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Chapter_41
Abigail let out a relieved sigh when she heard Oliver’s voice, but something in his tone made her pause. “You’re sure? You’re not hiding something from me, are you?”
Oliver hesitated, his mind racing as he stood in the hospital waiting area, staring at the ER doors where Quinn had been rushed in. His thoughts were a jumbled mess—he didn’t want to alarm Abigail further, but at the same time, he knew he couldn’t keep the truth hidden forever.
“She’s fine,” Oliver repeated, though the weight of his words felt hollow in his chest. He could still see Quinn’s pale face, the trembling hands she had fought to control, and the desperate way she had clung to him when he carried her out of the villa.
“Okay. I’m glad,” Abigail’s voice softened on the other end of the line, but Oliver could hear the underlying concern that remained.
“Yeah,” Oliver muttered, trying to sound convincing. “I’ll keep you posted, alright? Just… stay calm.”
Before Abigail could say anything else, he ended the call, his fingers tightening around the phone as he sank into a chair, his gaze fixed on the closed door. Quinn had been through far too much, and for what? He couldn’t understand why Alexander had pushed her to this point, especially now, when she was vulnerable. It wasn’t just the physical toll that upset Oliver—it was the emotional weight she carried, and the cruel disregard Alexander seemed to have for her wellbeing.
He glanced up when a nurse approached, her expression neutral but her eyes soft with concern. “Mr. Vanderbilt?”
“Yes,” Oliver replied, standing quickly. “How is she? Is she alright?”
The nurse hesitated, then nodded. “She’s stable now. She was dehydrated, exhausted, and under a lot of stress. We’re running a few more tests, but for now, she’s resting.”
Oliver breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders loosening slightly. He couldn’t let Abigail know the full extent of Quinn’s condition, but hearing that she was stable, at least for the moment, eased the worry that had been gnawing at him.
“Can I see her?” Oliver asked, his voice low.
“Of course, but just for a short while. She needs rest,” the nurse answered, leading him down the hall.
As they entered the small, dimly lit room, Quinn lay on the bed, a thin blanket draped over her. The sight of her fragile state made Oliver’s chest tighten once more. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and for a moment, he almost felt guilty for lying to Abigail. But he couldn’t let her see how bad it really was—not yet. Not until he figured out what he was going to do about Alexander.
He approached the bed and stood there for a moment, just watching her. His thoughts were clouded with so many conflicting emotions—anger, frustration, and even a strange sense of protectiveness that he hadn’t expected. Despite their complicated history, Quinn didn’t deserve this. No one did.
Oliver reached down and gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, his touch soft and careful. Quinn’s breathing was steady, but her face remained taut with exhaustion, as though the weight of everything she had endured was still bearing down on her.
The door clicked open behind him, and he turned to see the nurse step back into the room. “She should be fine, but we’ll need to keep her overnight for observation. Let her rest, Mr. Vanderbilt.”
“Of course,” Oliver replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He gave one last glance at Quinn before following the nurse back into the hallway.
As he stepped back into the waiting area, Oliver’s phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen and saw a message from Abigail: “I’ll be there in the morning. You’d better not be lying, Oliver.”
He stared at the message for a long moment, contemplating his next move. What would he tell her when she arrived? Would he reveal the truth, or would he continue down this path of half-truths?
For the first time in a long while, Oliver felt the weight of responsibility—not just to his sister, but to Quinn as well. He was caught between two worlds, both of which seemed equally impossible to navigate. But one thing was clear: He wasn’t going to let her go through this alone.
