Chapter 421
The crimson blood dripping down Olivia's neck sent Liam into immediate panic. His breath hitched as his pupils dilated with horror. "Fine! I accept your terms!" he barked, voice cracking. "Sebastian! Arrange everything now! Get her to that damn plane immediately!"
"Right away, sir."
Victoria hesitated for a heartbeat, casting one last triumphant glance at the scene before scurrying after Sebastian.
Liam's attention snapped back to Olivia. The blood continued its slow trail down her pale skin, yet she remained eerily silent - a broken porcelain doll with vacant eyes. A cold realization slithered down his spine.
"Olivia?" His voice trembled.
Before she could react, the blade at her throat pressed deeper, drawing another thin line of red. The bodyguard's warning was clear.
Liam's jaw clenched so tight his teeth ached. Rage and helplessness warred within him, turning his vision red at the edges. Why couldn't he protect the one person who mattered?
The clock ticked with agonizing slowness. Twenty minutes stretched into what felt like hours before Sebastian's text arrived: "Victoria's on the plane to Montecarlo. Watched her board myself. Should we have her intercepted, Mr. Blackwood?"
A mirthless smile twisted Liam's lips as he typed his reply: "Let her think she's escaped. Track her every move. The game isn't over."
At the signal, the guards released Olivia as promised. The moment their hands withdrew, she crumpled to the floor like a marionette with severed strings.
As the room emptied, Liam surged forward, gathering Olivia's limp form into his arms. "Olivia? Sweetheart?" His fingers trembled as he examined the wound - superficial, thank God, but the vacant stare in her eyes chilled him to the bone.
She didn't respond. Didn't blink. Just existed, breathing but not living.
"Get her to Mercy Hospital! And someone call Oliver Hart immediately!" Liam roared.
At the hospital, the lead physician's brow furrowed as he reviewed the test results. "We're dealing with an advanced neurotoxin - something I've never seen in clinical practice. Don't worry, we'll assemble our best specialists immediately."
Liam could only nod mutely before returning to the private ward.
Olivia had been propped up against the pillows, her gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the window. The color had returned to her cheeks, but her eyes remained disturbingly empty.
A nurse waved a penlight before those unblinking eyes with no reaction. It was as if Olivia's soul had vacated her body, leaving behind only the shell.
Then Liam saw it - the faintest twitch between her brows. He dismissed the medical staff with a curt gesture. "I'll watch over her."
Alone in the hushed room, Liam sat vigil beside the bed. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees. Golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, painting dappled patterns across the sterile white sheets.
How long had it been since they'd shared a quiet moment like this?