⚠️ Warning : Suicide Attempt ahead in the chapter. ⚠️

A/n : Read last message, please.

Author's P.O.V.

"Michael, I swear I will kill you after this." Olivia grits her teeth, glaring at her not so innocent brother.

"Thanks for informing, I will write a letter before that telling everyone that I died because of this witch named Olivia." He casually says, coming toward the living room with her in his arms.

She is still in her oversized T-shirt that drapes softly over her shoulders, featuring a faded graphic of a favorite band. Her pyjama pants are loose-fitting, adorned with a whimsical pattern of tiny stars and moons.

Her hair is gathered in a messy bun, tendrils escaping here and there.

Olivia's heart races, a mix of fear and insecurity swirling inside her.

As he carries her down the hallway, she catches a glimpse of Mason and Sophia in the living room with an unfamiliar girl.

Her heart starts beating fast at the sight of the girl.

I AM EMBARRASSED.

IF NOT FOR YOU, ATLEAST THINK ABOUT ME, OLIVIA.

Lucas's words roam in her mind.

What if Michael's girlfriend left him because of her ?

As that unfamiliar girl comes in her sight, Olivia couldn't help the growing insecurity in herself.

The girl is stunning, with white milky skin, perfect silky hair, long legs, and a good height—everything Olivia feels she has lost in the aftermath of her accident.

She mumbles, almost inaudibly, "At least let me get presentable."

Michael hears her, and stops mid-stride, looking down at her. He stares at her face, who is busy looking in the living room.

He sighs, but continues walking.

Sometimes you have so much to say in your mind but you don't know what to utter first. It's better to leave it to time.

That's what Michael did.

They enter the living room, where the light chatter dies down as the others look up. Michael carefully sets Olivia on the couch, arranging her gently before stepping back. Mason quickly moves to adjust her legs onto the table to make her comfortable.

She glances around nervously, her eyes finally settling on Michael's girlfriend. The girl's beauty is almost overwhelming, making Olivia feel even more out of place in her pajamas and messy bun.

The girl narrows her eyes at Olivia, making her feel more embarrassed under the scrutinizing gaze. She could hear her thumping heartbeat.

"Michael," the girl's stern voice makes Olivia's heart clench.

"Yes ?" Michael replies.

"You never told me your sister is..." Olivia shuts her eyes tightly, looking down.

This is the reason why she didn't want to come here. If her boyfriend could feel embarrassed because of her, then the brother who hates her to the core would definitely feel embarrassed.

"...this cute ?"

Olivia freezes for a second before snapping her head toward the girl.

Michael chuckles, "I wanted you to see her in person."

The girl rolls her eyes and focuses again on Olivia.

"Hey, Olivia. I am Samaira Wright, your brother Michael's girlfriend. You can call me Ira. I don't know if he has told you about me or not, but let me introduce myself properly. I am currently pursuing my B.Tech degree in Computer Science and Engineering from St. Joseph College, and I want to become a web developer." Samaira smiles.

Olivia tries to muster a smile in return.

"I've heard a lot about you, Olivia," Samaira continues, trying to engage her in conversation.

"I hope this boy here told you everything good about our Olivia," Hazel says, narrowing her eyes at Michael, who raises his hands in surrender.

"He actually told me that his siblings are annoying," Samaira says slowly, biting her lips to control her laugh.

As soon as she says that, Mason and Olivia immediately glare at him.

"What ? I was just stating facts," Michael shrugs his shoulders.

Olivia rolls her eyes while Mason frowns, offended.

"Wait till Ethan comes, Mike. I will tell him that you called us annoying," Sophia smirks, to which Michael glares at her.

"You won't," he warns her.

"Oh, I will," Sophia smirks again.

"You know what ? You are a betrayer," Michael huffs in annoyance.

"Forget Ethan, Soph. I will tell this to Jack, then see what he will do with him," Mason glares at him.

"Jerk," Michael scoffs.

"I don't know what you see in him, Ira," Hazel sighs playfully.

Michael narrows his eyes.

"Exactly, Ira, there are many boys way better than him," Sophia comments.

Samaira chuckles, adoring Michael's relationship with his sisters-in-law.

"What can I do, ladies ?  I'm just stuck with this jerk here," Samaira sighs.

