"How are you feeling today, Oliver?" Dr. Isaac asked looking up from his notepad.
"Good."
"Any recent updates you would like to give? Like how was your week? Or did something new happen?"
Oliver paused, fingers about to tap the arm of the couch but stopped halfway. Hastings said it was distracting.
"Do you think it's possible for someone like me to truly love someone? Do you think I can become better, heal, and care about someone not just obsess or want them as property?"
The questions puzzled Isaac, however, he answered them professionally and sensitively, caution lacing his words, "With time, anything is possible, Oliver. I believe that with the right treatment, help, and support you can get better."
His whiskey eyes landed on the man and the pressure he emitted made the man shiver. There was a danger that lurked between the cold, expressionless face.
"You think I'm sick? That I need help?"
"That's not what I meant, Oliver. What you've been through is very traumatic and anyone else in your position would have broken, died, or become an empty shell." The man shook his head, as he said, "So no Oliver. On the contrary, I think you're very strong."
"I don't like to sleep not just because of the nightmares but because the action itself scares me." Oliver started, picturing he was talking to his Hastings. Picturing that she asked the other day.
Isaac didn't want to ask anything and just listened intently. "The last time I slept when she was around…." he couldn't help but tap. It controlled his heartbeat and breathing. It made the headache ease a little.
He didn't like to talk about anything that happened between him and his mother because they made his head hurt. "I slept with two eyes closed and nothing happened or so I thought. When I woke up the next morning, I was bleeding. My back was bleeding so was my anus."
"It's okay-" He wanted to tell Oliver to stop because his veins popped in his forehead and his eyes were turning red, slowly. He could tell this was taking a toll on him but Oliver spoke over him.
"Apparently, my mother thought it would be fun to use a knife and make little cuts on my back and she got one of her twisted male friends to fuck me from behind." His hand gripped the arm of the chair too tightly and Isaac inhaled sharply.
Was that woman his mother? What mother would do that to her son? Why would she do something so despicable? So gruesome? So evil?
"But what was I to do? I had a very important coding competition that allowed me to start my company today so I had to go. Do you know what I did?" He let out a humorless laugh. "I stitched it. But what could a thirteen-year-old boy do with his hands trembling, unable to make a noise because his mother was asleep, and waking her up meant more pain?"
A million horses were stampeding on his brain but his mind would go to Hastings and the kiss. Her laugh, her smile, and how she slept so carefree. She tasted sweeter than honey and that kept his mind awake, alive.
The wounds in question got infected and thankfully it was after he had won the competition. It was because of this that Dylan was able to save him.
"I have everything any man could want. Fame, wealth, power, and respect. I'm part of Forbes under 30 billionaires but when I look in the mirror I don't see Oliver Wilde, the CEO. I see Liv, the ten-year-old boy that hid in the cupboard praying to Merlin and would check the mailbox every day hoping that Dumbledore would send his letter and he could go to Hogwarts."
"So tell me, Doctor, how can that person ever be whole and heal?" The office became silent. He had heard and seen a lot of things. There were a lot of things that didn't scare him anymore even getting attacked by dangerous patients but Oliver's story?
This was just the tip of the iceberg of what he had been through. Only God could help Oliver truly heal at this point.
However, Dylan Lilac didn't think so as he sat across from Oliver in his office.
Oliver didn't even pay attention to him so he sighed loudly.
"Are you bored, old man? You do know that this is a business enterprise, not a recreational center for the elderly?"
"Every single respectable bone in your body is either non-existent or it rots away like your niceness." Dylan scowled.
Oliver leaned into his seat, crossing his arms. "Maybe you can be of help to me." He smirked. "You are friends with the director of Sylvester College, aren't you?"
"Why are you asking?" He narrowed his eyes at Oliver.
"Nothing serious. I just want to buy the school." The bomb he dropped made Dylan almost break the mug he was holding. He said it so casually that someone would think he was talking about the weather.
"Why on earth do you want to buy the school?"
Kayla's incident worried him deeply. She would be bullied a lot by the students and he didn't want that to happen. How could he let others bully what was his? He was the only one allowed to do anything to her!
