AARON WALLACE POV

"Mmmm." I heard the groan, but I believed my mind was playing tricks on me as it had been over a hundred times since yesterday. Perhaps it was mind glitches from the prayers I had prayed more fervently than I had in my entire 23 years. But her fingers really moved, and I was on the edge of my seat, wide-eyed. "Aaron." She mumbled my name.

It was enough validation that I needed. My legs were already carrying me to the bed, where I settled down beside her, gently and eagerly leaning in to be closer.

Her eyes remained closed, but she was clearly exerting effort to open them. It seemed as though there was a steady weight on her eyelids, causing tears to gather at the edges of their slits. I carefully cradled her small head, torn between the fear of aggravating any brain swelling and the desperate need to reassure her of my presence. Despite her eyes partially opening, she surveyed her surroundings hazily, wincing as if grappling with a significant gap in her memory, struggling to piece together what had happened.

This was her second awakening, but I doubted she remembered the first at all; it had lasted only a second before she started convulsing on the bed in a seizure attack, hours after doctors had struggled to find her pulse. In short, the past twenty hours had been the scariest of my life, surpassing anything I had ever experienced. I had been sitting there for hours; my spine now felt stiff at the thought of it.

Hey?" I whispered, careful not to add any discomfort to her fragile state, especially since I didn't know how she felt.

She blinked and darted her eyes stressfully as if struggling to see me. Her hand, with the pulse oximeter and IV drip, moved to wipe the tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but I gently stopped her, covering her delicate hand with mine and softly caressing the tears away, providing her comfort in the touch.

"Aaron?" She mumbled raspily, her voice tinged with sadness, needing to believe it was really me. Her glass-like ember eyes opened wider, wincing as they were hit by the harsh lights overhead. I leaned closer, casting a shadow to shield her eyes, in return for a better view of her, all of her. "Where am I?" she asked, her voice bearing uncertainty and the evidence of scratchiness of her vocal cords.

"Shhh, you're here with me. Try not to talk too much, you need to rest," I whispered gently. With her blood pressure having spiked earlier and now successfully reducing swelling in her brain after an extended period of oxygen loss, she needed as much peace and serenity as possible. Her eyes closed, and she leaned into my side with a relaxed sigh, reassuring me that she still trusted me. The newly found solace between us was interrupted abruptly by the sound of the door opening.
My initial instinct was to growl at whoever it was, but I quickly realized it was the nurses, coming in to check on her now that she was awake.

"Hello, welcome back, Lively," gallantly said one of them, whose name I still hadn't memorized. "I am Joey, and this is Fatima. You're in the hospital, and we are your personal nurses," the woman explained to Liv, who now wore a confused frown and looked at me when the hospital was mentioned.

"So how are you feeling? You've been our cutest sleeping beauty, but how do you feel?" the other nurse started, holding a writing pad in her hand. "Can you see and hear me?" She waved at Liv beside the bed with a warm smile as they adjusted and injected medication into the IVs.

Liv nodded in my direction, I smiled at her but I could sense her nervousness from the blank expression on her face.

"Do you know what day it is?" they asked again, attracting back her attention to them.

"Sunday?" she muttered, followed by a few coughs, her body shaking in my arm. "Can I please have some water?"

"Of course, I'll check your heart rate and other vital signs, and I'll have food brought to you. How about some warm chicken soup? Everyone loves chicken soup," the first woman said warmly. Liv forced an appreciating smile but there was no excitement glint in her eyes.

The nurses continued their check-up using the monitor connected to Liv, allowing me to focus more on her. As she stared back at me, I gently stroked her violet soft cheek and whispered to her about how pretty she looked at that moment. She seemed tired, but a slight blush colored her cheeks.

I took hold of her free hand and kissed her small palm tenderly. She then took control quietly, gently tracing my jaw and running her fingers through my hair. It sent an embracing rush within me, like walking down the path to heaven—a kind of rapture of ease that defies description.

