Chapter 52

The hospital bed felt impossibly small as Olivia Sinclair curled up beside Liam Blackwood. She pressed herself against the edge, making herself as compact as possible to avoid touching him.

Olivia turned her back to Liam, but his body heat still radiated against her. The faint brush of his muscular frame and the cold press of monitor wires against her spine made sleep difficult.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to relax. Exhaustion from the day's events finally pulled her toward sleep.

Then movement. Liam shifted behind her, removing the tangled wires before wrapping an arm around her waist. His chest pressed against her back, his warm breath tickling her neck. Olivia froze.

But he did nothing more. His breathing soon steadied into sleep's rhythm.

When Olivia tried adjusting her position, Liam's sleep-rough voice stopped her. "Stop moving. Hospital bed. Remember?"

Olivia held perfectly still, barely daring to breathe. She didn't remember falling asleep, but a sharp noise jolted her awake.

The door clicked open. Stiletto heels tapped across the floor. Then a shriek.

Olivia jerked upright, only to be pulled back down by Liam's unyielding arm.

Evelyn Hartley stood frozen in the doorway, breakfast tray nearly slipping from her fingers. "You two—?" Her eyes widened in horrified disbelief.

"Must you be so loud?" Liam growled as he sat up slowly, irritation lining his voice.

Olivia scrambled from the bed, flushing when she noticed several shirt buttons had come undone. Her fumbling attempts to fasten them only seemed to fuel Evelyn's rage.

Evelyn approached cautiously, clearly restraining herself in Liam's presence. "I brought breakfast, but I certainly didn't expect to find—"

"No spare beds last night," Liam said dismissively. "She slept here."

Olivia's heart twisted. She was Liam's wife, yet here they were, explaining their intimacy to his mistress.

The nurse entered with a blood draw cart. "After we take samples, you can eat."

Olivia stepped aside while Evelyn remained silent.

"Everything looks stable," the nurse said after checking the overnight heart monitor readings. "Just need those numbers to stay consistent for full recovery."

"Stay consistent?" The words echoed ominously in Evelyn's mind. What had they done last night to cause instability? This was supposed to be a healing space!

Evelyn's nails bit into her palms. After years with Liam, she'd never gotten this close. How did this mute nobody deserve such intimacy?

"Breakfast time," the nurse announced before leaving, the door clicking shut behind her.

"Liam, I brought your favorite porridge," Evelyn said, arranging a small table with practiced elegance that made Olivia feel clumsy in comparison.

Steam rose from the opened thermos, but the aroma wasn't appetizing. "From that place you love. I convinced them to open early just for you. Chef Sebastian personally prepared it—far better than anything homemade." Her pointed glance at Olivia dripped with condescension.

"And I brought imported fruit," Evelyn added, smirking at Olivia's homemade meal.

Standing by the door, food container in hand, Olivia felt like an intruder in her own marriage. Her hours of careful cooking paled against Evelyn's effortless extravagance.

"What's that smell?" Ryan Carter's voice cut through the room as he entered with IV supplies. His nose wrinkled at the thermos's contents. "How many artificial flavors are in that?"

Ryan's disapproving gaze landed on Evelyn. "Trying to poison my patient?"

Evelyn faltered, looking to Liam for support. "It's from your favorite—"

Before she could finish, Ryan's attention shifted to her perfume. "Are you trying to gas us all? They should post signs: 'No Perfume Allowed! Oxygen Zone!'"

His nose wrinkled in disgust. "Take that stuff and leave. Please."

Evelyn turned pleading eyes to Liam, who remained impassive. "Listen to the doctor," he said flatly.

"Exactly," Ryan added. "Doctor's orders trump mistresses."

As Evelyn stormed out, her glare promised Olivia would pay for this humiliation.

"All done," Ryan announced cheerfully as he finished Liam's IV. Then with exaggerated surprise: "Oh no! Needle's in your right hand. Guess you'll need help eating today."

Liam's icy stare could have frozen lava. "Mistake?"

"Long shift. Tired hands," Ryan said without remorse. Then to Olivia: "Since you're here, Mrs. Blackwood, why don't you feed your husband? Can't exactly re-stick him now."

Feed Liam? Olivia's cheeks burned as she stood frozen.