Page 119 of Second Sin

I freeze.

Olivia doesn’t move. But I feel her hand tighten around mine.

Hannah clears her throat. “Elise’s daughter.”

My jaw goes tight. Breath shallow. All the shit I thought I buried claws up my spine.

“Look,” I start, already fumbling. “I’m sorry. About everything. About?—”

She shakes her head quickly. “I didn’t come to get an apology.”

I blink.

“I came to thank you.”

That rocks me. I open my mouth, but no sound comes.

She exhales slowly. “My brother...what he did. The vandalism, the charity event..." She looks away, then back at me. "He’s been struggling. With everything. Since Mom died. Since Dad too.”

My gut punches inward. “Jesus. I didn’t know. About your dad.”

“Cirrhosis,” she says quietly. “Two years ago. He drank himself into a grave.”

The silence hangs. Cold. Heavy.

Olivia's hand is still tight around mine, and I can feel her gaze on me, watching, worried.

I drag my free hand through my hair and mutter an apology, "Sorry."

“That's why...why I'm here. Cause you keep apologizing. I heard what you told the media after everything went down," The way you blamed yourself. I just...I needed to say something.”

She meets my eyes. Steady.

“My mom, she was, well, complicated. Beautiful, but hard. Bipolar. Unmedicated most of the time. My parents fought constantly. My brother was too young to remember most of it, but I do. I remember the shouting. The way she’d disappear. Come back. Disappear again.”

I can’t speak, just swallow over a huge lump that's formed in my throat.

She presses on. “You weren’t the first affair. You probably weren’t even the last. You didn’t destroy their marriage. It was already broken.”

Olivia’s hand is still on mine. Anchoring.

I clear my throat, not knowing what to say. What to feel.

"I just thought, with what you did. for my brother. Not charging him and all. That you deserved to know the truth."

"Thank you," I manage.

Hannah nods, and begins to turn.

I stop her. “Wait.”

She glances back.

“If you or your brother ever need anything. Anything at all. Call me.”

“I doubt we will." She gives a weak smile. "But thanks.”

She walks off. Her steps soft. Her presence lingering.

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