CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59

Olivia’s POV

"What kind of client will keep you all through the night?" Sabrina demanded, "Maxwell, answer me!"

And then the thought occurred to me just then.

*Was it Tracy?*

*Shit. It had to be her.*

The pieces suddenly clicked together. He’d said he was dropping her case, but what if that was all for show? What if he’d gone straight to her after leaving me here? What if all that guilt and concern yesterday had been nothing more than an act?

If that was the case, he was a born actor, and a really good one at that.

Maxwell remained silent, his jaw set in stubborn way that suggested he had no intention of explaining himself.

"Don’t you dare give me the silent treatment, babe," Sabrina snapped, her hands clenched into fists. "I’ve been patient with you. I’ve been understanding about your work, your injuries, your moods. But this? Disappearing without a word? This is crossing a line."

"I told you, something came up with a client," Maxwell replied coldly, not even bothering to look at her directly.

"Bullshit!" Sabrina’s voice cracked. "You used to call me if you were going to be five minutes late. Now, I come back after my two months trip and everything is falling apart. What happened to us, Maxwell? When did I become someone you could just... dismiss?"

His fingers drummed impatiently against his desk. "Stop assuming things, Sabrina, you’re becoming dramatic."

"Dramatic?" She laughed bitterly. "I’m being dramatic because I expected my boyfriend to show up for dinner? Because I was worried when you didn’t answer countless phone calls? Because I actually give a damn about what happens to you?"

"Lower your voice," Maxwell said tersely, his eyes darting toward me. "This is my workplace."

"Oh, now you’re worried about professionalism?" Sabrina’s voice rose even higher. "Where was your professionalism when you were spending the night at God knows where with God knows who?"

Maxwell’s face flushed red. "It wasn’t like that."

"Then what was it like, Maxwell? Tell me. Why are you suddenly treating me like I’m some clingy stranger?"

When Sabrina saw that she wasn’t getting any valuable response from him, she practically collapsed into the chair opposite his desk, her composure finally cracking.

"Maxwell, please," she started pleading, her voice breaking. "What did I do that was so wrong that you can’t forgive me? You used to be so possessive of me, so attentive. You couldn’t stand to be away from me for more than a few hours. What changed? Is it because I failed to come home last weekend? But I already explained everything. Why are you doing this?"

Her words hung in the air, sounding so desperate and emotional, that I found myself leaning closer, straining to hear Maxwell’s response.

Maxwell was about to speak, his mouth opening as if he might finally give her the explanation she was begging for, but then his eyes flicked toward me, catching me in the act of eavesdropping. His expression hardened.

"Mr. Hopton," he said curtly, "could you excuse us? This is a private conversation."

*Of course. Right when it was getting interesting.*

I wanted to protest, to find some excuse to stay, but the look in Maxwell’s eyes brooked no argument. "Of course, sir. I’ll just... work on those files outside."

I gathered my laptop and the stack of papers that needed recreating, shooting one last glance at Sabrina’s tear-streaked face before reluctantly leaving the office.

The hallway outside Maxwell’s office felt like purgatory. I could hear the muffled sounds of their conversation through the heavy door, and the worst part, the blinds were closed. Sabrina’s voice was rising and falling in what sounded like desperate pleas, while Maxwell was responding in deep, clipped tones. But I couldn’t make out the actual words, and the not-knowing was driving me insane.

*Focus, Olivia. You have work to do.*

I was standing outside meekly, trying to balance my laptop and papers on the couch in the waiting area, at the same time trying to mind my own business, when I saw Alex approaching down the hallway.

Immediately I saw him, I smiled and straightened up, trying to enhance my Oliver posture by chesting out and squaring my shoulders. "Good morning, Alex!"

Alex paused mid-step, his blue eyes scanning my face with an odd expression. "Morning..."

"Here to see Maxwell?" I asked cheerfully, gesturing toward the office door behind me. "Fair warning though - he’s in a pretty intense meeting with Sabrina right now. Looks like relationship drama, so you might want to give them some space."

Alex continued staring at me with that strange look, his head tilted slightly as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. "I’m sorry, are you... new here?"

I blinked, completely taken aback. *New? What?*

"What?" I laughed, hoping it sounded natural. "Alex, did you have too much to drink last night or something? It’s me, Oliver. Oliver Hopton? Maxwell’s personal assistant? We went out for drinks two nights ago, remember? The Black Vine? You were checking out that brunette in the tight dress? You texted me last night, hello..."

Alex’s eyebrows shot up, and he took a step closer, studying my face intently. "Right... Oliver. Of course."

But something in his tone suggested he wasn’t convinced. There was a wariness in his expression that made my stomach clench with anxiety.

"Like I said," I continued quickly, trying to fill the awkward silence, "Maxwell’s in a meeting with Sabrina and it looked really sensitive, so I’m giving them privacy. You know how these things go."

Alex nodded slowly, but his eyes never left my face. "Yeah... okay then."

The silence stretched between us, thick with something I couldn’t place. I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, could feel sweat beginning to gather at the back of my neck despite the air conditioning.

*He knows. Oh God, he knows something’s wrong. Stay calm, Olivia. Stay calm and stick to the Oliver persona.*

"I’ll just go to my brother’s office and wait," Alex said finally, his voice sounding neutral.

I felt my face scrunch up in confusion. "What brother?"

"Alex," he said matter-of-factly. "Alex Gregory."

The world seemed to tilt sideways.

*What?*

*WHAT?*

*If Alex is going to see his brother Alex Gregory, then that means...*

*Oh, shit! Oh shit*

*If this Alex has a brother named Alex Gregory, then this isn’t Alex Gregory. This is...*

I immediately abandoned everything on the couch and fled.