CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57

Olivia’s POV

I trudged into my apartment feeling completely lost and emotionally drained, the event of the day feeling heavy on my tender shoulders. During the cab ride home, Gabriel had texted me, asking the very question I’d been dreading all week.

"Liv? You home?" Kira’s voice called from the kitchen where she was preparing dinner, but it sounded like it was coming from underwater. Everything felt distant and surreal.

I didn’t respond, just headed straight to my bedroom like a zombie. I needed to lie down, needed to process everything, needed to figure out what the hell I was going to do about Saturday night.

Kira followed me, concern written all over her face as she appeared in my doorway.

"Okay, what happened? You look like someone died," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "Did Maxwell torture you extra hard today?"

I collapsed onto my bed face-first, my voice muffled by the pillow. "Gabriel finally popped the question."

There was a moment of complete silence, then Kira let out an ear-piercing shriek.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" she screamed, rushing over to grab my shoulders. "He asked you to marry him? After just ONE date? Is this guy completely insane? I mean, I know the date was good, but marriage? Already?"

I rolled over to look at her incredulous face. "No, Kira. He asked me to be his date to his brother’s engagement party."

Kira blinked, her excitement deflating. "Oh. Well, that’s... still kind of fast, isn’t it? Meeting the family after one date?"

"That’s not the problem," I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "The problem is that Alex and Maxwell both expect me to be there too. As Oliver."

Understanding dawned on Kira’s face, her eyes widening. "Oh shit. Oh, that’s... that’s actually really bad."

"You think?" I said sarcastically. "I can’t go to that party as Gabriel’s date. What if he decides to introduce me to everyone? Maxwell’s the only one who has seen me completely as both Olivia and Oliver. Alex doesn’t know me as Olivia, and Gabriel doesn’t know me as Oliver. It’ll take all three of them to figure it out immediately."

Kira sat down on the edge of the bed, her expression turning serious. "Okay, here’s what you do. Turn down Gabriel’s invitation. You’re still getting to know each other, right? Just text him that you’re not comfortable meeting his family yet - that it feels too soon. Then go to the party as Oliver, as Alex and Maxwell’s guest."

I sighed heavily, feeling even more frustrated. "I hate lying to him, Kira. He seems like such a genuinely nice guy. I’ll just have to be extra careful not to run into him at the party."

"He is nice," Kira agreed. "But right now, maintaining your cover is more important than his feelings. Avoiding him at the party should be your top priority."

I dropped heavily onto my pillows, staring at the ceiling. I still have other complicated issues weighing me down.

"Is something else bothering you?" Kira asked, studying my face. "Because you look more than just conflicted about the party situation."

I was quiet for so long that Kira moved closer, looking completely worried.

"Liv? What is it?"

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. "I think I’m developing feelings for my boss."

Kira’s mouth dropped open so wide I thought her jaw might actually unhinge. "I’m sorry, WHAT did you just say?"

"I think I’m falling for Maxwell," I whispered, the admission making it feel terrifyingly real.

"JUST THREE DAYS, OLIVIA!" Kira screamed, jumping up from the bed. "How is that even POSSIBLE? It’s been three fucking days since you started working for him!"

"I don’t know!" I wailed, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to my chest. "I don’t know what’s happening to me! I can’t explain it!"

Kira started pacing around my room furiously. "Have you completely lost your mind? Have you forgotten already? Maxwell Wellington is our ENEMY! We planned to take revenge for his cruelty and find out why he hates Oliver and Olivia so much! How could you do such a thing?"

"I don’t know!" I screamed back, frustrated tears pricking at my eyes.

Kira stopped pacing and fixed me with an incredulous stare. "Okay, back up. What exactly happened today that made you think you have feelings for Satan himself?"

I took a shaky breath. "I walked in on him kissing his client and I felt..."

"Wait, hold up." Kira held up her hands, interrupting me. "I thought this guy had a girlfriend? That woman that made him angry the day he fired you?"

