Chapter 681: Time Is the Thing That Hurts the Most

Olive realized giving Ivy to her mother was a mistake. Having already given birth to triplets, the prospect of another pregnancy, possibly another set of triplets, terrified her. The previous birth had nearly cost her life, leaving a deep psychological scar. Nightmares of pregnancy haunted her, each awakening reinforcing her fear of ever giving birth again.

At that moment, Ivy slept soundly, tucked under a blanket. "Dad, Mom, good night," she murmured before drifting off.

With the child asleep, Olive and Elvis could finally address their issues. Olive turned to him, her eyes clear. "Elvis," she began, "do you know the children's backgrounds?"

Elvis leaned closer, admiring Olive's delicate beauty. Lying down, a few strands of black hair framed her soft neck, accentuating her pure, gentle appearance. The mother of his three children.

He was moved. He recalled their first meeting on a Los Angeles train, when she was nineteen. She had given him the most beautiful years of her youth, and she had given him his heirs.

His fingers curled, longing to embrace her, to hold her close. He yearned to tell her of his love, to assure her he never wanted to be separated from her or their children again.

But his fingers relaxed. Her actions were unforgivable. He pursed his lips, his voice cold. "Are you going to hide the children's identities from me forever?"

"No, I'm not…"

"Yes, you are!" Elvis interrupted. "Olive, you're selfish and cruel. Why did you only bring Nathan to me? You tried to exclude us from your life. You raised Levi and Ivy without telling me, so I missed their childhood. You did the same with Nathan. Three years is a lifetime. He's your child, yet you never returned!"

Elvis sat up, his chest heaving, his eyes bloodshot with pain. Three years ago, in the restricted riverside area, she had stabbed him, then left with Derrick Domino, abandoning him completely. He'd naively believed her departure must have been agonizing for her. It wasn't.

Over the next three years, while searching for her amongst other women, he’d slowly come to understand the true depth of her betrayal. That single stab wound had festered, leaving him scarred and unrecognizable.

Seeing his anguish, Olive sat up, her eyes welling with tears. "Elvis, listen," she pleaded, "in those three years, I…"

"What else are you going to lie about?" Elvis interrupted, roughly tearing off his shirt, revealing the scar on his chest. "Olive, you stabbed me! You know how close I came to death. The doctor said a few millimeters more, and I would have been dead!"

"I should hate you. Ironically, I poured all my energy into hating you. But when I swore to forget you, I found myself drawn to women who resembled you. I sought your shadow in every woman I met."

"There were times of weariness, loneliness. I considered being with someone else, someone to replace you, to care for Nathan. I should have told myself I didn't want you, but I failed. I had no sexual interest in them."

"The older I get, the stronger my desires. These women couldn't arouse me, but you haunted my dreams. Waking up alone, reaching out in the darkness, I was so helpless, so desperate."

Elvis grabbed her shoulder, pinching it repeatedly until her muscles twitched. "Olive," he demanded, "what did I do wrong three years ago?"

He finally voiced the question he'd always wanted to ask. He knew he’d already lost, but he stripped himself of all pride and self-respect to ask it.

Tears welled in Olive's eyes, her lashes trembling. This was his story of those three years. He’d spent that time in this pain. The Augustine men, it was said, loved deeply and faithfully – Alpha, and now Elvis.

Olive touched the scar on his chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I truly am. But I can explain. I wanted to come back, to see you and Nathan, but I couldn't. You…"

Elvis pushed her hand away, his scarlet eyes cold and indifferent. "Olive," he said, "if you're truly remorseful, you'll do one thing."

"What?"

"Levi and Ivy are my children. I want custody of them."

Olive's ears rang. She stared at him, bewildered, unable to comprehend his words.