𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬¹ ✓

Twenty-Four

Resilience {noun} - the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness

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𝓞𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓪 sat anxiously in her office as her people walked in and out. Ringing tones bounced off the walls as Marcus kept calling his brother.

Noah never answered. All Olivia could think about was what he could possibly be doing to them. She hoped Noah retained even an ounce of care for them and wouldn't hurt them.

"Madame Lenoir, Antione est arrivée." One of her men announced quickly before his presence was replaced but a lengthy man. Olivia nodded, quickly getting up to talk to Antione.

(Madam Lenoir, Antione had arrived.)

"So? Anything?" She asked him. Her hair was a mess as was her dress and make-up. "Liv, maybe you should freshen up before we continue." Olivia shook her head rapidly at her brother's request. "No! Not until my boys are back and Noah is dead." She said menacingly as she ran her hand through her hair.

Her crown sitting bloody on the edge of her desk.

"Il mio sogno, Peter's right. We'll keep looking while you shower." Marcus spoke up after calling Noah for the hundredth time.

Olivia looked at her husband, anger clear as day in her eyes. "You don't get to say anything! You lied to me--to us!" She raised her voice as she motioned to everyone. "Liv-" She cut him off, "Don't call me that! If it wasn't for that stupid brother of yours, our boys would be safe and sound in their beds but instead, they're who-knows-where probably scared out of their minds!" Every worst-case scenario crossed her mind as she walked back behind her desk, letting herself fall back onto her chair.

"We'll find them Olivia. I won't let my sorry excuse of a brother ruin them." Marcus promised before escorting Antione out of the office and towards another room where all the hackers and trackers were.

Peter sighed, walking over to his distressed older sister. Olivia held her head in her hands, her body racking with sobs. Theo made sure no one walked into her office while she was like this. He knew as well as she and Peter that Olivia couldn't afford to look weak, even in moments like this.

Thankfully, the office was soundproof. Theo and Marcus ran the search while Peter tried to calm his sister down. Her being in such distress wasn't going to help anyone.

"Liv, don't be so hard on him. He lost his sons tonight too." Peter defended his friend. He had known for years who Marcus was; who he was related to. He knew the day Olivia found out she'd be torn apart. But, Peter also knew that Marcus loved his sister. That Marcus cut all ties to his father and was prepared to give up his life if it meant Olivia and their boys could live free.

"He's a Bianchi son, Peter. He's supposed to be our sworn enemy." She told him silently, too sad and tired to raise her voice. "He lied to me. He knew how I felt about his family and he kept it from me." Peter rubbed her back as she looked up at him. "Just, let him explain himself. Once we get the boys back, you and he can sit down and have a serious talk."

Olivia shook her head with a sigh, "How am I supposed to trust him again? How do you trust him still? At least enough to defend him right now." Peter hesitated but there would be no better time than now to tell her.