---- Chapter 28 Michael stood at the imposing gates of the Hayes estate for a long time, drenched by a sudden coastal shower, looking pathetic. He finally pressed the intercom button. A ccrisp, impersonal voice answered. "Yes?" "My name is Michael Thorne. |... | need to see Olivia Hayes." A pause. "I'm sorry, sir. Mrs. Hayes-Thorne is not receiving visitors." Mrs. Hayes-Thorne. They still used his name. A small, absurd detail. "Please," Michael begged, his voice cracking. "It's important. | just need to talk to her." "| will inform Miss Olivia of your presence, sir. But | can make no promises." The intercom clicked off. Michael waited, shivering, hope warring with despair. Inside the warm, opulent house, the butler, a stern, older man named Jennings, informed Liv and Elizabeth of Michael's arrival. Liv, now heavily pregnant, was resting on a chaise lounge by a window overlooking the stormy sea. She looked serene, her earlier anxieties replaced by a quiet strength. Elizabeth's reaction was immediate and furious. "Absolutely ---- not! Jennings, tell that man to leave immediately, or I'll call the police and have him arrested for trespassing!" Liv placed a calming hand on her mother's arm. "No, Mom," she said, her voice surprisingly calm, detached. "Let him in." Elizabeth stared at her. "Liv, are you sure? After everything he's done?" "Yes," Liv said. "| need to see him. One last time. To make sure he understands. To ensure a final, clear break." Her elegance and detachment were striking. She was no longer the weeping victim. She was in control. Elizabeth, though still angry, nodded slowly, recognizing the resolve in her daughter's eyes. "Alright, Liv. But Jennings and | will be right here." Liv nodded. "Thank you." She was ready. Ready to face him, not with anger or pain, but with the cold, hard truth of his actions and their consequences. He still clung to the delusion that she might see him, might forgive him. He had no idea what awaited him.