Chapter 7 The Report
Jennifer lunged forward, trying to snatch the report from Olivia's hand.
Olivia was caught off guard, instinctively pulling the report behind her back with one hand while pushing Jennifer away with the other.
There was no time to think about why her name was on a hospital report.
Seeing Jennifer so desperate to grab it, Olivia knew this report must be extremely important.
Jennifer's eyes were wide with panic, her previously calm demeanor gone. She reached out to grab Olivia's hair.
"Give it back! You thief! Give me my stuff!"
Olivia sidestepped, her heart racing.
She didn't want to escalate things with Jennifer, especially since Jennifer had dirt on Justin.
Olivia stuffed the report with her name on it into her pocket.
"I'm leaving."
But seeing Olivia trying to hide the report made Jennifer even more frantic.
She lunged again, this time with all her might, practically throwing herself at Olivia.
"Give it to me!"
Olivia stumbled back, tripping over something on the floor, and lost her balance, letting out a startled cry as she fell backward.
Behind her was the staircase leading down to the living room!
"Ah!"
As she fell, Olivia instinctively flailed her arms, trying to grab onto something, but only managed to knock over a decorative vase at the stairway's corner.
The vase shattered with a piercing crash.
Maybe it was a survival instinct kicking in, but in that moment of freefall, Olivia twisted her body and managed to hook her fingers onto the edge of the stair railing.
"Ah..."
The force of the fall sent a searing pain through her arm.
But at least she was hanging precariously on the side of the stairs, not tumbling down.
Jennifer, having thrown herself at Olivia, didn't expect her sudden dodge.
Unable to stop herself, Jennifer screamed as she fell forward—
Seeing Jennifer about to fall from above her, Olivia gasped.
"Watch out!"
Without thinking, she reflexively reached out with her other arm, grabbing Jennifer's wrist.
The combined weight of two grown women nearly dislocated Olivia's arm.
"Ugh!"
Jennifer's fall was momentarily halted, but she was terrified, struggling and screaming, "What are you doing?"
Her struggles only made things worse.
Olivia was barely hanging on with one hand, and now with Jennifer's weight, her fingers slipped from the railing!
"Ah—!"
The two women tumbled down the stairs together.
With a heavy thud, they both landed on the living room carpet.
Olivia lay on the cold floor, her vision darkening, ears ringing, struggling to breathe.
Her whole body felt like it was falling apart, every bone screaming in pain.
She felt warm liquid trickling down her forehead, blurring her vision.
Olivia turned her eyes with difficulty, seeing Jennifer curled up not far away, groaning in pain.
At that moment, the front door was forcefully pushed open.
Cameron, who was supposed to be on his way to the airport, had returned because he forgot to remind Jennifer about her check-up. He was shocked by the scene before him.
Cameron's eyes quickly scanned the chaotic living room and the broken vase, finally landing on Jennifer, who was clutching her stomach and groaning in pain.
His face darkened, and he rushed over.
He pushed Olivia, who was struggling to sit up, aside and carefully helped Jennifer.
"What happened?" His voice was unusually urgent.
"Cameron... it hurts... my stomach."
Jennifer grabbed his arm, tears streaming down her face. "Olivia pushed me... I was just showing her the baby's clothes, and she got mad for no reason."
"She not only took my stuff but also pushed me down the stairs... Cameron, save our baby."
Olivia clutched her throbbing forehead, blood staining her fingers.
Through the blur, she saw Cameron's worried expression for Jennifer and heard the false accusations. Her heart felt like it was pierced by an ice pick, cold and numb.
She opened her mouth, her throat dry. "I didn't push her, she lost her balance trying to grab the..."
"Enough!" Cameron cut her off sharply, his eyes cold and piercing. "Olivia, she's pregnant! How can you say such things?"
"When did you become so vicious?"
Vicious?
Hearing this, Olivia froze, her hand stopping mid-air as she tried to wipe away the blood.
So, this was how he saw her now.
All explanations seemed pointless.
Olivia said nothing more, just watched as the man she once cared for so deeply, now so different, carefully picked up Jennifer, not sparing her a single glance.
Blood still flowed from her forehead, her body ached, but nothing compared to the cold, desolate emptiness in her heart.
Olivia suddenly felt utterly exhausted.
The constant misunderstandings, the endless favoritism, had drained all her strength and hope.
Struggling to stand, Olivia leaned against the wall, her body in pain, but a different kind of ache in her lower abdomen made her heart tighten.
She remembered the inexplicable nausea, Cameron's mocking "Are you pregnant?", and Jennifer's frantic grab for the report with her name on it.
The report with her name on it... Why was Jennifer so desperate for it?
A wild, terrifying thought crossed her mind.
Olivia bit her lip, fighting dizziness, and fumbled in her pocket.
Nothing... how could it be gone?
Her mind buzzed, pain and confusion mingling.
Olivia looked around, biting her lip, and staggered to her fallen bag, searching for her phone.
The screen was cracked, but it still worked.
Fighting dizziness, Olivia called her best friend, Sophie Guest, "Hey Sophie, I need a favor, I..."
Before she could finish, a sharp pain in her stomach made her groan.
"Olivia, what's going on? Did the Hayes family hurt you again?"
"Where are you, Olivia? You sound strange, are you hurt?"
Hearing Sophie's concerned questions, and remembering Cameron's coldness, Olivia let out a bitter laugh.
These years had been so meaningless.
Another wave of dizziness hit, and Olivia dug her nails into her palm, using the pain to focus her last bit of strength, her voice hoarse but firm. "I want a divorce!"