CHAPTER 6 OLIVIA POV. “I can't promise that for sure,” he said. “I mean, I haven't seen you in ages, and you expect me to be professional?” “Come on, Livie,” he urged in a low tone, but once he looked at my face and noticed I wasn't feeling his jokes, he sat up. “Okay, fine. I promise I will try my best to be very, very professional,” he said. I nodded and released a sigh. That was all I wanted to hear. I just needed to know that he wouldn't try to ruin this internship for me. This is my career, and even Alessandro doesn't know about it. I didn't bother to tell him that he has a lot on his plate already. “Is that all you want?” Williams asked out of the blue, and I nodded. Yes, that was all I wanted from him. I needed him to stay far away from me, and I hoped he would be able to keep this very professional so people wouldn't start to talk. In this line of work, it's easier to tear down than to build up. Any little link-up, and I'm sure everyone will attribute my hard work to h
CHAPTER 8 OLIVIA'S POV. I froze in my steps and wished I had never walked down here to get something to drink. I could have just made a few calls, and the hotel attendant would have brought it to my room number for me. Right now, I wish I could just drift back and hide. I wanted to roll back into a coil and hide away from Samantha, but before I could even take a step backward, she had seen me. Once she saw me, her face lit up with a warm, pretentious smile. “Oh my goooood!” she screamed excitedly. She rushed forward, leaving the room she was about to book, and quickly pulled me into a tight hug. “You never told us you came back home, sis!” she said, twirling me around, her voice laced with a hint of concern that I knew was fake as hell. But I just stood there with a straight face. “Are you coming from home?” she asked excitedly. “Have Daddy seen you? Have Mummy seen you? They’ve missed you so much!” Her eyes swept over me, and she sighed. “Oh, it seems you’re lodged in here?”
CHAPTER 9 OLIVIA'S POV For a moment, I chose to believe she didn’t just ask me that. Coming back to the company? I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at the question. They now have everything they ever wanted, so I wondered why they suddenly cared about me coming back. I was still trying to understand why they were suddenly over the moon about my return. “Sam,” I called out to her with a straight face, “I’m not coming back to the company. Y’all can have it, dear. I check the news, and I see you’re really doing a fantastic job as the CEO. Keep it up, sis,” I said in a sarcastic tone. And she smiled. “Thank you, sis, but…” “No buts, Samantha,” I interjected. “I have somewhere I really need to be right now. I don’t have time to continue this conversation.” “Sis, I understand you might be in a hurry, but can’t we fix a date and catch up? Sisters do catch up, right?” I flashed her a small smile. “Of course, sis. We will catch up some other time, dear. Keep up the good work.” Samant
CHAPTER 10 OLIVIA I shook my head. “Yes, I am. Is there any problem?” “No, there is not,” he confirmed calmly. “Your intern desk is in Mr. Williams' office. He will be your coaching attorney. Congratulations!” I blinked rapidly, trying to process what he had just said. Williams Jerkin would be my coaching attorney?? That is not just crazy; it is also ridiculous! Why would he want to do something like that when he could have just picked one of the top attorneys in his firm? I'm sure he has good attorneys apart from himself. His law firm is at the top because of their collective efforts. Well, for Williams, he is a top attorney. For the past five years, I’ve heard he hasn't been to any courtroom. A lot of people say he has retired, while some others say he hasn't, but just gave space for his other attorneys to shine. Well, he left a lasting legacy that no one has broken. He did a clean twelve-case sweep in a calendar year, and no other attorney has done something like that. Throu
CHAPTER 11 OLIVIA'S POV "Lucas Forbes? My ex-fiancée is William's cousin?" How did I not know any of this? I guess that's why he was in the hall that day. “Tell him I’m busy and can’t see anyone right now. He can text me whatever he wants.” William addressed the lady, who nodded in response. She moved as if to leave but then stopped and turned back to him. “Sir, we have less than an hour before the conference meeting.” “Oh, don’t worry about that. Olivia will accompany me.” He didn’t spare me a glance, and I just shrugged. It’s my first day at work, and I’m already attending some pointless conference meetings with him? I feel like everything is moving too fast. I wish he would focus more on my role as an intern rather than treating me like his personal assistant. I didn’t sign up for either of these positions, but if it means he’ll teach me his secrets for achieving landslide victories, then I’m in. A few minutes later, I followed him to the car, and his driver took off towa
CHAPTER 12.OLIVIA.I can't believe he found me! I shook my head, pacing around the window as I counted a few seconds in my heart. I can't believe that stranger from that night found me.How is that even possible?This is probably a setup, right? My heart began to beat nonstop, and my hands started to tremble in fear.Maybe I shouldn't have come back to this damn place to start with! My lips quivered as I spoke to myself.I gently pulled the curtains discreetly and peeped outside to be sure he was gone. Thankfully, he was gone, but I'm pretty sure he will be back in no time to claim his son. I can't even hide it; there are some striking similarities between Jayden and that man.It felt like my breathing was getting restricted with each thought jumbling through my mind. He kept that pendant all these years just to return it? I scoffed and walked straight into the kitchen. Pouring myself a glass of water, I downed it in one go, trying everything possible to calm my nerves.I can't let t