"I like it and I have the means to obtain it, so why can't I get it?" he raised a brow.
"Bartholomew Oliver Dixon Wilde, what has gotten into you?"
Oliver glared at him. He hated the other two names. His first name was too long and a mouthful and the second could be shortened to Dick which Nate, Tyler, Siao, and Asher always mocked him with.
"Nothing has gotten into me, so kindly mind your business" He eyed him and Dylan dropped the topic because even if Oliver didn't tell him, he would find out. After all, he wasn't one of the greatest hackers of all time just for the name.
"I heard you've stopped taking your medications," Dylan said lightly making Oliver stiffen.
"Where'd you hear that from?"
"None of your business, boy! Now tell me if it's true or not!" He demanded and Oliver rubbed his temples.
"You are really nosy, you know that?" However, he still replied, "Yes. I stopped taking them."
"Why? They are there to make you feel better and don't give me that crap that you are fine!" Oliver was taken aback that he cussed. His lips twitched. "Since when do you utter such foul language?"
"Since you decided to be a stubborn twat!"
"I stopped taking it because I don't need them. I can go to bed without any hindrances." Dylan looked at him in askance.
Oliver was telling the truth. He found a new lullaby, Kayla's moans. Her dulcet voice put him to sleep every night and sometimes he would go to her house, hold her while she slept and he would fall asleep too.
"Are you sure Ollie? The last thing we want is a repeat of what happened the last time." Dylan's eyes softened.
"Don't you have another child to disturb?"
"Asher doesn't stress me as much as you do! At least I know that she will give me lots of grandkids!"
"Then why don't you tell her that?" He could imagine how appalled she would be if she heard what Dylan said. The last thing Asher wanted was to hear Lilac talk about procreation activities. She called it a deadly fever dream. A smile tugged on his lips.
"You are so unfilial because if I die, I have no one to honor my memory with good words!" He huffed, taking a sip of his coffee.
"How do you expect me to say good things? Should I make them appear out of thin air?" This made Dylan swing his cane and hit Oliver on his head.
"Get out of my office, before I lock you in a retirement home!" Oliver scowled and Dylan laughed. "I still got a good aim!"
****
Anyone who knew Kayla wouldn't have recognized her and the only way they would have gotten suspicious was Louisa being by her side.
Unlike Louisa's normal outfit, Kayla wore an all-black oversized sweatpants and sweatshirt, a black cap, sunglasses, and a face mask, her shoulders slouched.
"What are you doing, Kay? I know what happened on Sunday was like the most terrible thing to happen at Sylvester but it wasn't your fault."
"Sssshhhh. Don't say my name," she pushed her cap further down, whispering and eyes darting around to see if anyone heard.
"Kayla," Louisa groaned."
"Is anyone looking at me?" She asked. "The goal is to blend in, camouflage," she waved both hands in her face, demonstrating to Louisa what she meant. Fuck! How she wished she had an invisible cloak.
"This is not how to be inconspicuous. This is drawing more attention to yourself!"
"But what am I to do? Do you see the hate comments online? Do you know how many people want to dox me and kill me!? I don't wanna die!?" Her eyes widened thinking of something, she gasped, "What if they find out where we live!? We need to move out ASAP!"
Kayla grabbed Louisa's arm but before she could do anything else, an all too familiar voice sounded behind them.
"Well, well, well," one clap for each 'well. "If it isn't the demon from hell herself! The unfortunate person of our university!"
Kayla took a deep breath. People had stopped to stare at them and who didn't know what happened by now? She might as well just reveal herself.
She took off her sunglasses and face mask, revealing a beautiful face with a fake smile plastered on it, as she faced her enemy.
"Well, well, well. If isn't Voldemort's daughter herself? What the fuck do you want Regina?"
Both women locked their eyes, bad blood tainting the air and every unspoken word brought tension to the on-lookers, particularly Louisa.
The air was silent as they just glared at each other. Her heart thumped in her chest, biting her nails. What was going to happen?