Chapter 337

The tension between Vivienne and Reginald escalated after this incident, while Frederick's family only fueled the flames of discord. Not a single soul stood by Vivienne's side.

In the heat of their confrontation, Alistair delivered a stinging slap across Vivienne's face.

Heart shattered, Vivienne left the Kensington estate with Olivia in tow, swearing she'd never set foot there again.

The public narrative painted Vivienne as the rebellious daughter who defied her family's wishes by running off with a country bumpkin, enraging Alistair. But reality told a far different story.

Regret consumed Alistair soon enough. He spent over a decade searching for his lost daughter and granddaughter, only recently managing to reconnect with them.

Upon hearing this, Olivia immediately voiced her suspicion. "That can't be right. My mother is meticulous. She wouldn't let such a thing happen. There must be a traitor among us."

"You're absolutely right," Donovan replied with a bitter twist of his lips. "We've just uncovered the mole. It turns out to be my own mother."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock as she stared at Donovan, her mind reeling from this revelation.

Donovan's eyes darkened with pain, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.

"As much as it pains me to admit, the evidence is undeniable. We only discovered the truth recently. Before that, I still believed Vivienne was responsible for my disappearance. Yet I never held it against her."

"Even during those five difficult years before I was found, I was certain of her innocence. I suspected betrayal within my family, but never imagined it would come from my own mother."

"How is that possible..." Olivia's voice faded into stunned silence. Though she'd never warmed to Margaret, the idea of her orchestrating such cruelty seemed unfathomable. Donovan, her own son, had suffered wounds too deep to ignore.

During his clearer moments, Alistair had shared grim details of the past. When Donovan's whereabouts were finally uncovered, his captors had planned to maim him permanently - ensuring he could never expose the full extent of their crimes.

Olivia's emotions churned violently. She couldn't fathom her mother capable of such atrocities. Yet as the truth unraveled, the impossible became undeniable: Margaret, Donovan's own mother, had orchestrated his years of suffering.

Donovan hesitated before continuing, "I know it's difficult to believe. I struggled to accept it myself at first. But soon, we'll understand my mother's motives."

Just then, commotion erupted at the door. Reginald's voice called out, "Donovan, is Olivia awake?"

"Yes," Donovan answered as he opened the door.

Reginald entered first, looking every bit as haggard as Donovan had described. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, his movements stiff as if each step caused him pain. Having spent the entire night on his knees, Reginald was clearly suffering.

Yet the moment his gaze landed on Olivia lying in the hospital bed, his eyes filled with tears. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees before her.

Startled, Olivia exclaimed, "Reginald, what are you doing? Please, get up."

But Reginald shook his head, delivering a sharp slap to his own cheek.

"This is all my fault. I failed to recognize the darkness in my wife's heart and stop her in time. Had I not brought her into our lives, none of this would have happened."

"I'm so sorry, Olivia. I've seen what they did to Isabelle. It was monstrous. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, but please know Donovan cares deeply for you. Don't hold this against him."

Tears welled in Olivia's eyes as she absorbed his words.