Chapter 5 Truth
733 Words
"Ms. Austen, our employer has settled your grandmother's medical bills." The driver handed Olivia a few receipts.
Olivia's hands trembled as she took the receipts. Seeing the list of purchased medications, she felt a wave of relief. "Did Nolan send you to pick me up?" She knew there were security cameras at the entrance. Nolan must have seen her.
The driver shook his head. "Mr. Barton took everything from you and compared you to a dog. What hope are you still clinging to?" He opened the rear door. "Please, Ms. Austen."
Looking up, Olivia saw a man sitting in the back seat, his legs gracefully crossed, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. His mere presence exuded an aura of unapproachability.
"I don't know you..."
"Our employer will tell you everything you want to know." The driver continued, "And he doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Olivia understood the implied threat. She had no idea who this man was, but her thirst for the truth outweighed her fear. Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself up, ignoring the pain shooting through her leg from the reopened wound. The driver quickly bandaged her leg and handed her a towel. Wrapping the towel around herself, Olivia got into the car, and sat beside the man.
The car started smoothly. In the dim light of the car's interior, Olivia caught a glimpse of the man's flawless profile, the cigarette still held between his long fingers... His side profile seemed familiar.
"What is it you want to tell me?" Olivia asked.
The man didn't answer, instead turning his head to fix her with a cold stare. His gaze lingered on her neck.
"Return my necklace." His voice was low and chilling.
Olivia instinctively touched the pendant on her neck. The word "return" sparked a realization. This necklace belonged to the man from that night. Fury coursed through her.
"So, you were the man from that night!" His side profile, she had seen it in the photo!
"You sent that text message too, didn't you?" Olivia accused, raising her hand to slap him. "You animal!"
"I didn't send you any messages, but I did book that room." The man's eyes flickered open, glancing at her. "Curious how you ended up in my room that night?"
Olivia's hand froze in midair. She remembered reaching the door, about to knock, when someone had shoved her from behind.
"Don't play dumb!" Olivia scoffed. "You booked the room, if you didn't send the text, then who did? I have no grudge against you, why would you do this to me?"
Adrian Francis let out a cold chuckle. "You're incredibly naive."
Before Olivia could retort, the man had snatched the necklace from her neck, taking out a handkerchief to wipe it clean. He addressed the driver, "To the hotel. Show Ms. Austen the truth."
"Yes, sir."
The car arrived at the Remington Hotel's underground parking lot. The hotel held unpleasant memories for Olivia. She shuddered, recalling the events of that morning. Limping slightly, her clothes still damp, she followed Adrian into a room. Clutching the towel tightly around herself, she frowned. "Where is this truth you speak of?"
Adrian glanced at the driver, who immediately picked up a remote and turned on the wall-mounted LCD television. The layout of a hotel room flickered to life on the screen. It seemed to be a live feed.
Olivia watched as two familiar figures entered the room. It was Nolan, her new ex-husband, and her best friend, Anna!
"Nolan, congratulations on getting what you wanted." Anna wrapped her arms around Nolan, her slender fingers trailing across his body. "You were ruthless, though. Not a single penny for Olivia. I heard the medication her grandmother needs is quite expensive."
"One less burden when she dies." Nolan's voice was cold. He turned and captured Anna's lips in a deep kiss. "It's all thanks to you. Exposing those shareholders' secrets allowed me to seize their shares and take over The Austen Group."
"You're my boyfriend, who else would I help?" Anna playfully punched his arm. "I've taken care of things with the police. Even if Olivia survives this, she won't find any evidence. But Nolan, aren't you being too cruel? You even dared to harm your adoptive parents?"
Olivia's mind went blank, her body swaying as Anna's words sunk in. Her parents hadn't died in an accident... Nolan had killed them!
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