I blinked at Lennox's question, pretending to think deeply.
"Hmm… other memories?" I tilted my head slightly, letting my fingers play with the edge of the blanket. "Well… I remember when Gabriel and I were younger, we used to sneak into the pack house kitchen at midnight just to steal cookies. The chef would always pretend not to notice." I gave a soft, fond laugh.
Levi's brows twitched, and Louis looked down at his hands.
I had done that with all three of them.
I continued, my voice light and dreamy. "Gabriel used to braid my hair when I was ten. He wasn't very good at it, but he always tried. Once, we ended up tangled in my ribbons for hours."
I glanced up briefly, watching their expressions shift into shock, pain.
That day had been with all three of them… and it was hilarious.
"There was a time," I added, as if reminiscing warmly, "Gabriel helped me build a treehouse behind the pack house. It was crooked and ugly, but I loved it. We spent the whole summer in that treehouse, pretending we were explorers."
The silence in the room thickened.
He was the one who built that treehouse with me. He'd scraped his palms and bruised his knees. We painted it together, made up stories inside it. But I acted like I didn't know.
"And once," I said with a wistful smile, "Gabriel gave me this necklace for my twelfth birthday. It had a little wolf charm on it. I never took it off."
Louis's jaw clenched. He'd saved up for months to get that necklace. I'd cried when I opened it.
"I think those are the strongest memories," I said, folding my hands neatly in my lap. "Gabriel was always there. Like my anchor."
I finally looked up—really looked.
Lennox's eyes were filled with tears.
Levi looked like he'd just been slapped.
Louis looked like a child who'd been mistreated.
I tilted my head. "Why do you ask, Lennox?"
He didn't answer right away. He just stared at me, his jaw tight.
I held Lennox's gaze for a moment longer, then looked away, acting calm, though I could feel the pressure building in the room like a rising tide. Something was shifting—subtle, but undeniable. They were digging now. Prodding in places I hadn't prepared for.
"Do you…" Levi began slowly, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. "Do you remember your fourteenth birthday?"
I froze for a split second, my pulse skipping.
Why are they going there?
I nodded slowly, masking the alarm buzzing under my skin. "Yes… I remember." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel✶fire.net
I could feel their attention sharpen like blades.
"That day was…" I hesitated, then gave a soft sigh, eyes dropping to my lap, "…a disaster."
Louis stepped forward slightly, voice laced with concern. "Why? What happened?"
I looked up at them with just enough sadness in my eyes. "I lost my father that day."
Their expressions changed—subtle, but clear enough.
They knew the truth. My father hadn't died—he had been arrested. They were there. They remembered.
But they didn't correct me. Just stared.
Then Louis spoke again. "Did you… receive three gifts that day?"
I stiffened inside. I knew exactly what he meant.
They were talking about their gifts.
The ones they gave me, which I never opened.
The gifts had gone missing. I remembered crying over it, but never had the chance to tell them.
"Yes," I said calmly, meeting Louis's gaze. "I received them."
I saw it instantly—the hope lighting up in their eyes. That spark of eagerness that made my chest twist.
Lennox's voice was low, careful. "Do you remember… who gave them to you?"
I smiled gently. "Gabriel."
Their faces faltered. Slightly. But enough.
"I never got to open them, though," I added softly. "The gifts went missing before I even unwrapped it."
That part was true. But I let them draw their own conclusions.
A heavy silence settled again.
I had never opened their gifts.
Levi's mouth parted slightly. "You never opened them?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
I shook my head. "No… I was too overwhelmed. And then everything that happened with my father…" I trailed off.
Lennox stepped closer, his jaw tight. There was something in his eyes.
He looked as if he wanted to say something. Desperately.
He held himself back.
I tilted my head, with a confused look.
The way all three of them tensed—like someone had struck a chord too deep—told me something was important in those boxes which I never opened because why did all three of them go missing suddenly.
"You mean the boxes were stolen?" Lennox asked, not able to hide his emotion any longer.
I nodded slowly. "I think so. When I remember about the gifts and went to check on them, they were just gone."
Levi stepped closer, looking serious. "Do you remember what color they were wrapped in?"
That caught me off guard. But I nodded.
"Yes… one was dark blue with silver ribbons. Another was red velvet with a gold ribbon. And the last one was light purple with a white bow."
All three of them froze.
Louis's hands tightened. Lennox looked like he'd just been hit. Levi's mouth opened slightly, shocked.
"That's… exactly right," Levi said softly.
They knew I was telling the truth.
Lennox's jaw was tight. "Did you ever find out who took them?"
I shook my head. "No. I thought maybe a maid moved them. But everything was a mess after my father death… after that day."
Then Louis asked carefully, "Did you ever tell Gabriel?"
He didn't mean Gabriel.
I looked down, acting sad. "No… I didn't tell anyone. I was too sad about my father. I didn't talk to anyone for days… not even Gabriel."
Their faces changed. They looked hurt.
Levi stepped closer, like he wanted to say something.
But suddenly, I pressed my hand to my head. "My head…" I whispered. "It really hurts…"
If I stayed a second longer, I might crack. So I did the only thing I could—lie.
"Olivia?" Lennox asked quickly, worried.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry… I just need to lie down."
I turned away from them and curled up under the blanket. I didn't have to look at them—I could feel their eyes on me.
I kept my eyes closed, pretending to rest. But my thoughts wouldn't stop.
Those boxes… they weren't just ordinary birthday presents.
Perhaps expensive gifts were inside. Gifts that meant a lot to them. The painful and confused look in their eyes when they realized I didn't open it told me that boxes weren't just carrying ordinary birthday presents.
And I wished—God, I wished I could just turn around and ask them. What was in those boxes? Why did they mean so much to you? Why did they go missing… all three of them… at the same time?
If I did, they would know.
They'd know I was lying—about Gabriel, about everything. And I wasn't ready for that.
They'd start putting the pieces together. I needed more time.
But nevertheless, I won't stay in the dark. In one way or another, I will find out what was in those boxes.