Chapter 30

THIRTY

C haos stood at the edge of the grand ballroom, his hazel eyes scanning the glittering crowd. The annual charity gala for tech innovation in education had drawn New York's elite, filling the room with a sea of designer gowns and tailored tuxedos. But Chaos had eyes for only one person.

Olive glided through the crowd. The silver gown she wore hugged her curves, making Chaos's breath catch in his throat. She turned, catching his eye, and flashed him a brilliant smile that made his heart race.

As Olive made her way to him, Chaos couldn't help but marvel at how far they'd come. From reluctant matches in an arranged marriage to finding genuine love, their journey had been anything but smooth. Yet here they were, stronger than ever.

"You look good enough to eat, Mr. Amato," Olive teased as she reached him.

Chaos grinned, pulling her close. "I could say the same about you, Ms. Russo. Though I must say, you're putting all these other gowns to shame."

Olive laughed, the sound like music to his ears. "Flatterer. But don't think that'll get you out of dancing with me later."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Chaos replied, his voice low and husky.

They mingled with the crowd, making small talk with investors and fellow philanthropists. Chaos kept a protective hand on the small of Olive's back, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by his parents, who beamed at them from across the room.

As they paused near a towering ice sculpture, a waiter approached with a tray of champagne flutes. "Champagne, sir? Madam?"

Chaos waved him off, but Olive reached for a glass. "Oh, yes, please. I could use a little liquid courage before my speech."

The waiter nodded, handing her a flute before melting back into the crowd. Olive took a small sip, her nose wrinkling slightly. "Hmm, I don't like this brand. It has a bad aftertaste. Ask the caterer not to get this one again."

Chaos frowned, a niggling sense of unease creeping up his spine. "Maybe you should-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Olive's eyes rolled back in her head, and she crumpled to the floor.

"Olive!" Chaos shouted, dropping to his knees beside her. The room erupted into chaos, voices rising in alarm as people crowded around them.

Chaos cradled Olive's head in his lap, his heart pounding furiously. Her skin felt clammy, her breathing shallow. "Someone call an ambulance!" he roared, his voice cutting through the din.

The next few hours passed in a blur of sirens, harsh hospital lights, and tense waiting room vigils. When the doctor finally emerged, Chaos sprang to his feet, his parents flanking him on either side.

"Mr. Amato?" the doctor asked, her face grave. "I'm Dr. Smith. We've run some tests on Ms. Russo."

Chaos nodded, bracing himself for the worst.

"It appears Ms. Russo was drugged," Dr. Smith continued. "We found traces of a powerful sedative in her system. If she had ingested any more, the consequences could have been... severe. We need to know if this is some type of accident or if the police need to be involved."

The words hit Chaos like a physical blow. Drugged. Someone had deliberately tried to harm Olive. His Olive. His mate.

"But she'll be okay?" he managed to ask, his voice hoarse.

Dr. Smith nodded. "Yes, she should make a full recovery. We're keeping her overnight for observation, but you can see her now if you'd like."

As Chaos made his way to Olive's room, his mind raced. Who would do this? And why? A cold, sinking feeling settled in his gut as one name rose to the forefront of his thoughts.

Tia.

His sister's jealousy and pettiness had reached new heights, but this... this crossed a line he never thought she'd dare to cross.

Chaos paused outside Olive's room, taking a deep breath to compose himself. He couldn't let her see his anger, not now when she needed him to be strong.

Olive lay in the hospital bed, looking small and fragile against the stark white sheets. Her eyes fluttered open as he entered, a weak smile spreading across her face.

"My furry, sexy, lion," she murmured.

Chaos rushed to her side, taking her hand in his. "Olive, I'm so sorry. I should have-"

She shook her head, cutting him off. "Not your fault. Unless you've been secretly dosing my drinks to get out of dancing with me?"

Despite everything, Chaos couldn't help but chuckle. Even now, Olive's humor shone through. "You caught me. It was all an elaborate ruse."

Olive's smile faded, her expression turning serious. "Chaos, what happened?"

He hesitated, not wanting to burden her with his suspicions. But they had promised honesty, no matter what. "The doctor says you were drugged. Someone... someone put something in your champagne. Since you only took a small sip, it only knocked you out, but had you had the full glass. You could have died. They're wondering if it was an accident or on purpose."

Olive's eyes widened, a mix of shock and understanding crossing her face. "Tia," she whispered.

Chaos nodded grimly. "That's what I'm thinking too. But I promise you, Olive, I'm going to get to the bottom of this. And when I do..." He trailed off, his jaw clenching.

Olive squeezed his hand. "We'll handle this ourselves. Tell the doctor it was an accident."

He reared back. "Are you sure? This is serious. You could have died."

She gave a sharp nod. "We don't need the police to deal with your sister. We can do this."

As Chaos left the hospital later that night, his resolve hardened. It was time to put an end to Tia's games once and for all. As it was, Olive was giving her a lifeline by not involving the police.

The next morning, Chaos strode into AmTech's headquarters, a man on a mission. He found Baxter in his office, hunched over his computer.

"Baxter, I need a favor," Chaos said without preamble.

His friend looked up, concern etched on his face. "Of course, man. Anything. How's Olive doing?"

"She's recovering," Chaos replied, his voice tight. "But I need your help to make sure this never happens again. I need you to get me the surveillance footage from last night's gala."

Understanding dawned in Baxter's eyes. "You think it'll show who drugged her?"

Chaos nodded. "I have my suspicions. But I need proof."

Baxter cracked his knuckles, a determined glint in his eye. "Consider it done. Give me an hour."

