Whisper - Chapter 105: Chapter 105

Cooperation in the Shadows – 1
( Olivia's POV )
Ethan Grey's words echoed in my mind like a persistent nightmare.
"Even if you marry him, I won't let go ... A secret affair ... that's the most thrilling kind of love, isn't it?"
I shuddered, trying to push away the memory of his desperate face in the hospital parking lot. The possessiveness in his eyes had been disturbing, almost unhinged.
No matter how I tried to focus on other things, his declaration kept resurfacing, making me restless and uneasy.
The slap I'd delivered to his face had been satisfying in the moment, but now I wondered if it had only inflamed his obsession further :
I stared out the window of my apartment, watching raindrops trace patterns down the glass. How had things become so complicated? Just when Connor and I were finding our footing, Ethan had to resurface with his twisted declarations of love.
The next morning, I arrived at the hospital with a thermal container of fresh healing broth. Despite my efforts to appear normal, my mind was elsewhere as I entered
Connor's room.
"Good morning," I said, setting down the container and arranging the small table over his lap.
Connor's ice – blue eyes studied me carefully. I could feel his gaze following my movements, assessing my mood with that perceptive way of his.
"Livvy, what are you thinking about?" he asked gently, reaching for my hand.
I fluttered my lashes and deliberately looked away, trying to sound casual. "Um ...
that ... about Jessica Sullivan. What is going on with her?"
It wasn't entirely a lie. The woman who had kidnapped Grace and nearly stabbed me was certainly on my mind, though not as prominently as Ethan's disturbing behavior.
Connor's lips curled into a faint, meaningful smile. "Are you jealous?" he teased softly.
+8 Punts >
I puffed my cheeks, feigning indifference. "No way. I just never heard you mention her before, so I'm asking."
But as I recalled how that woman had kidnapped Grace and nearly stabbed me with a silver dagger, my jealousy quickly transformed into righteous fury. My amber eyes flashed with anger.
"Where did you pick up such a deranged admirer? How can she be so crazy?"
Connor beckoned me closer with a gentle gesture. Obediently, I moved to sit next to his hospital bed, still pouting slightly.
He took my delicate hand in his, his tone becoming serious. "She was my high school classmate. Back then, she was fervently pursuing me. I rejected her clearly. Then, in college, she kept chasing after me, but I never gave her any hope."
I lowered my gaze, lips pressed together. "That's it?" I questioned, unconvinced.
Connor gently pinched my cheek, his smile softening. "That's all. We barely talked.
Didn't even exchange contact info."
Still skeptical, I pressed on, "Then how could she persist for ten years? That's not ten days or ten months."
Connor sighed helplessly. "How would I know? Everyone around me knew how cold I was to her. In ten years, I barely said a few words."
I leaned in with feigned accusation, my voice playful but sharp, "Barely? How many, exactly?"
He couldn't help but laugh. "Five ... six ... seven ... eight sentences, maybe."
put on a deliberately unreasonable face. "Why say so much to her, huh?"
Amusement and indulgence filled Connor's ice – blue eyes at my cute jealousy. His voice was filled with pampering warmth.
"Nothing important. Just back in high school, when she confessed a few times, I turned her down politely. After that, we barely spoke."
My tone softened but my suspicion remained. "So you truly had no feelings for her? She's quite pretty, after all."
Connor's gaze was deep and unwavering. "None whatsoever. Because my heart had already been occupied by someone else long ago."
I pressed coyly, "Someone else? Who might that be?"
He chuckled, "Who do you think?"
I mumbled, "If you don't tell me, how would I know?" My amber eyes were bright with barely concealed interest.
In Connor's eyes, my sulky and coquettish demeanor seemed to melt his heart completely. He softly admitted, "Besides you, there has never been anyone else."
I looked away with a blush. Still, I couldn't help but think aloud, "When she confessed to you, you were in high school. I was just a little girl then."
The implication hung heavy between us – surely he didn't harbor feelings for me so early?
Connor admitted, "I had no intention of dating anyone during high school."
This sparked my curiosity even further. With my amber eyes blinking, I asked directly,
"Then, when did you start liking me?"
Connor searched his memories. "At first, I truly just saw you as a little sister from a neighboring pack. But when you were in high school, and that bully Liam Davidson harassed you ... after I beat him up, I realized my feelings had changed."