Chapter 138

Olivia Sinclair and Alexander Hayes had just finished their lunch. As Olivia gathered her things to leave, Alexander's phone buzzed with an incoming call.

The voice on the other end of the line darkened Alexander's expression instantly.

A cold prickle of unease ran down Olivia's spine. Her instincts screamed that something was wrong. Quickly, she typed out a message: "Is William okay?"

Alexander hesitated before replying, his voice tight. "Just a work emergency. Urgent, but manageable. I won't be able to drive you back."

Understanding, Olivia nodded and gestured for him to go, mouthing "Be careful."

With that, Alexander strode off, his posture rigid with tension. Olivia stepped outside, blinking against the sudden blinding flash of a camera.

Her stomach dropped.

She whipped her head around, scanning the street. There was nothing incriminating about a business lunch, but a single twisted photo could spark a scandal.

Then she spotted him—a man clutching a camera, his face paling as their eyes met.

He bolted.

Olivia wanted to scream "Thief!" to rally the crowd, but her voice failed her. Instead, she sprinted after him, her heels clicking against the pavement.

The man weaved through pedestrians with practiced ease, slipping further away.

Just as despair clawed at her, a figure lunged from the side—Julian Hawthorne.

He tackled the photographer to the ground with brutal efficiency.

Julian didn’t flinch under the shocked stares of bystanders. He wrenched the camera from the man’s grip, his voice sharp. "Delete the photos, or I call the police. You don’t want a lawsuit for invasion of privacy."

Trembling, the man surrendered the camera.

Julian tossed it to Olivia. "He didn’t have time to back anything up."

Olivia deleted the photos immediately, then bowed in gratitude, typing out a message: "Thank you."

Julian shrugged. "I was passing by and saw him acting suspiciously. Didn’t realize he was targeting you." He studied her. "Why would he?"

Olivia hesitated, then typed: "Business lunch with your cousin. Whitmore Holdings is unstable right now. A scandal could be disastrous."

Julian’s expression shifted—understanding, then something calculating.

Before Olivia could react, he added, "You know, you and Alexander would make a good match. My grandfather already approves of you."

Olivia stiffened. She typed firmly: "I’m married. Alexander and I are just friends."

Julian blinked, feigning embarrassment. "Ah, my mistake. I’ve only ever seen you alone."

Olivia forced a polite smile, though irritation simmered beneath. She owed him, but this was crossing a line.

Luckily, Julian suddenly excused himself, claiming an urgent matter.

Relief flooded her.

The moment Julian slid into his car, his pleasant facade vanished. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through photos—Olivia and Alexander, their heads close together, their expressions intimate.

His lips curled. Perfect.

At the hospital, chaos reigned.

Julian slipped into the crowd of weeping relatives, his face a mask of concern.

Eleanor Hawthorne sat with red-rimmed eyes. Spotting Julian, she clutched his arm like a lifeline, her fingers digging in.

Julian knew those weren’t tears of grief.

Eleanor whispered, "He’s in a vegetative state. No one knows if he’ll wake up."

Julian’s eyes widened. "You did this?"

Before she could answer, Alexander stormed in, flanked by bodyguards.

Julian jerked his arm free, stepping back.

Eleanor barely had time to register the betrayal before Alexander’s icy voice cut through the room.

"Explain this."

Eleanor’s face crumpled. "How dare you accuse me? He’s my father!"

Alexander didn’t flinch. "The doctor said you insisted on being alone with him after surgery. Then his oxygen tube was mysteriously disconnected. Now he’s comatose." His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "What did you do?"

Eleanor struck his chest, sobbing. "After everything I’ve done for you—"

Alexander caught her wrist, his grip unyielding. "You abandoned this family before I was born. Grandfather nearly died from the stress. Don’t pretend to care now."

The room held its breath.

Julian watched, his smirk hidden in the shadows.

This was far from over.