Chapter Fifty
Olivia
I shiver in the cold. My body half floats, chilly bubbles wrapping around me. My throat burns as I scream silently for someone to save my baby. It’s the only thing I have left of Liam.
Olivia.
I tremble, reaching out.
Hang on.
Liam. I’m here.
The light around me grows fainter. I stretch my hand out. If I can just touch it, I know I’ll be okay, but the light is pulling away too fast. No matter how I struggle, I’m just a hair’s breadth away from it, its warmth barely grazing my fingertips.
Please! Don’t go.
I scream, but the words get stuck. And I can’t—
“Olivia, are you all right?”
I blink, then squint at the overwhelming white around me. The pungent scent of antiseptic stings my nose.
The harsh fluorescent light over my head. The beeping of machines, and the tubes…
“Olivia, do you know where you are?”
I stare at the familiar figure. “Simon?” I whisper.
“Yeah. I’m here.”
I blink. “What… How…?”
He shifts. “I, uh, heard about what happened, and—”
“Why did they contact you? Why not Liam?” I swear I thought I heard him.
Something flickers in Simon’s eyes. He looks down. “Probably because I’m listed as your emergency contact.”
I frown, but that may be possible. I didn’t update my info after marrying Liam because I foolishly didn’t plan on making our marriage last. “And Liam?” I prompt again.
“He isn’t here.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Wasn’t he near the pool?” Didn’t he hear me fall into the water? Or at least, even if he didn’t notice, wouldn’t he hear about it from somebody? I know I didn’t crawl out of the pool on my own.
Simon shrugs. “I wasn’t at the party…”
I push myself up and gasp as pain shoots through my chest. He places a hand on my back to support me. “Careful. CPR probably left bruises.”
I look around. Sure enough, it’s just Simon and me in the room. My gut says something isn’t right. There’s no way Liam wouldn’t have come to make sure the baby and I were okay. “Where did Liam go? Was he here before?”
Simon hesitates.
“Tell me the truth.”
He clears his throat. “He wasn’t here when I got here.”
“And you didn’t see him anywhere? Not even in the lobby?” My voice cracks toward the end.
He shakes his head. “No.”
My heart shrivels. It might sound opportunistic, but I wanted him to notice what happened and come to me, like in the movies where the romantic hero rescues the girl of his dreams from danger and realizes he can’t be away from her, and they live happily ever after.
Should’ve known my life wouldn’t go like that.
Why would Liam care? He didn’t come to the OB-GYN appointment. Even though I sent him the recording, he might not have listened to it.
I close my eyes against the pain. It’s karma for the way I pulled away.
Girl, if you can dish it out, you should be able to take it too.
“I need to talk to the doctor.” I need to make sure the baby’s all right. “You can go now.”
Simon shakes his head. “Let me take care of you while you’re recovering.”
“I can’t. You broke my trust when you did what you did.”
“Olivia—”
“Having you around me is going to hurt Liam.”
“He isn’t even here.”
“So? He’s still my husband.”
Simon pales. “Is that it? You haven’t been able to hire another assistant.” His voice shakes toward the end.
Guess he talked to others at the company.
But then it’s no secret. “That has nothing to do with my decision. I’ve always made sure you knew that you’re my assistant, my most trusted person at the company.
I was thinking of promoting you after the new lines are established because I needed somebody I could rely on. But it’s all moot now.”
He looks at me like I just stuck a knife into his belly. “Give me another chance, Olivia.”
“You had your chances when I asked you why Liam didn’t receive the report, and when you noticed he was outside my office as you tried to get me to say something that’d undermine my marriage.”
He bites his lip. “I didn’t think he deserved you. Damn it, Olivia, I love you.”
I stiffen in shock. Liam acted slightly too possessive around Simon, but I didn’t realize… I shake my head. “My decision won’t change.”
“Don’t be cruel,” Simon manages, his eyes pleading.
“Not cruel, just careful. I can’t afford to let somebody who betrayed me multiple times stay in my orbit.
I can’t trust that they won’t do it again.
” I roll the pavé ring like a rosary. “I hope you honor the NDA you signed because I’d hate to have to pursue legal action.
I won’t give you a bad reference, if that’s what you’re worried about. ”
He flinches, as though struck. “Is that how you think of me?”
“How am I supposed to think, Simon?” I wait a beat, but he doesn’t answer. “Thank you for your time today. I’ll make sure you won’t be bothered again on my behalf.”
His face crumbles, then he turns around and leaves. I ask to see the doctor. A man in his late fifties or so walks in briskly and introduces himself as Dr. Carter.
“How’s my baby?” I ask, hoping for the best but bracing for the worst.
“All good. You were lucky. Didn’t even crack a rib,” he says with a gentle smile.
I place a hand over my sore chest. “Guess whoever did CPR was either very skilled or very careful. Did he come to the hospital, too?” I ask urgently.
Dr. Carter shrugs. “I’m not sure. Why?”
“No reason.” I don’t want to explain my marital situation.
Nodding, he asks some questions and checks me out again, to make sure everything’s all right. Then he prescribes what doctors often default to: Relax, don’t stress, rest.
After he’s gone, I sigh and slump against the pillows, then shiver as a chill settles over me. I could have sworn it was Liam who pulled me out of the water…but was that just wishful thinking?
I lay a hand over my heart. I’d break all my ribs for a chance to be held by him again.