CHAPTER 13 OLIVIA POV.For the next few minutes, the room fell into a heavy silence, as if everyone were still holding their breath in collective surprise. Well, I didn't care; honestly, I have missed home, and I have missed those fresh cookies. I gently removed my jacket and hung it over the back of the chair. The touch of a gentle breeze brushed against my skin, as if nature itself was whispering its astonishment.“Why are you here?” My father broke the silence in a low, hesitant tone.I looked up at him, forcing a gentle smile. “What is Christmas Eve without the full family?”“You're no longer a part of this family!” he bellowed angrily. “You ceased being a part of this family the day you disgraced us all. Thanks to your sister, who stepped in.”I gripped my fork tightly, feeling the urge to stick it in his eyes.“Is that what she said to you?” I turned to him with a smug expression on my face.Lucas piped up, interjecting, “Olivia, shut up! You disgraced us all. You broke our vow
CHAPTER 14.OLIVIA'S POVA few minutes later, I pulled onto the streets leading to my apartment. I shifted gears and sped up to get home on time. It was late, and I needed to tuck my baby in for the night. He hardly sleeps without me by his side to tell him bedtime stories. Finally, I drove forward to enter the compound but noticed that about four other cars were parked in my spot. They weren't parked correctly. I sighed and parked my car outside before exiting.I suspected it was my neighbors from a few steps across from my apartment. I would have gone to bang on their door and ask them to move their cars, but it was past seven in the evening, and today was Christmas Eve. I’d rather not create a scene and ruin Christmas for everyone, so I made my way inside.Upon reaching the door, I noticed two muscular men stationed outside. I almost freaked out when I saw them; I clutched my hands to my chest as I stared at them.“Evening, Miss Livie,” the first man greeted me politely, and I just
CHAPTER 24 OLIVIA I stood frozen in one spot, slowly averting my gaze from his intense stare.Dammit, Olivia! You should have known he might be a little freaky, but he is a disciplined businessman. Only that could have made him the best candidate to rule his family conglomerate at such a young age.“I'm really sorry, Williams. I just had—”He cut me off sternly. “Just an apology? You think an apology will suffice for that? People lose millions for doing less than what you just did, and you expect me to let you off the hook?”Just like that, huh? Every muscle in my body tensed up. Is he about to cut the deal?I shoved those thoughts away. He can't do that for this silly mistake, right?“Do you know how much damage you have caused by coming in this late?” I arched my brows. Damage? Just for two hours of lateness? That sounds ridiculous, even if I can't voice my opinion. Voicing it now would be a wrong move.“I apologize. What damage was done? I might be able to make up for that,” I
CHAPTER 23 OLIVIA I can't believe I'm two freaking hours late! I quickly moved to the bathroom to take a bath so I could head to work. There's a part of me that keeps praying Williams won’t scold me or ask unnecessary questions.If he does, I have no answers. I can't tell him I came to work late because I was trying to move from my house into a hotel, hoping that one of these days he doesn’t show up out of nowhere to come see me or even Jayden.A couple of minutes later, I was done. I didn’t care to put on any makeup; I didn’t have money for that. I quickly tucked my hair back, picked up my keys, and rushed out.My mind raced with thoughts as I headed to the company. I can't believe I'm about to screw this up. What if I get in there and he fires me?Coming two hours late is a viable reason to fire someone, so I wouldn’t hold it against him if he does.Finally, I pulled into the company driveway and parked my car. Picking up my bag and phone, I slammed my door and increased my pace t
CHAPTER 22 OLIVIA."Hello, ma'am? Good afternoon. I got your number from your website. I'm calling to ask if you have any empty apartments to rent out," I said once the call connected while I continued driving."I need an apartment that is available immediately. Something I can move into first thing tomorrow morning."The lady acknowledged that they had some apartments she would love me to come see this evening, and I was more than happy that I was getting an apartment so quickly. When Alessandro comes next, I’ll lie to him about it being far from my workplace at Jerkins Headquarters.As I hung up and returned my focus to driving, Jayden piped up. "Mommy, why are we moving again?""Oh, baby, it has to do with my work. Staying here will be so stressful for Mommy to always go to work, okay?"From the rearview mirror, I saw him give a shaky nod. I knew he wasn't happy that we were moving again, but I had no choice but to find somewhere Williams wouldn't easily find me.Somewhere to star
CHAPTER 21WILLIAMSI looked down at him and gulped, my mouth dry as I swallowed hard, not knowing what to say. I never expected him to ask me to play with him—at least, not so quickly.“Jayden, not today. Uncle is a bit busy, so maybe some other time.” Olivia tried to brush him away from me, but I bent down and took his hands into mine.I smiled. “Yeah, I will play with you. Let's go have some fun while Mommy is busy on her phone.”His lips curled into a smile, and his face lit up with happiness. He turned, and his steps became jerky; he seemed excited that I wanted to play with him. Just being able to hold his hands gave me a satisfaction I hadn't felt in years.Knowing he is my son made it even more appealing to me. I might hate the fact that I can't tell him that I'm his father, but I know that will happen soon when I get Olivia back into my life, and then we will live like a happy family.When we finally got to the playground, there were just a few kids left.“I want the swings!”
