Chapter hundred and eighteen

Dallas

The world around me melted away, leaving only an eerie silence. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. I couldn't hear anything past the thundering of my heart. My mind was a jumbled mess, struggling to process the words I'd just heard.

Accident. Oliver's been in an accident. The words echoed in my head, piercing into my soul with each repeat.

Fear clawed at my throat, making it hard to swallow past the lump. My legs trembled beneath me, threatening to give way at any moment. I was frozen in place, unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to think.

I felt someone tap me gently, calling my name, but it sounded so distant and muffled. Like I wasn't in this world anymore. A harder tap had me jolting out of my shock.

“What's wrong?”

I turned to face Ron, my eyes still wide with terror. His face was etched with what seem like genuine concern.

“Oliver… accident.” I mumbled the words, not caring how unclear it sounds. It didn't matter if he understood or not.

I still couldn't believe it. Saying the word out didn't make any difference either. It felt like a bad nightmare that I'll soon wake up from.

There's no way Oliver would be in an accident. I saw him just few hours ago.

But I talked to my mum few hours before her accident too. And I said too many horrible things to her on the phone that day, not knowing she'd meet her end.

And Oliver… I tried not to sob as the memory of our last conversation flashed across my mind. He'd asked me to tell him why I wanted a breakup, and I wanted to. I came so close to telling him and changed my mind.

I should have told him everything. I should have been honest with him. I shouldn't have pushed him away. Because… because if today was going to be the last time I be with him–

I didn't dare to finish the thought. I turned and almost broke into a run on my way to my car. Ron was beside me in a heartbeat. I didn't let myself wonder how he moved so fast.

“Do you want me to go with you?” he asked, his voice soft and comforting.

“No,” I said sharply.

The last thing I wanted was for him to step anywhere close to Oliver. I didn't trust him that much yet. Also, I couldn't stop the panic surging in me.

“Someone needs to stay here and finish what we started.”

Each word was a struggle. My body itched to bolt into my car and drive off. I was wasting precious seconds by staying here and talking to him.

He nodded, his eyes softened in understanding.

“Drive safely.” He said and took a step back.

I didn't bother to thank him before rushing out of my car and speeding off.
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My heart continued hammering in my chest as I stared at the clock.

Forty minutes. It's been forty goddamned minutes since I left the alleyway but I'm still no where close to the mansion. I was still a good ten minutes drive away.

My feet pressed harder on the accelerator but I didn't feel any changes in the car speed. The panic in my chest was increasing with each second. The car was too damned slow.

I knew I was pushing it too hard, but I couldn't help it. Not when a huge weight now settled in my chest. I tried calling Heather back but she wasn't picking up the phone. I've left her about fifty voicemails.

I called Ethan, but my calls went to voicemail too. Xavier was the only one that picked and he simply told me to come to the mansion. He didn't say what type of accident it was or how bad.

I tried to keep my mind from wandering far. I told myself it wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. If it were that bad, they would have taken him to a hospital and not leave him in the mansion, right?

My brain was being logical but my mind doesn't seem to get the message. I wiped the tears off my face and prayed he was okay. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to him.

Finally, I got to the mansion gates, blaring the horn repeatedly. I didn't wait for the gates to open widely before speeding through. I muttered a quick apology to the guards at the gates.

I parked in front of the building and jumped out of the car. I raced into the house. There was no one downstairs. I raced up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

The door to his room was wide open, and he was sitting on the bed. I almost sobbed in relief when I saw that he wasn't unconscious.

His head was wrapped with a clean bandage, a small cut on his lower lip, and another bandage around his right knuckle.

His eyes immediately fell on me as I staggered in, surprise visible on his face.

“Dallas?” He called. “What happened?”

He made to stand up but I quickly rushed towards him. I didn't know if he was hurt anywhere else and I didn't want to risk it.

“I heard you were in an accident.” I said in a whisper.

His brows furrowed.
“Accident? It wasn't even that serious.”

“You ended up with thirteen stitches, asshole, and scared the shit out of everybody.” I heard Ethan say.

That was when I noticed him and Xavier sprawled on the couch. I didn't even notice they were there when I walked in.

Xavier nudged him slightly and gave him a pointed cough.

“Sorry, carry on.” he apologized and stood up. “Good to see you again, Dallas.” He winked at me before walking out of the room.

Xavier gave me a nod and a ghost of a smile and went after Ethan. They shut the door behind them.

The room suddenly felt smaller with just the two of us in it. Silence fell in between us, but he kept his eyes on me as if he was expecting to speak first.

“What happened?” I asked after a few minutes.

“I fell down the stairs. It's not as bad as everyone's making it out to be.” He scoffed.

My eyes nearly popped out of their socket.
“You fell from the very top of the stairs.” I said more like a statement than a question.

He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. The stairwell was really long and he'd fallen from the very top. No wonder they had to wrap his head. He must have lost a lot of blood if he had to get thirteen stitches.

“That's very serious. Why didn't you go to the hospital? We should have your wound check for infection? Who even did those stitches?” My heart began racing again as the questions fell out of my mouth.

“Ethan had a doctor come over. He's our family doctor. I don't like going to the hospital. All my injuries are treated in the house.” He said in a calming voice.

I should calm down. He's fine. He's not hurt.

“Dallas, I'm fine.” He said more softly, taking my hand in his. “I'm fine.”

I nodded.
“How did you fall down the stairs?” I finally asked.

“I was rushing somewhere.”

My brows shot up. I've never seen Oliver rush anywhere before since I know him. No matter how urgent the situation was, he always managed to take powerful strides without faltering. To think he fell down the stairs, where would he be rushing to that was so important.

As if sensing the question in my eyes, he pulled away from me and sighed.

“I know everything.”

My heart stopped dead in my chest. I blinked past the shock.

“What?” Was the only thing that came to my mind.

He gave me a small smile.

“I know everything about Ron…” he paused, his eyes flickering with rage. I found myself holding my breath as he said the words I've dreaded since the party days ago, “...and Lucien.”

“I know that Lucien is alive.” He said finally and my heart stopped beating entirely.