43

OLIVIA'S POV

I lay on the bed, tucking my legs under me, and began absently scrolling through my phone. That Afternoon was quiet, too quiet, actually, and I was trying to distract myself from the constant hum of anxiety that always buzzed around the back of my mind for days.

Things had been better between Kellan and me; no doubt. We'd been talking more, sharing meals-even laughing at times. It almost felt as though we were normal. Almost.

But it had always been there, something had. The huge weight that I couldn't shake. Perhaps deep inside, the fear that finally found peace wouldn't last would eventually be ruined by something or another, and I'd be back right to square one: hurt, angry, and doubting whether any of this could really work.

I ironed out random posts that mostly didn't pique my interest and scrolled down through my social media apps. Then I saw it.

The headline.

"Adopted Heiress Sparks Controversy: Brooke Family's Desperate Attempt to Merge with Eastons?"