CHAPTER 20OLIVIA I leaned back against the leather seat of my car, holding my head in my hands as I let out a deep sigh. I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing now. What if Andro is stalking around or has one of his boys trailing me wherever I go? I mean, that’s something he could do.But at this point, I seem to be out of choices. I already signed those documents, and there was no going back from here. As I sat back in my car, my mind buzzed with the events of the day and the decisions I had made. I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was happening so fast; now I'm working with Williams, and he is about to see his son? It all seems to be moving at a crazy speed. I sat there lost in thought, my fingers clasped together, until one of Williams's boys knocked on my window.I jolted back to reality and turned my engine on. Gripping the steering wheel, I shifted gears and hit the streets, with Williams's car trailing right behind mine. As I drove, I con
CHAPTER 19OLIVIAI sat up in my chair and weighed my options. Giving him access to his child sounded crazy.But then again, now knowing he is Williams Jerkins, one of the richest and craziest bachelors in this city, there’s a huge chance he will track me down and take his son, even if I decide to run away from all of this.I contemplated my options, finding the best one that suits my interests. I can't let Alessandro find out that Jayden isn't his biological son, and I can't let him ever meet Williams Jerkins. On the other hand, I must not let Williams know that I am also married, and he must never meet Alessandro. If they ever meet each other, then I think I'm a dead woman.It felt like I was playing two powerhouse men, but what choices do I have?Run away with Alessandro? That seems almost impossible since he’s also hell-bent on helping me deal with my family for what they did to me years ago. Most of the time, he acts like he has some
CHAPTER 18WILLIAMS.I bit my lower lip, unable to contain the grin that stretched across my face.Seeing Olivia Brown sitting right in front of me felt like a late Christmas gift, but I didn't care; I would accept it either way.I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she came here willingly. Once my janitor told me he saw her, I couldn't resist. I had to send her in despite her having an official meeting with her sister, Samantha Brown.Anything in this world can wait until I'm done speaking with Olivia Brown.She shifted her gaze from the table to her clothes while fidgeting with them, trying to avoid eye contact with me.“How did you know it was me coming in here?” she asked. I chuckled as I looked at her; I couldn't help smiling; I was clearly amused by her reaction."Don't you think it's obvious?" I said. "I have cameras all over here, and I’ve had my boys looking for you all over the city for the past five years. They’ve registered your face in their minds and would
CHAPTER 17My eyes swept from her feet to her head, and I let out a resigned sigh.It was Samantha, but I didn't have time to deal with her right now. I was more focused on meeting the CEO of the Jerkins family.She glared at me as she settled down right next to me. “Hello, sis. What brings you here?”I rolled my eyes and let out a disappointed sigh. I had woken up this morning in high spirits, and I didn’t want to engage in conversation with someone who radiated negativity. So, I decided to stay silent.“This is the Jerkins company. Don’t tell me you came here looking for a job,” she said, a hint of mockery in her voice.She tucked her hair behind her ear and sighed. “Come on, sis. You can come back to the company. I’ll add you to the managerial staff. Dad is retired, so we don’t need his permission anymore. Working for the Jerkins?” She shook her head and leaned in closer, her voice softening. “Sis, you’re still a Brown. I don’t want you running around searching for some dead-end jo
CHAPTER 16.OLIVIA.I still can't believe I didn't care to tuck my baby to sleep because I was fucking Andro.A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I forced my way out of bed.When I woke up, I didn't see Alessandro on his side of the bed; I didn't bother. I know exactly where he will be by this time of the morning… Leon's room.It's barely seven in the morning, but I'm sure they'll either be drinking, smoking, or discussing Italy right now. They never catch a break.I stretched and yawned as the ordeal of last night began to rush back to my mind. I hate to admit that Alessandro just knows the exact way to pleasure me and make me feel so fucking good. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction fill my stomach.That was the best Christmas gift ever. He knew how to push my buttons and how to make me feel like I was the only woman in the world. Walking into the bathroom, I flipped the lights on and gazed at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a tangled mess,