I Married a Supposedly Comatose Heir

Olive Kelley had barely finished speaking when Denver Miller hurried into the room. "Mr. Armstrong, we've got a situation! Reporters are swarming outside Ms. Gutierrez's home, calling her a homewrecker. Somebody even smashed her window!"

Garrett Armstrong's face went pale. He snatched his coat and rushed out the door. Olive stood frozen.

He hadn't hesitated to leave Olive behind—not when it came to Vivienne Gutierrez. Moments ago, he'd been so protective of Olive. Now it felt like all of that had been a fleeting whim, just a game he played to entertain himself with her as Vivienne's stand-in. Even though she'd told herself she was immune, her heart still ached.

An hour later, Garrett returned. He reached for Olive and tried to pull her outside. Olive yanked away, glaring at him with ice in her eyes. "Garrett, what exactly do you want from me?"

Frustration sharpened his voice. "After Vivienne had to drop out of the championship because of her injury, her reputation tanked. Now they're calling her a homewrecker and dragging her name through the mud. She's spiraling, and she's threatening to end her life."

Olive's tone stayed cool. "And what does any of that have to do with me?"

Garrett's voice came out cold and sharp. "It has everything to do with you!"

"You're going to tell the media right now that you were the one who seduced me back then. That you destroyed what I had with Vivienne."

"For five years, you kept me trapped with your little games. And that live stream? That was all on you."

His words landed with such cruelty that Olive went still.

Five years ago, when news of his blindness first broke, the Armstrong family had turned their backs on him and left him completely alone. She'd defied her own family to stay by his side, tending to him day and night, making sure he had everything he needed.

He'd held her close, asking again and again, "Olive, will you stay? Will you marry me?"

Now she realized that vulnerability she'd believed in had all been an act. Their five years together had been nothing more than a cruel joke.

"I'm not going to clear this up," Olive said firmly. "Garrett, you know the truth..."

"It doesn't matter!" Garrett cut her off harshly, his eyes dark with anger.

"Olive Kelley, I already told you—once I sort things out with Vivienne, I'll make it up to you ten times over. Can't you just be reasonable and step aside for her?"

Olive felt like she'd just heard the most ridiculous thing in her life.

"Step aside for her? Why should I be the one paying for your messed-up situation?"

Garrett's temper flared. He stepped forward and seized her chin.

"Olive Kelley, you'd better do exactly as I say. Otherwise, your family will be ruined."

Olive's face drained of color.

She could handle being humiliated herself, but she couldn't let her family suffer. Her father had worked too hard for too long to lose it all because of her.

After a long, heavy silence, her voice cracked. "Fine. I agree."

Only then did Garrett let go of her. He stood over her, watching as she opened X and typed out a public apology, word for word, exactly as he dictated.

Once she posted it, the tension in Garrett's shoulders finally eased.

His tone softened slightly. "You'll have to put up with this for a few days. Once things settle down, I'll take you to that new Italian place."

With that, he grabbed his coat and walked out.