Chapter 3: Shattered Illusion

It was only her third week at the firm, and Olivia was already feeling the intensity of the fast-paced world she’d been thrown into. Late nights and early mornings had become routine, and she was doing her best to absorb every bit of knowledge, determined not to let the opportunity slip by.

Today, she’d spent hours combing through financial reports and drafting her first proposal, eager to impress Alexander. She knew he was expecting it by the end of the day, so she hurried to his office, the folder clutched in her hands. She paused outside his door, taking a deep breath to steady herself before knocking.

But as she raised her hand to knock, she heard faint laughter coming from inside. She froze, her hand hovering mid-air, curiosity getting the better of her. Alexander was speaking, his voice lower, a casual tone she’d never heard him use before.

A second voice responded—female, with a flirtatious edge to it. Olivia’s brows knitted together as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing. She knew his assistant, Rebecca, was in his office frequently, but this sounded different. More intimate.

Her instinct was to walk away, but a strange urge made her stay. Slowly, she turned the handle, pushing the door open just a crack, enough to peek inside without being noticed.

The scene that met her eyes stopped her cold.

There, behind his desk, Alexander leaned back in his chair, his sleeves rolled up, an uncharacteristic smirk on his face. Rebecca was perched on the edge of his desk, leaning in close to him. One of her hands rested on his shoulder, and her other hand was smoothing over his tie, fingers playing with the fabric in a way that was unmistakably suggestive.

“Alex, you can’t keep me waiting like this,” she murmured, her voice soft, almost teasing.

Olivia’s heart thudded in her chest, each beat echoing louder in her ears as she took in the scene. Alexander reached out, his hand moving to Rebecca’s waist, drawing her closer. The way he looked at her, his gaze heavy with intent, was a look Olivia had never seen before—a stark contrast to the composed, professional demeanor he showed the world.

He chuckled, his voice low and filled with amusement. “I never promised you patience was part of the deal, Rebecca.”

They both laughed softly, their voices overlapping in a way that felt too intimate for an office space. Olivia’s breath caught, a cold wave of disbelief washing over her. She felt a strange mixture of shock and disappointment, her mind reeling. She’d admired Alexander—seen him as a mentor, someone she’d looked up to. But this image shattered in an instant.

Just as she tried to back away, Rebecca’s eyes darted toward the door, catching sight of her. Her expression quickly shifted to one of embarrassment and surprise, and she pulled back slightly.

“Olivia!” Alexander’s voice cut through the silence, breaking whatever spell had held her in place. His expression was unreadable, but there was a flash of something—annoyance? embarrassment?—in his eyes as he looked at her.

“I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Olivia stammered, feeling her cheeks heat up. She wanted to turn and bolt from the room, but her feet felt rooted to the floor.

Alexander straightened, adjusting his tie, his expression shifting back to its usual controlled mask. “No harm done,” he said smoothly, though his tone was colder than usual. He shot a quick glance at Rebecca, who looked equally flustered. “Rebecca, we’ll finish this later. I have to go over Olivia’s proposal.”

Rebecca quickly gathered her things, flashing Olivia a forced smile as she brushed past her and exited the office. The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving Olivia alone with Alexander.

For a moment, there was an awkward silence, the air between them thick with tension.

“Have a seat, Olivia,” Alexander said finally, his tone unreadable. He gestured to the chair across from his desk, his eyes fixed on her, studying her reaction.

Olivia moved stiffly, her mind still struggling to process what she’d just seen. She placed the folder on his desk, keeping her gaze lowered, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.

Alexander cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “I apologize if what you saw made you uncomfortable. My relationship with Rebecca is… personal, but it doesn’t interfere with the work we do here.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her mind raced with questions she knew she couldn’t ask. Was this normal for him? Did he often blur the lines between professional and personal relationships? And why did it bother her so much?

He continued, his voice softer, almost persuasive. “You’ve done excellent work, Olivia. I don’t want this to affect our dynamic. You’re here because of your talent, your dedication. Nothing else matters.”

She nodded again, finally meeting his gaze. “Of course. I… I understand.”

But she didn’t understand. Not really. The man she had looked up to as a mentor, who had inspired her with his confidence and ambition, now seemed more complicated, more flawed. The image she’d built of him in her mind—the picture of a driven, focused leader—felt like it had been shattered, replaced with something darker, something she couldn’t quite define.

He gestured to the folder on his desk. “Shall we get started?”

Olivia forced herself to refocus, nodding as she went over her proposal, though her voice felt distant, hollow. She explained her ideas, answered his questions, but her mind kept drifting back to the scene she’d witnessed just moments ago. The way he had looked at Rebecca, the ease with which he’d crossed professional boundaries, felt at odds with everything she thought she knew about him.

As their meeting wrapped up, Alexander’s demeanor shifted back to his usual polished charm, but Olivia couldn’t shake the discomfort gnawing at her. She forced a polite smile as she gathered her things, but something felt different, an invisible wall that hadn’t been there before.

As she made her way back to her desk, Emily, her best friend, was waiting for her, perched on the edge of a nearby chair. She grinned, oblivious to Olivia’s turmoil. “So, how did it go? Did Alexander love your proposal?”

Olivia hesitated, glancing around before lowering her voice. “He did. But, Emily… I saw something… strange.”

Emily’s eyes widened with intrigue. “What do you mean?”

Olivia leaned in, unsure how to explain. “I walked in on him and his assistant, Rebecca. They were… close. Really close. It felt… inappropriate.”

Emily’s eyes widened, and she shot a glance toward Alexander’s office door. “No way! Alexander Cross, the big corporate boss, caught with his assistant? That’s… unexpected. But honestly, Liv, that’s how these high-powered types are. They play by their own rules.”

Olivia frowned, her thoughts conflicted. “I guess. But it just feels… off. Like there’s a side to him I didn’t know about.”

Emily shrugged. “Hey, he’s human, too. Don’t let it get to you. As long as he’s professional with you, that’s what matters.”

But even as Emily’s words echoed in her mind, Olivia couldn’t shake the sense of discomfort that lingered. Her image of Alexander had been cracked, revealing a part of him she hadn’t anticipated. And though she tried to push it aside, part of her couldn’t help but wonder: What else about Alexander Cross didn’t she know?