OLIVIA“Kate, can you be kind enough to prepare a meeting for me in the conference room, scheduled for the next 30 minutes? I want to meet with the company's investors one last time,” I informed Kate as we drove back to my apartment after celebrating my victory in court.“Okay, ma'am. I will reach out to all the investors immediately,” Kate heeded my command.“Sorry, ma'am, I just thought about this now. Will Adrian be a part of the meeting? You know he just left not quite long ago. You never mentioned if he should be part of the meeting,” Kate asked me a few minutes after my previous instruction.“This shouldn't be a question, Kate. I intentionally decided not to mention Adrian's name, and you should know the reason. Well, we are all aware of how important Adrian is to me at this point. I will need him more often,” I responded as I took a U-turn back to the company.My initial plan was to go back home and rest after a terrible day in court. But at the same time, I was desperate to ge
OLIVIAI woke up in the morning with Adrian sleeping next to me in bed. It had always been my dream to see that happen.Unfortunately, my marriage with Cyril had limited me from many things I would have accomplished.It was my first day as a divorcee. It also turned out to be one of the most important days of my life.I was relieved knowing that I wasn’t married to Cyril anymore.I was also thrilled that Cyril wouldn’t be coming after me anymore, thanks to the restraining order from the judge.I wrapped my arm across Adrian’s body and kissed his forehead. “Good morning, honey. I hope you had a beautiful night?”“Of course, I did. But not as beautiful as you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” Adrian yawned and lifted his head, showering me with praises.He had already prepared himself for a moment like this.He hadn’t asked me to marry him yet, but I was already imagining us as a couple.He treated me like a queen. He treated me in a way I had never felt before.“You kno
OLIVIAAfter my discussion with Adrian at his house, I was already having second thoughts about his opinion. I hadn’t stopped imagining new possibilities either.Why do I need to come back to New York when I can actually start a life in Paris? New York had done nothing but bring me harm lately. I definitely needed a change of environment to accelerate my healing process.Since my exit from both my marriage and the company, I saw no reason to show my face in New York again.I was eager to leave everything behind, and having Adrian as my only partner was a good start—better than I had ever imagined.I had only spent a few weeks in Paris, yet I had fallen in love with the city immediately. It was the perfect place for me to start a new life.“How long will you be staying in Paris? You never mentioned that. Five days, a few weeks, or a month?” Kate asked me.“Forever, Kate. I’m finally leaving New York for good, and I ain’t coming back,” I replied with a smile on my face.She closed the l
OLIVIAThe morning started like any other - a knock at the door raising my hopes, only to be disappointed when it was just Kate peeking in.“Good morning. Ready to start the day?” she asked with a thin smile.“No,” I replied, closing my eyes. I heard the door click shut as Kate took a seat on the bed, waiting for me to open my eyes.“We have to go soon. We need to check the restaurant for your birthday dinner,” she continued. I waved her off.“I don’t care. Wherever you pick is fine,” I said, getting out of bed.“It’s your birthday, you should be happier,” Kate said, watching as I wrapped a towel around my head.“What’s the point? It’s just another day. I have to entertain a bunch of people I don’t even know just because their money keeps this lifestyle afloat,” I scoffed.Kate sighed. “You have a meeting with Signor Dante too.”I shook my head. “Even on my birthday, I’m working. And my husband? Where is he?”Kate shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know.”I chuckled bitterly. “That makes t
OLIVIA“What’s going on here?” I asked as I approached the table where Cyril sat with the other woman. Kate’s voice faded away as Cyril turned to look at me, his expression shifting from relief to surprise to a mix of disgust and confusion.“Olivia... I didn’t know you’d be here,” he stammered, standing up.I looked past him and took a good look at the lady, who had lowered her gaze, trying desperately to make herself invisible. “Are you ashamed?” I said to her, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.“Liv,” Cyril said and held my arm. “What are you doing?”I ignored him and kept looking at her. Her red hair glittered in the light as she kept her eyes on the ground. I leaned forward and looked at her dress. It seemed familiar, a replica of a teal piece I had at home.“I could ask you the same thing,” I said and stood properly.I pulled my arm away from him and glanced at the other guests. Kate was giving a speech that had them clapping and chuckling at what I hoped to be appropriat
OLIVIAI spent the next few days working late for a few reasons. First, I was trying to avoid my own thoughts. The audacity of Cyril disrespecting me at my birthday dinner still gnawed at my heart. It wasn’t his philandering that bothered me most - I had grown accustomed to that. It was the way he made it clear he didn’t care about me at all.I didn’t even know he was back in New York, and he didn’t think it was necessary to tell his wife. It made sense he didn’t remember my birthday - it was just another day to him. I had learned to brace myself for disappointment, but that didn’t make it any easier.Since that dinner, I developed a method to avoid Cyril altogether. If he couldn’t be bothered with me, I was tired of getting hurt every time he did something careless. I needed to train my mind to let go of him, even if I couldn’t leave the marriage immediately - the circumstances were too complicated. But there was something I could do: work, avoid interactions with him, and try to liv
