Chapter 193

Elijah

After two months in prison, Olivia looked… different. I’d expected her to be haggard and half-insane by now, but the person I saw was nothing at all like that.

If anything, she looked better than she had on the outside. Her hair, no longer that fake bleached blonde but back to its natural light brown, was neatly pulled back in a low bun. Her face wasn’t caked with makeup the way it used to be, revealing clear skin underneath.

The only signs of her incarceration were the dark circles under her eyes and a solemn look that had replaced her usual haughty expression. Like two months in prison had actually stripped her of at least a shred of her pride and maybe, just maybe, she had a chance at becoming a normal person.

But that was a ridiculous notion. Olivia would never get better. I steeled myself against her humble appearance just in case she had plans to pull anything cunning.

Olivia sat up straighter when she saw me, her eyes widening slightly. “You actually came,” she said, sounding genuinely surprised. “I didn’t think you would.”

“I almost didn’t,” I replied flatly, remaining by the door. I had no intention of getting any closer to her than necessary, and I had a guard posted right behind me, waiting for my orders. “I only agreed because you’ve been pestering me for weeks, and frankly, I have more important things to deal with right now.”

“Right… I heard about the fire.” She tilted her head. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

I let out a short, harsh laugh. “Right, Olivia. As if you actually give a shit.”

Her jaw tightened. “Believe it or not, Elijah, I actually don’t wish harm on you,” she countered. “Especially not Thea.”

“Just Agnes,” I said, to which she merely shrugged and pursed her lips.

I clenched my jaw and resisted the urge to storm out. “Okay. Let’s cut to the chase,” I said, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. “You wanted to see me, so here I am. What do you want?”

Olivia shifted on her cot, tucking one leg beneath her. “I have a proposition for you.”

“Of course you do,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “Everything’s a transaction with you.”

She ignored my comment. “I have information,” she continued. “Information about Thea and Agnes. Information that I think you’d find… extremely valuable.”

That caught me off guard.

“What are you talking about?” I finally asked, lifting my chin.

Olivia smiled, a small, satisfied quirk of her lips. “I’d love to tell you, darling. But first, I want something in return.”

“Naturally,” I said dryly. “What is it?”

“I want my sentence reduced,” she replied without a moment of hesitation. She held up her hand when I opened my mouth to tell her to fuck off. “Not eliminated, just reduced. I want a chance at parole, too.”

I stared at her incredulously. “And what the hell makes you think you deserve that?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “That’s my price for pertinent information—something that you said you wanted when you threw me in here. Take it or leave it.”

“And why would I agree to that when I don’t even know what information you’re supposedly offering?” I asked.

“Because,” she said, leaning forward slightly, “you know me well enough to understand that I wouldn’t bother with this unless what I have is worth it.”

She had a point there. Olivia was many things—manipulative, selfish, cunning, and a slew of other vulgar words that I wouldn’t mention—but she was certainly not stupid. She wouldn’t play a weak hand, especially not from behind bars.

“Tell me what it is first,” I countered. “Then I’ll decide if it’s worth negotiating over.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkled. “You know as well as I do that that’s not how this works, Elijah. I need the reduced sentence on paper first. Then you’ll get the information.”

Frustrated, I took two quick strides toward her. “Or I could just unmark you right now,” I growled. “End this once and for all.”

For months, that threat had been my trump card. The mate mark on my neck gave me the power to end her life if I chose to. All I had to do was concentrate on breaking the bond, and she would die.

Agnes had begged me not to, insisting that we find another way, but right now, with Olivia playing games and knowing that marking Agnes would help control her abilities, the temptation was stronger than ever.

But to my surprise, Olivia didn’t even flinch. She just looked up at me with calm eyes.

“You won’t,” she said simply. “You’ve had plenty of opportunities to do that, and you never have. You’re too decent, too honorable to kill someone in cold blood, even me.” A small, knowing smile touched her lips. “Besides, your darling Agnes would never forgive you. Especially if she finds out I died with important information that will help both of you.”

I stepped back, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. She was right, damn her. I wouldn’t do it, no matter how much I might want to in moments like this. Not even so much for the alleged information as much as for Agnes’s sake. And Thea’s, because at the end of the day, I didn’t want her to have a dead mother.

“Whatever information you think you have—” I began.

“Those bones they found in the cave,” she cut me off, “are you sure they belong to Agnes’s daughter?”

The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. I didn’t even know how she’d found that out, but right now, I didn’t care. “What are you talking about? The DNA test matched Agnes’s.”

“Did it?” Olivia asked, raising one eyebrow. “Or did someone tell you it matched?” When I didn’t answer, she went on, “Reduce my sentence and you’ll find out for certain, Elijah. I’m serious.”

I blinked at her, my mind racing. This could all be an elaborate lie. Olivia was a master manipulator, and she’d do anything to get a reduced sentence. But what if she was telling the truth? What if those bones didn’t belong to Isabella? What if…

No. I wouldn’t let myself go down that road, not until I had more information.

“How do I know you’re not making this up?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“You don’t,” she admitted with another shrug. “But consider this: what would I gain by lying about something so easily disproven? If I give you false information, you could simply reinstate my original sentence. Hell, you could even increase my sentence for obstructing justice. I have everything to lose and nothing to gain by lying about this.”

Again, she had a point, as much as I hated to admit it. And the possibility of what she might reveal—if it was true—was too important to dismiss.

“Fine,” I huffed, turning on my heel. “I’ll handle it. Wait here.”

Olivia snorted and threw her arms out wide. “Not like I’ve got much of a choice, darling.”

Hours later, I stormed back into the cell and thrust the completed paperwork into her face. Agnes might kill me when she found out what I’d done, but I hoped whatever information Olivia allegedly had would make it worth it. And like Olivia had said, I could just go back on my word if she gave me false information.

“You’ve got your deal,” I said, showing her the papers. “Reduced sentence with a chance of parole. Now talk.”

Olivia reached for the documents, but I held them just out of reach. “Information first.”

She sighed dramatically. “Fine.” She patted the spot next to her on the cot. I hesitated, but ultimately sat down, although I made sure to keep a healthy distance between us.

“Now,” she said, rubbing her temples and shutting her eyes, “bear with me. This is going to be a long story.”