It wasn't Sunday; it was Monday, although no one had informed her of that yet. Sometime during our silence, her eyes faltered. But whenever she stole a glance at me, catching me watching her intently, a reassuring smile glide across my face. My hands stayed firmly attached to her, aiming to ease any nervousness she might be feeling.

The door opened again, and this time, to my surprise, the twins lumbered through, accompanied by Isla and Emersyn. Liv's eyes widened as she tensed. It is safe to say she now remembers everything from the accident. Meadow and Mallory weren't meant to stay, but I couldn't find it in me to give any of my time to anyone other than Liv since we left the yacht, so the topic was never addressed. However, I had seen them at their lowest. It was not concealed on their countenances that they sought relief in wishing for and the expectation of Lively's recovery.

The girls were anything but inclined to have this extent of malicious intentions. I hoped this would serve as a lesson to curb their brattiness.

"Oh, thank goodness," Emersyn exclaimed, trotting over to Liv for a hug and patting my back afterward.

"I'm glad you're awake," Isla said from across the room as if there were bugs that could bite over here. Liv smiled tightly, visibly uneasy at the presence of the twins, who seemed miserable themselves.

"Okay, we will take the report to the doctor, and he will come to check on you himself," the nurse said politely to Liv before both of them exited the room, revealing Aunt Kathleen standing by the door. Once again, Liv couldn't suppress her nervousness, little did she know that I wouldn't allow anyone to make her uncomfortable right now.

"Aunt Kathleen?" I questioned with a noticeable edge in my voice, making sure she understood any uncalled reaction she had with her wouldn't be tolerated.

Suspenseful, her eyes lazily swept from me and Liv to the three girls on the opposite side of the room.

"Mallory, Meadow, and Isla, Mason is leaving. Follow his flight back to the lake house; your grandpa awaits you there," she said so casually that it was clear to the twins they were in trouble.

It was a surreal moment, one I never imagined witnessing—the twins nodding obediently without objection. Emersyn's eyes flickered with restrained laughter as she glanced at me, and I struggled to maintain a serious expression.
Forgiving them wouldn't come easily after what they did to Liv, whether they pushed her or not, from the beginning they had hated her for no actual reason and she didn't deserve that; so now they needed to learn from the severity of their actions.

"And Aaron, come with me," Aunt Kathleen waved me over, devoid of any good wishes or acknowledgment for the girl our family victimizes. I held back from bursting out about it because Liv's chest had already begun to heave, and the monitor's beeping was increasing. The last thing she needed was my reaction reminding her of my family's cruel beliefs about our relationship. She clutched my hand, staring at the door as if a monster were there—a label well-deserving of Aunt Kathleen in this context.

"Baby, Emy is here," I assured her, then looked up at my cousin, silently asking for her assistance at the moment. She responded with a reassuring smile, confirming she would be there for Liv. "I'll be back in a minute."

Liv sighed, shifting her gaze to Emersyn as she sat on the other side of the bed and took Liv's hand.

"I'll tell you how devastated Aaron was; he threatened to kill us all," Emersyn joked lightly.

Liv blushes back to me with amusement and I cock my brow with a shrug, not ashamed a bit.

"I want to go home," Liv whispered to me, her lower lip folded between her teeth as she pleaded with watery eyes.

"I'll talk with the doctor about that, but you need to rest," I said, kissing her head. She took a deep breath before nodding in agreement.

Aunty Kathleen arrived a couple of hours ago, while it was plainly for the concern of the twins and had nothing to do with Liv's well-being, it was still better than my parents had done. There were no calls or any sort of support from their side unless we should deem mom's earlier phone call with Keenan asking if Lively had passed on—a not surprising cold footpath for the mother of the year. She had no idea I was right in front of Keenan, listening to how dark her ambitions could travel.