OLIVIAI hesitated, disliking the idea of packing for a trip. Still, Kate was right - it could provide a welcome escape, and I hadn’t traveled in a while.“This nephew of Signor Dante’s... what do we know about him?” I asked.“Just that his name is Adrian, and he’s set to inherit everything his uncle has,” Kate replied.I chuckled. “That’s not very descriptive.”“I’m your assistant, not a detective. If you want details on the man, I can find some for you, but wouldn’t it be better to meet him in person? Get to know what he’s like…”As Kate continued speaking, I suddenly felt a ringing in my ears.I could see her lips moving, but the words were lost to me. My palms felt sweaty, and beads of perspiration formed on my forehead. I blinked, and tears rolled down my cheeks in quick succession. I tried to say something, but no words came out. By the time Kate realized something was wrong, the last thing I saw was the clock striking midnight. Then it was pitch black.I opened my eyes and glan
OLIVIA“Why isn’t he picking up?” I said angrily, frustration mounting. Kate sighed.“That’s the first time he’s answered since I tried reaching him. Maybe you should try again?” she replied.I blinked back tears, the corners of my eyes stinging. “If I haven’t been home for days, you’d think my own husband would care enough to find me.”The truth was, I wasn’t surprised by Cyril’s indifference. His track record of obliviousness was well-established. But this went beyond just him - the entire company would know I’d been hospitalized. If Cyril couldn’t even maintain the facade of a dutiful husband, it would only fuel the rumors.“This idiot is going to cost us our deals. Why is this my reality?” I muttered, dialing his number again.When he answered, his tone was impatient. “What?”“What do you mean, ‘what’? Did you get my messages, Kate’s voicemails? Do you even know where I am, your own wife?” I responded sharply.“You’re probably at some work event or holed up reading. What does it m
OLIVIAAfter my discussion with Adrian at his house, I was already having second thoughts about his opinion. I hadn’t stopped imagining new possibilities either.Why do I need to come back to New York when I can actually start a life in Paris? New York had done nothing but bring me harm lately. I definitely needed a change of environment to accelerate my healing process.Since my exit from both my marriage and the company, I saw no reason to show my face in New York again.I was eager to leave everything behind, and having Adrian as my only partner was a good start—better than I had ever imagined.I had only spent a few weeks in Paris, yet I had fallen in love with the city immediately. It was the perfect place for me to start a new life.“How long will you be staying in Paris? You never mentioned that. Five days, a few weeks, or a month?” Kate asked me.“Forever, Kate. I’m finally leaving New York for good, and I ain’t coming back,” I replied with a smile on my face.She closed the l
OLIVIAI woke up in the morning with Adrian sleeping next to me in bed. It had always been my dream to see that happen.Unfortunately, my marriage with Cyril had limited me from many things I would have accomplished.It was my first day as a divorcee. It also turned out to be one of the most important days of my life.I was relieved knowing that I wasn’t married to Cyril anymore.I was also thrilled that Cyril wouldn’t be coming after me anymore, thanks to the restraining order from the judge.I wrapped my arm across Adrian’s body and kissed his forehead. “Good morning, honey. I hope you had a beautiful night?”“Of course, I did. But not as beautiful as you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” Adrian yawned and lifted his head, showering me with praises.He had already prepared himself for a moment like this.He hadn’t asked me to marry him yet, but I was already imagining us as a couple.He treated me like a queen. He treated me in a way I had never felt before.“You kno
OLIVIA“Kate, can you be kind enough to prepare a meeting for me in the conference room, scheduled for the next 30 minutes? I want to meet with the company's investors one last time,” I informed Kate as we drove back to my apartment after celebrating my victory in court.“Okay, ma'am. I will reach out to all the investors immediately,” Kate heeded my command.“Sorry, ma'am, I just thought about this now. Will Adrian be a part of the meeting? You know he just left not quite long ago. You never mentioned if he should be part of the meeting,” Kate asked me a few minutes after my previous instruction.“This shouldn't be a question, Kate. I intentionally decided not to mention Adrian's name, and you should know the reason. Well, we are all aware of how important Adrian is to me at this point. I will need him more often,” I responded as I took a U-turn back to the company.My initial plan was to go back home and rest after a terrible day in court. But at the same time, I was desperate to ge
