"Thank you, Elena," Olivia whispered, wiping a tear from her eye. "Thank you so much."
After the rush of adrenaline finally calmed down, Olivia slipped into the back office and sent Leo a quick text message. She asked him to meet her later at the house her parents were renting.
She did not want to talk about this over the phone. She needed to see his face when she told him James had aggressively accused him of orchestrating a break-in.
She managed to finish the rest of her shift at the bakery, but her mind was completely unsettled. James’s furious accusation kept replaying in her head.
There was a strange, unsettling sense that pieces were moving around her, and she did not fully understand who was moving them.
***
Later that evening, Olivia waited in the kitchen of the rented house. Her parents had gone to bed early, giving Olivia the privacy she desperately needed.
She expected Leo to ring the front doorbell. Instead, a soft, rhythmic knock sounded at the back door that led from the kitchen to the patio.
Olivia jumped. She walked over, peering through the glass.
Leo was standing outside in the dark.
She unlocked the door, incredulous. "Leo? What are you doing back here?"
Leo stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. "I didn't want to risk the front door," he explained, his voice low. "Just in case James hired a private investigator to watch the house or document exactly who comes and goes."
The realization hit Olivia like a physical blow.
She hadn't fully understood the risk until this exact moment. James was not just an angry, humiliated ex. He was actively building a legal case. Every single image, every visit, every moment she spent with Leo could become a weapon James used in court.
"James came to the bakery today," Olivia said, deciding to just get straight to it.
Leo’s entire body tensed. "Did he touch you?"
"No," Olivia said quickly. She pulled out her phone and played Elena’s recording.
Leo listened in silence. His jaw locked, a muscle ticking near his ear. When the recording finished, Olivia set the phone down on the counter and watched his face very carefully.
"He accused you of being behind a break-in at the house," Olivia said. She looked him directly in the eyes. "Leo. Do you know anything about that?"
Leo did not answer immediately.
"I made a call," Leo finally admitted, his voice rough. "I hired someone to dig deeper. Someone who is very good at making sure we get the evidence James and Amanda have been too careful to leave out in the open."
"Does that mean you were behind what happened at his house?" Olivia asked, her heart racing.
"James has hidden too much behind locked doors, expensive lawyers, false narratives, and complicated paperwork designed to make you look guilty. Someone needed to find out exactly where the real truth was buried."
Olivia was genuinely scared. "Leo, I do not want you to get hurt. I do not want you to ruin your life or end up in jail because of me."
"I will be fine, Liv."
"You cannot promise that!"
"Maybe not," Leo said, his icy blue eyes fierce and unwavering. "But I can promise you that I know exactly what I am doing."
Olivia did not like that answer. She was absolutely terrified that James would drag Leo down with him.
The tension in the kitchen built rapidly. They were standing mere feet apart. Olivia didn't know what to do with him. She was grateful. She was afraid. She was angry that he would risk himself for her, and deeply moved that he would goto such lengths. Leo watched her, his expression tight, his jaw clenched as he stared down at her.
"This is exactly why James filed that lawsuit," Olivia whispered, rubbing her arms to ward off a chill. "So every single time I need you, I have to think twice. So I feel guilty for even asking you to be here."
