Olivia Sparks

Pivoting on her aching feet, the doctor waved her hands in the air. "Okay, guys. Only two guardians are allowed inside the emergency room." 

Holding two fingers up in the air, the doctor added, "Two guardians only so please leave and free up the room. Guard!" She looked over her shoulder, calling the guard's attention. She growled at him when he didn't move in his post.

Everyone in the room held their breaths, waiting for the doctor to realize who was right in front of her.

Some pointed to the royal family's direction using their mouths but it just puzzled the doctor why everyone's faces looked horrified.

Clearing his throat, King Alistair responded, "Of course. We apologize for the inconvenience, doctor."

The doctor froze on her spot, roots sprang out of her feet, she couldn't move an inch. She blinked, and blinked some more and saw Queen Isla smiling at her. 

Afraid that her eyes were so tired to be seeing apparitions, she rubbed it. Tracing her gaze, she scanned the room from left to right.

King. Queen. Prince.

Color drained from her face when Queen Isla clasped her hands, verifying that what she saw was not a hallucination.

"You-Your Majesty..." 

"It's okay. We will wait for her outside. That's my daughter Olivia. Please take good care of her, doctor." 

"Yes. Absolutely. 100%. I am the best ER doctor in the country," the doctor blabbered, sweat dripping from her forehead as she encouraged herself more than what looked like her convincing the queen. 

Queen Isla smiled, warm and sweet, relaxing the palpitations in the doctor's racing heart.

King Alistair, Queen Isla, and Henry then stepped out of the emergency room, leaving Oliver and Maxen inside. They were ushered by a nurse inside an office.

"We will let you know when the VIP room you requested is available," the nurse informed them, rushing out of the room after excusing herself when her walkie talkie beeped.

Once the parentals were left inside, Henry tutted, crossing his legs. "Your boy kept asking me for Olivia's hand but he just couldn't wait—knocking up my daughter before marriage."

"Eh? Excuse me, Henry." Queen Isla spoke out of turn. "You speak as if you don't have bastards littering around the country. Besides, they are two a.d.u.l.ts who are madly in love. Procreation is inevitable."

"Isla..." King Alistair grunted and shifted in his seat. He gave Henry a once over and shook his head. His wife just told him that his old friend was expecting another child. He thought Henry was a bit on the older side to be fathering one but who cares? He could have as many as he liked, the man loved getting DNA results anyway.

"Why wouldn't it be inevitable when they moved in together before marriage? Tell your boy, he could have Olivia's hand any time of the day. He has my blessing. She's of no use to me now that my daughter is damaged goods."

Queen Isla's hand flew to her mouth that was formed into a big 'O'. She couldn't believe Henry would consider her daughter, Olivia, as damaged goods. "Ha! The only damaged goods is the mistress you keep in the Lin Estate. Disgusting old fart! Let me just say this, they don't need your blessing because if it came from you, it sure is a curse!" Queen Isla huffed, crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t, looking on the other side of the room to ignore Henry Lin. 

She wanted to anger him by blurting out Maxen and Olivia's elopement but did her best to hold her tongue in because if she did, King Alistair would find out about it too.

Suddenly, a picture of King Alistair voicing out a 'suggestion' for the two to announce their "engagement" in public popped up in Queen Isla's mind. 

Shaking her head, she decided it was not the perfect time for the king to learn about it yet, especially after what happened to her daughter, Olivia. 

She batted her eyelashes at her husband and behaved in a corner to prevent herself from saying things she shouldn't be saying, mumbling as she did her math, "So I saw four. If one is Maya's, and we gained an angel… it leaves me with two more. Hmmm." 

Shifting in her seat, she faced King Alistair. "I think I should move-in to Notios Estate and take care of Olivia."

"Isla…"

"Okay, I won't." She held her palm up in a promise. "I'll just visit her every day."

"Let the girl rest, Isla. I'll tell Abbott to clear Maxen's schedule so he could take care of his wife."