Michael gasps.

"Oh, Ira, if you want, we can protect you from this shitface," Mason says seriously, getting a whack from Michael.

"You all are plotting against me. You all are ganging up on me, I see. And you—" he whacks Mason again, "—you dick, as a brother, you should support me, and here you are taking their side. Bastard," he whacks him again.

Mason glares at him, "Stop hitting me."

"Why ? You are my younger brother. It's my duty to keep you in line," Michael retorts with a smirk.

"To hell with your duty. If you touch me once again, I swear I will shave your head bald," Mason threatens.

Michael laughs, "Oh really? Touch my hair and I will beat you blue and black."

"Okay, kids, calm down. No one is shaving heads, no one is beating each other. Calm down," Hazel intervenes, trying to calm them.

"Mason, bro, please do whatever you want, but don't shave his head. He will look ugly," Samaira requests dramatically.

Olivia can't help but mutter, "With hair, he's already looking ugly."

Samaira chuckles, "You're right, Olivia, but I have no other choice, right?"

"Iraaaa, you are my girlfriend," Michael whines childishly.

Olivia lets out a little laugh at his face.

A smile spreads across everyone's faces as they see her laughing.

Hazel and Sophia sigh. They just want her to smile, to feel relaxed around them. But it's not that easy, considering they're sitting and talking with her after four years. Still, they're trying, and that's what matters.

"And why are you laughing?" Michael narrows his eyes at Olivia.

"Did you forget how you looked when Mason cut your hair?" He smirks.

Samaira gasps in shock. "What?"

Olivia glares at him. "Not only him, you were involved in that too."

"Michael!" Samaira gapes at him.

"What? It was his plan. I just helped him," Michael shrugs his shoulders.

"That's ridiculous, Michael. You can't touch a girl's hair," Samaira narrows her eyes at them.

That's it. Olivia likes Samaira.

"We already got so many punishments for that, Ira," Mason mutters, embarrassed.

"You guys deserved that," Olivia retorts.

Seeing her responsiveness, Sophia signals to the boys to continue their argument.

"It's not only our fault, Olivia. It's your fault too," Mason narrows his eyes.

Olivia glares at him, "No, Mason, it's your fault."

"How could this all be his fault, Olivia ? You kept spiders on his bed," Michael retorts back.

Samaira gasps and looks at Olivia in shock, "You kept spiders?"

Olivia immediately shakes her head, "That's because he kept telling everyone that he wasn't scared of spiders."

Samaira looks at Mason, "So ? I was just stating facts."

"That's why I left spiders there; you deserved it," Olivia scoffs.

"And that's why Michael cut your hair, and you deserved that too."

"Oh really? Then Liam made you both cocks as a punishment, and you both deserved that too."

Hazel smiles when she hears her say Liam instead of William, a nickname she gave him as a child.

But Olivia doesn't realize she used the childhood nickname.

"You witch, do you even know I could still feel the pain in my back because of that ?" Michael narrows his eyes at her.

"And you—you ghost, do you know the amount of embarrassment I felt when I had to cut my long hair short just to even it out ?"

Olivia glares at him deadly.

"Still, it was just hair, you were overreacting—" Before Michael could complete his sentence, Samaira cuts him off.

"Just hair, Michael? Actually, you know what, you deserved every punishment," Samaira scoffs, earning a chuckle from Olivia.

Everyone's demeanor softens a bit, but they continue their banter.

"But Ira, I was just helping Mason, she—"

"Still, Mike, you shouldn't have cut her hair."

"Exactly, Ira. Do you know how ugly I looked with short hair?" Before Olivia could respond, Sophia interrupts, "You actually looked cute, Olivia. And I'm not lying. You wouldn't believe it, Ira; she was slaying that hairstyle. If you don't believe me, you can see her photos."

Olivia gasps, "You have my photos?"

A smile spreads across Samaira's face, "Yes, Soph, please show me."

"Yes, Ira, and of course Olivia, like me, Ethan also loved your new look. You looked like a little kid," she chuckles with Hazel, reminiscing about old times.

"Wait here guys, I will bring the photos." Sophia says and left from there.

"Oh God" Olivia mutters and sighs.

Unknown to her, she forgets about everything going in her life for some moments and they are thankful for it.