Dane and Mason were in the hallway waiting area. Kyle had left for Chicago for work about six hours ago. Following behind Emersyn and Mason's mother, who I had avoided encountering until now, I shook hands with the two boys. I wasn't ready for any more issues, as my plate was already full. Mason promised to see me back in Portland, and the three girls headed down with him as instructed by Aunt Kathleen.

"I'll go see Lively," Dane sighed, tapping my arm before sauntering towards Liv's door, giving us some privacy for whatever Aunt Kathleen was about to discuss with me.

"As ordered by your grandpa, your fiancée will recover at the lake house. I also suggested that this upcoming weekend, there will be an engagement party for you two."

How convenient.

"What, are you insane? She's not even recovered yet. She needs rest and the comfort of her family first. She won't agree to this, and honestly, I can't take that away from her. You heard the doctor—she has brain swelling and high blood pressure from a heart attack provoked by the kids you ostensibly came here for. I don't understand. If you had an ounce of compassion in your cold soul, you would understand all this. Why are you here, Aunt Kathleen?"

"Do not be rude. I'm here to stabilize the family name, of course, before you sully it in a wink while the spotlight is on you," she volleyed, her face scrunched in its usual indifferent expression. "There's a rumor circulating that something is wrong in the family, despite my efforts to ensure nothing is reported in gossip articles or news channels. We're being watched every goddamn minute, someone out there wants to profit from fresh news. Any slight mistake and we'll be in hot water. There are helicopters with our name flying around the hospital roof, and no statement from us has been put yet. I've spent half a million to silence witnesses, but if it gets out that the brattish twins pushed her—or not, in their words—you know who the public will side with. The poor girl over the 'villainous wealthy family'. They always get that sympathy because the world is crowded with people like them and—." I glare warningly and her lips momentarily snap shut into a line before she continues, "We can't risk even the minuscule gap for a mistake in our name. You know this. So while protecting your girlfriend, protect the family legacy too; as you are entitled to. You're not just Aaron Wallace; you're the first of your generation of cousins. Defend the family as your father is."

To what extent, though? I'll never be like my father if that's what she's implying.

Swallowing hard, I avert my gaze to collect my thoughts. "How can I tell her that? She wants to go back to her family; she needs them."

Why will Grandpa require this from me? It doesn't matter if he supports us or if I'm the dominant male of the fucking pride in that house. Living there for Liv demands a survival strategy, one she won't easily understand—at least not yet. This is just like handing a cub to rival lions working in a coalition, planning their takeover. Everyone is coming for me from all angles and it's all aimed at destroying what's dear to me. If I lose that, I'm alone, and they win.

"Figure it all out now," Aunt Kathleen insists, her tone firm. "But once you land in Portland, you head straight to the lake house. We'll quash any rumors about this Cinderella tale. I am so tired of it already. I've arranged for reporters to cover every Wallace family member, ensuring everyone appears safe and sound. That should put the rumors to rest. When you leave, make sure she's in good shape to be seen."

Holding her steely stare, scouring for a response, the phone buzzes in my trousers pocket, and I reluctantly pull it out to see it's not mine but Liv's—it's her mother calling.

"Damn it!" I feel the throbbing headache between my brows.

Aunty Kathleen's eyes are fixed on the screen too.

"Answer it. Figure out a story," she urges sternly.

"You think it's that simple?" I snap back, and she rolls her eyes like I am the one being dramatic.

"You want to terrify the woman that you almost got her daughter killed?" Her brows rose accusingly. "Okay, go ahead. Tell her you brought her daughter to Milan and had her drowned, let's see." She posed challengingly, folding her arms with a cold detachment like all this is a goddamn movie and emotions aren't involved. I am struggling here, I can't believe she's neglecting it.

"I didn't do it. I would never hurt Liv," my voice was guttural, louder than usual.

"Who cares? What do they know and who do they trust?"

Fan-fucking-tastic.

Huffing, I slid my finger over the answer button and strode down the quiet hall. Fortunately, the section of the hospital where Liv was admitted was private, so there were no distractions to give away the lie I was about to plant in the ears of the nice woman.

