Chapter 159


    At Maple Vis.


    Olivia awoke feeling unusually refreshed, as though she had been nestled in a warm furnace all night.


    She had slept so soundly that nightmares had not besieged her before daybreak, as they typically did.


    Blinking awake, she realized she was, in fact, embracing a furnace a living, breathing one named


    William.


    –


    Instantly alert, her arm was draped familiarly around his neck, her leg slung intimately across his waist.


    What in heaven’s name was happening?


    She reflexively tried to pull away, but William drew her near again as she rose up, encircling her in his


    arms.


    “Sleep well, my dear?”


    He held her hand, shing an unabashed, roguish grin that intimated things no proper gentleman


    should.


    “Why are you in my bed?”


    She had kindly taken him into her home, yet this scoundrel had surreptitiously snuck into her bedroom,


    taking untoward advantage!


    The audacity!


    Worried about Caroline’s nefarious schemes and heartsick for Luci back home, she had brought Ezra


    to Maple Visst night


    Jameson and Reed also felt her physical condition was stable enough, so they “supported” her


    discharge from the hospital overnight.


    Only William had stubbornly insisted oning along, supposedly because he was gravely concerned


    for her fragile health.


    She could not dissuade his apaniment and reluctantly acquiesced.


    After all, injured as he was, it would be unduly cruel to banish him to a cold, lonely hospital couch.


    But she most certainly had not invited him into her bed!


    “See for yourself – this is my bed, is it not?”


    Williamy casually on his side, head propped up on one elbow, grinning at her most amusedly.


    The nkets had slipped down to his waist, revealing a wless, exquisitely muscr physique.


    Taut pectorals, rock-solid abdominals, and just the faintest glimpse of a bandage adorning his nearly


    healed battle wound.


    He unintentionally exemplified the quintessence of a dashing, romance novel heartthrob.


    And he was not even wearing a shirt!


    Yet still exuding raw, irresistible appeal!


    “If you cannot sleep, feel free toe embrace me anytime. I, along with my bed, will be ready and


    waiting.


    He reached out, lightly patting the empty space alongside him, brazen in his persistence.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Flustered, Olivia reflexively fired back.


    “And who would desire to embrace you? Do go on dreaming!”


    Her face flushed a deep crimson.


    Regaining a modicum ofposure, she realized – this was not her quarters, but William’s room.


    She had meticulously arranged it thuslyst night, with herself on the second floor and him on the third.


    So how on earth did she end up here?


    What was she to do now?


    After explicitly warning him to remain in his own roomst night, she was the one who had furtively


    crept into his bed and proceeded to sleep soundly straight through the night.


    Even Olivia felt a pang of shame at this discovery.


    “What you say is hardly equitable – one ought to have dreams, for what if theye true unexpectedly,


    as mine didst


    12:16


    glorious night!”


    William did not bother hiding his profound delight at their predicament.


    “I a**ure you, this particr dream will note to pa** again. You had better find a new one.” Olivia


    glowered at him severely, steel in her eyes.


    “Now if you would be so kind, do get dressed. It is cold and I would prefer you not catch chill.” Olivia


    hastily grabbed his shirt from where ity draped over the nearby sofa and lobbed it in his general


    direction, then beat a hasty retreat from the room as though escaping.


    Downstairs, Olivia’s face still burned brightly.


    She was at an utter loss to exin how she could have possibly ended up in William’s quartersst


    night.


    After hastily retreating back to her own quarters, Olivia raced to theputer on her desk and swiftly


    logged into Maple Vis’ surveince system.


    The monitoring footage instantly popped up on the desktop screen.


    Her slender fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard as she prepared to carefullyb through the


    footage and uncover the truth aboutst night’s puzzling events.


    Just then, Ezra came bounding excitedly into the room, clutching his cherished kid’s tablet.


    “Mom, did you and Dad get back together? Can I start nning for a baby sister now?”


    “Whatever gives you that idea?” Olivia had a grave inkling she already knew.


    “I was checking the security cameras just now to see where I left Bally, and I saw you go into Dad’s


    bedroom in the middle of the night! Let’s get one thing straight first though – if you’re having another


    baby, I absolutely must have a sister this


    time!”


    Ezra held up the tablet decisively, voicing his appeal with the utmost seriousness, his bright eyes


    brimming with eager anticipation.


    Ever since discovering he was the youngest child in the family, born mere minutes after his siblings,


    Ezra had fantasized endlessly about one day having a little sister to dote on.


    He hadn’t dared dream his wish mighte true so soon.


    Ezra was absolutely over the moon!


    “You’ve mistaken the situation, dear. Your father and I have not reconciled. I merely went to his


    quarters to retrieve an item I required.”


    Yes, that excuse should suffice!


    This entire vi belonged solely to her after all – how could she possibly be barred from any room


    within her own abode?


    Olivia felt her spur-of-the-moment justification was shaping up nicely.


    “But Mom, the footage shows you entered Dad’s bedroomst night and didn’t emerge again until this


    morning. The timestamps don’t lie! You can’t fool me so easily!”


    Ezra’s eyes narrowed with childlike shrewdness, his head tilted as he scrutinized his mother closely.


    “Of course I would never attempt to deceive you, darling.”


    “Well then, when can I expect my baby sister to arrive?”


    “Let us discuss this again after your father has fully recovered from his injuries.” Olivia blithely bluffed,


    keeping her expression neutral.


    “H ooray! I’ll hold you to your word on that!”


    “Mmhmm… Olivia nodded along obediently.


    Privately, she breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this troublesome line of inquiry was finally concluded.


    My, how persistently inquisitive children be as they mature!


    Just as she began rxing, Ezra piped up again.


    “Dad, be sure to getpletely healed super quick my future sister is depending on you!”


    Dad?


    Hearing this unexpected epithet, Olivia whirled around in rm,ing face to face with William’s


    infuriatingly roguish


    12:16


    Chapter 159 grin.


    She couldn’t restrain an astonished gasp, the surprise nearly giving her a heart attack!


    That conniving scoundrel!


    Ezra, you y much too slyly! A tide of despair welled up within Olivia


    “No need to worry, son. I will do everything possible to provide you with a linde sister posthaste


    “H ooray!” Ezra cheered jubntly, now wholly uninterested in his tablet. He scampered straight to the


    ICU to share the joyous news with Luci


    William had condescended to finally put on a shirt, albeit with only the topmost button casually


    fastened, baring a wide swath of his toned physique and emitting a palpable aura of allure.


    He sauntered over, picked up the tablet Ezra had abandoned, and settledfortably next to Olivia on


    the sofa. With a roguish twi nkle in his eye, he pulled up the incriminating footage depicting a


    disoriented Olivia cuddling a pillow as she blundered straight into his quarters in the dead of night.


    His adorable Olivia, never one to do things by half measures. Amused, William hit y.


    12:16