Sophia returns not long after with photos in her hand.

"Look guys-" Before Sophia could say anything, a voice interrupts her.

"Soph" A voice gains everyone's attention. A smile breaks through Sophia's face, when she looks at the people infront of her. 

"Mom... Dad," she runs towards them and immediately hugs her mom.

"My child," her mom whispers softly, returning the embrace.

Hazel approaches with a smile and warmly welcomes them.

"Uncle, Aunty, please come inside," she invites them with a warm smile.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz enter with smiles on their faces, and they all settle in the living room.

Sophia introduces them to Samaira.

"Such a lovely home you have, Hazel," Mrs. Diaz remarks, her tone dripping with insincerity.

"It's not just my home, Aunty," Hazel smiles.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz smile and nod.

"Where are the others? Ethan? William?" Mr. Diaz asks, looking around.

"Dad, they're out for some work. They'll be back soon," Sophia reassures him with a smile.

Mrs. Diaz's gaze falls on Olivia, who shifts uncomfortably under her scrutiny. "It's so nice to see everyone together. Family is so important, don't you think?"

"Absolutely, Mom," Sophia agrees warmly.

"Um, excuse me, Hazel, Sophia," Samaira interrupts politely, "I need to go now. My mom will kill me if I'm late."

Hazel smiles, "Of course. Come again, okay?"

Samaira nods and smiles, moving to the ladies to hug them before unexpectedly pulling Olivia into a hug as well.

"You're always beautiful, darling," she whispers in Olivia's ear before pulling away with a smile.

Olivia's eyes widen, surprised by the gesture.

Samaira chuckles at her reaction and then moves to hug Michael.

"Thank you," Michael mumbles quietly in her ear, to which she replies with a smile, "I just stated a fact, Mike."

Michael smiles genuinely and nods his head in acknowledgment.

As she left, Olivia couldn't help but feel a little happy. It was clear to her that she absolutely loves this girl—Samaira. A small smile graces her face as she recalls the compliment.

"Olivia, dear," Sophia's mother suddenly interjects, her voice sweet yet with an edge that cuts through the chatter. "It must be so challenging for you now, adjusting to everything. I can't imagine how hard it must be to keep up with everyone."

The comment stings, and Olivia feels a flush of embarrassment, but she manages a polite smile.

A silence falls over the living room.

"Mom," Sophia addresses her mother, "Even if it's challenging," she walks over to Olivia, "we're in this together. Trust me, Mom, everything will be fine soon." She ends with a reassuring smile, gently squeezing Olivia's hand in comfort.

Olivia remains silent.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Hazel quickly intervenes, "Aunty, Uncle, it's been so long since you've been here. How have you been ?"

"Not much, dear," Mrs. Diaz begins, "Everything's been going smoothly. Mr. Diaz just returned from Italy yesterday, so we decided to come here to see you all. We also heard about Olivia's accident."

She looks at Olivia with pity, causing Olivia to look down. The smiles fade from everyone's face. Before the discomfort can deepen, the front door opens, and William, Ethan, Jack, and Noah step in.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz stand up to greet William and Ethan.

"Hello Sons, how have you been ?" Mr. Diaz asks them with a grin on his face, to which William, Jack and Noah nod their heads silently.

"We are fine, Dad" Ethan replies with a smile. He strides over to Olivia, ruffling her hair affectionately before pulling her into warm hug. Olivia pats his back slightly.

"Are you okay ?" He asks her softly. His voice full of genuine affection, to which she slightly nods.

Sophia's mother watches the interaction with a sour expression, her jealousy barely concealed. She looks around only to see everyone talking with each other, while Sophia is listening to everyone. Even, her daughter's husband is busy with his sister. She clenches her jaw, but masks it up with a forced smile, "Sophia, darling, could you come with me for a moment ?"

Sophia looks confused.

"Uh- I want to use washroom" Mrs. Diaz smiles, to which Sophia nods, and stands up, excusing herself from the group. 

After coming far from everyone, her mother takes her arm and leads her briskly toward any room, her grip firm and insistent. Once inside, she shuts the door behind them, her expression shifting from polite to irritate.

"Mom, why are you pulling me ?" Sophia frowns.

"Sophia," Mrs. Diaz begins, her voice low but intense, "What on earth is going on here ?"

