Chapter 178 Sudden Illness, Bobby's Return

Chapter 178 Sudden Illness, Bobby's Return

Olivia nodded. Kieran was still living out of his office, and that was starting to look more than a little inappropriate.

Lately, though, Kieran had been making himself conspicuously useful. Whenever he had downtime, he would find some excuse to be around Autumn, showing off or lending a hand. He had even learned to cook a few dishes from her, earning smiles and laughter in return.

Every time Olivia caught him at it, she would shoot him a look of pure disdain. He seemed to think that winning over Autumn would somehow make Gwyneth forgive him. Poor fool. Gwyneth was not the kind of woman to hand out forgiveness so easily.

And why would she? Gwyneth's career had soared far beyond Kieran's reach. In just one year away, she had earned two commendations and returned to Silverlight City with three consecutive promotions. Even as the commander of the Special Operations Unit, Kieran's rank still fell short of hers.

"Leave the moving to me. I'll talk to Kieran tomorrow. You've had a long day—go lie down for a bit. I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Autumn might bark orders for Olivia to learn how to cook, but the moment they got home, she would push Olivia toward the bedroom to rest while she busied herself in the kitchen.

Olivia lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. A dull ache pulsed in her head, coming in waves. Lately, the headaches were hitting more often, each one sharper than the last.

She closed her eyes, trying to relax, but the pain exploded like a grenade going off inside her skull. She curled up, clutching her head, a sheen of cold sweat breaking across her skin.

When Autumn came in to call her for dinner, she froze at the sight—Olivia hunched into herself, trembling, drenched in sweat.

"Olivia, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Mom... my head... it hurts so bad..."

Panic flared in Autumn's eyes. She fumbled for her phone and called Ivan. Minutes later, the wail of an ambulance cut through the air. By the time Ivan reached the hospital, Autumn was sitting outside the emergency room, shaking so hard she could barely breathe.

"My Olivia... my baby..."

Ivan wrapped his arms around her. "Don't be afraid. She's going to be fine. I promise you, she's going to be fine."

Autumn leaned into him, her face drawn and pale.

When Parker stepped out of the ER, he pulled off his mask, his expression grim.

"It's a side effect of the medication. You know Olivia's been on anti-anxiety drugs for a long time. Long-term use can cause severe headaches. The damage builds up over time."

Autumn's eyes welled. "How long until she's better?"

Parker sighed. "Her immune system is stronger than it used to be—Jeremy's treatment plan has helped. But it's going to take a year or two of careful recovery before she's out of the woods."

Autumn broke, clinging to Ivan as tears streamed down her face. Her daughter had already been through too much.

Olivia slept for three days before she was discharged. She hadn't spoken to Henry once during that time.

When Henry couldn't reach her, his worry spiked. He called Kieran.

"What happened to Olivia? Is she hurt? Why can't I get through?"

Kieran kept his voice steady. "She had a sudden health issue and was taken to the hospital. Don't worry—she's out of danger now."

Henry was in the middle of leading a mission, no way to leave. After a pause, he called Holden.

"Dad, Olivia is in the hospital. Go check on her."

Holden was already walking toward the door, phone pressed to his ear, but his mouth was as sharp as ever.

"I swear, I owe you for this. And what's with your wife? She's in the hospital every other week."

Henry's voice hardened. "Dad, say one more bad word about her, and we're done as father and son."

Holden snorted. "You don't scare me. I'm going to see Olivia, not you."

He hung up and headed for the hospital. When he heard the details, he wasn't nearly as shaken as Autumn.

"She's a cop, and a trained medic. She survived worse eight years ago—she'll survive this."

Holden brought in several specialists for a consult. After reviewing Olivia's records, they all agreed with Parker.

"She needs to come off the medication, but not all at once. It has to be gradual."

Holden nodded. "Then make a plan. She's fragile—don't take any chances."

Autumn and Ivan heard every word. Meanwhile, Bobby, who had been traveling, cut his trip short and drove straight back to Silverlight City.

Olivia didn't wake for another two days. The headaches were gone, but now dizziness washed over her in waves. When she finally opened her eyes, Autumn's worried face was the first thing she saw.

"Mom..."

"Olivia, thank God! I thought I was going to lose you."

Autumn pulled her into a fierce embrace, her voice breaking. "I'm getting older. I can't go through this again."

Olivia hugged her back, guilt twisting in her chest. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"You little brat. Do you have any idea what you're doing to me? If something happened to you, how would I go on?"

Olivia rested her head on Autumn's shoulder, her voice soft. "I'll get better. I'll do whatever you say. I won't make you worry again."

Ivan stood in the doorway, his heart heavy. In the hallway, he caught Holden smoking and kicked him lightly in the leg.

"Really? In a hospital? No smoking signs everywhere."

Holden shot him a glare. "Easy for you to lecture me. You've got a wife and a kid. I'm alone—you have no idea how damn miserable that is."

The bitterness in his voice gave Ivan pause. After a moment, he sighed. "Holden, some things you just can't force."

Holden bristled, ready to snap back, and the two were seconds away from a fight when Bobby arrived, catching them mid-argument.

"Seriously? If you're this bored, go back to work and stop bothering the hospital staff."

Both men fell silent. Ivan arched a brow. "You got back fast."

Bobby smirked. "Two months on the road is enough. Olivia's back at work—I can't just sit at home living off you."

In the ward, Bobby's smile faded when he saw Olivia's pale face.

"What happened to you? Two months and you look worse than before."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "It's just some side effects. Nothing serious. But look at you—two months away and you come back looking like a vagrant."

Bobby chuckled and pulled a bracelet from his pocket, pressing it into her hand.

"Picked this up for you."

Olivia blinked, feeling the smooth, warm beads. They carried a faint scent of incense—ritual offerings.

"Bobby, you're back for good? Going back to work?"

He nodded. "Reporting to the Special Operations Unit tomorrow. I heard Alton's challenging you . Don't worry—I'll make sure he regrets it."