Page 97 of Faking with Three

“I’m fine,” Olivia says, her voice soft but steady. “Just a little queasy. Probably something I ate.”

“She’s been like this since lunch,” Ethan says, his tone casual but his eyes betraying his worry. “I told her to rest, but you know how stubborn she is.”

Olivia swats his arm weakly. “I’m not stubborn. I just… hate sitting still.”

“Well, you’re about to feel better,” I say, my grin returning as I drop my bag onto the nearest chair. “I just talked to Charlie Green.”

That gets her attention. She sits up slightly, her eyes widening. “You did?”

“Yep. And get this—she’s willing to meet with the lawyers. She’s open to discussing terms that would let Jax come back without risking custody of Adam.”

The transformation is immediate. Olivia throws off the blanket and practically launches herself off the couch, crossing the room in a flash to throw her arms around me. “Marcus! That’s amazing!”

Ethan chuckles from his spot on the couch, shaking his head. “Well, that escalated quickly.”

I laugh as I hug her back.

“This could change everything,” she says, pulling back just enough to look up at me.

“We have to call Jax.”

Ethan gets up, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll grab him if you want.”

“No, I’ll do it,” Olivia says, already reaching for her own phone. “He needs to hear this from me.”

She dials and puts the call on speaker, pacing the room as it rings. When Jax’s voice comes through, it’s like a breath of fresh air. “Olivia? What’s up?”

“Jax, you won’t believe this,” she says, her voice brimming with energy. “Marcus talked to Charlie. She’s willing to meet with the lawyers. This could be it—you could come back.”

There’s a pause on the other end, long enough for my earlier excitement to start fraying at the edges.

“Sorry, Marcus. I don’t know what this woman would do in the future,” he says, each word measured. “She could change her mind and drag us into court again. I can’t risk losing my son or exposing you guys to further financial and legal risk.”

The room goes still. Olivia stops pacing, her phone dropping slightly as she stares at it like she didn’t hear him right. Ethan’s expression hardens, and I feel the disappointment settle like a stone in my stomach.

“Jax, she’s willing to negotiate,” I say, stepping closer to the phone. “This is the opening we’ve been waiting for. If we can get her to agree to formal terms?—”

“Formal terms don’t mean anything if she decides to break them later,” Jax interrupts. “I’m grateful for what you’ve done, Marcus. I really am. But I can’t gamble with Adam’s future.”

“But—” Olivia starts, her voice cracking slightly.

“I can’t,” Jax says again. “You guys have no idea how much this means to me, but I have to put Adam first. Always.”

The line goes quiet for a moment before Jax speaks again. “Take care of each other, okay? I’ll be in touch.”

CHAPTER 30

OLIVIA

I’m lyingon the couch, one arm draped over my face, trying to will away the nausea that’s been tormenting me all morning.

The nausea hits again, and I barely make it to the bathroom before I’m doubled over the toilet. It’s the fifth time this morning, and I’m officially over it. My head rests against my arm as I kneel on the cold tile floor, the lingering taste in my mouth making me gag all over again.

When I finally manage to get back to the couch, I flop down with a groan, willing my stomach to settle. The sound of the door opening catches my attention, and I lift my head slightly, blinking through the haze of exhaustion.

Heather steps inside, dropping her bag near the door and looking around. “Olivia?”

“Heather!” I push myself up, my fatigue momentarily forgotten as I cross the room to hug her. “You’re back early!”

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