Sophia squints, raising an eyebrow. "What, Mom ?"

Mrs. Diaz groans, "Sophia... Sophia... Sophia, why are you so naive, dear ?"

Sophia's frown deepens. "What are you saying, Mom?"

She sighs, "I am talking about that girl."

"Who, Mom ? Samaira ?"

"No, Soph, I am talking about Olivia."

Sophia knits her eyebrows together. "Olivia ? What about her, Mom ?"

"Oh God," Mrs. Diaz groans, "Can't you see, Sophia ? That girl is slowly stealing everything. First your mother-in-law and father-in-law, and now your husband."

"What are you saying, Mom ?" Sophia narrows her eyes in confusion, unable to grasp what her mom is trying to convey.

"That girl is nothing but a burden, Sophia—"

"MOM," Sophia looks at her mom with a firm gaze.

"Don't look at me like that, Sophia. I am just stating a fact. She is just a burden to everyone here. She's dragging everyone down with her problems. You guys have your own lives; you can't just babysit her," her mom states.

Sophia's eyes widen in shock. "I can't believe you, Mom. You're saying something like this—"

Mrs. Diaz holds her elbows. "I'm saying this for your own good, darling. Say whatever you want, but you can't deny the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez also left her because—"

"Because they are foolish, Mom—"

"Foolish ?" She scoffs, "Not foolish, they are clever, Soph. That's why they left their burden on you guys. Why don't you see that she is just stealing everyone ?"

"Oh God, Mom," Sophia groans, "please, stop it—"

Before she can finish her sentence, her mom cups her face, "Listen, Sophia, please. Your husband is not a CEO of Hernandez Corporation. He is just a government worker. If you can't make Olivia leave this home, then you and your husband can leave. You guys have your own home, then why are you staying here and babysitting that burden ? Leave this house and focus on your career."

"So you are saying I should tell my husband, who is also Olivia's brother, to leave this house so we can focus on our careers ?"

Mrs. Diaz nods, "Yes, darling. You are his wife. You should control him. You should be the only one receiving his attention, not his sister."

Sophia removes her mom's hands from her face, her expression hardening.

"Leave this burden on Hazel. She can babysit her since she can't become a mother. But what about you, dear ? You have your own life, your own family. And this bitch is doing nothing but holding you guys back—"

"SHUT UP, MOM, PLEASE SHUT UP!" Sophia's eyes glisten with tears as she yells at her mom. "I can't believe you're saying this. M-My own m=mom is like this."

"But, Soph—"

"Enough, Mom !" Sophia glares at her mom. "Ethan is my husband, and Olivia is his sister. This is my family now, and I won't listen to any outsider saying anything about my family."

Sophia grits her teeth.

Mrs. Diaz widens her eyes. "Sophia, darling—"

"Don't, Mom, please," Sophia says, holding up her hand to indicate for her mom to stop.

Her mom glares at her. "Don't be blind, Sophia. She is not your sister, she is just a disabled burden—"

"ENOUGH, MOM!" Sophia yells. "I WAS SILENT TILL NOW BECAUSE YOU ARE MY MOTHER, BUT YOU'VE CROSSED ALL YOUR LIMITS. I AM ASHAMED TO CALL YOU MY MOTHER—"

"SHUT UP, SOPHIA. I am saying this for your own good—"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY GOOD FROM YOU, MOM. I can't believe you're seriously trying to break my home ? Your own daughter's home ?" Sophia scoffs but then glares. "Mom, I'll tell you this one last time: Olivia is not only my husband's sister, she is my sister too. Ethan loves her like his daughter, Mom, and that makes her my daughter as well. I won't tolerate anyone disrespecting my daughter or my family."

"Oh God, my own daughter is mad," Mrs. Diaz looks bewildered. "Your daughter ? Seriously, Sophia ? That burden—"

"One more word from your mouth against my sister and I will forget that you are a guest here, Mrs. Diaz" A cold deep voice gains their attention.

Mrs. Diaz flinches slightly, seeing the fire in William and Ethan's eyes. Both brothers stand there with the coldest looks on their faces.

