999 Tries Still Not His Girl novel Chapter 3

Olivia’s face turned cold in an instant. “Who let you in?”

“Jack did,” Emily replied sweetly, her voice soft as warm milk. “He said you were hurt and told me to help dress your wound.”

She paused delicately, then added with a smile, “Olivia, why are you always getting hurt like this? You don’t actually think… this’ll make Jack look at you differently, do you?”

She giggled, her smile turning saccharine.

“Poor thing. Your father’s mine, your house is mine… and Jack? He’s mine too.”

Olivia’s gaze sharpened like a blade. “You’re just the illegitimate daughter of a homewrecker. Who the blast do you think you are—coming in here trying to provoke me? Get out.”

But Emily didn’t flinch. If anything, her grin widened.

“Yeah, I’m the homewrecker’s daughter.”

She tilted her head, looking at Olivia with feigned sympathy.

“But look at me. The daughter of ‘the other woman’—and I have everything.”

Her voice lowered, amused.

“And you? father’s precious little girl? You’ve got nothing.”

“Isn’t that just… hilarious?”

She pulled a small bottle of ointment from her pocket and placed it gently on the nightstand.

“Here’s the medicine. Don’t forget to use it later.”

Olivia’s arm shot up—but Emily was ready. She stepped back quickly, snatching the bottle up again with mock innocence.

“So, are you gonna yell at me to ‘get out’ and throw the medicine again?”

She batted her lashes. “Well then… let me help you out.”

Without warning, she hurled the bottle at the floor.

Crash.

Glass shattered everywhere.

She stumbled back deliberately, then collapsed onto the shards with a gasp.

Just on cue, the door flew open, and Jack stormed in, boots pounding.

The first thing he saw was Emily on the floor, her knee bleeding, and Olivia sitting stiffly on the bed, face blank.

“Explain,” Jack barked. His voice was cold, razor sharp.

Olivia closed her eyes.

She remembered the last time this happened—Emily pulling the same trick. She’d tried to explain then, and what did it get her?

Nothing.

Jack had believed Emily.

So this time, Olivia didn’t bother.

“You saw it all, didn’t you?” she looked up, her smile laced with scorn. “What’s there to explain?”

Jack’s jaw tightened. His eyes turned icy. “You never learn, do you?”

His voice dropped dangerously. “Your punishment—”

A few minutes later, Olivia set down her pen.

“I’m done,” she said flatly.

She handed over the reflection just as Jack finished wrapping Emily’s bandage. He took the paper, scanned it, and his expression changed in an instant.

“What the blast is this?”

He read aloud:

“‘My mistake was not catching her when she faked her fall. My mistake was not grabbing her hand and shoving it into the broken glass, hard enough to make her think twice before pulling this same tired act again.’”

He looked up, furious. Olivia met his eyes without flinching.

“It’s just the truth.”

His temple pulsed. He was about to explode when—

“Jack!” Emily tugged at his arm again. “She’s still hurt. Don’t get upset…”

His anger flared again, but before he could speak, Emily cut in sweetly, “Let it go, okay?”

Then she turned to Olivia, her voice light and warm. “We’re heading to the park today. Picnic and boat ride. You should come, too.”

“I’m not going,” Olivia said flatly.

But Emily was already wrapping her arm through Olivia’s with fake sisterly affection. “C’mon, don’t be mad, Sis. Let me help you walk.”

Olivia tried to pull away, but Jack was standing right there—watching her with that warning look in his eyes.

And suddenly… she was just so tired.