OLIVIAA worrisome call jolted me from my slumber in the early hours of the day.It was disheartening—just when I thought I’d be able to stay home all day.The call was from my lawyer. The moment her name popped up on my screen, I bolted out of bed as if I were being chased by a beast in my sleep.Clearing my throat, I took a deep breath, summoning all the courage I needed to speak. The call was unexpected.“Hello, Olivia. Good morning. Are you there?” My lawyer’s voice called me back to reality.It had been over five minutes since I picked up, yet I still hadn’t spoken a word.“So sorry for the inconvenience, attorney. I just got out of bed, and I still feel dizzy. What's good?” I lied.I yawned and spoke softly, hoping to make my excuse more believable."That's fine. Sorry for waking you up. I just had to," she apologized."Anyways, the court hearing is this morning, and I need you to be there in an hour. I'll send you the court address immediately. We're done talking now," my lawye
OLIVIA“I get the point now. You’re surprised by my sudden visit, aren’t you? I was heading to your apartment when I saw Cyril being dragged into a police vehicle like a criminal. I had a feeling he might have come here to do something stupid. I was also surprised that he knew your new address,” Adrian explained, satisfying my curiosity.I was relieved. Initially, I had been scared that I was imagining things that weren’t real.Adrian’s presence was undoubtedly what I needed most, especially when it felt like I was going astray.He was surely going to serve as my support system. Banking on Kate would have been the wrong choice, considering how shocked she had been when Cyril became unconscious.“Thank you for coming, Adrian. I must confess, you came at the right time. That son of a bitch almost had me. Thankfully, Kate came to my rescue. She hit his head with a vase,” I told Adrian.There was no way I could explain the whole scenario without mentioning Kate’s heroics.In all uncertain
OLIVIA“The cops are here now. It has got to be them. You reached out to them, didn’t you?” Kate freaked out as she heard the siren of a car from a distance.She had every reason to believe they were driving toward my apartment.She wasn’t next to me, yet I could hear her heart pounding faster. Fear had taken the best part of her. What was left inside of her was emptiness.“Calm down, Kate. You don’t have to freak out like a suspect. The cops ain’t getting you arrested. The last time I checked, you murdered no one,” I assured Kate.It was precisely what she needed at that point."I'm scared! What if they start asking questions? I don't want to spend the rest of my life in jail," Kate cried as though she had just committed murder.To completely allay her fears, I got closer to Kate and held her head. “Listen to me, Kate. You don’t have to say a word. I will do the talking once they show up.”“I am calm now. I won’t freak out no more,” Kate assured me after making a cross sign.I placed
OLIVIA“I will go through this in my spare time and get back to you. Presently, I just want to rest my head. I just got back not quite long ago,” I told the lawyer.On her way out of the house, I apologized for how I welcomed her into my home.I also explained how Cyril and Rene had been making my life miserable over the past few days.“I don't have much to say to you. Just endure. It's going to be over soon.” That was the advice I received from the lawyer before her final exit.After Selena’s exit, I went to my newly furnished apartment and started reading through the documents carefully.I had a feeling that Cyril was gonna show up, and he was the last person I expected to see.As I read through, I heard a knock on the door.I frowned because I thought it was Kate. I never wanted anyone to interrupt my leisure time.“I am coming, Kate. A moment, please. You don't have to keep banging the door like a thief,” I shouted.I dropped the documents on the sofa and went to open the door for
OLIVIAI knew this was going to be a bad idea from the start. I shouldn't have told you about it. Now, look at what just happened," I lamented bitterly.A while ago, Adrian had given me the best sex of my life, and the next minute, I was already regretting my existence. My problems kept haunting me like prey."Hey, moon pie," Adrian murmured, pulling me closer.He had the sweetest touch—one I felt deep in my bones. And I wanted more. Just one more round before he finally departed for New York City."You know I love you, right? And I would sacrifice anything for your happiness," he whispered, kissing my forehead.I had no idea what Adrian was talking about, but I nodded anyway, keeping my fingers crossed in anticipation."Don't worry about the extra sum you'll have to pay once you leave the marriage. I've got everything planned out," Adrian assured me.“Is this a joke? Please don't pull my legs. I don't think I can endure this,”I doubted Adrian almost immediately.I thought it was one
OLIVIA “Hi, Sugar.I just arrived in Paris. Can you please send me the address of your apartment or hotel? I would greatly appreciate that.”That was the first thing I saw on my phone when I woke up in the morning—a text from Adrian.The message caught me off guard. I never thought he was actually going to show up.It was too late to ignore him now that he was already in Paris. It would have been easier if he had called before visiting.A few minutes after I texted Adrian my hotel address, my phone rang.I didn't rush to answer because I assumed he was already close by.And when I finally summoned the courage to speak with him, the first thing he said was, “I am outside the hotel now. What’s your room number?”I panicked and became dumbfounded.If I hadn't known Adrian for too long, I would have believed that he finally possessed some supernatural powers that were making him appear at the destination of his choice."Are you there?I just asked you a question, Olivia," Adrian called m