OLIVIA My pupils dilated in shock as I stared at Christian on the podium. Was I dreaming? Had I really won? My sample had surpassed Ivy’s and everyone else’s? “What? She won?” Ivy’s voice rang out behind me, laced with disbelief. I didn’t need to look back to know she was fuming. Still staring ahead, I was stunned by the results, but a more pressing thought gnawed at me. Had Christian planned this? The idea had flickered in my mind earlier, but now, with the way everything played out, it weighed heavily on me. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was truly a coincidence that he’d picked my sample over every other person’s? And if it wasn’t, why would he do that? “I can’t believe she won,” Someone muttered behind me, his tone dripping with disdain. “What’s so special about her sample?” As I listened to them, I nearly smirked but held my head high instead, giving them more to look at. For the first time in a long while, I was in the spotlight for something good, not scandalous o
CHRISTIAN The car sped down the highway toward the hotel, and I leaned my head against the headrest, hiding a smirk as I replayed Olivia’s expression from earlier. Shock, disbelief and a flicker of something she probably didn’t even realize—pride. She hadn’t expected to win. Not over the so-called best students. What a shame no one had ever acknowledged her talent before. Her writing was unlike anything I was used to. It was raw, original, untainted by the usual clichés that flooded books these days. I wasn’t much of a reader, for good reason. Most stories lacked creativity, recycled the same tiring tropes. But hers? It had depth, thought and a kind of brilliance that made you stop and actually think. So why had no one ever recognized it? Was it because of her financial status? Was that why they looked down on her, why they bullied her? Her school catered to the rich, after all. Or maybe, just maybe, they simply couldn’t handle her. She was leagues ahead of them, while they stil
OLIVIA “You do know you have terrible taste in wine, right?” I turned slightly to find Christian staring at me, his expression a mix of distaste and disapproval. Seriously? All because I didn’t like the wine he claimed was his favorite? Talk about dramatic. “Well, still better than my taste in men,” I retorted, shifting comfortably on the divan we both lay on. Somehow, I’d managed to convince him to lie here with me, outlining quite convincingly, if I may say so, ten benefits of lying down while flying. Normally, he would be sitting, legs crossed and eyes fixed on his phone. But I had won this vacation fair and square so I would run it the way I wanted. If I could though. His brows furrowed slightly as he placed his arms behind his head. “What do you mean?” I shrugged. “I mean, I clearly have terrible judgment, considering I willingly signed a contract with you. Doesn’t that say enough about my poor taste in your gender?” For a second, his expression showed something betwee
OLIVIA Each kiss was hotter than the last. His touch was hungrier, more demanding, more intoxicating. More everything. And I couldn’t get enough. I grabbed his shirt, clinging to him as his arm tightened around my waist, pressing me against his hardness. But even that wasn’t enough. Our tongues tangled and I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck. A moan slipped past my lips as I felt heat pool between my legs, the usual response Christian always drew from me, even with the lightest touch. He pulled me closer, taking off my blouse and his eyes roamed my chest. It felt hard to breathe under his gaze and he pushed my hair back, his fingers undoing my bra in one movement. I leaned in closer to kiss him, his hand sliding up to cup my breast, fumbling gently, while his thumb grazed my nipple in a teasing stroke. My body arched into him in response, a moan catching in my throat. As his fingers traced my thigh, heat pooled low in my belly, and I couldn’t resist any longer. My f
CHRISTIAN “Oh my God!” Olivia shrieked, clapping her hands excitedly and squirming in her simple jeans and blouse. I turned to her, rolling my eyes. Again? This was the tenth thing she’d found cute in the past three minutes. We hadn’t even made it halfway through Pyros Village, and already, she was fawning over everything, her eyes wide with wonder, and her lips curved in a bright, wide smile. Little things. It was ridiculous how much they made her happy. Lydia, one of my ex’s, had never been like this. She was impossible to impress. A tour of Pyros Village wouldn’t have even made her blink. She preferred yachts, exotic islands, diamonds, lots of them. But Olivia? She was now crouched in front of a turtle, staring at it like it was the most significant thing she’d ever seen. I watched as she quickly whipped out her small camera, taking pictures with a beaming smile. “Christian,” she called, beckoning me over with a flick of her fingers, her gaze still fixed on the small scree
CHRISTIAN The woman nodded, still smiling, and lifted the camera, snapping a few shots. “You make a wonderful couple,” she remarked casually. I felt my hand twitch in shock. Couple? “Oh!” Olivia blurted, startling me. She let out a nervous laugh, pointing between us. “Us?” she asked, almost like she was disgusted by the idea. “No, no, we’re not together. Never. Ever.” She shook her head with such force it almost looked offensive. My eye twitched. The woman’s brows furrowed in surprise as she glanced between us, clearly confused. But I barely noticed her. I was too busy glaring at Olivia, replaying her words in my head. Never, ever? I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to scoff. I didn’t want her to see how much those two careless words had gotten to me. But why did she say it like that? Like I wasn’t good enough for her. Many women dreamed to be with me, to spend a night in my bed. So why did she act like she wasn’t one of them? “Oh… I see,” The woman stammered awkwa
