Chapter 72: Shattered Lies

The car ride back to the hotel was heavy with a strange tension. Olivia's heart was racing, her thoughts spinning in a million directions. But in the back seat, Eva was glued to Ethan, chattering away with the innocence of a child. She told him about her school, her friends, and even the tricks she had learned from Max. Ethan, seemingly lost in the sound of his daughter's voice, listened intently, his eyes filled with admiration and wonder. He hadn't known this joy, this bond—until now. 

Olivia couldn't help but glance at them in the rearview mirror. Seeing them together stirred something deep inside her—an aching mixture of hope and fear. *Was this really her Ethan? Had everything she believed for the last three years been a lie?*

Once they arrived at the hotel, Olivia felt her heart heavy with the weight of what was to come. As they stepped into the lobby, she turned to Alex and Emma. "Take the kids to the other room," she said softly, her voice low but firm. "And Alex, promise me—you'll protect them if something happens to me." 

Alex's face hardened in understanding, and he nodded, his grip tightening on Max's small hand. "I promise," he said, his eyes locking with hers. Emma gave her a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before they took the children away. 

Eva, reluctant to part from Ethan, waved goodbye, her eyes bright and full of innocence. Ethan's heart ached as he waved back, still processing everything. When the kids were gone, Olivia finally turned to face Ethan. "Come with me," she said, her voice trembling slightly as she led him and Linda to the other room.

Ethan's confusion deepened with every step. He longed to reach out to Olivia, to hold her and erase the years that had kept them apart. But when he tried to step closer, she instinctively stepped back, her guard high. Her face was pale, and he could see the fear in her eyes. The fear that told him she didn't trust him, didn't know him anymore.

"Liv, please… let me hold you. I've been waiting—" Ethan began, his voice thick with longing.

"No," she interrupted, her voice sharp. "I don't know who you are anymore. The man I loved wouldn't have done the things you did." 

Ethan frowned, completely lost. "What are you talking about?"

Linda, standing protectively next to her daughter, stepped forward. She took a deep breath before recounting the events that had torn them apart. She described the day of the accident—the fire, the chaos, the moment Olivia knew something was wrong. She told him how they had rushed to the hospital, how Ethan had woken up cold and distant. How he had refused to even look at Eva and denied her as his daughter, throwing a DNA report in Olivia's face. Then came the threats—the way he'd said he would kill Eva if Olivia didn't sign the divorce papers. And how, in the end, they had no choice but to flee the country to keep Olivia and Eva safe.

As Linda spoke, Ethan's face turned pale, and his hands clenched into fists. His body trembled with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "That's… that's impossible. That's not me. I would *never* do that." His voice cracked, and his eyes were wide with shock.

"When I woke up after the accident… I was in a coma for almost a year," Ethan explained, his voice growing quieter. "When I finally came to, the only people there were Martha and Mathew. They told me…" He paused, his throat tightening as he tried to push through the words. "They told me you had gone into premature labor the night of the storm. That both you and our baby had died due to complications." His voice broke, and he glanced at Olivia, pain etched deeply on his face. "They even showed me your graves. I've lived the last two years thinking you were dead—both of you."

Olivia's hand flew to her mouth as she processed his words. "No… no, that can't be."

Ethan nodded, his eyes now filled with rage. "They lied to me. All of it was a lie. I've been living in hell, thinking I lost you both. I stayed on this island for my treatment. After the accident, I was paralyzed. I've been fighting to walk again." He paused, his voice growing hoarse. "I had no idea you were alive."

Linda stood frozen, horrified by the depth of the deception. "So Martha and Mathew—they orchestrated all of this?"

"It seems so," Ethan said, his voice shaking with fury. "They made me believe my family was gone. And now… now I know why." He looked at Olivia, desperation in his eyes. "I would *never* have done what you said. I would *never* threaten you or our daughter."

Tears welled in Olivia's eyes as she struggled to make sense of everything. For years, she had believed Ethan had betrayed her, broken her heart in ways she could never forgive. But now, hearing his side of the story, she didn't know what to feel.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Ethan stepped closer, his hand outstretched. "Liv, I swear to you, I've never stopped loving you. I've been lost without you."

Olivia hesitated, her heart warring with her mind. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust him again. But the scars of the past were too deep, the wounds still fresh. She looked to Linda, hoping for some guidance, but all she saw was the same shock and confusion mirrored in her mother's face.

"Let's get to the bottom of this," Linda said, her voice steady but filled with resolve. "We need to confront Martha and Mathew. They can't get away with this."

Ethan nodded, his face hardening with determination. "I won't rest until the truth comes out."

But as much as Olivia wanted to find the truth, she knew that even uncovering the lies wouldn't erase the pain they had all endured. And as she stood there, looking at the man she had once loved more than anything, she realized that rebuilding the trust they had lost would be the hardest battle of all.