The Stolen Life- My Mother Gave My Fiancé to Her Favorite Student novel Chapter 88

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.

Chapter 3

58.28%

“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.

Chapter 3

58.28%

“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

1. ly.

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

58,28%

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

Chapter 4

58.94%

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!”

“We’re out of antivenom!” someone shouted.

Then Jack’s voice, calm and clipped. “I have some. It’s on route.”

Moments later, one of his men came running, drenched in sweat, clutching a small case. He cracked it open.

“There’s only one dose left, sir. Who gets it first?”

Chapter 4

58.94%

She didn’t want to die. But maybe, this time, it wasn’t up to her.

When she came to, she was in a hospital bed.

A nurse was changing her bandages, and her eyes lit up with relief the moment Olivia stirred.

“You’re finally awake!”

“Am I… still alive?” Olivia’s voice was hoarse.

‘Just barely, the nurse replied with a nervous chuckle. “You were lucky. Another batch of antivenom arrived just in time–any later and things might’ve gone very differently.”

Olivia gave a faint smile. “And Emily?”

The nurse, assuming concern, smiled back.

“Oh, she’s fine. Her bite wasn’t serious. Captain Rivers stayed with her the whole time, you know- fed her water himself, sat by her bedside all night. Didn’t even answer his phone when the base called.”

The nurse went on about Jack’s attentiveness, her tone warm and gossipy, but Olivia listened in silence.

Strangely, she felt nothing. Not pain. Not jealousy. Not even sadness.

It surprised her too.

“Your vitals look good, and the toxins are gone. Another day or two and you should be cleared for discharge,” the nurse added cheerfully.

But that same night, Olivia quietly signed herself out.

Back at the dorm, she began packing–clothes, her journal, the antique pocket watch her mother had left her–folding and tucking each item into her suitcase one by one.

She was halfway through when the door burst open

She turned sharply, startled–only to see Jack standing there, rain–soaked and breathless, his uniform unbuttoned and disheveled like he’d run straight from a storm.

She had never seen him like this.

Jack was the picture of restraint, always neat, always composed. Even his collar was usually buttoned to the top.

Now, he looked shaken, windswept, and for the first time, visibly unguarded.

Chapter 5

59.60%

“Why didn’t you tell me you were checking out?” he asked, voice low.

Olivia didn’t flinch.

“Why would I? You didn’t seem to care if I lived or died.”

His throat bobbed. For a second, he said nothing.

Then he murmured, almost like a confession, “You found out.”

But the next moment, his tone hardened again.

“Emily saved my life once. I couldn’t let anything happen to her.”

Olívia returned to folding her clothes, calm and unbothered.

“You don’t have to explain. That serum was yours. You’re free to give it to whoever you want.”

That shut him up.

Silence settled between them, tense and thick.

Then his eyes fell on her suitcase, and his expression changed.

In two quick strides, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Chapter 5