Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Grace
I had barely been home for twenty-four hours, and Olivia was already testing the limits of my patience.
I knew she was excited to have me back. I knew she had missed me.
And I knew that meant she wanted to spend as much time as possible making up for the weeks I had been gone.
I expected that. What I didn’t expect was to be forcibly trapped on the couch in our living room, subjected to a never-ending DreamCrest binge session as Olivia excitedly caught me up on everything I had “missed.”
I let her drag me to the couch, thinking it would just be a few minutes.
A clip here, a quick video there. I should have known better.
The moment she turned on the TV, she pulled up hours of DreamCrest content—concert performances, interview clips, behind-the-scenes footage—and I quickly realized I was not escaping anytime soon.
“Okay, so while you were off doing your mysterious bodyguard work, DreamCrest has been thriving,” Olivia said, practically bouncing as she clicked through a playlist labeled “DreamCrest: The Ultimate Fan Compilation.”
I barely held in a groan. “Olivia, do we really have to do this?”
She gasped dramatically. “Excuse me? Have to? Grace, this is an honor. I’m giving you a full DreamCrest education!”
I raised an eyebrow. “I thought you already gave me one the last time you forced me into this.”
“That was months ago. Things have changed.” She clicked on a new video, eyes gleaming. “Just wait, you’re gonna be shook.”
I sighed, sinking further into the couch as the video started playing.
For the next hour, I sat there as Olivia provided a full commentary—pausing every few seconds to explain new facts, give me background on random moments, and gush over performances I had already witnessed in person.
I tried to act uninterested, but Olivia’s excitement was contagious.
It was impossible to ignore the energy in the performances, the way the crowd responded, the undeniable charisma of the guys on stage.
Even now, even after everything, I could admit it.
DreamCrest was good.
Really, really good.
“And can we just talk about their recent world tour?” Olivia gushed, eyes glued to the screen as the guys performed in front of a stadium of screaming fans. “The production? The lighting? The choreography? Ugh, perfection.”
I nodded absentmindedly, my focus shifting to the details behind the performance rather than the performance itself.
I had spent weeks overseeing security for that tour.
I knew how much work went into making every second of the show flawless, from the lighting cues to the stage entrances to the tightened security measures after the stalking threats escalated.
Without thinking, I muttered, “They had to increase security after the last threats.”
Olivia hummed in agreement, eyes still locked on the screen. “Yeah, I heard about that. But they handled it like pros. Security’s been insane lately. Even the fans noticed. No one could get anywhere near them.” She shook her head. “I mean, I get it. They’re superstars, but still?—”
Then she froze.
I barely had a second to register what I’d said before Olivia snapped her head toward me, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.
Wait.
Shit.
“…Wait, what?” she whispered, her entire body going still.
I immediately backtracked, shaking my head. “Nothing. I just— I read it somewhere.”
But she wasn’t buying it.
She slowly picked up the remote, paused the video, and turned to fully face me, suspicion written all over her face.
“No,” she said carefully, her voice sharp with realization. “That was not a casual fun-fact voice. That was an I-was-there-and-saw-it-happen voice.”
I forced a laugh. “You’re imagining things.”
She didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe.
Then, suddenly, her eyes widened even further. “OH. MY. GOD.”
I groaned.
She pointed directly at me, her entire body vibrating with energy. “YOU. WERE. THERE.”
I sighed, slumping back against the couch. “Olivia?—”
“OH MY GOD, YOU KNOW THEM.”
And there it was.
Before I could calm her down, Olivia launched herself at me, grabbing my arms, shaking me aggressively.
“TELL ME EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.”
I pried her hands off, groaning. “It’s not a big deal.”
She gasped, pressing a hand to her chest like I had just personally offended her. “NOT A BIG DEAL?! You were hanging out with DreamCrest, and you didn’t think to mention it?!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, bracing myself. “I wasn’t ‘hanging out’ with them. I was working.”
“FOR DREAMCREST.” She practically screamed it, pacing the living room like she was trying to process the betrayal. “You were literally in the presence of Dominic freaking Beethoven, and you didn’t even text me?!”
I crossed my arms, deadpan. “Yeah, sorry I was too busy protecting his life to send a casual update.”
She stopped pacing, eyes blinking rapidly.
Then her voice dropped to a whisper. “You… talked to him?”
I hesitated. “…I may have exchanged words.”
Silence.
Then Olivia let out an inhuman screech, grabbing a pillow and whacking me with it.
I grabbed it, yanking it away. “What the hell?!”
“You’re LYING.” She dramatically collapsed onto the couch beside me, staring at me with betrayed eyes. “You know them personally.”
I sighed. “It was just a job.”
“JUST A JOB?” She threw up her hands. “How? HOW is this not the biggest deal ever?”
I ran a hand through my hair, already regretting this entire conversation.
“Okay, fine,” I muttered. “Yes, I worked for them. Yes, I talked to them. Yes, I spent weeks around them. But it wasn’t like that.”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “Like what?”
I froze.
Shit.
Her gaze locked onto mine, sharp and knowing. Then she gasped again, slapping my arm. “OH MY GOD, YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON ONE OF THEM.”
I groaned. “Absolutely not.”
She narrowed her eyes further. “You hesitated.”
I refused to entertain her delusions. “You’re imagining things.”
She didn’t look convinced, but I could see her filing that information away for later.
I exhaled, running a hand down my face. “Listen, are we done here?”
She flopped onto her back, groaning dramatically. “I will never forgive you for keeping this from me.”
I rolled my eyes, standing up to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. “You’ll get over it.”
But as I walked away, I heard Olivia mutter under her breath.
“Not until I find out which one you fell for.”
I stopped mid-step.
I turned my head slightly, just enough to see the mischievous smirk on her face.
And just like that, my peaceful life was officially over.