Olivia’s POV

Anita took a shaky breath and stepped closer, wringing her fingers. “Can you ever forgive me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

I stared at her, saying nothing. Forgive her? Over my dead body.

“I know I hurt you badly,” she continued, her eyes filling with tears. But I wasn’t moved; it could be fake.

“But everything I did… it came from jealousy. You were always special, Olivia. You walked into a room, and everyone noticed. You didn’t even try.”

She looked down, her hands twisting nervously. “You were beautiful, talented, kind. People listened when you spoke. They cared about you. I felt invisible next to you.”

My frown deepened. I never noticed this… I never felt special… except with the triplets.

“I’m so sorry,” she choked out, tears streaming.

My chest tightened, remembering the friend I used to have in her.

“I thought you loved me,” I said quietly. “We were supposed to be sisters. What happened?”

She winced. “It started with Drake,” she whispered.

I blinked. “Drake?”

She nodded slowly, avoiding my eyes. “You remember when we were younger… I had a huge crush on him. I even wrote him a letter. Poured my heart out in it.”

I remembered that. She’d told me he rejected her. But that was all.

“What does Drake have to do with you hating me?”

Anita swallowed hard. “I was humiliated. He didn’t just say he liked someone else. He looked me in the eye and told me he liked you.”

My eyes widened. I had no idea.

“He said you were the only girl who caught his attention,” she went on. “Said you were different. I hated hearing that. I felt worthless.”

I opened my mouth but didn’t know what to say.

“I wanted to hate him,” Anita continued, “but instead… I turned that hate toward you. I told myself you didn’t deserve him. That you were just lucky. And it didn’t stop there.”

She finally met my eyes again. “I started seeing how the triplets looked at you too. How Levi always watched you. How Louis followed you with his eyes. How Lennox… well, he was hard to read, but he changed around you.”

I stood still, speechless.

“I thought if I could make them like me instead… maybe I could win. Be seen. So even when I discovered my father was going to be the next Beta—they told me I'd be adored, even by the triplets—I agreed with their plans and turned my back on you.”

I swallowed hard. “And when I realized there was a rift between you and them, I used it to my advantage… I had no idea what made them hate you, but I utilized it…”

I frowned. Was she implying she didn’t know about the letters sent to them?

She quickly wiped a tear. “I know none of it was right,” she whispered. “I ruined everything. I lost my only real friend. And even now… I still lost. Because even after all the damage, they still love you.”

She seemed sincere, but one thing didn’t sit right.

“The letters…” I said slowly, my brow raised. “Are you saying… you didn’t send them?”

Anita’s eyes widened. She shook her head quickly. “No. I swear, Olivia. I had no idea about those letters. Not until everything blew up.”

My eyes narrowed, watching her face for any sign of a lie. But all I saw was fear… and regret.

“I did a lot of things,” she admitted. “I manipulated, I lied, I betrayed you. But the letters? That wasn’t me. I found out just like everyone else. I was shocked.”

I folded my arms tightly, still wary. “Cut the act, Anita. Tell me what you want. Why are you really apologizing?”

Anita’s lips parted, then closed again, hesitation clear on her face.

I scoffed. Of course. Her apology came with a price.

“Anita, I don’t have all day… I have to go back to the party,” I said impatiently.

Anita’s lips parted, then closed. Her eyes darted to the ground, then back to me. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, then she placed both trembling hands on her stomach.

“I’m really pregnant,” she whispered.

I frowned.

“I’m carrying their children,” she said, her voice shaking. “Twins.”

I raised a brow.

“I know I’ve hurt you, Olivia,” she rushed on, tears falling freely. “I know I deserve your anger. But please… don’t punish them. Don’t let my babies suffer for what I did.”

I stared at her in disbelief, unsure if I should scream or laugh.

“What exactly do you want from me?” I asked coldly.

Anita swallowed hard. “I need your help,” she said. “The triplets… they won’t mark me unless you reject them. I begged them, but they prefer my babies… their babies will die. Please, Olivia, unless you reject them in the council meeting… only then will they mark me and save my babies’ lives.”

My jaw clenched. The anger bubbled up. There it was. The real reason.

“I knew it,” I hissed. “You come crawling here with crocodile tears, pretending to be sorry—only because you need something.”

“I’m not pretending!” she cried. “I am sorry. But this isn’t about me anymore. I’m begging you, Olivia, not for me—but for them. They’re innocent.”

For a long second, I just looked at her. Then I gave a short, bitter laugh.

“Don’t worry,” I said flatly. “You don’t need to beg.”

Anita’s eyes flickered with hope.

“I was going to reject them anyway.”

Her face froze.

I stepped closer, looking her directly in the eye. “Not because of you. Not because you asked. But because I’ve finally realized they don’t deserve me, not after everything.”

Her mouth fell open slightly, surprised.

“I’ll reject them,” I said. “And after that, you can have them. You can have it all. The titles, the bonds, the mess.”

I turned and walked out. As I headed back to the party, I saw the clock—it was almost 10 pm. Instantly, I remembered the letter, and without a second thought, I took the back stairs to the rooftop.