Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 125

"We were informed," she continued, dishonestly, to help attain her goal, "that she's been crying herself to sleep and hasn't eaten very well these past few days. The girl feels lonely, sad, and confused, and now she's in the public eye."

Cole tightened his hands into fists, saying in a very low voice, "Well, that's your fault, isn't it?"

"That is indeed true," Lady Cutting admitted without preamble, "but you haven't been there for her. She was willing to help you, Colton. But you left her on her own, to face these publicity wolves howling at her feet. Good God, she hasn't properly eaten in days and has been crying her heart out for the lad who left her for another girl. I doubt she could tell her family at home that she's in this situation with anyone but her extremely worried relatives here."

Cole's guilt tripled at this vividly drawn picture of Olivia's suffering, but that only made him more adamant. "I'm not her fiancé. I never will be."

"At least talk to her," Keller pressed, getting up from her perch by the window. She walked up to him and leaned her hands on each side of his desk. "Don't be such a jackass. She deserves a talk -- moreover, an apology."

At that moment, his butler came in bearing two sets of magazines. He handed it to Keller. When she said her thanks and he left, she flung it on Cole's desk and glared even harder at him. "Read!"

He didn't appreciate her tone but his eyes swivelled down to the magazines. Both gossip rags had somewhat the same headlines and agenda. Which was to ruin and humiliate someone.

COLTON CUTTING JILTS AMERICAN GIRL! "SHE'S A NOBODY," HE SAYS

MARQUESS OF HAVENHURST SAYS HE'S BETTER OFF AS GOOD MATES WITH OLIVIA MADISON

"It's Mathison, those assholes!" Keller boomed.

Suddenly Cole's throat felt clogged up. He had never said anything to the media, and all the silence made it worst for they could make things up to interest more people who were into gossip. He was fine with not responding to the media. That was how he was. He didn't care about them, and he already knew he had a reputation. But an innocent young woman's name was being ruined, all because of his grandaunt.

And him.

Although Cole didn't need to visit Olivia at all, it seemed. Because there she was, looking like she was thinking of a life-threatening decision while muttering things, on a bloody cow, of all creatures, unknowingly reaching his vast side of the property. Again.

"Olivia?" he called brusquely, striding toward her.

She didn't even look up. He was positive she hadn't even heard him at all.

Right until he reached her side, only to be nearly trampled by the cow she was riding like a pony. At first he couldn't even believe this was happening to him -- and then it all happened at once. The cow mooed and skittered like a horse seeing a snake, then Olivia tried to keep control but she pulled too hard on the reins, and the cow swerved left while she went toward the opposite direction in surprise and horror.

Time seemed to have slowed. A fraction of a second showed Cole just how the accident would occur, really. She held tight on the reins but it wasn't enough, which made her momentum drag her to the side like a cowgirl on a mechanical bull. And then she fell to the ground, face first, except she didn't entirely go all the way because (luckily for her; unfortunately for him) he was in the way and so she was tossed to the side and landed swiftly on him.

Granted, the fall was a matter of only a few feet, and she no doubt survived it whole and unharmed. But Cole certainly felt the wind knocked right out from his body and the impact his back felt was probably the worst of yet to come. She'd fallen heavily against his chest; he caught her in his arms, yet he could only manage a desperate wheeze that startled her. His eyes closed when she fell, but when he opened them he saw the most striking pair of cornflower blue eyes that widened at the sight of him.