OLIVIA’S POV

“Hey, hey,” I said, tapping the reporter’s cheeks.

Her breathing was bing more shallow by the second, and panic wed at my chest. Damn it, where was the ambnce when you actually needed one? If help didn‘ te soon, she was going to die right here, right in my arms. My hands trembled as I pressed lightly against her shoulder, unsure of what to do.

Then, out of nowhere, I felt a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Get up.” A man’s voicemanded.

I turned sharply to see Adrian standing over me, his expression unreadable.

“Wow, that’s the CEO of Westwood Industries.” Someone whispered in the crowd.

A suited man standing beside Adrian–one of his security, no doubt–raised his voice.

“Party’s over. You can all leave. The situation will be taken care of.”

At his words, the murmuring crowd hesitated for a moment before gradually dispersing. Camera shes dimmed, and one by one, people walked away, either out of intimidation or curiosity satisfied. But not before I noticed some of them still recording, their phones subtly held at their sides.

Adrian stood there, watching me, his gaze heavy with something unreadable. I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as I looked up at him from where I was kneeling next to the unconscious reporter.

“I didn’t mean to,” I blurted out, my voice shaky. “She held on to me, and this happened.”

A slow smirk curled on Adrian’s lips.

“If that’s what you’re nning to tell the cops,” he said, his voice low and almost amused, “then you’re definitely going to jail.”

My breath caught in my throat. Jail.

My body went rigid at the word, and my hands instinctively clenched. No, no, no–l couldn’t go to jail. That wasn’t an option.

“That was a bit much, don’t you think?” he added, watching my reaction carefully.

“How was I supposed to know she would fall into the street?” I shot back, the panic still bubbling under my voice.

Adrian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, tossing it lightly onto myp as if this was nothing more than a minor

Sessfully unlocked! inconvenience.

“Let’s gob,/bb” /bhe ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

“Go where?” bI /basked, my throat dry.

“If

you don’t want to end up behind bars, you’lle with me,” he said simply.

I hesitated, my mind racing. I nced over at Julian’s driver, who had been waiting beside the car this whole time. He met my gaze and gave me a slight nod before pulling out his phone, most likely calling Julian.

My hands trembled as I looked back down at the reporter. Her clothes were soaked in blood, her body eerily still.

“You don’t expect me to just leave her here in this condition,” I said, turning my attention back to Adrian.

But he didn’t even nce back. He simply turned on his heel and walked toward the convoy of ck Cadic escde SUVs parked on the side of the road. His security team moved in sync with him, their presence alone making it clear that I had no real choice here.

I swallowed hard and looked back down at the woman onest time.

She needed help.

But so did I.

This world wasn’t kind to people like me–people caught in situations they didn’t ask for. I had already seen firsthand how easy it was for the truth to be twisted, and for viins to be made out of victims. If I stayed, I would only make things worse for myself.

Slowly, hesitantly, I ced the reporter’s head gently on the ground and pushed myself to my feet.

With every step away from her, a weight settled deeper in my chest.

I crossed the street, my legs feeling heavy, and stopped in front of one of the SUVs. A man in a ck suit opened the door, and without another word, I slid into the leather seat beside Adrian.

The convoy started moving smoothly, blending seamlessly into the night traffic.

For a few moments, there was only silence inside the car.

Then, unable to take it any longer, I turned toward Adrian.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re leaving this area,” he replied coolly.

??

I frowned. “Why did you want me to follow you?b” /b

Instead of answering, he pulled out a tablet and tapped the screen. A video started ying. My stomach dropped as I saw myself on the screen–me, shoving the reporter. The moment yed out in crystal rity, captured from an angle that made it look far worse than it actually was. The way her body stumbled into the street. The way the car came out of nowhere.

Someone had recorded everything.

Adrian watched me carefully as he held the tablet up.

“You see, Olivia,” he said smoothly, “thedy you pushed has done her part. Now it’s time for you to do yours.”

My head snapped toward him.

“Done her part?” My voice was barely above a whisper. “What the hell are you talking about?”

His smirk deepened.

“You think you’re ahead of me,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly. “But I want your to know–I’m always two steps ahead.”

A sick feeling churned in my stomach.

“What are you saying?” I demanded.

Adrian leaned back against the seat,pletely at ease. “The reporter? She’ll be fine.”

His words sent a jolt through me.

“What do you mean she’ll be fine?” I asked, dread curling in my gut. “She was bleeding everywhere. She could barely move…”

Adrian chuckled lightly. “That’s why she was paid.”

I froze.

My brain struggled to process what he had just said.

“She was… paid?” My voice came out hoarse.

Adrian turned his head slightly, his sharp eyes gleaming under the dim interior lights.

“Let me be quick with this,” he said, voice calm andposed. “It was all staged. So don’t worry…you didn’t kill anyone.”

I blinked, my mind nk.

Staged?

I turned my head slowly, looking out the window at the ident scene in the distance. The crowd was dispersing now, the shing lights of emergency vehicles just starting to arrive.

I turned back to Adrian, my/mouth slightly open in disbelief.

“The driver that hit her,” he continued smoothly, “the reporter, and everyone who recorded you…they were all paid by me.”

I stared at him, realization crashing down on me like a tidal wave.

I didn’t push her hard enough.

The car had pulled out of nowhere, at the perfect moment.

The video footage was conveniently captured at an angle that made it look intentional.

was all nned

It was all Adrian’s doing