307 Troubled

I didn’t want to be alone right now. I needed someone.

A soft sigh escaped me before I could stop it. The ache in my legs from the strain of the ritual began to ease under his touch. His movements were firm yet careful, like he was afraid of hurting me.

I nodded, releasing her hand reluctantly. “Goodbye… for now.”

“Olivia,” he said softly, rising to his feet.

I parted my lips to answer, but before I could speak, the door opened.

Louis shifted slightly at the foot of the bed. Without a word, he gently lifted my legs and rested them across his knees. His large hands began to massage slowly, his thumbs pressing into the tense muscles of my calves.

Her brows pulled together into a deep frown. “No… Olivia. It wasn’t me.”

Without hesitation, I decided I’d go to them.

It was quiet, dimly lit, the faint scent of him lingering in the air. He was alone—sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, head slightly bowed like he’d been lost in thought.

I glanced at my mother, still lying weakly on the bed, her tired eyes filled with so many unspoken words. I wanted to stay. I wanted to keep talking, to tell her everything. But my body wasn’t listening to my will anymore.

Levi’s eyes searched my face, his brows pulling together in concern. “Olivia… what’s wrong?” he asked gently, stepping closer.

My mother was back. She was alive. I had accomplished the one thing I’d dreamt of since learning about her fate.

I gave them a faint, tired smile. “I just… healed my mother. It took a lot out of me. I’m… weak right now.”

A hollow ache sat stubbornly in my chest. Something felt wrong. I didn’t know if it was her strange calmness about me marrying Lord Frederick or something else.

307 Troubled

And without thinking too much about it, my thoughts drifted to the triplets. The only ones who had ever made me feel safe without words.

Her expression didn’t even flicker with surprise—it was almost like… she had expected it.

She shook her head slowly, her grip tightening weakly around my hand. “I’ve been in a coma for ten years. My soul has been trapped… sleeping. I couldn’t appear to you even if I wanted to. Whoever you saw—it wasn’t me.”

I didn’t resist. My body welcomed the comfort as Levi eased me down, positioning me so I could rest. I ended up with my head resting against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my cheek. His warmth surrounded me, comforting me in a way I didn’t know I needed.

I let out a long sigh and lowered myself onto the bed, my body sinking into the soft mattress. My gaze drifted to the ceiling, but my mind was far away.

I swallowed, forcing a soft smile for her sake. “I’ll be back soon, Mama. I promise.” That unsettled me more than anything.

I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. For some reason, I thought she would look worried, maybe even upset, at the idea of me marrying Lord Frederick. But she didn’t.

Olivia’s POV

“Olivia?” Lennox’s voice was low but worried, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. “What happened?”

I teleported away, the room and the seer’s worried gaze vanishing from sight as I disappeared into the safety of my chambers.

I appeared, standing in Levi’s room.

“Mama… I’ve been seeing you,” I said softly. “In my dreams… in my visions. You appeared to me. You spoke to me.”

The seer’s voice cut through the haze. “Olivia—” She was at my side in an instant, her hand steadying my shoulder. “You’ve overexerted yourself. Healing her took a great deal from you. You need to rest before you collapse.”

But…

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Her gaze darkened slightly, and when she spoke again, her voice dropped lower. “It might have been your great-grandmother… Hailee. She must have taken my face.”

Arriving in my chamber, I immediately noticed the quiet. No Nora. No Lolita. No sound of movement, no familiar presence to greet me.

I tried to shake my head, but even that made me dizzy. “I’m fine… I can still—”

She squeezed my hand faintly, her lips curving into a small smile. “Go rest, my daughter.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, the silence of the room suffocating me. I had thought that having her back would help in Frederick’s case, but instead, I felt… scared.

He looked up the moment he sensed me. Surprise flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by a warm, almost relieved smile.

But somewhere deep inside, a quiet whisper reminded me this moment wouldn’t last. Lennox stepped inside, his sharp gaze immediately finding me, and just behind him, Louis followed. It didn’t take a genius to guess how they knew I was here—they must have caught my scent the second I arrived.

The three of them exchanged worried looks, and without hesitation, Levi moved to guide me toward the bed. “Come here,” he murmured, his voice softer than usual.

Lennox moved in behind me, settling on the bed and wrapping an arm lightly around my waist, his other hand stroking slow, soothing circles across my back. His touch was gentle, protective, reminding me that I wasn’t alone.

A wave of unease rolled through me, tightening in my chest. My pulse quickened, and suddenly the room seemed to sway. My vision blurred at the edges.

With a blink, I teleported.

Why wasn’t she worried?

“You’re so tense,” Louis murmured, his gaze flicking up to meet mine for a brief moment before returning to his task. “You should have come to us sooner, princess.” I blinked, confused. “What? But—”

< 307 Troubled

I should have felt lighter. Happier. Relieved.

Was she… fine with it?

A cold ripple ran through me. I quickly pushed the thought aside, forcing a small smile as I decided to change the topic.

A chill ran through me. “Then… who was it?”

“No,” the seer said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. “You can speak to her later. Right now, you must recover your strength. If you push yourself, you’ll harm yourself.” The soft kneading of his fingers, Levi’s steady heartbeat in my ear, and Lennox’s warm strokes across my back worked together to pull me into a cocoon of comfort. For the first time since my mother woke up, I felt like I could finally breathe.