Chapter 109

Ollie’s POV

Even though this accusation is incredibly ridiculous, I still shrink down into myself, embarrassed and ashamed. I know making me feel this way was Sylvia’s goal, and I hate giving her what she wants. But I just can’t help it.

I’m mortified by this accusation.

Professor Hunter is a new ally, someone I hope will stand with me against the rest of the world.

If these accusations fall on me, on him, we might be forced to step back from this, and then I’ll be alone again with no hope and no leads on what should happen next.

Maybe I will be forced to resign myself to this life of servitude.

No.

I can’t let this happen. I can’t let Sylvia take one more thing away from me, just as she’s taken my life, and the brothers’ love.

So, even with people watching, I stood taller and straighter and spoke with a pride that’s mostly fake but hopefully convincing. “I don’t need to sleep around to get good grades.”

Sylvia scoffs. “You are an Omega. There’s no way you are even capable of doing well without that kind of extra credit.”

“I’ve always done well in school,” I say. “My grades in high school were exceptional. There’s no reason to believe they would start to go down now.”

“That’s a good point,” someone whispers. I recognize them at a glance as a former classmate.

Sylvia heard the words too. She must have, with the way her face darkens and her eyes grow stormy.

“You shouldn’t even be worried about grades,” Sylvia says, shifting gears. Her smirk disappears now, with a sneer replacing it. “As an omega, you should be focusing on servitude, specifically serving me. As an Omega, that’s your lot in life.”

“I have ambitions,” I say.

“Your ambitions mean nothing,” Sylvia says. “You are always going to be a servant. More, you are going to be my servant. You think you will be free of me? Never. I will not release you from my servitude, Ollie, not even after college. You are going work for me the rest of your life.”

The way she spoke, so callous but also so confident, told me she believed every word she said to be true. Knowing how the brothers felt toward her, ever giving her what she wants, I have no reason to believe that will change in this.

As I’m standing there, the world starts to shift around me, and the future suddenly seems so very narrow.

The hope I kindled with Professor Hunter entirely snuffs out, and I feel foolish for even having considered that my life could be different than any other omega from any other point in history.

Servitude is our lot in life. And, at least for me, there doesn’t seem to be a way out.

I lower my head in defeat, casting down my gaze, but not before I see the smug expression on Sylvia’s face.

Today, here and now, she got what she wanted. She saw my hope destroyed, ruined my spirits, tarnished the reputation of both me and Professor Hunter, and now has the chance to gloat about it.

The phone cameras capture all. While I wonder what they truly show, I can’t imagine it looks good for me.

As an Omega, my word will not be believed against a Gamma like Sylvia. Especially as she is the beloved sister of our four Alphas.

I am worse than nothing.

And I feel the crushing weight of defeat.

With nothing else to say – what can I say? – I move into the space behind Sylvia, ready to serve once more.

She doesn’t say anything more to me. She just turns and walks out of the building, trusting that I will remain in her shadow.

She’s right to trust that.

At least for now.

Even with the heavy of defeat, even with my hope smothered, I still hold a tiny, bitter flicker of defiance within me.

If servitude is my indeed my lot for the rest of my life, I will still find ways to be my own person and make my own steps forward. Maybe the boons won’t reflect on my own life, but I’m determined to make things better for future generations of omegas.

I’m going to keep working with Professor Hunter to see this through, even if I have to do so in secret.

I’m exhausted when we finally return home in the evening. Splitting with Sylvia at the door, I immediately trudge down to the basement, desperately wanting to throw myself onto my bed and forget the whole world for a while.

Yet, as I come out from the stairwell, I immediately notice that my light is on and the door is open.

That’s strange. Typically, I always turn the light off and close the door. Did I forget this time? That seems unlikely. I am a creature of habit.

Then I hear a shuffling noise from within, as if someone is rummaging around.

Jolted from my surprise, I rush forward, eager to catch the thief in the act.

Why would some even bother? What could there possibly be to burglar in my room that the rest of the estate wouldn’t have in excess of?

I push open the door and fill the doorway.

My eyes immediately fall on Conrad.

All of the drawers of my dresser are pulled open. Some of my clothes messed about. The blankets of my bed are lifted, as if he’s been searching under it.

My desk is off-kilter. Was he searching behind it?

Right now, he’s standing in front of my closet, with the closet door drawn open, the handle still in his hand.

My heart leaps into my throat. Fortunately, it doesn’t seem as if he’s snooped too far into the closet yet. But if he continues to do so, if he looks further, he will find the suitcase from my trip with him and his brothers to the tropical island, where I deceived them by wearing a mask.

A mask which is still tucked away in the suitcase.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He turns his gaze away from the closet to consider me at the door. There’s no embarrassment in his face, no shame of being caught. His expression is as cool and confident as ever, like he has every right to be here, to go through my things.

“Looking,” he says simply, like that explains everything.

“Looking for what?” I ask.

“You know,” he says.

And while I do, knowing he’s searching for evidence of Angel, I cannot admit to it without admitting knowledge of Angel’s existence, which would indicate to him, clear as day, that I am, as he likely suspects, Angel.

“I don’t,” I say, lying.

He narrows his somewhat. “You are lying.”

I don’t know how he can tell. Maybe I’m just a bad liar, or maybe he’s bluffing. But still, I can’t back down, not without giving up everything I’ve been trying so hard to keep hidden for so long.

I didn’t go through all of this, just to be revealed now when I finally have an ally who wants to help improve not just my situation, but the situation of omegas everywhere.

This is bigger than Angel. Bigger than the quadruplets.

I have to do whatever I can to keep this secret.

Or I will lose everything.