Chapter 442

Eleanor Blackwood's face drained of color, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The words she longed to scream—that Liam wasn't Mr. Jack—lodged in her throat like a stone. The fury that had burned inside her moments ago dissolved into something far heavier.

Defeated, Eleanor turned on her heel and walked away without another word.

Liam closed the distance between himself and Olivia, his fingers intertwining with hers. Olivia stood frozen, still reeling from his declaration. His words had struck her like lightning, igniting something deep within her chest.

This man was willing to throw away everything—his reputation, his safety—for her. But the thought twisted her stomach. She didn’t want to owe him. Not again.

The warmth of his hand grounded her, but the conflict inside her raged on. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Eleanor is the only one who can protect your identity as Mr. Jack. This is reckless, Liam. Have you completely lost your mind?"

His dark eyes burned with resolve. "I told you, I love you. I failed you before. I won’t make that mistake again." His grip tightened slightly. "Olivia, you and Isabelle don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’ll take care of you both."

Her breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision.

Isabelle tugged at her sleeve, glancing around at the lingering crowd. "Mommy, can we go home now?"

Before Olivia could answer, Liam swept the little girl into his arms. "Yes, let’s go home."

With that, he led them away, leaving the stunned onlookers behind. The evidence Liam had presented was irrefutable, dismantling every accusation against Olivia in one swift motion. Victoria Ellington stood frozen, her face ashen. She hadn’t expected Eleanor—Mr. Jack’s own sister—to side with Liam at the most critical moment.

Now, Victoria had nothing left. A cold dread slithered down her spine as her legs gave out, sending her crumpling to the floor. Just then, her phone buzzed—Daniel’s name flashing across the screen.

She snatched it up, her voice raw with hysteria. "Are you happy now? Now that I’m going to rot in prison? You must be laughing, aren’t you? With me gone, nothing stands between you and Olivia anymore!"

Silence stretched on the other end before Daniel finally spoke, his voice eerily calm. "You know I never loved you. I married you out of obligation. I tried to be a decent husband. You saw that—you just refused to accept it. Instead, you blamed Olivia for everything. Even if she had never come back, you would have found someone else to hate." His tone hardened. "I thought I could keep pretending. But I was wrong."

Tears spilled down Victoria’s cheeks. "You never loved me—not even a little! Then why did you marry me?" Her voice cracked. "You’re the reason I became like this!"

"Yes," Daniel admitted, bitterness lacing his words. "It’s my fault. And I’ve made my decision. I’ll spend the rest of my life atoning for my mistakes. I won’t return to the Bennett family. I won’t seek love. I’ll tend to your mother’s grave until the day I die."

Victoria’s breath caught. A broken laugh escaped her, tangled with sobs. Regret and self-loathing crashed over her in waves. She wanted to beg him to stay—to tell him she could change.

But before she could utter another word, the call ended. Daniel had severed the last thread between them.

Then—

The door burst open with a violent crash.

Police officers swarmed the room.

Victoria had known this was coming. She’d returned to the country knowing Liam’s men would hunt her down if she stayed abroad. But now, faced with the inevitable, she realized—no one could predict what awaited her next.