Chapter 100 The Team Leader.

Chapter 100 The Team Leader.
Maureen's POV
~continuation~

Alexa did not sit down. Instead, she remained standing, her weight shifted to one leg, arms loosely crossed, her eyes slowly scanning me from head to toe in a way that made my skin crawl. The inspection was deliberate, unhurried, almost predatory, as though she were measuring my worth by the crease of my blouse and the calm on my face.

“You just started working here when?” she asked eventually, her voice smooth but sharp at the edges. “A month now, or a month and half?”

I straightened in my chair, rolling my shoulders back, refusing to shrink beneath her gaze. “Two months, actually,” I replied calmly, meeting her eyes without blinking.

“Oh, I see,” she said, dragging the words out with a faint smirk. She turned slightly, her attention drifting around my office, inspecting everything as though she were searching for faults. Her fingers brushed the edge of my desk, nudging a file out of alignment, her lips twitching in faint dissatisfaction.

An uncomfortable silence settled between us-it was thick and heavy.

“Is there anything you want me to do for you?” I asked eventually, breaking it. My tone was polite, controlled, though my fingers curled slightly against my thigh beneath the desk.

She scoffed lightly, her lips curling with open disdain. “What could you possibly do for me?”

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Then why are you here?”

She turned back to me slowly, her gaze sharp, unapologetic, and unkind. “I heard some newbie got proposed to over the weekend,” she said. “And I can’t help but wonder how. Like… how would a young CEO go for someone who is clearly not in his league?”

For the first time that morning, I burst out laughing.

The sound surprised even me. My shoulders shook, my head tilted back slightly, and the tension I had been carrying since dawn loosened, if only for a moment. Alexa froze, her brows knitting together as she stared at me, clearly unsettled by my reaction.

I wiped the corner of my eye and took a steady breath. “I’ve got some important things to attend to,” I said calmly as I stood up. “So, excuse me.”

Before she could respond, I gently but firmly guided her toward the door. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but before the words could form, I pushed her fully outside and slammed the door shut in her face.

The sound echoed loudly through my office.

I released a long, shaky sigh and sank back into my chair, replaying the encounter in my mind. Not long after, she returned without knocking. She marched in and dramatically dropped a stack of files onto my table, the thud sharp and intentional.

“You have just one week to work on this,” she said, her eyes blazing.

She did not explain what it was, only that I should work on it. We were a team, after all. She could have waited until our team meeting, but no, she chose this instead.

“Okay,” I replied flatly. “Now you can leave.”

She stared at me for a moment longer, her jaw clenched, then turned and walked out.

I rubbed my face slowly, wondering how I had managed to make an enemy at my workplace so quickly. I had barely settled in. I did not make friends; I was simply cordial. Yet Alexa had been cold since my first day, and I had ignored it, believing I had bigger things to worry about than my daring team leader.

The day passed quickly, and before I knew it, evening arrived. I packed my bag and left the building. Outside, I expected to see my driver waiting, but the space was empty.

“That’s weird,” I muttered. “He should be here.”

As I reached for my phone, a sleek sports car pulled up suddenly. The windows were tinted, unfamiliar. The door opened, and my mouth fell open.

It was Liam.

He stepped out effortlessly, hair neatly styled, sunglasses perched on his face, dressed casually in jeans, a polo shirt, and sneakers. Confidence clung to him like a second skin.

“I told him I’d pick you up myself,” he said. “No need to call him.”

I chuckled softly. “Did you get a new car?”

“Oh, this?” he shrugged lightly. “Not really. Enough about the car. How was work?”

As he spoke, he closed the distance between us, his hands settling on my waist as he leaned in for a kiss.

“Stop, Liam,” I said gently. “We’re still on work premises.”

“Okay,” he laughed, raising his hands in surrender.

“So,” I began, smiling, “to what do I owe this?”

“I had a tough day,” he said softly. “I couldn’t concentrate. All I thought about was you. I missed you.”

I stood there blushing, my heart light, my exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Well,” I said, “here I am.”

He opened the passenger door, and I slid in, whispering thanks. We drove aimlessly through the city until night fell, eventually stopping at the beach where he had proposed.

“Do you remember that night?” he asked.

“Yes,” I smiled.

“I was terrified,” he admitted. “I thought I’d mess everything up.”

I laughed. “You were acting strange. I noticed.”

He smiled sheepishly. Then his phone rang. It was his mother.

When he ended the call, he sighed. “She wants us for dinner this weekend.”

The word dinner made my skin crawl.

“Okay,” I whispered, agreeing reluctantly.

The sea breeze wrapped around us as we stood there, carrying the scent of salt and distant memories. I folded my arms, staring out at the water, my thoughts tangled. Liam noticed the shift immediately. His hand found mine, warm and reassuring, his thumb brushing slow circles against my knuckles.

“You’re thinking too much,” he said softly.

“Maybe,” I replied, exhaling. “Your mother has a way of turning simple dinners into interrogations and threats.”

He chuckled under his breath, stepping closer so our shoulders touched. “I won’t let anything happen. Not this time. And trust me, she's changed. For real.”

I wanted to believe him. I truly did. I nodded slowly, forcing a small smile as I leaned my head against his shoulder. His presence grounded me, reminding me that despite office politics and looming family tensions, I was not alone.

We stayed there for a while longer, listening to the waves crash rhythmically against the shore. Eventually, he guided me back to the car, his hand resting protectively at my lower back. As we drove home, city lights blurring past, I allowed myself to relax, though a quiet unease settled in my chest.

That night, as I lay in bed replaying the day, Alexa’s words echoed in my mind, sharp and poisonous. Yet Liam’s laughter followed, softer, steadier.

Morning would come soon enough with its questions and consequences, but for now, I chose rest. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, allowing hope to sit beside fear. Whatever awaited me at work or at that dinner table, I promised myself one thing: I would not shrink.