CHRISTIAN I paced the suite, restless as hell. I couldn’t shake off my conversation with Olivia, no matter how hard I tried. Her words echoed in my head, going against every belief I held. Kindness. I scoffed, tightening my grip around the wine glass. What the hell was kindness? When I asked Olivia what she looked for in a man, I expected the usual answer I’d heard from most ladies: wealth, power, good looks. The things that mattered. Not… kindness. What the fuck did kindness have to offer? Did it own penthouses? Yachts? Billion-dollar empires? Did it command the sort of respect I did? Did kindness even look half as good as I did? Fuck as good as I did? I needed Olivia to answer that last part, especially. Was she even thinking straight? Choosing kindness over every other advantage a man could offer? Or did she intentionally say that because it wasn’t in my top ten qualities I mentioned? Was she messing with me? I bit down on my bottom lip, my gaze drifting
CHRISTIANThe waiter arrived with a bottle of wine, set it on the table, and stepped back. “Thank you,” Olivia said with a small smile. He gave a curt nod before walking away.I leaned back in my chair, watching her. Why did she thank him like he was doing her a favor? He was being paid. And the smile, was that necessary?“We should order now,” She said suddenly, breaking into my thoughts.I gestured toward the menu. “Go ahead.”She picked it up, flipping through the pages with a slight frown. “I don’t recognize anything,” She muttered, pouting.“Keep looking.” I answered, my gaze still fixed on her. She did, her lips pursed, and brows drawing tighter with every turn of the page. “What’s Kakavia?”I gave her a shrug.She leaned back, exasperated. “You travel often so you must have had one of these before, haven’t you? Just recommend something decent. Please?”“Pick something random,” I said, rubbing my jaw. “If you don’t like it, order something else.”She sighed loudly and waved th
OLIVIA I leaned back against the headrest, my eyes drifting past the tall buildings as we sped by. I tried not to think about Christian but the memories kept pushing their way in. Seeing him again yesterday had almost pulled me under. Those feelings I thought I’d buried came rushing back. For a second, I even questioned my decision about the party, until her name popped up again. This morning, I’d woken up with a clear head and a stronger sense of resolve. That part of my life, him, would not affect me anymore. Now, I was on my way to Blackwood Fashion with Greg and Grace to pick out a dress for the dinner party tonight. I sighed, letting my thoughts drift to what I might wear. It wasn’t like I didn’t already have options—I just needed an excuse to get out of my room because I was extremely bored. The car came to a stop in front of Blackwood Fashion. I stepped out, adjusting the flannel shirt I’d thrown on without thinking. As I walked toward the glass doors, I noticed a fain
MICHAEL The door to my office swung open. I looked up to see Lydia walk in like she owned the place, shoulders high and head held even higher. Slowly, I stood, my eyes locked on her as she crossed the room and sank into the couch without a word. “I know what you did,” I said, skipping any kind of greeting. She raised one perfectly shaped brow, pretending she had no idea what I was talking about. “What are you going on about?” “You went to my grandfather,” I said, my voice tight. “You asked him to bring you into Blackwood Hotel by promising an investment from your family, didn’t you?” She held my gaze in silence, like she was waiting for something. For a second, I wondered if I had it wrong. Then she let out a quiet breath, the corner of her mouth twitching like she found it all slightly amusing. “Oh,” she said quietly. “That.” My anger flared fast and I slammed my hand on the desk. “Why?” I yelled. “Why would you do that?” “Why would I do what?” she replied, her tone calm—t
OLIVIA “So,” Liam leaned further into the table, his eyes bright, “I can tell you hate parties, but there’s this…” He paused, twisting his lips, “This dinner.” I raised a brow in response, curiosity piqued despite myself. He smiled in return, clearly pleased with my reaction. “My father’s birthday is tomorrow,” he continued, “And he loves to throw these big, elaborate parties. I was wondering if you’d like to attend.” I chuckled softly, momentarily at a loss for words. This was unexpected, and besides, we’d only just started talking. Showing up at his father’s birthday party felt strange, didn’t it? “I don’t know,” I muttered, shrugging. “I just don’t think—” “Before you say no,” he quickly interrupted, leaning in slightly. “I think you should know that a lot of people from our school will be there, so…” He lifted one shoulder casually, his smile a little more hopeful. Was that supposed to convince me? The idea that people from school would be there didn’t exactly make it more
