Chapter 35

Olivia's POV

A week had passed, but it felt like an eternity. The sterile white walls of the hospital room were suffocating, and the rhythmic beeping of Elijah’s monitors had become an unwelcome soundtrack to my days.

Elijah was awake now, sitting up in bed and scrolling through his phone as if he hadn’t just spent days in the ICU. His colour had returned, and the shadow of death that had loomed over us was finally gone. But the weight in my chest hadn’t lifted.

I sat in the corner of the room, pretending to read a magazine. The words blurred together as my mind wandered. Zoya hadn’t called, texted, or shown up since that night in the waiting room. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much, but it did.

“Elijah’s looking better,” a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.

I glanced up to see Ezra stepping into the room, his tailored suit immaculate as always. He carried a bouquet of flowers, a gesture that felt oddly out of place for him.

“Ezra,” I greeted, forcing a smile as I stood. “You didn’t have to come.”

“Of course I did,” he replied, flashing his usual charming grin. “Elijah’s an important part of our lives, both personally and professionally. I had to see for myself that he’s recovering.”

Elijah looked up from his phone, a genuine smile breaking across his face. “Ezra, good to see you, man.”

They exchanged a handshake and a few pleasantries, but my gaze lingered on Ezra. Ava’s words replayed in my mind, an unwanted echo.

Whoever did this isn’t your friend.

What if it was Ezra?

I studied him, searching for something—anything—that would confirm or deny my suspicions. But he was unreadable, his charm as disarming as ever.

Ezra turned his attention to me. “How are you holding up, Liv?”

“Fine,” I lied, my voice steady. “Now that Elijah’s out of the ICU, things feel... easier.”

He nodded, his expression softening. “Good. You’ve been through a lot. Both of you.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that his concern was genuine, that he wasn’t capable of orchestrating the chaos that had upended my life. But the doubt Ava had planted refused to let me rest.

“Elijah’s lucky to have you,” Ezra added, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, lowering my eyes to the magazine in my lap. The room felt smaller, the air heavier.

Ezra stayed a while longer, chatting with Elijah about the show and filling him in on the latest developments. I listened, half-present, my thoughts drifting back to Zoya.

She hadn’t called. Not even once.

I told myself it didn’t matter. She was probably busy with the show, with her own life. But the silence stung more than I wanted to admit.

As Ezra finally stood to leave, he turned to me, his voice warm. “Take care of yourself, Liv. Let me know if you need anything.”

I nodded, my smile tight. “I will. Thank you, Ezra.”

When the door closed behind him, I exhaled, the tension in my chest easing slightly.

Elijah noticed, raising an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said quickly, brushing off his concern. “Just tired.”

He nodded, returning his attention to his phone, and I sank back into my chair.

Now that he’s out of the ICU, I can go to Zoya, I thought, the idea blooming in my mind.

She deserved to be thanked properly. For being there when I needed her most, for her kindness, for... everything.

But there was another part of me, a part I didn’t want to acknowledge, that just wanted to see her again.

Zoya's POV

The sound of bustling crew members and the faint hum of equipment filled the set as I stepped inside, clutching my script to my chest. It had been a week since I last saw Olivia, and I’d done my best to throw myself into work, convincing myself that distance was for the best.

I walked toward my assigned spot, avoiding unnecessary eye contact. When Ezra appeared out of nowhere, his smile was as sharp and unreadable as ever.

“Zoya,” he called, his tone friendly but carrying that unmistakable edge that always made me uneasy. “Can we talk for a moment?”

I stopped, forcing a polite smile. “Of course, Ezra. What’s up?”

He stepped closer, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. “I was at the hospital yesterday. Visiting Elijah.”

My stomach twisted at his words, though I kept my expression neutral. “That’s nice of you,” I replied, unsure where this was going.

“I was surprised not to see you there,” he said, tilting his head slightly as if studying me.

My heart skipped a beat, Sebastian’s words replaying in my mind like a warning. Ezra’s a businessman before anything else.

“I didn’t think I had a reason to be,” I said carefully, keeping my tone light.

Ezra raised an eyebrow, his smile widening slightly. “No reason? You were there the first night, weren’t you? I just assumed you’d follow up.”

I clenched the script tighter in my hands, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. “I went as a colleague to check on Olivia,” I explained, my voice steady despite the inner conflict raging inside me. “But there’s nothing going on between us anymore. We’re just friends.”

The words felt heavy on my tongue, like stones sinking into my chest. I hated saying them and hated how final they sounded. But I knew it was for the best—Olivia didn’t need more rumours, and I didn’t need more heartache.

Ezra’s expression didn’t falter, though something flickered in his eyes. Curiosity? Amusement? I couldn’t tell. “Well, I’m sure Olivia appreciates your concern,” he said smoothly.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen, and my breath hitched.

Olivia.

Ezra’s gaze dropped to the phone, and his smirk widened. “Speak of the devil,” he remarked, his tone light but laced with something I couldn’t quite place.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, turning slightly away from him. “Hello?”

“Zoya,” Olivia’s voice came through, warm and familiar. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“No, not at all,” I replied, my heart pounding.

“I was hoping we could meet for coffee today,” she said. “I wanted to thank you properly for everything.”

