SEVENTY FOUR

Monica stroked Olivia's hair comfortingly, “Lucas cares about you, Liv. He’ll be there for you, no matter what, you just need to talk to him.” Monica said, gently taking the test strip from her hand and leading her to the bed.

Olivia nodded trying to gather her thoughts, “You’re right. But how do I even tell him. He might not be ready for this.” Still on shock , Olivia lay down touching her abdomen , and Monica sat beside her, parting her hair until she slept off.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, gently waking Olivia. She blinked her eyes open, feeling a sense of calm that had eluded her the previous night.

Monica was already up , sitting by a nearby chair, reading a devotional novel.

“Good morning Mon,” Olivia said, her voice still groggy.

“Morning,” Monica replied, putting down the novel, “How are you feeling.”

Olivia sighed, sitting up slowly, “I’m not sure. It's all a bit overwhelming.”

Monica nodded, “I can imagine, But you’re strong, Olivia. You’ve faced tougher things.”

Olivia smiled weakly, “Thank you Mon. I don't know what I'll do without you.”

“You don't have to worry about that,” Monica said, walking over to the bed, to sit beside Olivia, “You have me. You have Lucas . Speaking of which, are you going to tell him?” She asked, squeezing Olivia’s hands.

Olivia looked thoughtfully, “I don't know how he would react. This wasn't really planned.”

Monica was about to respond, when they heard the doorbell ring, Olivia’s heart skipped a beat, “That could be Lucas,” she whispered anxiously.

“I'll check,” Monica said, rising from her seat, she walked downstairs, got to the entrance door and opened it, her eyes meeting Vincent’s. They stared at each other for a moment, a silent connection passing between them.

“Monica, Who’s it?” Olivia called, descending the stairs.

“It's…. It's Vincent,” Monica replied, her voice softer than usual.

Olivia opened the door, her eyes lighting up when she saw Vincent. “Hey. Vincent what brings you here?”

Vincent nodded in greeting, “I came to deliver your new car. Lucas wanted you to have it.” He said, handing the car key to her.

Olivia smiled, genuinely touched, “Thank you, Vincent.”

As Vincent left , Monica and Olivia admired the sleek new car, “It's beautiful,” Monica said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.”

Olivia agreed, her hand resting on the smooth exterior of the car, “Lucas really knows how to surprise me.”

Monica smiled, but before she could respond, her phone beeped, she checked the screen, and it was a message from Vincent, “Hey Mon, Can we meet?” .

“Is everything okay?” Olivia asked, concern etched on her face, seeing Monica's countenance change.

Monica nodded in response, giving Olivia a reassuring smile. “I’m fine ….it's just , I'm worried about you.” Monica lied.

As Olivia and Monica walked into the apartment, Monica walked behind Olivia, she pulled her phone, and texted Vincent back, “Yes we can meet up. Time and Place?”

Almost immadietly Vincent replied back, “At my estate, I'll send you the location.”

Monica's gasped, making Olivia turn to face her, giving her a what's wrong look.

Monica swallowed, before speaking, “Does Vincent own an estate?” Monica's asked Olivia.

Olivia shook her head, ascending the stairs, “Not sure. Why?” Olivia asked with a raised brow.

…..,🌵

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Marco was improving. His leg was still healing, but he
was getting stronger. The doctor came in to check k on him, reviewing his chart with a nod of approval.

“Mr Moretti, You’re making good progress.” The doctor said, “You should be ready for discharge in a few days.”

Marco, popped up in bed, looked relieved, “Finally, I can't stand cooped up in here.”

The doctor chuckled, “I understand. But you’ll need a walking stick.”

“A walking stick? Are you serious?” Marco spat out, glaring at the doctor.”

“Yes, Mr Moretti,” the doctor said, keeping his tone professional. “Your injuries were severe, you’ll need a walking stick to help you move around.”

Marco clenched his fists, his anger barely contained, “I can't let Lucas see me like this,” he muttered to himself.

The doctor stood there, watching Marco talk to himself, “Mr Moretti, is everything okay?”

Marco turned his gaze to the doctor, “Everything is not fine,” Marco snapped. “Is there not any other way out?”

The doctor shook his head, maintaining a calm demeanor. “Using a walking stick is the best option to help you get around Mr Moretti.”

Marco nodded, even though he wasn't happy about his condition, “Fine, Just get me out of here.”

As the doctor left, Marco's thoughts drifted to Lucas and the events that had led him here. He knew he had to be patient before he strikes his revenge, but the pain was excruciating.

One of Marco's men entered inside the room, immediately the doctor left, Marco looked up from his bed, his expression a mix of pain and anticipation.

“Is there any news I need to know?” Marco asked immadietly, his voice rough from both frustration and painkillers.

The man nodded, stepping closer. “Yes, boss. Dominique is planning to partner with Lucas.”

Marco’s eyes narrowed, a spark of interest flickering in them. “Domnique Santos? Interesting. Very interesting. Do you know why?”

The man shook his head, “No, but it's clear he wants to form an alliance for business purposes. However considering Domnique's reputation, it might be more than that.”

Marco leaned back, against his pillows, his mind racing, “Dominique is a greedy bastard. If he’s partnering with Lucas, there’s more to it than just business. He might want a piece of Lucas' empire.”

The man remained silent, waiting for Marco’s next detective.

“Arrange a meeting with Dominique,” Marco finally said, a plan beginning to form in his mind. If he’s willing to partner with Lucas, he might be willing to partner with us. We can use him tomorrow advantage, set up a plan against Lucas.”

“Understood boss,” the man replied, leaving the room, to carry out Marco's orders.

As Marco lay back, a twisted smile crept onto his face. He knew Domnique was the right person to work with against Lucas.

With Dominique’s help he could , he could still find a way to bring Lucas down.