Chapter 79

Chapter 79
Olivia's POV

A week had passed, but it felt like an eternity. The sterile white walls of the hospital room were suffocating, and the rhythmic beeping of Elijah’s monitors had become an unwelcome soundtrack to my days.

Elijah was awake now, sitting up in bed and scrolling through his phone as if he hadn’t just spent days in the ICU. His colour had returned, and the shadow of death that had loomed over us was finally gone. But the weight in my chest hadn’t lifted.

I sat in the corner of the room, pretending to read a magazine. The words blurred together as my mind wandered. Zoya hadn’t called, texted, or shown up since that night in the waiting room. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much, but it did.

“Elijah’s looking better,” a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.

I glanced up to see Ezra stepping into the room, his tailored suit immaculate as always. He carried a bouquet of flowers, a gesture that felt oddly out of place for him.

“Ezra,” I greeted, forcing a smile as I stood. “You didn’t have to come.”

“Of course I did,” he replied, flashing his usual charming grin. “Elijah’s an important part of our lives, both personally and professionally. I had to see for myself that he’s recovering.”

Elijah looked up from his phone, a genuine smile breaking across his face. “Ezra, good to see you, man.”
They exchanged a handshake and a few pleasantries, but my gaze lingered on Ezra. Ava’s words replayed in my mind, an unwanted echo.

Whoever did this isn’t your friend.

What if it was Ezra?

I studied him, searching for something—anything—that would confirm or deny my suspicions. But he was unreadable, his charm as disarming as ever.

Ezra turned his attention to me. “How are you holding up, Liv?”

“Fine,” I lied, my voice steady. “Now that Elijah’s out of the ICU, things feel... easier.”

He nodded, his expression softening. “Good. You’ve been through a lot. Both of you.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that his concern was genuine, that he wasn’t capable of orchestrating the chaos that had upended my life. But the doubt Ava had planted refused to let me rest.

“Elijah’s lucky to have you,” Ezra added, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, lowering my eyes to the magazine in my lap. The room felt smaller, the air heavier.

Ezra stayed a while longer, chatting with Elijah about the show and filling him in on the latest developments. I listened, half-present, my thoughts drifting back to Zoya.

She hadn’t called. Not even once.

I told myself it didn’t matter. She was probably busy with the show, with her own life. But the silence stung more than I wanted to admit.

As Ezra finally stood to leave, he turned to me, his voice warm. “Take care of yourself, Liv. Let me know if you need anything.”

I nodded, my smile tight. “I will. Thank you, Ezra.”

When the door closed behind him, I exhaled, the tension in my chest easing slightly.

Elijah noticed, raising an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly, brushing off his concern. “Just tired.”

He nodded, returning his attention to his phone, and I sank back into my chair.

Now that he’s out of the ICU, I can go to Zoya, I thought, the idea blooming in my mind.

She deserved to be thanked properly. For being there when I needed her most, for her kindness, for... everything.

But there was another part of me, a part I didn’t want to acknowledge, that just wanted to see her again.

Zoya's POV

The sound of bustling crew members and the faint hum of equipment filled the set as I stepped inside, clutching my script to my chest. It had been a week since I last saw Olivia, and I’d done my best to throw myself into work, convincing myself that distance was for the best.

I walked toward my assigned spot, avoiding unnecessary eye contact. When Ezra appeared out of nowhere, his smile was as sharp and unreadable as ever.

“Zoya,” he called, his tone friendly but carrying that unmistakable edge that always made me uneasy. “Can we talk for a moment?”

I stopped, forcing a polite smile. “Of course, Ezra. What’s up?”

He stepped closer, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. “I was at the hospital yesterday. Visiting Elijah.”

My stomach twisted at his words, though I kept my expression neutral. “That’s nice of you,” I replied, unsure where this was going.

“I was surprised not to see you there,” he said, tilting his head slightly as if studying me.

My heart skipped a beat, Sebastian’s words replaying in my mind like a warning. Ezra’s a businessman before anything else.

“I didn’t think I had a reason to be,” I said carefully, keeping my tone light.

Ezra raised an eyebrow, his smile widening slightly. “No reason? You were there the first night, weren’t you? I just assumed you’d follow up.”

I clenched the script tighter in my hands, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. “I went as a colleague to check on Olivia,” I explained, my voice steady despite the inner conflict raging inside me. “But there’s nothing going on between us anymore. We’re just friends.”

The words felt heavy on my tongue, like stones sinking into my chest. I hated saying them and hated how final they sounded. But I knew it was for the best—Olivia didn’t need more rumours, and I didn’t need more heartache.

Ezra’s expression didn’t falter, though something flickered in his eyes. Curiosity? Amusement? I couldn’t tell. “Well, I’m sure Olivia appreciates your concern,” he said smoothly.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen, and my breath hitched.
Olivia.
Ezra’s gaze dropped to the phone, and his smirk widened. “Speak of the devil,” he remarked, his tone light but laced with something I couldn’t quite place.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, turning slightly away from him. “Hello?”

“Zoya,” Olivia’s voice came through, warm and familiar. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“No, not at all,” I replied, my heart pounding.

“I was hoping we could meet for coffee today,” she said. “I wanted to thank you properly for everything.”

My eyes darted to Ezra, who was still standing there, pretending not to eavesdrop but clearly listening. Panic bubbled up inside me. I couldn’t let him—or anyone else—have more reason to speculate.

“I’d love to, Olivia, but I can’t,” I said, forcing a light laugh. “I already have plans with Anne today.”

There was a pause on the other end, and I held my breath, hoping Olivia wouldn’t question it.

“Oh,” she said finally, her tone neutral. “That’s fine. Maybe another time?”

“Of course,” I said quickly, feeling a pang of guilt. “We’ll figure something out soon.”

“Okay. Take care, Zoya,” she said softly before hanging up.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket, turning to find Ezra watching me with that same unreadable expression.

“Anne, huh?” he said, his tone almost teasing. “Keeping busy, I see.”

I forced a smile, unwilling to give him any ammunition. “We’ve all got lives outside of work, right?”

“Of course,” Ezra said, stepping back. “I’ll let you get to it, then. See you on set.”

As he walked away, my shoulders slumped with relief, but the knot in my chest tightened. Lying to Olivia felt wrong, but I knew it was the right choice. For her sake. For both of us.