Zack pushed open the door to Olivia's room, his heart pounding in his chest. The normally composed, ruthless mafia king, the man feared by many, stood there, staring at his wife. She was awake. Alive. And that was more than he could've asked for, considering everything that had happened.
The moment his eyes locked on her, he felt a wave of emotion hit him. He couldn't help it. For the first time in years, the wall he had built around his heart cracked, and he wept.
Olivia's eyes fluttered open when she sensed his presence. She blinked, her gaze foggy with sleep but sharp enough to catch his tears. "Zack..." Her voice was weak, but the softness of it cut through him.
Zack's breath caught in his throat as he moved closer to her bedside, ignoring everything around him. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, his hands trembling slightly as he cupped her face.
"I love you," he whispered, voice thick with emotion, like a weight had been lifted off him after so long.
Olivia's lips barely moved as she replied, "I love you too, Zack."
Zack pulled her closer, not caring who was in the room now, just needing to hold her. He fussed over her gently, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear, brushing his thumb along her cheek. But Olivia remained impassive, her face betraying no emotion, even though her eyes softened slightly.
Zack sighed, frustration building in him. "Olivia, don't do this. Don't shut me out. I-" He faltered, taking in the sight of her-alive, but so different. She wasn't the same after everything. And it hurt him.
She interrupted him softly, her voice almost a whisper, "Zack, Carter told me something... about him being a goldsmith. What did he mean by that?"
Zack's whole body tensed at the mention of Carter. Before he could respond, Eloise stepped forward, her face creased with concern. "Olivia, sweetheart, you should rest. You've been through a lot."
But Zack and Lucius both turned their eyes to Olivia, their expressions hardening. Lucius's voice was firm as he spoke. "Olivia, listen to me. Call down and listen to us, very carefully. Then you can make your decisions, but hear us out first."
Olivia blinked in confusion, her mind trying to process the jumble of thoughts. She had always been one to listen first, act later. But she was tired. Tired of being caught in the web of her family's secrets, in the ever-evolving chaos of the world they inhabited.
Lucius took a slow breath, his eyes grave. He looked at Olivia, the weight of his words settling between them. "Almost thirty years ago, I made a mistake. A mistake that has haunted me ever since. I cheated on Meredith-your mother-in-law-with a woman named Lydia."
Olivia's brows furrowed. "Carter...?" she murmured, barely able to process what Lucius was saying.
Lucius nodded grimly. "Yes. Carter is my son, Olivia. He is the product of that affair."
The room grew heavy, the air thick with the weight of those words. Zack's face had hardened, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, but he kept quiet. He had already known some of this. It still felt like a betrayal to him, even after all these years.
Lucius's voice cracked slightly. "I had no idea what to do. I was a fool. I loved Meredith, and I wanted to protect my family. But Lydia... she kept the baby. Against my wishes. And when I found out, I told her to terminate it. She didn't. Instead, she kept Landon, and when Richard Winston found out, he came to my doorstep asking for a share of the goldsmith empire for his son."
Olivia's breath hitched. "Richard Winston?"
"Yes," Lucius continued. "Richard came to me, demanding a share. When I refused, he went to your father, Charles Wilson. He was a powerful lawyer, and Richard knew he could get what he wanted that way."
