Chapter 87: A Final Confession

The sterile, quiet halls of the hospital hummed with an underlying tension as Ethan and Olivia made their way toward Henry's room. The weight of everything that had happened—the lies, the betrayals, and the shifting power plays—was heavy on their shoulders. As they neared the room, they were met with an expected obstacle: Martha and Mathew, standing like sentinels, blocking their path.

Martha's sharp eyes locked onto Olivia. "You have no right to be here," she hissed.

Olivia stood firm, her chin raised, her eyes blazing with resolve. "I'm not here for you, Martha. I'm here for Henry. Now, move."

Martha's lip curled in disdain, but Olivia stepped forward without waiting for a response. She had no time for Martha's manipulations, not now. With one last cold glance, Martha reluctantly stepped aside, and Olivia walked into the room with Ethan close behind.

---

Inside, the harsh beep of machines and the pale light cast a somber mood. Henry lay in the bed, frail but awake, his eyes tired yet alert. The moment he saw Olivia, his face softened, and he raised a trembling hand.

"Olivia... you came."

Without hesitation, she moved to his bedside, taking his hand gently in hers. "Of course I did."

Henry's voice was weak, but the gravity of what he had to say lent it a certain strength. "I need to tell you something... before it's too late."

Olivia's heart pounded in her chest, a sense of foreboding settling over her. Ethan stood silently beside her, his jaw clenched, but his eyes were focused on Henry, ready for the truth.

"Martha," Henry began, his voice strained. "She... she's been forcing me... to change the will." He paused to catch his breath, his grip tightening slightly on Olivia's hand. "But that's not all."

"What is it?" Olivia asked softly, though her stomach churned with the thought of what was coming.

"Jenna," Henry whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "She's pregnant... and the father is Patrick."

Olivia's eyes widened, but she didn't let go of his hand. "Patrick?"

Henry nodded weakly. "Martha... she knew. She's been pushing me to change the will, to secure everything for Patrick, for the baby. But I couldn't do it."

A long silence fell over the room. Olivia processed the information, her mind racing. Jenna, pregnant with Patrick's child, the very man who had tried to tear their lives apart.

Henry squeezed Olivia's hand, his eyes pleading. "I trust you, Olivia. I always have. You've always been the one with a good heart. Promise me... promise me you'll take care of Jenna. Take care of the baby... no matter what Patrick has done."

Tears welled in Olivia's eyes, but she nodded firmly. "I promise."

Henry exhaled slowly, relief washing over his worn features. "Thank you," he whispered, closing his eyes, as if the burden he'd carried for so long had finally been lifted.

---

Days passed, and one fine morning, the mansion was draped in somber silence. Henry had passed in the early hours, leaving behind a legacy entangled with secrets and broken loyalties. The air was heavy with grief, but also with an unspoken tension as the family gathered for the reading of the will.

In the lawyer's office, everyone sat in a tight circle. Martha, her face set in a mask of control, Mathew beside her, Jenna quietly avoiding eye contact with anyone, and Ethan and Olivia holding hands, waiting for the final words that would determine the future of the Carter estate.

The lawyer cleared his throat and began reading the will. At first, it was standard—small provisions, acknowledgments of past partnerships—but then the room stilled as he reached the final portion.

"To Olivia Carter," the lawyer read, his voice calm but carrying the weight of Henry's final wishes. "I leave the majority of my estate and control of the company. It is my belief that she will lead it with integrity and fairness, ensuring the future of our family name."

Martha's face turned ashen, her fingers digging into the armrest of her chair. But the lawyer wasn't finished.

"To Jenna Carter, I leave a secure trust for the care of her and her child. I trust Olivia to manage it in Jenna's best interest."

A sharp intake of breath came from across the room, Martha's composure cracking for the first time. Jenna remained silent, her eyes filled with confusion, but also a glimmer of hope.

The lawyer closed the file. "That concludes Henry's will."

For a moment, no one moved. The gravity of Henry's decisions settled heavily on the room, but it was Olivia who broke the silence, her voice soft but steady. "We'll honor Henry's wishes. All of them."

The tension in the lawyer's office was thick, but it wasn't just the reading of the will that held everyone in suspense. For Olivia, it was the long-hidden truth, the real reason Henry had left so much to her. She squeezed Ethan's hand as they waited for the final revelations.

The lawyer's voice filled the room. "As I continue with Henry's final wishes, there is something of great importance to reveal."

He looked up at Olivia, and then back at the document. "Olivia, there is something you've known deep down but have never fully embraced. You are not just a member of this family through your strength and perseverance. You are Linda Pierce's daughter, and Henry's granddaughter by blood."

Martha's face went pale, her carefully constructed façade crumbling instantly.

The lawyer continued, unfazed by the emotional shockwaves rippling through the room. "Ethan discovered this truth and shared it with Henry, Linda, and you before the accident. However, it was decided to keep it hidden—until now—so that Martha's true intentions could be revealed."

A gasp escaped from across the room, but it wasn't from Olivia. It was Martha. Her cold composure shattered completely, and her voice shook with disbelief. "You... you knew?" she rasped, staring at Olivia and Ethan. "You all knew?"

Ethan stepped forward, his face hard with the weight of their long-buried secret. "We did. And so did Henry. We wanted to see what you would do—how far you would go to cover up the truth."

Martha's eyes blazed with fury, but underneath, there was fear. "You can't be serious! I only did what was necessary to protect this family! Olivia never belonged here!"

Olivia's voice cut through Martha's outburst, sharp and unwavering. "You're wrong, Martha. I do belong here. I am Henry's granddaughter. Linda's daughter. You tried to erase me, but you failed."

Martha took a step back, as if the realization of her defeat was too much to bear. "No... this can't be happening."

The lawyer spoke once more, his voice calm yet firm. "Henry left the majority of his estate to Olivia not only because of her capabilities, but because she is his blood. He believed she was the rightful heir to the Pierce legacy."

Martha's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her control, her power over the family, had slipped through her fingers. She had spent years manipulating the truth, only to find that it had been uncovered all along.

Ethan looked at Martha with an icy glare. "You could've accepted Olivia. You could've chosen to be a real family. But instead, you tried to destroy her, and now you've lost everything."

Martha turned, her hands trembling, and stormed out of the room without another word. The echo of her footsteps down the hallway felt like the closing of a chapter, the final nail in the coffin of her schemes.

Inside the room, Olivia felt a strange sense of peace. It was all out in the open now—the lies, the truths, the betrayals. She wasn't just Olivia Carter. She was Olivia Pierce, a legacy she was ready to embrace.

Ethan stood by her side, his hand still holding hers. "It's over now," he whispered. "No more secrets."

Olivia nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know. And now, we can move forward." 

As the lawyer closed the file, he smiled respectfully at Olivia. "The Pierce name is now yours to carry forward, Olivia. Our grandfather trusted you to lead this family."

Olivia took a deep breath, the weight of her true identity finally sinking in. She was ready to embrace her future, with Ethan by her side and the legacy of the Pierce family resting on her shoulders.

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