Page 54 of No Mane, No Gain
“She’s lyin-”
“Enough!” Marco’s shout silenced the room. He fixed Tia with a steely glare. “You will apologize to Olive. Now. And then you will go to your room while your mother and I discuss your punishment.”
Tia opened her mouth as if to argue, but one look at her father’s face changed her mind. She turned to Olive, her words dripping with insincerity. “I’m sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused you.”
Before anyone could respond, Tia stormed out of the room, leaving a wake of tension behind her.
As the echo of Tia’s footsteps faded, the room seemed to collectively exhale. Olive felt Chaos’s arm wrap around her waist, a silent promise of support and protection.
Isabella turned to Olive, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Olive,tesoro, I am so sorry. This behavior is unacceptable.”
Marco nodded in agreement, his expression grave. “Tia will face serious consequences for her actions. And we will, of course, cover any damages or lost revenue from your website being down.”
Olive managed a small smile, feeling the weight of the confrontation finally lifting from her shoulders. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Chaos reached for Olive’s hand under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m so sorry you had to go through this,bella mia. I had no idea Tia would stoop so low.”
Olive managed a small smile. “It’s not your fault, Chaos. I’m just glad the truth is out now.”
As the conversation turned to lighter topics, the tension in the room slowly dissipated. But Olive couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. She had won this battle, but the war with Tia was far from over.
As the evening wound down, Olive found herself on the Amato’s terrace, gazing out at the twinkling lights of the city below. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Chaos approaching.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “You okay?”
Olive leaned back into his embrace, letting out a long breath. “Yeah, I think so. It’s been... a day.”
Chaos chuckled softly. “That’s an understatement. I’m proud of you, you know. The way you handled everything in there... you’re incredible.”
Olive turned in his arms, looking into his hazel eyes. “We’re incredible. Together.”
As Chaos’s lips met hers in a tender kiss, Olive felt the last of her tension melt away. They had weathered this storm together, and she knew deep in her bones that they could face anything as long as they had each other.
Later that night, as Olive settled into bed, she pulled out her phone and opened her vlogging app. Her followers deserved to know the truth about what had happened.
“Hey, book lovers,” she began, her voice soft but strong. “Have I got a story for you...”
As she recounted the events of the day, leaving out some of the more personal details, Olive felt a sense of catharsis. This was her truth, her story, and no one - not even Tia - could take that away from her.
When she finished recording, Olive scrolled through the comments already pouring in. Messages of support, outrage on her behalf, and excitement for what the future held flooded her screen.
With a smile, Olive set her phone aside and snuggled deeper into her pillows. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, she was content. She had faced her fears, stood up for herself, and come out stronger on the other side.
As sleep began to claim her, Olive’s last thoughts were of Chaos - his unwavering support, his fierce protectiveness, and the love that shone in his eyes when he looked at her. Whatever came next, they would face it together.
And really, wasn’t that what all the best love stories were about?
TWENTY-SIX
Chaos stood at his usual spot in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Manhattan penthouse, his hazel eyes fixed on the glittering cityscape below. The tension in his jaw betrayed the storm brewing within him. Tia’s latest stunt - shutting down Olive’s website - had pushed him to the brink of his patience.
He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaustion seeping into his bones. The past months had been a whirlwind of emotions - the exhilaration of falling for Olive, the joy of their budding relationship, and now, the constant stress of Tia’s interference.
His phone buzzed. He ignored it, knowing it was another message from Tia trying to explain herself. He’d had enough of her excuses.
A soft knock at the door interrupted his brooding. “Mr. Amato?” his assistant’s voice came through the intercom. “Your parents are here to see you.”
Chaos took a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation to come. “Send them in, Sarah. Thank you.”