"He does," I said miserably. "Her name is Sabrina, and although they’re having some problems, Maxwell still seems to care about her. I met her yesterday, and she’s gorgeous and sophisticated and everything."

"Then why the hell was he kissing a client?" Kira demanded.

"The woman forced herself on him," I said weakly, even as I realized how pathetic it sounded.

Kira scoffed so loudly. "Oh, please! Olivia, are you listening to yourself right now? You sound completely delusional!"

"But you should have seen his face when I caught them," I protested. "He looked so guilty, like he genuinely didn’t want to be kissing her. And then he explained that she came onto him, that he was caught off guard..."

"And you believed him?" Kira threw her hands up in exasperation. "Liv, this is basic Cheating 101! Of course he’s going to say it wasn’t his fault when he gets caught!"

I knew she was right, but something about Maxwell’s expression, the way he’d looked at me, had seemed so genuine.

"Listen to me very carefully," Kira said, sitting back down and gripping my shoulders. "You are just confused because you’ve been single for so long. Now you’re suddenly surrounded by attractive men - Gabriel, Alex, even Maxwell in his twisted way - and your brain is getting all mixed up. You’re catching feelings for every man you meet because you’ve starved for attention for long!"

I nodded slowly. She was probably right. It was impossible to have real feelings for Maxwell Wellington. He was cruel, arrogant, and had made my life hell from the moment we met.

"You’re right," I said, feeling slightly more grounded. "It’s impossible. He’s wicked."

"Exactly!" Kira said triumphantly. "That’s the Olivia I know! Now tell me what other terrible things he did to you today so we can properly hate him together."

I sat up, anger replacing the confused emotions from earlier. "Oh, you want to hear about my day? Maxwell gave me an enormous workload - organizing files, making appointments, research, typing up reports - enough work for three people. Then, around 4 PM, he had the absolute audacity to announce that he was going home early because he wanted to rest his injured arm."

"Are you kidding me?" Kira’s eyes blazed with fury.

"But not before telling me that I needed to finish ALL of the work before leaving the office," I continued, my voice rising. "I was alone in that building until 7 PM, Kira! What if something had happened to me? What if there was an emergency? He just left me there like I was some kind of slave!"

"That bastard!" Kira exclaimed, her anger matching mine. "See? This is exactly why we can’t let stupid feelings get in the way of our mission! He’s treating you like garbage, and you’re sitting here wondering if you have feelings for him?"

"You’re absolutely right," I said, feeling my resolve strengthen. "We should focus on war, not stupid, confusing emotions that don’t make any sense anyway."

"Now that’s what I’m talking about!" Kira grinned, giving me a high-five. "Keep that energy, babe. Maxwell Wellington is going to regret the day he decided to mess with Olivia Hopton."

She headed toward the door, then paused. "I’m going to check on dinner. Try to get some rest, and for the love of God, stop thinking about your boss’s lips or whatever weird thing your brain is doing."

I laughed despite everything. "I’ll try."

Just as I was about to get up and freshen up, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

*Hey Oliver, it’s me, Alex. I was wondering if you’re still in the office with Maxwell? We’ve been trying to reach him all night and Sabrina is getting worried.*

I stared at the message, a little surprised that Alex had my number, but I shrugged it off. He probably got it from the office directory or something.

I quickly typed back: *Maxwell left the office early this afternoon. I finished up the work and left around 7 PM. I don’t know where he went.*

I set my phone aside and headed toward the bathroom, desperate for a hot shower to wash away the confusion and stress of the day. But as I reached for my towel, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was off.

Why couldn’t they reach Maxwell? And why was Sabrina worried enough to have Alex contact his assistant?

*Whatever,* I told myself firmly. *Not my problem. Maxwell Wellington can disappear off the face of the earth for all I care.*

But even as I thought it, I knew it wasn’t entirely true.