bChapter /bb213 /b

OLIVIA’S POV

I was still trying to process what my dad had just told me on the phone, at first I thought he was joking or this might be ba prank /bbcall /bbut then I remembered my dad doesn’t joke.

“Wait… you’re already on your way?” I asked, surprise rising in my voice before I could stop it.

My father’s voice crackled gently through the speaker, calm as ever. “We’re just aboutnding at the airport, sweetheart. Send bus /byour address so we cane to you right away.” My eyes drifting to Damien

I blinked, momentarily thrown. I hadn’t expected them this soon, when he told me he was on his way I didn’t think he meant he was going to arrive in a day, how did he get another private jet when I am still using the family jet?

“I was staying in a hotel,” I admitted, ncing around the suite that had been both my hiding ce and my war room these past days. “But I’ll get a house that can suit all of us.”

“Please do,” Dad said, his tone gentle but carrying that familiar finality that told me this wasn’t really a suggestion.

Then I also remembered that I told Julian that Dad wasing and he has a ce they can stay, but knowing how stubborn Mom is and also from thest experience she had thest time she stayed at Julian’s ce, she would definitely insist on staying with ollime. /li/ol

Before I could reply, I heard my mother’s voice in the background, softer but unmistakably excited. “And before I forget, we brought a surprise along with us.”

My brows drew together. “A surprise?” Curiosityced my voice despite the ache of exhaustion gnawing at me.

Then, through the faint rustle on the line, on the other side of the camera, my mom turned to her back and I heard her call out: “Come here, mommy wants to see you.”

The words alone were enough to make me sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose, heart fluttering with both dread and affection. I already knew what wasing next even before the screen shifted.

Sure enough, Charlie’s familiar face filled the camera a secondter, eyes wide and bright, his usual big smile lighting up his small features. His dark hair was a little messy, and his backpack strap peeked into the frame.

“Hey you,” I said, my voice softening despite everything, an instinctive warmth blooming in my chest. “We just talked a few hours ago, and you were on your way to school. So tell me how did you get out?”

“They picked me up from school!” Charlie replied brightly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I let out another sigh, shaking my head faintly. “Okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice even though the corners of my lips twitched into a reluctant smile. “We’re going to see each other in a few minutes, so sit tight, okay?”

He nodded quickly, eyes sparkling before he slipped out of the frame, likely back to his seat next to my mother.

The moment he was out of view, my smile faded, reced by the familiar tightness in my chest. “Why did you bring bhim /bwith byou/b?” I asked, keeping my voice low but firm “He was safer in Mexico.”

“Rx, Olivia,” my father said, his tone softening slightly but still carrying that stubborn edge I’d known my whole life. “bNothing /bbis /bgoing to happen to you or him now that we’reing to the city. I’ve already arranged for double the security, and once the

b12:20 /bFri, 1 Aug

ceremony is over, we leave,”

“You said the ceremony wouldn’t happen for a while,” I countered quickly, frustration bleeding through my words. b“/bbAnd /bbwhat /babout Charlie’s school? He can’t just miss out on his sses. His life shouldn’t stop because of this.”

“We took care of that too,” Dad said, the faintest edge of impatience creeping into his voice. “He’ll have private online bsses /bbwith /bhis teachers and ssmates back in Mexico. It’ll be as if he’s still there.”

I drew in a slow breath, staring at the carpet beneath my feet. “But it wouldn’t be the same, Dad,” I murmured, softer now.

A pause settled between us before he spoke again, his voice dropping to something almost weary. “You didn’t expect me bto /bbjust /bleave my grandchild all alone in another country, did you? That wasn’t good enough for me, Olivia. He’s safer with us here bthan /banywhere else. He’s not meant to be in this city but I promise you he’s safer with us than in any other country all alone.” My dad said.

Part of me wanted to argue, wanted to say that dragging Charlie into this city, this mess, felt reckless. But deep downb, /bI knew bit was /bpointless. They were already here, minutes fromnding. And no matter how old I got, my father’s mind was a fortress once bmade /bolliup. /li/ol

They think it’s just all about keeping Charlie safe, if that was it then I would be bringing him over to New York every weekend.

But I also had to keep Charlie away from Adrian, if he found out that Charlie was his son, I don’t even know what I’d do because I haven’t nned that far.

That’s why I’ll get a big enough house that always keeps Charlie indoors he wouldn’t have any reason to go outside, I just need to do that till we leave here

1 let out a tired sigh, rubbing at my temple. “Alright,” I said quietly, the weight of resignation settling over me. “Just… be careful when yound, okay?”

Then, as if the conversation wasn’t already heavy enough, Dad’s voice shifted lighter but firm. “Like I said we’re gonna be done with this whole thing before you even realize it, in fact… put on something nice, we’re going over to thepany branch today for the announcementi./ii” /i

The words hit me like a p, my head snapping up. “What?” I blurted out, the shock breaking through my carefully held calm.

biAD /i/b

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