"Livy, I missed your call," she started casually like any mother expecting to get a response from her daughter.

"Hello, Missus Kelby. It's Aaron," My tone is in the best of its fake equilibrium.

"Aaron, is everything okay?" She didn't seem disconcerted by my picking up, showing an underlying trust in my ability to care for her daughter.

This is harder than I thought.

"Uh, yeah," Wincing at the weighing guilt as I spoke, I pinch the spot between my brows that throbbed profoundly. "We had a long day yesterday. Liv actually just managed to get some rest a while ago, and I didn't want to disturb her. But I could wake—" I deliberately trailed off, hoping she would agree with me. I can taste the sharp utmost insincerity in my words, I only hope it's not conspicuous. I hated myself for it.

"No, it's okay. We can talk when she's awake," she said, she was clueless. I wanted to bite my tongue until I tasted blood for lying to her.

"That's good. I'll let her know," I responded deceptively calmly, despite feeling anything but.

"Thank you, Aaron—Come take it," she added, lastly addressing someone in the background. Then, I heard the tiny boy's voice whining.

"Is that Bubble?" I asked curiously.

"Yes," she sighed, her voice traced with exhaustion and frustration, revealing it had been a long day. Even without knowing her daily routine, it was evident she worked tirelessly. But that would soon change. Once I married Liv and took her around the world to see, she would rest assured knowing her family was well.

"If you don't mind, may I say hi?" I asked, realizing it was something Liv would want. She cared deeply for the boy, which is why I planned to discuss with her again the idea of connecting her family with a better doctor and covering his treatment bills.

"No, not at all. Bubble, do you want to say hi to Livy's friend?" She asked kindly.

"Mini-goes?" the tiny voice excitedly questioned, and the woman amusedly hummed at his choice of name for me. I wasn't particularly fond of that nickname either, but it brought my six-foot-five-inch ego some comfort knowing he meant 'mangoes' and not really 'mini.'

"Hell—llo," his voice crackled over the pesky radio signal, as he struggled to stabilize the phone in his little hands. I couldn't help but smile at the potential adorable scenario.

"How are you doing, little man?"

"Gut," he innocently cooed, his voice ranging from a coo to a screech as he added, "Way is—Livy?"

Okay!

"She's asleep." Way to go, Aaron, already accustomed to offhand lying just like the politicians. "Why aren't you sleeping too?" It's around 9 pm over there.

"Mommy maks me hav—midi—sea," he responded haltingly.

Understanding him had always been a bit of a mental scramble for me, but I knew the last word meant medicine; I'd heard him say it randomly a few times.

"You didn't take your medication?" I asked, hoping that was what he meant.

"I don one tem." The whining gives away his objection.

"What if I talk to my friends and they call Catboy, Gekko, and Owlette to come to see you in a couple of days?" I offered, knowing it was a tempting proposition he couldn't resist. Of course, I had been watching a freaking cartoon this summer to wow a girl. So yes, I know all the character's names by heart.

"Really?" he gasped excitedly through the speakers, and I smiled to myself, pleased with my tactic. Maybe I wasn't so bad with kids after all.

"But they'll only accept the invitation if you're not skipping your medication for your superpower ability," I added, laying down the bargain condition.

"I will no." He promised.

"Alright, now we have a deal. I'm sure you'll have your guests very soon,"

He sounded more brave and invigorated by the time we hung up.

Aunty Kathleen was on the phone as I returned. She urged me to lower to her eye level with her hand on my cheek and planted a maternal kiss there. Always dramatic with her. "My helicopter is here," she informed me, and briskly departed on her high heels, followed by her escort, having accomplished her purpose, which clearly wasn't showing compassion for Liv's accident. Not once did she ask how she was doing, but it didn't even matter. I am here for Lively and that's all that mattered.

Sighing, I brushed off the blatant disregard and headed to the doctor's office to inquire if Liv was fit for the 12-hour flight journey.