Olivia drew in a deep breath at the next beeping sound of the EKG machine, she didn't make a sound or move a muscle, she just remained still, sitting over Grace's bed with her one hand on the bandaid wrapped around her head and the other hand wrapped around Grace's tiny hand while she kept her eyes glued to her face.

She looked so peaceful and so beautiful even in her unconscious state. It was her first time holding her daughter like that, being that close to her and it had to be when she was in such a condition.

It broke her heart so much.

"She has been this way since you left yesterday." Benita explained to Rafael and Tony who had only just arrived a few minutes before. "She has refused to eat or drink anything or talk to anyone, all she does is cry and cry and cry. I'm beginning to fear that she might fall sick if she keeps this up."

Rafael exhaled.
He turned to look at Olivia.

"Olivia," Tony took a step closer to her "Olivia, is there anything you'd like to eat or drink?"
Olivia didn't move a muscle, she didn't care who it was talking to her at that moment.

"I already tried asking her that," Austin said, sitting straight from where he sat watching her "Her answer remains the same, silence."

Rafael walked to Olivia, grabbing the sheet of paper he had kept on the tall table close to the bed earlier as he got closer to her. Everyone watched as he pulled out a seat so he could sit beside her.

She wasn't watching or listening. Rafael drew a deep breath, he hated what he was about to do but he knew he had to do it anyway.

"Hey," he looked at her. He was really so bad at comforting people, he didn't even know where to start, maybe the point was a good place.

"I uh-" he continued "I need your help in signing something." He told her. Everyone watched him take out the paper and stretch it towards her so she could take it if she wanted to. "It's uh, it's a consent form."

"Rafael," Tony called him after a sigh.

"I was hoping you could go through it for a second." He continued. "I'm trying to send your late husband's remains to the states for an autopsy, that way, we can finally find out who is really responsible for his death, clear your name and put a rest to this case, but to do that, the court and hospital requires that his next of kin, which happens to be you, signs this." He waved the paper in front of her.

Olivia just blinked. She didn't turn, she didn't move, she didn't say a word. He exhaled.
It was totally useless at that point whatever he did.

"You really are an insensitive and extremely selfish person, you know that?"
Rafael slowly turned to Austin. "She almost lost her child and would barely eat and somehow, a stupid autopsy is the only thing you can think about?"

Rafael scoffed.

"What is wrong with you? How can any of this be important right now?"

"Brother," Tony continued "I hate to admit it but Austin is right, Olivia is still in shook from what happened. I don't think now is the right time to push on with this."

"I'll do it." Olivia said almost in a whisper, cutting Tony off. They all turned to look at her, Rafael too.

"Olivia?" Austin called her name

"It's the least I could do." She continued, still staring at Grace. "I owe it to my daughter and myself to find out who the real murderer of her father is. He or she is the reason I was locked up all those years and she was taken away from me, They are the reason I wasn't able to protect her, they are the reason this happened to her. She must have hurt a lot, to think that the only moment she could have ever been with me Is now, when she can't even open her eyes."

She sniffed and slowly turned to Rafael
She slowly took the paper from him and the pen too. She turned back to the bed and quickly signed on it.

"Olivia," Austin got up quickly "Are you sure?"

Olivia took up the paper and handed it to Rafael. That had to be an answer, her answer. She slowly turned back to Grace.

Rafael hesitated for a while.
He exhaled and got up slowly with the paper. Austin hurried to him.

"What kind of a man are you?" He asked him "Taking advantage of her vulnerability, only a coward does that."

Rafael sneered at him.

"Why?" He asked him "Are you scared I'm about to find out something that might ruin your family?"

Austin blinked.

"What?"

"It's only going to take three days from tomorrow." Rafael continued "Just wait till then. Be sure I'd keep you updated once I'm back."

He slowly reached for the glass of water Austin had been drinking before, he took it.

"Thank you ."

He turned it, taking a sip from it
Austin rolled his eyes as he watched him walk out of the room immediately without looking back or saying another word. Tony sighed and went after him too

༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

"That old witch said that to you?!"
This was one of the times Olivia didn't have to complain of how loud Amy's voice was. She wished it was even louder, maybe that way, Grace could wake up.  Three days had passed already.

Three days since the accident and still it was like nothing had happened. Grace was yet to move a muscle. Olivia cleaned her fingers gently with a wet towel.

"I'm really happy you didn't let her get away with it this time." Amy scoffed, she was really pained. "I wish I was there to witness the look on her annoying face, the mighty Victoria Silver." Amy chuckled lightly "She must have been really shocked."

Olivia exhaled and then turned to the tiny silver basin beside the bed. She dropped the towel in it and pushed her braids back just so she could see properly. She fell into the seat behind her as Amy took the basin away and dropped it on the table in the corner.

"You know Amy," Olivia started "I can't help but think Victoria had something to do with this. And now she's trying to pin it on that poor maid just like she did to me."

"Of course she did." Amy walked back to the bed and stood right beside her, folding her arms "What did you expect? First she took your child from you just to hurt you then when she realized she had nothing else on you, she pushed all that anger to your daughter. I don't believe that maid is responsible for what she is being accused of. All we have to do now is pray Grace opens her eyes quickly so she can tell us what really happened. She's the only one that can help that maid at this point."

Olivia exhaled and leaned closer to Grace

"My poor child," she placed her hand on her tiny face to feel it.  "If only I had fought harder in the past, she wouldn't have had to go through this."

"Come on now," Amy sat on the bed "You can't blame yourself for what happened sis, you did all you could, everyone knows you'd die for your daughter if you need to but sometimes God does these kinds of things to test us then he brings people into our lives to help us figure it out, like Mr Okonkwo for example."

Amy gasped immediately

"Wait a minute," she hit the bed, pulling herself closer to Olivia. "Didn't you tell me today is the day he was supposed to travel to the states for the autopsy?"

Olivia sat up quickly.
She let out an exasperated sigh. She had totally forgotten.

"Don't tell me you forgot."

Olivia shut her eyes for a moment, she did forget. How on earth could she have forgotten?

"At least tell me you called him to thank him or wish him a successful journey."

Oh no, she didn't do that too. Amy sighed

"What is wrong with you sis?"

"I've just - my mind has been all over the place. I've barely had the time to think of anything else."

"This is wrong, this is really wrong. That man, he's done so much for you and for Grace, made a lot of sacrifices out of his pocket and even took a bullet for you. The least you could do is call him or even text him to know if he arrived safely."

Olivia exhaled.

"I know, I know." She was so disappointed in herself.

"If this works out, you can finally be free and it's all thanks to him. He has been working so hard Olivia, where's your sense of gratitude? Next time he'd never want to help you because right now, he'd feel he's been taken for granted."

Olivia turned to her quickly.

"You think so?"
Amy nodded. Olivia inhaled.

"What do I do?"

"What you're supposed to do," Amy reached for Olivia's phone from the bed, she picked it and stretched it to her. "Call him."

Olivia looked at her and then at the phone.
She exhaled.