CHRISTIAN “But after that, I’ll never speak to you again.” Those words kept echoing in my head, distracting, unsettling and confusing me. I ran a hand through my hair, sighing. My head throbbed faintly, probably from staying up all night, replaying Olivia’s unexpected outburst, trying to make sense of the mess she’d left behind. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I leaned forward at my desk, my fist pressing into my jaw, frustration bubbling inside me. “I’ll live my life?” Hasn’t she always lived hers? I scoffed, knocking my knuckles against the desk in irritation, still seething. And what was that crap about never speaking to me again once the contract ended? Did she honestly think it would be that simple to walk away? After everything we’ve been through? What about the baby on the way? Was she implying that one of us wouldn’t have custody? Where the hell did she think she could go on this earth without me finding her? The agitation was shooting straight to my head
OLIVIA I stepped out of the lecture hall, pulling my hoodie tighter around my stomach as I glanced around. No one was paying me any attention, but ever since I found out I was pregnant, I couldn’t shake the feeling that people could tell. Even though my body hadn’t changed much yet, I still felt exposed. Taking a deep breath, I headed toward Mr. Sylas’ office. I should’ve met him sooner about the 30% he gave me on my project—the one I’d poured hours into, only for him to accuse me of using AI. But with everything going on, I didn’t have the time or the energy. Now, I wasn’t in a hurry to go home. If I did, I’d start thinking about Christian. About everything. And right now, I just needed a distraction. So, today was as good a time as any. I knocked softly on his door, and his voice came almost immediately. “Come in!” Pushing the door open, I stepped inside. The moment he saw me, his face lit up with a wide smile. “Olivia Carter,” he said, setting down the paper he was r
OLIVIAI exhaled shakily, trying to steady my breath. Why the hell was he looking at me like that? Like I was crazy? My heart sank. Would he have looked at me this way if I’d been stupid enough to confess my feelings tonight? If I had told him I was jealous of his ex-girlfriend, who he was still hooking up with, by the way? So, he would have scoffed and told me I was overreacting? That he didn’t understand what I was saying? I sighed heavily, silently grateful I hadn’t said a word about how I felt. “Listen,” he began, his voice showing some signs of worry now, “I know you’re still pissed about how I reacted the other day… and like I said, the baby is—” “I’m not pissed, Christian!” I snapped, my voice rising despite my best efforts to stay calm. “I’m not angry at all.” “Then what should I call this outburst?” he shot back quietly, and I scoffed. “You can call it whatever you want, but let me tell you this.” I locked eyes with him, fighting to hold back the tears. “From tonight,
OLIVIA “You need to see my grandfather before you leave.” Christian said. “He’ll be disappointed if you leave without a word.” Numb, I nodded, following closely behind him as we returned to the hall. Staring at his back, my irritation rose. The nerve he had, putting his hand on my body after dancing so intimately with Lydia only minutes ago. The anger simmered inside me, but I kept it in check. As we walked to Mr. Blackwood, his gaze immediately fell on me, his eyes sparkling with warmth. “Olivia,” he said, his voice soft and affectionate. “I hope you enjoyed the ball.” “It was very remarkable, Mr. Blackwood,” I replied, forcing a smile. “I was glad to be part of such a phenomenal event.” He smiled back. “I’m very happy you honored the invitation,” he said before his eyes flicked to Christian, who stood silently behind me, and then back to me. “Are you leaving already?” I pressed my lips together, nodding slightly. “Yes, sir. I have a slight tummy ache, so I can’t
CHRISTIAN A FEW MOMENTS AGO I scanned the hall, searching for Olivia. Where was she? Most of the women had already left the game room, while a few were still trickling out in pairs. But she was nowhere in sight. I scoffed, shaking my head. She was probably caught up admiring the exhibits and completely forgot about everything else. After all, she had a way of getting lost in shiny things. A small smile tugged at my lips as I decided to go search for her. But before I could go far, someone stepped into my path, blocking me. I stopped short, irritation flaring in my chest as I met a familiar face. “Lydia,” I said flatly, my tone cold. “Excuse me.” She planted her hands on her shoulders abruptly, tilting her chin up at me. “Dance with me, Christian. I’ve been waiting all night for you to ask. Since you won’t, I’ll do it myself.” I rolled my eyes and stepped to the side, but she mirrored my movement, still blocking me. My patience thinned. “Lydia, don’t piss me off.” “
OLIVIA I turned to Christian, meeting his gaze after Ophelia’s announcement. “I’ll see you after the exhibit,” he said. “We have a lot to talk about.” My heart skipped. I nodded, slowly letting my hand slip from his shoulder. I should have walked away, but curiosity held me in place. “What do we need to talk about?” I asked, hoping it was about the truth and not something that would break my heart. “Everything,” he said, standing a little taller. “I think I know why you’re unhappy, why you feel alone. And I want to talk about it. I want to make sure you never feel that way again. I want to do better to understand how you feel at this time.” For a moment, I wanted to forget the exhibit entirely, to stay and hear every word. My heart pounded, but I forced myself to nod, smoothing a hand over my dress. “I’ll see you soon,” I murmured before turning and following the other women to the game room. I tried to blend in with the sophisticated women in the game room, holding my he