THIRTY FIVE

Inside the safe room, Olivia and Monica breathed a collective sigh of relief as Vincent pulled the metal door to the safe room open. The tension that had gripped them began to ease , replaced by a cautious sense of security.

“Is everything clear?” Olivia asked, her voice tinged with lingering apprehension.

Vincent nodded, his expression grave but assured, “Massimo's men have retreated,” he confirmed, his eyes sweeping the room, with practiced vigilance.

“I’ll go get a glass of water,” Olivia said, as she left the room, leaving Monica and Vincent.

Monica stepped forward, her concern etched on her features as she glanced at Vincent’s bleeding arm, “You’re hurt,” she observed quietly, her voice laced with worry.

Vincent glanced up at his injured arm, “It's nothing,” he deflected, his tone clipped despite the weariness that weighed on him.

Monica shook her head, “Let me see,” she insisted gently, her hand reaching out to gently guide Vincent to seat.

Vincent hesitated at first, reluctantly , he acquiesced, settling into a chair with a sigh of resignation.

Monica knelt beside him, her touch gentle yet purposeful as she examined the wound. Her fingers traced the jagged edges of the torn flesh , her brows furrowing with concern as she assessed the damage. “It's deep,” she murmured more to herself than to Vincent.

Vincent gritted his teeth against the pain,his jaw clenched with stubborn resolve, “I've had worse”, he replied gruffly, his gaze fixed on a distant point beyond the safe room confines.

Monica glanced at him, her eyes searching his face for signs of weakness or doubt, “You don't have to downplay now, let me help,” her voice a soothing balm.

Vincent met her gaze, his defenses slowly crumbling under the weight of exhaustion.

As Monica tended his wound,her touch was surprisingly gentle yet firm. Her fingers moved with practiced ease , cleaning the wound and applying pressure to staunch the flow of blood.

“You’re good at this,” Vincent remarked quietly, his voice a raspy whisper that betrayed the weariness he had carried for far too long.

Monica smiled faintly, her eyes meeting him with a tenderness that speaks volume, “I’ve had practice,” she admitted.

“You know” Vincent started, “I never expected my day would be with you patching me up.”

Monica glanced from cleaning his wound, her lips quirking into a half smile, “Life is full of surprises.” She replied, her tone light but laced with an underlying concern.

Suddenly Olivia strolled into the room, her eyes flicking from Monica on her knees to Vincent's bandaged arm, “I never knew you were now a nurse, Mon” Olivia asked more like a tease.

Monica did the finish touch on Vincent's arm, “Done,” she said, as she turned her gaze to Olivia, “Well, I’m just helping, it's nothing serious.”

Vincent phone buzzed insistently on the sofa, the sound cutting through Monica's voice, Vincent glanced at the screen, recognizing Lucas's private number, excusing himself quietly, he rose from his seat, a d stepped aside to answer the call.

“Boss,” Vincent greeted, his tone crisp and respectful.

Lucas’s voice cracked over the line, his words measured but tinged with an underlying urgency, “Vincent, what's the situation.”

Vincent spared a glance back Olivia and Olivia, “Massimo's men tried to breach the penthouse,” he reported quietly, his eyes scanning the room, “We manage to repel them but it was close.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, the weight of Lucas’s concern palpable even through the phone. “Is Olivia safe?” Lucas asked, his voice tight with restrained anxiety.

Vincent hesitated, his gaze flicking on Olivia, “She's fine,” he assured Lucas, his voice steady despite the turmoil that threatened to engulf them all.

Lucas exhaled audibly, “Good,” he said quietly, relief mingling with the underlying resolve that defined his every decision. “I want her back at the mansion. Now!”

Vincent nodded in acknowledgement, “Understood,” he replied, his voice a quiet affirmation.

“Arrange the team to escort her,” Lucas continued, his tone businesslike yet tinged with a rare vulnerability that spoke for his feelings for Olivia, “Make sure she gets here safely.”

Vincent agreed, his mind already turning to the logistics of ensuring Olivia’s safe passage from the the penthouse to Lucas’ mansion. “I’ll take care of it.”

As he ended the call, he turned to attention to Monica a d Olivia, “Get ready Olivia you’re leaving…I’ll get the security team ready to accompany you.”

Olivia nodded, her expression a mixture of sadness and fear, she glanced at Monica. Monica noticed the look on Olivia's eyes, she reached out to hold Olivia's hands, “Don't worry Liv, I'll be fine here.” Monica said with an assuring tone.

“I’m so sorry Mon, I never meant to drag you into all these,” Olivia said, tears already welling up in her eyes.

“The deed is done already, You should go prepare to leave.”

As Olivia and her escort prepared to leave the penthouse. Lucas was in his room, in the mansion, his heart clenched with rare mixture of fear and determination. “Keep her safe.” He mumured quietly to himself, his voice a whisper prayer, He hoped Massimo's men wouldn't attack again.

As Olivia embarked on the journey back to Lucas's mansion,surronded by protective shield of the Securities , she felt safe, even though Vincent wasn't wth them.

As they approached the imposing gate of Lucas' mansion, Olivia felt a surge of relaxation, as the car came to a stop inside the mansion , Olivia emerged from the car and headed inside.

Her footsteps echoed softly through the mansion's corridor , as she made her way to Lucas’s room. As she approached the door to Lucas' room, her heart raced quickened with mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

Pushing open, Olivia entered the room, her eyes immediately drawn to Lucas standing by the window, his posture tensed, the lines of worry etched on his face, as he turned to her.

Their eyes met, a silent exchange of unspoken fears and unwavering affection. Without a word Lucas crossed the room with swift strides, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.

His hands found her face, cupping it with a hunger that mirrored his intensity of his emotions.Their lips met in a kiss that spoke volumes of longing and reassurance. Lucas kissed her hungrily, like he hadn't seen her in years

Olivia melted into his embrace, her fingers tangling in his shirt as they clung to each other. Lucas drew back slightly, his forehead resting on hers, “You're never leaving this mansion again pretty doll, I won't allow it.”

His words were a vow, spoken with a fervor that resonated deep within her soul, knowing that Lucas would move mountains to keep her safe.

Almost immediately Lucas' phone buzzed sharply on the bed. With a reluctant sigh, he gently pulled away from Olivia, his heart pounding with the intensity of their kiss. Olivia's eyes were still colsed, lips slightly parted, asif still lingering in the moment . Lucas' hand lingering on her cheeks as he reached for his device.

As he unlocked the screen ,Olivia saw the tension return to his features. On the screen was a chilling image of Mia tied up and sitting on the floor, her expression a mix of fear and defiance.