Chapter 104

Liam avoided Olivia's question with a chilling stare.

His voice was like ice. "Why haven't you visited the hospital? Evelyn has a severe head injury. The doctors say the scar might never fade. Think about how she must feel."

Olivia felt the accusation in Liam's gaze burning through her. Her hands shook as she signed that she didn't mind his concern for Evelyn, but begged him to leave her out of it since she wasn't involved.

A humorless laugh escaped Liam's lips. "Do I need to spell it out, Olivia? Why are you so desperate to defend Daniel? It makes me wonder what's really between you two."

Her heart cracked like thin ice. She signed forcefully that her relationship with Daniel was none of his business. There was nothing between them, and neither would apologize for something they didn't do.

"Oh?" Liam's jaw tightened visibly.

He stormed out after delivering his final blow: "This is on you. Don't come crying to me later!"

The slamming door echoed through Olivia's chest. Alone at last, the tears she'd been holding back flooded down her cheeks.

She'd prepared for this moment, warned herself not to hope. Yet the pain still cut deeper than expected.

Meanwhile, Liam sat rigid in his car, knuckles white around a cigarette.

Sebastian, his driver, kept silent.

Smoke curled around Liam's sharp features as he struggled to contain his fury. Every exhale seemed to release another wave of pent-up rage. His muscles tensed like a predator ready to strike.

When his phone buzzed, Liam barely glanced at the caller ID before rejecting the call.

The Hartleys had been trying to reach him all morning.

Sebastian finally spoke up. "Sir, the entire Hartley family is at Mercy Hospital. They're blaming your wife for what happened."

"Not my problem," Liam sneered. "I tried to help her, but she's too busy playing knight for Daniel. If she cares so much about him, let him deal with it."

Only three people had been present when Evelyn fell - Evelyn herself, Olivia, and Daniel. Evelyn's security detail had been keeping their distance.

By the time Liam arrived after receiving word of the accident, he'd only seen Olivia and Daniel together. Outside, reporters swarmed like vultures.

Truthfully, the Hartleys didn't concern Liam. But when the story exploded online, everything changed.

Daniel had his family's protection and resources to handle the fallout if blame shifted to him.

Though the investigation was ongoing, Liam believed pinning it on Daniel would protect Olivia by redirecting the Hartleys' wrath. Yet Olivia seemed determined to shield Daniel instead, rendering all his efforts pointless.

Sebastian watched Liam's mounting frustration. "Sir, are we really doing nothing?"

Liam's gaze flickered to Olivia's window where light still glowed. "If she needs help, she can ask Daniel. Why should I care? Take me to the hospital."

At that last sentence, Sebastian sighed quietly. He knew Liam wouldn't truly abandon Olivia. Their marriage was complicated, and as an outsider, his input was limited.

Olivia endured a sleepless night, her phone bombarded by morning.

The incident had spawned countless rumors.

Some claimed Daniel and Evelyn had been lovers, with Olivia as the homewrecker who'd driven Daniel to push Evelyn in a fit of rage.

Others whispered Olivia and Daniel were secret lovers caught by Evelyn, leading them to conspire against her.

Every version painted Olivia and Daniel as villains.

Complicating matters, anonymous insiders leaked "truths" online. "There's more to this story than meets the eye."

Soon, salacious theories about the tangled relationships between Olivia, Daniel, Liam and Evelyn spread like wildfire across social media.

One comment read: "So the injured girl was the other woman? But quiet Olivia isn't so innocent. That demure act hides a cheating wife."

Another countered: "Don't spread lies! Liam and Evelyn were childhood sweethearts. Olivia used her status as the Blackwoods' ward to force Liam into marriage while carrying on with other men. She dares call Evelyn the other woman? If I were Liam, I'd stray too. Some women can't be trusted."

A third added: "Evelyn's fall was no accident. This reeks of a setup."

The online vitriol escalated by the minute.

Though accustomed to hostility, Olivia had never faced such widespread public condemnation.

The vicious comments left her feeling helpless and furious, especially worrying about dragging the Bennetts and Gregory into this mess.

She'd planned to have Isabella contact them while she laid low to avoid further complications.

But before Olivia could reach Isabella, unexpected defenders emerged online.

Gregory's post caused particular stir: "I know Olivia well. Normally I avoid online drama, but the cruelty here is appalling. Why attack someone you don't know? If ignorant, silence is golden."

Several of Gregory's followers amplified his message.

Olivia was stunned - but mostly deeply grateful.

Yet despite these voices, the online storm raged on.

Soon, the Hartleys found her.

As Olivia left her apartment building, black sedans boxed her in. Menacing figures emerged.

Their leader grabbed her arm roughly. "Someone wants to see you. Come quietly."

Olivia struggled uselessly against his grip. Mute, she typed frantically on her phone: "What do you want?"

The man smirked. "You'll see. Don't worry - we're civilized people. We won't hurt you."

Realization struck. "You're with the Hartleys?"

Her question earned only a contemptuous snort as they shoved her into a car.

Meanwhile, Daniel arrived just in time to see Olivia being forced into the vehicle by the ominous group.