Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Olive's POV

Chapter 251: Olive's POV

"What a surprise, isn't it. To have your ex-boyfriend here."

Simon said, chuckling as he stared at me, watching the shock pass through my face.

I stared at Cole. Then back at Paloma.

"What are you doing here. What is he doing here. Why is she here."

I asked all at once, my voice climbing with every word.

"Olive. Baby, are you okay—"

Cole started, almost rushing toward my side, but one of the men held him back and kicked him hard against the back of his legs, causing a hiss to escape his lips as he dropped.

"Leave me, you bastard." He screamed at the man even though he looked completely defenseless. "How dare you touch her."

"Ooh, such a pathetic sight." Simon's voice was mocking. "My men caught him following our car. He tried to be a hero. Tried to break in. But he's too foolish to even make a single competent move. He's quite a loser."

"Fuck you." Cole screamed, hands shaking against his restraints. "Fuck you. I promise I will kill you. I will end you."

Simon smiled at his words, eyes glittering with something close to delight.

"Ooh, that would be nice for you to try."

He nodded toward one of the men, who pushed Cole toward a chair and wrapped his hands in tape even as he continued to struggle.

Everything felt like a movie.

Felt like none of it could possibly be real.

"Olive."

I turned to face the owner of the voice. Paloma. She looked different. Her eyes were swollen, like she had been crying for a long time, and worse than that, she looked hurt in a way that went deeper than physical.

"What are you doing here."

I whispered, already too drained to speak any louder.

Paloma remained quiet, her face cast downward, unable to meet my gaze.

"Why don't you tell her the truth," Simon said. "Why don't you let her know."

"Simon, you shouldn't do this. You have to let her go. She had nothing to do with this."

My eyes squinted at her words. What was she talking about.

"What are you talking about? What's going on?"

I asked.

"Olive, I tried telling you about her," Cole said, eyes glaring at Paloma even tied to his chair. "Didn't I. That she's fake."

"What are you talking about?"

I asked again, and the room went quiet for a second as I watched Paloma cycle through what looked like a hundred emotions at once before they finally settled on something resembling resignation.

She looked defenseless.

Not the Paloma I knew at all.

"My name is not Paloma."

I froze.

A sound escaped my lips that I barely recognized as my own.

"What."

"I'm sorry, Olive. I am Zane's ex-wife."

The room fell silent.

The kind of silent where you could hear the sound of a pin dropping somewhere far away.

"What. Zane never mentioned—"

"Yes. He never mentioned because he didn't need to. It wasn't a real marriage. He was trying to help me. To save me."

Paloma said in a rush, the words tumbling out like she had been holding them too long to control the pace anymore.

"Save you. From what."

I asked, my heart beating fast, the sound of blood rushing into my ears, though my voice somehow remained steady.

"I was an illegal immigrant. I had somehow been hired by Zane's mother to take care of her son after the explosion, because he needed professional care and they were trying to protect him from outside attention. His mother hired me, but in exchange I asked to be married to him. To become a citizen. Everything. When Zane found out the truth about his mother's deal, he wasn't happy. But he had no choice and he signed the marriage certificate."

She breathed in shakily.

"But I broke the deal by falling for him. And he had me divorced almost instantly without considering my feelings. I was so heartbroken. I went back to square zero."

"His mother was kind enough to get me a residency permit. But it still wasn't enough. I watched him from a distance. Stalked him for years just to see how he was faring. Until Simon found me and offered me a contract. To get close to you. To find out everything about you. To make you trust me. In return, he would give me citizenship."

She broke into tears.

"I was so angry. I'd seen you on television, the way he claimed you. I'd watched him fall for you in a way he never felt for me. And I was so bitter."

I closed my eyes tightly.

I hadn't expected Paloma, or whatever her name actually was, to be a complete fabrication. She had been such a perfect friend. Someone I had relied on without even fully knowing her.

"I'm so sorry. For everything. For trying to be a real friend when my motive started out fake. But as time went by, I realized you were a real friend. That you were so good to me. And I hated myself every single day. And when he asked me to drug you, when he asked me to invite you over and drug you, I couldn't do it."

I gasped, watching tears break through her eyes.

"I just couldn't bear to see you that vulnerable knowing I had done it. Lying to you was already enough, Olive. I hate myself for it every day."

She broke down completely this time. Full tears. The room had gone quiet around us.

"Paloma—"

"It's Ruby. My true name is Ruby. Paloma has always been fake."

"So it's Ruby." Cole said, a humorless chuckle escaping him. "I was trying to figure that one out."

I turned to glare at him and his face fell instantly.

"I'm so sorry, Olive."

"It's fine, Paloma. Ruby. I don't really know what to call you anymore. But right now, you are not the devil. He is the devil. He used you. I'm not mad at you. I'm just—" I stopped, my chest tight. "I'm mad that I trusted you. That I defended you against Alonso that night at the club. And right now I just feel foolish."

"I know. And I will make it up to you."

A harsh chuckle echoed through the room.

"Okay. Confession time is over." Simon's voice cut through everything. "And Paloma. You broke the end of our bargain. And you know what happens when you do that."

He was smiling but there was something underneath it that looked entirely evil.

"You have to let her go. Punish me instead."

Paloma said, staring at him with fear I hadn't seen in her before.

"No, Paloma. I won't leave you here alone." I said, even though the words felt heavy coming out of my mouth. "Zane will come save us."

"Ooh, you think so."

Simon said, walking toward me and stopping right at my side.

"Don't you dare touch her."

Cole yelled, struggling hard against his chair.

"Ooh, Cole. Unfortunately, you won't be coming out of here alive. And even if you do, your pathetic girlfriend will be leaving you anyway. Because I already sent her the video of you cheating on her. With what was it. Your secretary?"

Blood drained from Cole's face, his mouth falling open in shock.

"You. You wouldn't."

"Oh, I did. Unfortunately there's no time to show everyone the video right now."

He pressed a button.

"But here's something you don't know. Your survival depends entirely on what Zane decides to score against my best player in this exact moment."

The TV lit up to show an arena.

Thousands of people cheering for a match that was about to begin, and from the screen I could see Zane staring directly into the camera, like he somehow already knew we were watching him.

"You see," Simon said, "I made him choose. Between playing this game and winning it, and saving his family. Or abandoning the game entirely, getting blood on his hands, and coming to save you instead."

He turned to look at me, that knowing smile spread wide across his face.

"And right now, you already know the outcome."

"He chose his family again. Without caring about you at all."

He walked toward a chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other like he was settling in for entertainment.

"So why don't we watch your favorite hockey star play on ice."