"W-William—"

"Ssshh, Mother-in-law," Ethan hushes her. "I respected you a lot, but you've proved you're not worthy of my respect. You're my wife's mom, so I'm silent, otherwise," he leans closer and whispers, "I pull the tongues of those who talk about my sister."

Mrs. Diaz visibly gulps, taking a step back. She immediately turns towards her daughter.

"Sophia, won't you say anything to him ? He's threatening me."

Sophia wipes her eyes and turns towards her mom. "You disrespected their sister, Mom. You deserve this." She turns away from her mom.

Mrs. Diaz's eyes widen as she looks at the brothers in slight fear. "I-I am s-sorry, s-son," she immediately apologizes, to which Ethan scoffs and William just stands there, looking at her coldly.

"Mrs. Diaz, we don't need your apologies. You can take your leave from here now," William says coldly.

Mrs. Diaz, flustered and defeated, turns and heads for the door, casting one last pleading look at Sophia, who doesn't meet her gaze.

But before she could left, Ethan grits his teeth in warning, "If I ever hear from anyone that you are talking shit about my family then, that day will be the worst day for you, mother-in-law"

Mrs.Diaz gulps and immediately left from there.

The room remains silent until the door closes behind her until a sob left from Sophia's mouth making brothers turn towards her.

"Sophia," William calls out gently, "we are sorry—"

"Will, what are you apologizing for ?" Sophia immediately interrupts him.

"We shouted at your mother—"

"She deserves it, Will." Sophia says, "In fact, I should be the one apologizing. Because of me, you guys had to listen to all that. I am so sorry, Will—"

She cries as Ethan immediately hugs her.

"No, Soph, it's not your fault," Ethan says, rubbing her back. "Please don't cry."

"He's right, Sophia. It's not your fault," William sighs softly, patting her head.

"Still, I can't believe that Mom would say something like this," she hiccups.

Ethan sighs, caressing her hair.

"But now I am scared for Olivia," William mumbles, sitting on the bed.

Sophia pulls out of the hug and looks at them in confusion, "Why ?"

Ethan sighs and rubs his face. "She heard everything, Soph."

Sophia's eyes widen in shock, "What ? H-How ?"

"When we were talking in the living room, she was feeling sleepy, so I told her that I would take her to her bedroom, but she wanted to go by herself. So, Mason brought her wheelchair from her room and she left on her own," Ethan continues. "When we heard you shout, we immediately came here and saw Olivia outside the room."

Sophia's jaw drops.

That means she heard everything.

"She was numb. I'm scared, Ethan. The look on her face is still breaking me," William mutters, keeping his head in his hands.

Ethan rubs his back. "Our Olivia is strong, Will. She will overcome all these things. Until then, we have to support her, Will. We have to show our little girl that she is not alone. We have to mend our broken relationship again, Will. We have to show her that she is still our princess," Ethan comforts him, to which he nods.

Meanwhile, Sophia continues looking down, tears streaming down her face.

She is blaming herself for all these things.

"OLIVIA!" A shout makes them alert.

Their eyes widen.

"It's Noah's voice," William mutters, and as soon as they realize it, they immediately run towards the voice.

(A/n : I was actually going to end the chapter here as it already crosses 3.5k+ words but being a good person I am, I decided that I will not give you cliffhangers today (maybe). And also I uploaded this chapter late, so as a compensation, long chapter 😁)

As soon as they enter Olivia's room, the sight before them shatters everyone's hearts.

Noah's face is flushed with anger. His eyes are red, his jaw clenched tight. He glares at Olivia, who sits there with tears streaming down her face, her palm pressed against her cheek.

It becomes immediately clear that Noah has slapped her.

They freeze in place, stunned by the scene. William is the first to move, crossing the room in a few long strides.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, NOAH ?" He shouts on him, positioning himself protectively in front of his younger sister.

But Noah's glare doesn't fade. It remains intense. He keeps glaring at her deadly.

"ASK HER WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO, WILL" Noah yells back.

William turns to Olivia, his voice softer now. "What happened ? What were you doing ?" he asks gently.

Olivia continues sobbing, unable to respond.

Hazel strides towards Olivia, her voice trembling with concern. "Olivia, baby, what happened?"

"Noah, why is she crying? What happened? For God's sake, open your fucking mouth!" Jack's voice booms in the tense room, demanding answers.

Noah bends down and picks something up from the floor.

