Whisper - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Departure and Denial – 1
( Olivia's POV )
The dining room felt suffocating. Every bite of food tasted like ash in my mouth as I sat across from my father and Natalie. Grace kept trying to catch my eye, her innocent face hopeful, but I deliberately avoided her gaze.
No one spoke. The only sounds were the clinking of silverware against plates and the occasional sigh from my father.
I couldn't bear it anymore. Pushing my plate away, I stood abruptly.
"I'm done," I announced, not bothering to mask the coldness in my voice.
My father looked up, his expression a mixture of disappointment and resignation. "You've barely touched your food."
"I'm not hungry," I replied curtly.
Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked away. I could feel their eyes on my back as I climbed the stairs, but I didn't look back.
Once inside my bedroom, I shut the door and leaned against it, finally allowing myself to breathe. The familiar blue walls that had once been my sanctuary now felt like they were closing in on me.
My gaze drifted around the room, taking in the preserved remnants of my childhood. Agatha had indeed kept everything exactly as I'd left it. The gesture touched me, even as the rest of the house felt alien.
As I moved toward the bed, something on the table caught my eye – a small, elegantly wrapped gift box. I picked it up, remembering the platinum watch I'd carefully selected for Connor at Timber Wolf Timepieces in Harbor City.
I'd promised to give it to him, and suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to be away from this house and with someone who actually seemed to value my presence.
Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and dialed Connor's number. The moment he answered, I felt my voice softening involuntarily.
"Hello, Con," I said, the nickname slipping out naturally now. "I mentioned I got you a gift last time. I'll bring it over to you now. Are you at the Rivers pack house?"
His reply was brief but reassuring. "I'm here."
"Alright, wait for me a bit, I'll come over now," I responded, already reaching for my purse.
–
As I ended the call, I realized how much my tone had changed when speaking to him – gentler, more intimate, carrying a trust I hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. After cutting ties with Ethan and facing the cold reality of my family situation, Connor had become an unexpected anchor.
I slipped the gift box into my purse and headed out, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of what had once been my home.
( Ethan's POV )
The drive back to Moonlight Manor felt longer than usual. Cassandra sat beside me in the passenger seat, chattering about some new restaurant she wanted to try, but my mind was elsewhere.
It had been days since I'd seen or heard from Olivia. At first, I'd been too angry to care, then too busy with Cassandra's hospital stay. But now, a nagging unease had settled in my chest.
As we pulled into the driveway, Martha Jenkins, our loyal housekeeper, came out to greet us.
Her eyes scanned the car, then looked behind us with confusion.
"Alpha Ethan, didn't Miss Winters come back with you?" she asked, her brow furrowed.
The question hit me like a punch to the gut. "She's not at home?"
Martha looked bewildered. "Miss Winters went out with you, didn't she? She hasn't been home these days."
A bad premonition made my heart sink. Without another word, I brushed past Martha and headed inside, taking the stairs two at a time.
I flung open the door to Olivia's bedroom, and the sight that greeted me was a profound shock. Her dresser, once cluttered with healing herbs and potions, was completely bare. The small trinkets she kept on her nightstand were gone.
With growing dread, I yanked open her wardrobe. Empty. Not a single piece of clothing remained. The room looked as though she had never lived here at all.
My breath quickened as I thundered back downstairs, finding Martha in the kitchen.
"When did Olivia move her things out?" I demanded, my voice sharper than intended.
Martha flinched at my tone, her hands nervously twisting her apron. "The next day when I went to clean, her room was empty. I thought you knew ..."
I clenched my fists in frustration. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Olivia's number. The call didn't even ring – it went straight to a busy tone. I tried again with the same result.
She had blocked me.
My face darkened as I scrolled through my contacts and called Sophie Parker. If anyone would know where Olivia had gone, it would be her. They weren't particularly close, but Olivia had few friends in Harbor City.