OLIVIA

OLIVIA

The office was quiet, just the way I liked it. The silence allowed me to focus on the paperwork and the tasks that Leonardo had given me.

I didn't mind the work, it kept me busy, which was a good thing.

Leonardo had been distant, even colder than usual. It was as though a wall had gone up between us. I couldn't understand why.

One minute, he seemed so interested, and the next, he acted like I didn't exist. I did my best to ignore it, but it was hard when I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That morning, I had barely exchanged words with him. He handed me a stack of documents without so much as a glance. "Get these to legal," he said, his voice flat.

"Of course, Mr. Gael," I said, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

As I left his office and made my way down the hall, my mind kept wandering back to him. What had changed? Why had he become so cold? Had I done something wrong?

I kept my head down as I walked through the building, trying not to draw attention to myself.

My heels clicked against the polished floor, a sound that was both calming and unsettling.

It wasn't until I reached the elevator that I saw her.

Alicia.

She was standing just outside the elevator, leaning casually against the wall. When she saw me, a cold smile spread across her face, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Olivia," she said, her voice sweet but laced with something venomous. "I didn't expect to run into you here."

I forced a polite smile, even though I could feel my stomach knotting. "I'm just doing my job."

She raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer to me. "Your job, huh? Is that what you call it? Running errands for Mr. Gael?"

I didn't answer. It didn't feel right to get into a back-and-forth with her. Instead, I kept my gaze on the floor, hoping she would just let me go.

But Alicia wasn't done. She stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "You're nothing but a distraction. Do you really think Mr. Gael would look twice at you if it weren't for your job?"

Her words hit me like a slap, but I didn't react. I didn't give her the satisfaction. I just stood there, my hands at my sides, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest.

"You think you have a chance with him, don't you?" Alicia continued, her voice cold and throat cutting.

"Let me make something clear. You're nothing compared to me. I'm his fiancée. I've been in his life for years, and I'm not going anywhere. You, on the other hand, will just be another memory"

I swallowed hard, the knot in my stomach tightening. I didn't want to say anything to make it worse. I just needed to get out of this situation.

But Alicia wasn't finished. She stepped even closer, her eyes glinting with something darker now.

"You should know your place, Olivia. You think you're special? You're not. You'll never be anything more than a temporary amusement for him. He won't keep you around. He never does."

I felt my heart race in my chest. The words she was saying... they stung more than I cared to admit. But I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing my hurt.

She leaned in, lowering her voice, as if sharing a secret. "You're not the first woman to think she's different. Trust me, you won't be the last. But when he's done with you, you'll regret ever getting in his way."

My breath caught in my throat, but I didn't say anything. I couldn't bring myself to reply. What was the point? Nothing I said would change anything.

Alicia straightened up, her gaze icy. "You better keep your distance, Olivia. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay far away from him."

I still didn't answer. I didn't want to. What could I say? She was right. I was nothing more than his assistant. His fiancée was the one who belonged with him. I was just the outsider.

Alicia took another step back, her smile smug. "You've been warned. Just don't say I didn't give you a heads-up."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor as she disappeared down the hallway.

I stood there, frozen, trying to process everything she had just said.

Part of me wanted to cry. Another part of me wanted to scream at her. But most of all, I felt small.

I didn't know how much time had passed before I finally snapped out of my thoughts. When I looked up, I saw Leonardo's office door open.

He was standing there, looking down the hallway. His eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the annoyance on his face.

"What took you so long?" he asked, his tone sharp.

I wasn't sure how to respond. I was still shaken from the conversation with Vanessa, and I couldn't think straight.

"I... I was just on my way," I said, trying to steady my voice.

Leonardo stepped forward, his gaze moving past me and down the hall. It only took him a second to spot Alicia, who had just reached the end of the corridor.

His eyes darkened, and his jaw clenched.

"Alicia!" he shouted, his voice carrying down the hall.

I winced at the sound of his voice, so loud and forceful. The people nearby turned to look at him, and I could feel the eyes of the entire floor on us.

God I wished the ground would open up and swallow me right now, the attention on us right now was too much.

Alicia, who had been walking away, froze in her tracks.

She turned slowly, her face a mixture of surprise and annoyance.

"What do you think you're doing?" Leonardo's voice was low but full of rage.

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