My eyes darted to Ezra, who was still standing there, pretending not to eavesdrop but clearly listening. Panic bubbled up inside me. I couldn’t let him—or anyone else—have more reason to speculate.

“I’d love to, Olivia, but I can’t,” I said, forcing a light laugh. “I already have plans with Anna today.”

There was a pause on the other end, and I held my breath, hoping Olivia wouldn’t question it.

“Oh,” she said finally, her tone neutral. “That’s fine. Maybe another time?”

“Of course,” I said quickly, feeling a pang of guilt. “We’ll figure something out soon.”

“Okay. Take care, Zoya,” she said softly before hanging up.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket, turning to find Ezra watching me with that same unreadable expression.

“Anna, huh?” he said, his tone almost teasing. “Keeping busy, I see.”

I forced a smile, unwilling to give him any ammunition. “We’ve all got lives outside of work, right?”

“Of course,” Ezra said, stepping back. “I’ll let you get to it, then. See you on set.”

As he walked away, my shoulders slumped with relief, but the knot in my chest tightened. Lying to Olivia felt wrong, but I knew it was the right choice. For her sake. For both of us.

Sebastian's POV

The set was bustling, a constant hum of movement and noise that seemed to energize everyone but me. I leaned against a corner of the production area, sipping from a paper cup that claimed to be coffee but tasted like burnt regret. I wasn’t here for the caffeine, though. I was here for Ezra.

My brother thrived in chaos. He moved across the set like a conductor in a symphony of drama, charm oozing from every word and smile. To anyone else, he was the epitome of a confident showrunner, keeping his ship steady. To me, though, there was something beneath the surface, a tension I couldn’t ignore.

I’d been keeping an eye on him for weeks now, ever since the rumours about Olivia and Zoya had spiralled out of control. Ezra’s response had been too measured, too calm. And the way he casually mentioned how much the buzz had helped the show’s ratings? It didn’t sit right with me.

“Sebastian, you’re practically a fixture here these days,” Ezra’s voice broke through my thoughts as he strolled over, a clipboard in one hand and his phone in the other.

“Can’t help it,” I said with a shrug, keeping my tone light. “This place is fascinating.”

Ezra smirked, gesturing toward the chaos behind him. “Fascinating isn’t the word I’d use, but sure. So, what’s your excuse for hanging around today?”

“Just wanted to see how things were going. And, you know, keep an eye on my little brother.”

Ezra laughed, but there was an edge to it. “I’m hardly little anymore, Seb. And things are going fine, thanks for asking.”

“Fine,” I echoed, raising an eyebrow. “Despite all the... extra attention lately?”

Ezra’s expression didn’t falter, but his grip on the clipboard tightened ever so slightly. “Rumours are a part of the business, Seb. You know that. It’s unfortunate, but we’re managing.”

“Managing,” I repeated, watching him carefully. “That’s one way to put it.”

Ezra’s smile thinned, and for a moment, I thought he was going to call me out. Instead, he waved toward the monitors. “Anyway, I’ve got a dozen things to oversee. Let’s catch up later, yeah?”

“Sure,” I said, but my gaze lingered on him as he walked away, his shoulders just a little too stiff.

I found Ava in the break area later, nursing a tea and scrolling through her phone. She looked up as I approached, her usual sharp expression softening just slightly.

“Sebastian,” she greeted, setting her phone down. “Surprised to see you here again.”

“You and Ezra keep saying that like it’s weird for me to visit,” I said with a smirk, sliding into the seat across from her.

“It is weird,” she shot back, though there was no real bite in her tone.

I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “So... how’s Olivia holding up?”

Ava’s lips pressed into a thin line. “She’s managing. Elijah being out of the ICU has helped, but... she’s tired. This whole mess has been draining her.”

I nodded slowly, hesitating before asking, “And Ezra? Has he said anything to you about the rumours?”

Ava’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Just curious,” I said casually, though my heart was pounding. “He seems... awfully calm about everything. Like he’s not as concerned as he should be.”

Ava didn’t respond right away, her gaze searching mine. Finally, she sighed. “Ezra’s always been good at compartmentalizing. He doesn’t let things rattle him. But...”

“But what?” I pressed.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. He’s been spending a lot of time managing this situation behind the scenes, talking to PR, making sure things don’t blow up more than they already have. It’s hard to tell if he’s genuinely helping or...”

“Or making sure the chaos stays just controlled enough to benefit him?” I finished.

Her silence was answer enough.

As I walked away, my mind raced. Ava’s hesitation only fueled the doubts swirling in my head. If even she wasn’t sure about Ezra’s motives, what did that mean for the rest of us?

I lingered near the production area, intending to grab my things and leave, when I caught sight of something unusual. Across the room, Ezra stood with Anthony, their postures tense, their voices low but animated.

From where I stood, I couldn’t make out their words, but their body language said everything. Anthony gestured sharply, his face flushed with frustration, while Ezra remained still, his arms crossed and jaw tight.

It was the first time I’d seen Ezra drop the calm, easygoing persona he so carefully maintained. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t charming his way out of the situation. If anything, he looked angry.

Anthony turned abruptly, throwing his hands up in exasperation before storming off. Ezra stayed where he was, running a hand through his hair and muttering something under his breath.

I stayed rooted to the spot, my mind spinning.

Maybe Ezra wasn’t as composed as he wanted everyone to believe.