Chapter 12 - THE PRICE OF A BROTHER'S SILENCE|
Three days after Lena Park's statement, Olivia was finally allowed to leave the hospital.
Dr. Shah had approved a plan involving close outpatient monitoring, scheduled appointments, medication review, and instructions to return immediately if concerning symptoms appeared.
Olivia listened to every instruction.
She asked questions.
She wrote down the answers.
And before leaving, she requested a complete copy of her current medication list.
Nobody made that decision for her.
Luca wanted her to return to the mansion.
He offered to close an entire wing so she could rest without interruption.
But Olivia shook her head.
“I don't want to go back there yet.”
Luca looked hurt.
“Olivia, Vanessa isn't there.”
“I know.”
She touched the silver locket at her throat.
“But every room reminds me of being afraid.”
He was silent for a moment.
Then he nodded.
“Where would you feel safe?”
Olivia looked at me.
I remembered something Matthew once told her.
He'd said that a home didn't need to be enormous to hold a beautiful life.
They'd owned a modest brick house near Lincoln Park before moving closer to Luca after Matthew's business expanded.
The house had remained empty since the funeral.
“Could we go to Matthew's house?” Olivia asked.
Luca looked surprised.
Then his expression softened.
“Of course.”
That afternoon, we arrived at the little house beneath a sky full of falling snow.
The front steps needed clearing.
The garden was bare.
And the mailbox still carried the name REID.
Olivia stood in the doorway for a long moment.
Then she began crying.
I thought she might want to leave.
Instead, she walked inside.
The living room smelled faintly of cedarwood and old books.
A photograph of Matthew stood on the fireplace mantel.
His favorite blue sweater hung over the back of an armchair.
And beside the window was a half-finished wooden rocking chair.
Matthew had been building it for the baby before he died.
Olivia approached it slowly.
“He wanted to paint it white.”
I watched her run her fingers along the unfinished wood.
“He said our daughter should have a chair that no amount of money could buy.”
Luca stood behind us.
For once, he had no grand gesture to offer.
He simply said, “I'll help finish it if you want.”
Olivia smiled through her tears.
“I'd like that.”
Over the following days, Luca arranged for the house to be made comfortable and secure without taking away Olivia's independence.
With her agreement, a nurse helped coordinate her appointments.
Nora assisted her in regaining direct control over her accounts.
And I stayed nearby because Olivia asked me to.
But one evening, while we were preparing dinner, Luca received a call from Vanessa.
He put it on speaker after telling her Nora would be involved in any discussion of the pending case.
Vanessa's voice was almost gentle.
“Darling, you're making a terrible mistake.”
Luca stood beside the kitchen window.
“What do you want?”
“I want you to remember everything we've built together.”
“We've been married for months, Vanessa.”
“And I've spent those months protecting your reputation.”
I saw his expression harden.
“By hurting Olivia?”
Vanessa ignored the question.
“You know how the press loves stories about your business.”
Luca said nothing.
“I have documents, Luca.”
She paused.
“Documents that could make your life very difficult.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
Vanessa was threatening him with the very reputation that had made people afraid to challenge him for years.
“If you keep cooperating with the investigation,” she continued, “I won't be able to guarantee what becomes public.”
Luca looked at Olivia.
She was standing beside the kitchen table, holding a dish towel.
Her face had gone pale.
I feared he would finally give in.
Instead, Luca took a slow breath.
“If you have information about crimes, speak to the authorities.”
Vanessa went silent.
Then he added, “You don't get to trade my sister's safety for my silence.”
Her voice turned vicious.
“You'll regret this.”
“Maybe,” Luca answered.
“But Olivia won't have to.”
He ended the call.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
Then Olivia walked toward him.
“You don't have to ruin your life for me.”
He shook his head.
“I'm finally trying to stop ruining yours.”
Later that night, Nora came to the house with another message.
Grant Mercer had proposed a private settlement meeting.
Vanessa was offering to withdraw her claims about Olivia's incapacity.
She also claimed she could help return money transferred from the support account.
In exchange, she wanted Olivia to sign a new family agreement and withdraw certain allegations.
I felt instantly suspicious.
“She wants another signature.”
Nora nodded.
“That's why I don't recommend signing anything she prepares.”
Olivia looked toward the rocking chair.
For months, Vanessa had used papers to control her.
Now she wanted another document to make the entire nightmare disappear.
“What happens if I refuse?” Olivia asked.
Nora explained that the investigation could continue regardless of whether Vanessa offered a settlement.
Olivia sat quietly.
Then she said something that surprised all of us.
“I want to attend the meeting.”
Luca immediately objected.
“Olivia, you don't need to see her.”
“I know.”
She looked at him.
“But I want to tell her what she did to me.”
Nora considered the request carefully.
Finally, she agreed to arrange a meeting at her office with legal counsel present and clear safeguards.
Olivia nodded.
Then she turned toward me.
“Claire, will you come with me?”
I took her hand.
“Of course.”
She smiled sadly.
“Vanessa has spent months trying to make me believe I'm alone.”
Her fingers tightened around mine.
“I want her to see that I'm not.”
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And the next morning, when we arrived at Nora's office, Vanessa was already waiting with a familiar stack of documents.
On top lay a single blank signature page.