Hazel and Sophia gasp audibly, while the other men present widen their eyes in shock at the sight of the knife in Noah's hand.

William's breath catches in his throat as he realizes Olivia's intentions. Without hesitation, he pulls her into a tight embrace, his muscular arms wrapping around her protectively. His body trembles with the weight of his emotions, fearing the possibility of losing his sister.

Ethan gulps as he watches the scene before him.

Tears stream down Mason's cheeks, overcome with emotion, while Michael and Jack remain rooted to the spot in stunned silence.

Sophia and Hazel continue to sob, their hearts breaking at the sight of Olivia's distress.

"She was going to stab herself, Will" Noah grits his teeth. His voice chokes as he let out those painful words.

William's arms tighten around her petite body. Olivia sobs into his chest, her whole body trembling.

Rest of them stands around them, stunned into silence. Each one lost in their thoughts, grappling with the enormity of what almost happened.

Their breath hitch when they realize the severity of the situation.

Noah swallows hard, a lump forming in his throat. His heart pounding in his chest. He can't stop replaying the scene in his mind, the moment he saw Olivia with the knife. The image is seared into his memory, a constant reminder of how close they came to losing her.

What if I hadn't come in time ?

His heart clench when this thought comes in his mind.

Ethan stands beside them, his fists clenched tightly. He feels a deep, gnawing guilt. When he heard her vulnerable tone that day, he knew that something is not right. He should've done something or anything on that day itself. He shouldn't ignore those signs yet he did and now they are facing it.

The thought of losing Olivia is unbearable.

Jack clenches his jaw. He feels utterly helpless, unable to fathom how his brave, spirited sister has come to this point.

He remembers the Olivia who faced every challenge, who never backed down from a fight.

The contrast between that Olivia and the one who tried to take her own life is almost too much to bear.

His eyes glisten with tears when he remembers his own words, I will always be with you. I will always protect you.

He fails. He fails to protect her.

Michael is no different. His heart aches when he remembers his words, Go and die, no one cares. He wants to scream at her that, he cares. Everyone cares. They can't live without her. He can't live without her. How could he even say something like this ?

While Mason. He is her twin. He feels an intense ache in his heart seeing his sister in such pain, suffering before his eyes. But he can't do anything except watching her suffer. He can't shake the feeling of guilt that has settled over him. He thinks about their shared childhood, their bond that seemed unbreakable. But it all shattered after some things happened.

Only if he tries to understand her !!!

Tears rolls down from his face. The thought that he might lose her to her despair is terrifying.

The room is filled with a silence, broken only by Olivia's sobs. Each member of the family is lost in their thoughts, grappling with their guilt and fear.

They all share the same worry -- What if they can't bring her back from this darkness ?

What if they can't restore her smile, her spirit ?

The bold girl they knew is nowhere to be found.

But they want to bring her back.

They know the road ahead will be long and difficult, but they're resolved to walk it together. The thought of losing Olivia is too much to bear.

As the silence stretches on, Olivia's sobs begin to quiet as her eyes drop. William continues to hold her, his tears mingling with hers.

"Please never do something like this, Lia. We can't live without you. Your Liam can't live without his Lia. I promise, Lia, I will fight for you. I will fight for your happiness, Lia, I promise, I will protect you, Lia."

To Be Continued...

I am sorry for late update.

I want to share something,

Two suicide attempts happened in my college. One from my hostel and one from boys hostel. No one knows the reason why they attempted suicide. But everyone makes their own story.

I don't know about girl, but that boy died on the spot. College trustees called their parents saying their kids attempted suicide. Imagine their parents' reaction !!! Their kids, whom they love so much, tries to kill themselves.

I just want to tell you guys that if any of you ever feel like everything is going out of the hands at any point in life, then please please reach out to your people and share with them. NEVER EVER TAKE THIS DRASTIC STEP.

Don't forget your loved ones who can't live without you.

I always tell you guys that love yourself in the end of the each and every chapter. I mean it, guys.

If any of you wants to talk to me at any point in their life, I am always available for you guys. Always.

Please Stay safe, take care and Love yourself ❤️.

Byee Byee ... Luv ya (LITERALLY) 😘.

Published : 12 June 2024.

Total words : 4738 words.