True to his word, Baxter had the footage ready in record time. Chaos leaned over his friend's shoulder, watching intently as the video played.

There, clear as day, was Tia. She cornered a waiter, whispered something in his ear, and pointed directly at Olive. Moments later, that same waiter approached Olive with the fateful glass of champagne.

Chaos's vision went red, a low growl rumbling in his chest. The evidence was irrefutable. His own sister had tried to harm the woman he loved.

"Send that to my phone," he ordered Baxter, already heading for the door. "And clear my schedule for the rest of the day."

The drive to his parents' mansion felt interminable. Chaos's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his thoughts a tumultuous storm of anger and disbelief. How had it come to this? When had Tia's petty jealousy turned into something so dangerous?

As he pulled into the circular driveway, Chaos took a deep breath, preparing himself for the confrontation to come. He found his parents in the sunroom, enjoying a late breakfast.

"Chaos!" his mother, Isabella, exclaimed, her face lighting up. "What a lovely surprise. How's Olive feeling today?"

"She's recovering," Chaos replied, his voice clipped. "No thanks to Tia."

His father, Marco, set down his coffee cup, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean?"

Without a word, Chaos pulled out his phone and played the damning video footage. He watched as his parents' expressions morphed from confusion to shock to horror.

"I can't believe it," Isabella whispered, her hand covering her mouth. "Tia wouldn't... she couldn't..."

"But she did," Chaos said, his voice hard. "She drugged Olive. She could have killed her."

Marco's face had turned ashen. "Son, I... we had no idea she would go this far. We thought she was just young, going through a phase.."

"Murder is not a phase," Chaos replied. "And I'm done. I'm washing my hands of her. I won't have her in my life, not after this."

His parents exchanged a pained look. "How do you want this handled?" Marco asked.

Chaos ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "I don't know. But I can't bring Olive around here, around you, until you deal with Tia. She deserves to feel safe with my family. And to think, she won't let the police deal with Tia to give you a chance to find a way to reform her. So figure it out."

Isabella nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. "We understand. We'll handle this, Chaos. I promise you."

As Chaos left his parents' house, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It wasn't a solution, not yet, but it was a start. He had stood up for Olive and chosen her over the toxic influence of his sister. It felt right.

Over the next few days, as Olive recovered and Chaos split his time between his penthouse, where Olive was staying and the office, his parents worked tirelessly to come up with a solution. When they finally called him and Olive over to discuss their decision, Chaos wanted it to be done.

They gathered in the formal living room, an air of tension hanging over them. Chaos held Olive's hand tightly, drawing strength from her presence.

Marco cleared his throat. "After much discussion and consideration, we've come to a decision regarding Tia."

Isabella nodded, her expression solemn. "We're sending her to Africa for five years to do charitable work. She'll be working with a foundation that builds schools in underprivileged areas."

Chaos blinked, surprised. It was... not what he had expected.

"We believe it will give her perspective," Marco continued. "A chance to see beyond her own selfish wants and understand the value of helping others. She'll be completely cut off from us financially and will only live off the small stipend the foundation gives to it's volunteers."

"And after five years?" Olive asked, her voice soft but steady.

"After five years, we'll reassess," Isabella replied. "If she's shown genuine growth and remorse, we'll consider allowing her back into our lives. But not before then, and not without your approval."

Chaos looked at Olive, searching her face for her reaction. She squeezed his hand and nodded slightly. "I think that's fair," she said. "Thank you for taking this seriously."

As they left his parents' house that evening, Chaos felt a sense of closure. The Tia situation wasn't completely resolved, but it was no longer hanging over them like a dark cloud.

"So," Olive said as they walked to the car, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Now that the family drama is out of the way…"

"Actually, there's one more thing we need to discuss."

She frowned. "What?"

"Your attack in the alley. We were able to get the guy you knocked out to talk. He was hired by Vanessa. I guess she thought if she got you out of the way, she'd have a shot at me."

Olive gasped. "Geez, Mr. Hunky Lion Amato. I never expected finding love would mean putting my life on the line."

"Olive, I am so sorry."

"Relax, handsome. I was just kidding. It's not your fault you're surrounded by crazy bitches." She stopped by her passenger door and kissed him. "So what did you do about her?"

"The police were called. They're handling her. You are being kind with Tia, much more than I want to be, but we're not doing that again."

"Okay. Wow, this has been a long few weeks, huh? What do you say we focus on something more fun? Like, oh I don't know... a wedding?"

Chaos stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. "Olive Russo, are you proposing to me?"

She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, we are technically already engaged. But I thought maybe we could make it official. On our own terms this time."

Chaos's heart swelled with love for this amazing woman. He pulled her close, pressing his forehead against hers. "Nothing would make me happier."

As they kissed under the starlit sky, Chaos knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. They had overcome so much already – family drama, arranged marriages, near-death experiences. What was a little wedding planning compared to all that?

Later that night, as Olive curled up next to him on the couch, her laptop balanced on her knees, Chaos couldn't help but smile. She was drafting a new vlog post, sharing their engagement news with her followers.

"You sure you're ready for this, bella mia ?" he asked, only half-joking. "Once you post that, there's no going back. My lion's out of the bag, so to speak."

Olive looked up at him, her blue eyes shining with love and determination. "I've never been more ready for anything in my life. Besides," she added with a smirk, "I think my followers can handle a little paranormal romance in real life. They've been reading about it long enough."

After Olive hit post, comments immediately began flooding in, Chaos pulled her close, marveling at how perfectly she fit against him. From a reluctant arranged match to true love, their journey had been anything but conventional. But then again, he thought with a grin, when had anything involving Gerri Wilder ever been conventional?