Chapter 3
Olivia’s face turned cold in an instant. “Who let you in?”
“Jack did,” Emily replied sweetly, her voice soft as warm milk. “He said you were hurt and told me
to help dress your wound.”
She paused delicately, then added with a smile, “Olivia, why are you always getting hurt like this? You don’t actually think… this’ll make Jack look at you differently, do you?”
She giggled, her smile turning saccharine.
“Poor thing. Your dad’s mine, your house is mine… and Jack? He’s mine too.”
Olivia’s gaze sharpened like a blade. “You’re just the bastard daughter of a homewrecker. Who the
hell do you think you are–coming in here trying to provoke me? Get out.”
But Emily didn’t flinch. If anything, her grin widened.
“Yeah, I’m the homewrecker’s daughter.”
She tilted her head, looking at Olivia with feigned sympathy.
“But look at me. The daughter of ‘the other woman and I have everything.”
Her voice lowered, amused.
“And you? Daddy’s precious little girl? You’ve got nothing.”
“Isn’t that just…. hilarious?”
She pulled a small bottle of ointment from her pocket and placed it gently on the nightstand.
“Here’s the medicine. Don’t forget to use it later.”
Olivia’s arm shot up–but Emily was ready. She stepped back quickly, snatching the bottle up again
with mock innocence.
“So, are you gonna yell at me to ‘get out‘ and throw the medicine again?”
She batted her lashes. “Well then… let me help you out.”
Without warning, she hurled the bottle at the floor.
Crash.
Glass shattered everywhere.
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“My knee… it really hurts…” she murmured, lips trembling, eyes glistening with tears that wouldn’t quite fall.
Olivia watched in silence as Jack swept her up in his arms without a second thought.
Before leaving, he threw a single command over his shoulder. “Have that report on my desk when it’s done.”
The door stayed open, and from her seat at the desk, Olivia could see them just down the hallway -Jack crouched in front of Emily, carefully dabbing ointment on her knee.
His movements were so gentle. His brow furrowed like he was handling something fragile.
So… he could look like that.
Olivia looked away. Her pen slashed hard across the paper.
A few minutes later, Olivia set down her pen.
“I’m done,” she said flatly.
She handed over the reflection just as Jack finished wrapping Emily’s bandage. He took the paper, scanned it, and his expression changed in an instant.
“What the hell is this?”
He read aloud:
“My mistake was not catching her when she faked her fall. My mistake was not grabbing her hand and shoving it into the broken glass, hard enough to make her think twice before pulling this same tired act again.”
He looked up, furious. Olivia met his eyes without flinching.
“It’s just the truth.”
His temple pulsed. He was about to explode when
“Jack!” Emily tugged at his arm again. “She’s still hurt. Don’t get upset…”
His anger flared again, but before he could speak, Emily cut in sweetly, “Let it go, okay?”
Then she turned to Olivia, her voice light and warm “We’re heading to the park today. Picnic and
boat ride. You should come, too.”
“I’m not going,” Olivia said flatly.
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“My knee… it really hurts…” she murmured, lips trembling, eyes glistening with tears that wouldn’t
quite fall.
Olivia watched in silence as Jack swept her up in his arms without a second thought.
Before leaving, he threw a single command over his shoulder. “Have that report on my desk when
it’s done,”
The door stayed open, and from her seat at the desk, Olivia could see them just down the hallway
-Jack crouched in front of Emily, carefully dabbing ointment on her knee.
His movements were so gentle. His brow furrowed, like he was handling something fragile.
So… he could look like that.
Olivia looked away. Her pen slashed hard across the paper.
A few minu
set down her pen.
“I’m
ne reflection just a
his expression ch
apping Emily’s bandage. He took the paper,
hell is this?”
ad aloud:
My mistake
and shovin
tired act
He
en she faked her fall. My mist
hard enough to make her
ot grabbing her hand
ore pulling this same
met his eyes without flinc
e was about to e
at his
get upset…”
cut in sweetly, “Let it go, okay?”
“We’re heading to the park today. Picnic and
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20
ng
eaty familiar with the routine–slipped into the moment, Olivia understood why Emily had insisted
<djust for her.
ushed her fingers against Jack’s hand as he shifted
via’s chest. She remembered last month, during a
I the back of his hand–he’d pulled out a
mes
t a piece of honey lavender scones and holding it tally smeared a bit on the brass button of his
e would’ve gotten a thirty–minute lecture.
out to wipe it off, Jack merely looked down–and let
n from him.
Emily suddenly gasped, “Oh no! I forgot my
lost meshe’d accidentally picked up that exact
,”
particular about hygiene.”
pa mouthful behind. “biere,” she said, smiling. ”
Chapter 4
El Not once
wet and sible, watching every intimate little exchange.
Until Emily suddenly lifted her camera. “Jack, let’s take a picture together!”
Jack didn’t do photos.
Ever.
But this time, he didn’t say no.
With no one else around, he turned to Olivia and handed her the camera.
“You take it.”
Olivia took it slowly, raised the lens–and there they were. Jack standing behind Emily, one hand hovering protectively near her waist, as if ready to shield her from the world.
She clicked the shutter.
When she handed the camera back, Jack gave her a quick glance. There was a flicker of
something in his eyes–confusion, maybe even surprise.
It wasn’t like her to stay quiet. If it had been before, she would’ve made a fuss. Insisted on being in
the shot, or deliberately blurred the focus just to get under his skin.
But today, she’d done nothing,nor even stepped within arm’s reach of him.
He stared at her, like he wanted to say something.
But Emily jumped in with a bright smile. “Let me get one of you two, huh? Olivia’s had a crush on
you forever. She deserves a little keepsake.”
Jack’s expression went cold. Instantly.
“No need,” he said curtly,
Then he turned to Olivia. “I’ll never feel that way about you.”
Olivia gave a bitter little smile. What a coincidence. She didn’t like him anymore either.
Just then, dark clouds rolled in, and fat drops of rain began to fall.
Jack immediately shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over Emily’s head. “Stay here,” he said briskly. “I’ll get the car.”
As soon as he disappeared into the trees, Emily dropped the act and sneered, “You see that? No matter how hard you try to worm your way in, he only has eyes for me.”
Olivia didn’t bother responding. She turned to leave
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Then a piercing scream–Emily.
A snake shot out from the underbrush and sank its fangs into Emily’s ankle.
Panicking, she flailed–and in the chaos, flung the shake straight toward Olivia,
Pain shot through Olivia’s calf like fire. Her vision swam, and then everything went black.
When she came to, she was on a stretcher. Voices buzzed around her, sharp and urgent.
“Both ladies were bitten,” a nurse was saying. “But the bites are in different locations. Hart’s is worse–the venom’s already spreading!”
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