when I hear Officer Cruz’s voice behind me.
“Don’t you worry, Mr. Walker. He won’t hurt another soul. I’ll make damn sure of it.”
I manage a faint smile and nod once.
Then I close the door and with it, the darkest chapter of my life.
It’s time. I can feel it in my bones—the moment to stop carrying the pain of what happened before and letting it spill over into today.
I need to let go of everything that’s held me back, the memories, the guilt, the sorrow, and finally start living again.
The past has shaped me, but it doesn’t get to decide who I am now.
I am ready to reclaim my life and step forward, embracing the present for what it is and allowing myself a chance at happiness.
Cala’s waiting for me outside, her eyes soft, her smile steady.
Starting over feels effortless with my life so full—especially with her by my side.
Her laughter fills our days, her unpredictable ideas keep life exciting, and the warmth of her presence makes every moment brighter.
When I look into her black eyes, I know she truly sees me.
Imagining our future together—children, dogs running through the yard, and sunsets melting over the ranch—brings me a sense of deep peace.
I’m ready for every part of this new chapter.
“You okay?” she asks, her voice gentle.
I can’t help but grin as I pull her into my arms, holding her close and savoring the happiness we’ve found together.
“Better than ever.”