Chapter 28

Chapter 28

RYAN

I stepped out of the cafeteria with the woman beside me, and we walked toward the door.

But as I turned around, I saw Olivia. She was standing near the coffee counter, her back to me. I couldn’t help but glance at her.

I should’ve said something. I should’ve at least smiled or waved. But instead, I kept walking with the woman by my side.

The woman laughed at something I said, and I laughed back, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Olivia. There was something about the way she looked something in her eyes that made me feel uneasy.

We left the cafeteria, and the woman walked away, her heels clicking against the floor. I stood there for a second, watching her leave, and then I turned back to the building.

Inside, I saw Dante standing by the desk. "Ryan," he said, straightening up when he saw me. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," I said, running my fingers through my hair. "Just need to speak with Olivia. Call her to my office."

Dante nodded and picked up the phone. I waited, my eyes going back to the door that led to my office. I knew Olivia would be walking down here soon. I wondered if she was still upset.

A few minutes later, the door to my office opened, and Olivia stepped inside. Her expression was hard to read. She didn’t say anything at first. She just stood there, looking at the floor, and then finally looked up at me.

"Sit down," I said, motioning to the chair across from my desk.

She didn’t respond right away. She just stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, looking around the room like she was somewhere else. After a long moment, she sat down, but she still didn’t speak.

I leaned back in my chair and studied her. She was still upset. I could tell. The way her jaw tightened and her eyes stayed away from mine.

"You’re mad at me," I said softly, even though I already knew the answer.

Olivia shrugged, but there was something about it that didn’t seem like a normal shrug. "No, I’m fine," she said, her voice flat.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You don’t look fine."

She looked at me then, her eyes sharp, like she was trying to hold back whatever was bubbling up inside her. "I’m fine," she repeated.

I nodded slowly. "Okay. If you say so."

There was a long pause before Olivia spoke again, and when she did, her words were quiet, almost like she was trying to hold back her frustration.

"Who was that woman?" she asked suddenly, not looking at me. "The one you were with in the cafeteria?"

I leaned forward a little, my hands on the desk, and looked at her. There was a small smile on my face, but inside, I was feeling something else. "She’s just a client," I said. "Nothing for you to worry about."

Olivia’s eyes flickered to mine for a second before she looked away again. "A client?" Her voice was skeptical, but she didn’t say anything else for a while.

"Yeah," I said, leaning back again. "She’s a client. That’s all."

But Olivia didn’t seem convinced. "Are you sure?" she asked. "She seemed like more than just a client."

I could feel her words hanging in the air, and I didn’t like it. She was starting to sound jealous.

"Stop asking about her," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Just focus on your work, Olivia. That’s why you’re here, right?"

She gave me a look, almost like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. She just stared at me for a long moment, then looked down at the papers on the desk, fiddling with them.

"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked, her voice quieter this time.

I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face. "Stop asking about my personal life," I said firmly. "Just do your job."

Olivia didn't look at me when she answered. "Fine," she said, her voice colder now. "Whatever. I’ll just do my work."

I stayed quiet for a moment, watching her, and I could feel something building inside me. I didn’t want her to walk away angry, but it felt like I was pushing her further away with every word I said.

When she didn’t leave right away, I finally spoke again. "Olivia," I said softly, "you’re upset about something. What is it?"

She stood up quickly, her chair scraping against the floor. She didn’t look at me. "I said, I’m fine. Stop asking me."

She turned to walk out, but before she could leave, she paused at the door, her back still turned to me.

"I’ll get the work done," she said, her voice tight. "But don’t think I care about who you spend time with."

I watched her walk out, her heels clicking against the floor. A part of me wanted to run after her, to stop her and tell her the truth, but I didn’t. I just stayed where I was, feeling the space between us grow wider.

But the thing was, even though she was angry, even though she was jealous, it felt like something had changed. Something had clicked. And deep down, I didn’t mind it.

Maybe I even liked it.

As she walked away, I couldn’t help but think, “Why does it matter to you, Olivia?”



The workday was finally over.

The office was quiet now, everyone heading home. I told my driver to step down. "I'll drive tonight," I said, wanting some space, wanting to be alone with Olivia.

He nodded and got out, leaving me standing by the car, waiting for her.

The sky above was getting darker, and I could feel the air shifting. Rain was coming. I checked my watch, Olivia was taking time. I looked around the garage.

My nerves were on edge.

Why was I nervous? It was just Olivia.

I saw her coming toward me, but she was walking slowly, not rushing at all. Her head was down, and she didn't even look at me. She knew I was waiting for her. She didn't seem to care.

I sighed and stepped forward, trying to break the silence. "Olivia," I called out.

She didn’t answer. She just kept walking, her pace slow, like she was trying to avoid me. My chest tightened.

She finally reached the car, still not looking at me. She opened the door and slid inside, not even bothering to acknowledge me. I followed her into the car, closing the door behind me, and started the engine.

The rain started to fall lightly at first, the drops tapping gently against the windshield. I could feel the tension between us, heavy and thick. The silence was suffocating.

"Olivia," I said, my voice quieter now.

She didn’t look at me. Her arms were crossed, and she was staring out the window, the rain streaking down the glass.

I gripped the steering wheel, frustration bubbling inside me. The silence was killing me. I couldn’t take it anymore. "Why are you ignoring me?" I asked, my voice sharp.

She didn’t respond.

I glanced over at her. She didn’t even seem to care that the rain was getting heavier, soaking everything. She was lost in her thoughts.

"Olivia…" I started again, but she still didn’t acknowledge me.

I drove for a while, the car cutting through the rainy streets. The rain was pouring down now, the sound of it pounding on the car roof almost drowning out the silence.

Suddenly, she spoke. "Stop the car."

I didn’t question it. I just pulled over to the side of the road, my heart pounding in my chest.

I looked at her, confused, but she didn’t say any
thing else. The next minute her mouth slammed against mine.

“You can't make me long for you.” She said in-between kisses.