"Wife?!" Henry and Queen Isla exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, Henry. Wife. We're technically in-laws and your daughter is a Sui on paper. Do you really think I would drive down here if I didn't know about them eloping two months ago?"

Henry scoffed in derision, standing up and dipping his hands in his pockets. "As expected from a Sui. Always coveting what belongs to a Lin."

"Sebastian never cheated with your wife. That's just you and your insecurities in the works," King Alistair cited, locking gazes with Henry Lin.

"I have proof," Henry rebutted.

"And I have proof that your proof was fabricated. Wanna bet?" King Alistair drummed his fingers on the table, his lopsided grin was challenging Henry Lin. He could see doubt dance in the loathsome man's hazel orbs, and he felt an odd triumph. 

There wasn't a day that King Alistair didn't wait for this day to happen—the day that the two old friends would not get into each other's throats and sort things out like a true gentleman.

But whatever doubt flashed for a second in Henry Lin's eyes was gone in a blink and King Alistair couldn't figure out what Henry Lin was thinking at that moment for the man had the best straight face in town.

"I guess we're in-laws now. More connections for me to use," Henry trailed off. "But I hope their marriage won't end up in a divorce, just like what happened to mine." He shrugged.

"A divorce that was your own doing," King Alistair corrected.

"Ha! Let see how long your son could stand Olivia's mouth. That child could be tactless at times."

"It's the modern times, Henry. Daughters do not have to inherit the silence of their mothers."

"Says someone who's a stickler for rules," Henry scoffed.

Not one to back down, King Alistair laughed. "I commend whoever dumped that shitload of information in your head. Imagine how that person ruined not just our friendship but also your family—your beautiful family."

"Tch! Getting emotional lately, Alistair? Comes with age, I must say."

The two men's conversation paused, their heads snapped to Queen Isla's direction. She was snorting in her seat, enjoying the show of who gets to piss higher than the other. 

"You two never lost your magic. I missed seeing the competitive spirit between you two. If only Amelia was here, it would have been much entertaining but well, you locked her up, so." Queen Isla shrugged.

Just as the two bickering men opened their mouths, a soft knock echoed from the door followed by an MIB peeping inside. "Room's ready, Your Majesty."

Queen Isla quickly got up on her feet and bolted towards the door's direction. She briefly paused by the threshold and looked over her shoulder, teasing the men behind her, "You two can stay here and hug your issues out. I promise I won't get jealous." She winked.

"Ha!" King Alistair and Henry Lin grunted in unison, painting a wide smile on Queen Isla's face as she looked at her husband's cute, blushing face. However, her smile dropped when her gaze landed on Henry Lin, mirroring the scowl on the loathsome man's face.

Meanwhile, down in the emergency room, Maxen and Oliver let the noise of the emergency room distract them from having a conversation.

At one corner, Oliver poured his attention on the clipboard, filling up the details he knew. From time to time, he would sneak glances on Maxen's way whenever he comes across a question which he had an inkling that Maxen knew the answer to. However, because he was too displeased at the moment to even speak a word to the person whom he called brother, he just skipped those questions.

Double-checking the doc.u.ment after he was done, Oliver passed it to the waiting nurse. 

"Thank you, sir. Ms. Lin will be transferred to her room on the VIP floor after her procedure. You can use the elevator, and use this keycard to gain access on the floor."

"Thanks." Oliver accepted the keycard, tapping it on his palm.

The walk to the elevator was long, quiet, and awkward.

Oliver should be angry and landing punches on his brother but the guy just lost a child—a child Maxen and Olivia didn't know existed. 

It was apparent on Maxen's dazed and blank expression how his guilt was eating him on the inside that was why Oliver decided to just keep quiet and let the storm pass. 

Reaching the VIP room that bore the tag "O. Lin", Oliver kept on walking inside until he found his dad brewing something sinister in his seat. Oliver felt a chill run down his spine, alerting him to look behind his back and warn Maxen, but to his surprise, the guy just stood outside, spacing out.