Novel-novel oleh Mai Elfkhrany

Chapter 9The morning felt different from any other before.Faces were tense, feet moved quickly, and files were being checked for the last time before the important meeting.Ethan wanted this day to be a model of discipline, but Olivia’s heart refused to cooperate with calm.Everything about her was tight — her voice, her breath, even her glances that tried to hide the tension behind them.She entered the spacious hall, holding the files carefully.She expected the management to be present, but she didn’t expect to see Sophia — the girl who hadn’t left her mind since the day of Ethan’s supposed illness, the day she saw her leave his office with him.Now, Sophia sat at the front of the table, overly elegant, her eyes shining with a superiority that was hard to ignore.When her gaze met Olivia’s, a faint, cold smile appeared on her lips — like a silent reminder: “I’m not a stranger here.”Minutes later, Ethan entered with steady steps and a firm voice, accompanied by Edward, who seemed

Chapter 8the usual chatter of employees didn’t seem bothersome. Olivia sat at her chair, trying to organize the papers and open the final meeting files, but she couldn’t shake the irritation simmering inside her. Ethan’s decision to dock her salary for two months weighed heavily on her, and she couldn’t understand why such a harsh punishment was given for a simple mistake, even though her mind tried to convince her it was just a test of discipline and patience.She glanced at the computer screen, then closed her eyes for a second, trying to release the tension. She sighed deeply, thinking of the best way to avoid any further trouble with Ethan. Her frustration grew with each passing minute, yet she realized that any protest might only fuel his anger and make the situation more complicated.After a while, Edward entered the office with a calm smile, carrying papers and reports for the upcoming meeting.— “Good morning, Olivia. You look a bit tense this morning,” he said playfully, tho

Chapter 7Silence hung heavy over Ethan Cross’s office after the daylight had faded through the tall windows.The faint scent of paper mixed with the bitterness of cold coffee on his desk — a quiet testimony to the long, exhausting hours that had passed.Olivia stood near the door, watching him, her worry growing with every heartbeat.He hadn’t moved in minutes. His head was tilted forward in a way that looked… wrong.She took a cautious step toward him, hesitating with each movement.— “Sir?”No reply.Her blood froze. She reached out a trembling hand and touched his shoulder — it was strangely cold.She gasped, fear gripping her chest, then rushed to the intercom, her voice shaking as she cried out softly:— “Doctor! Quickly — to Mr. Cross’s office!”Moments later, the doctor entered with calm, steady steps, a quiet seriousness shadowing his face.He checked Ethan’s pulse and blood pressure, then lifted his gaze to Olivia and said reassuringly:— “Don’t worry. It’s just severe exhau

Chapter 6Olivia walked into Ethan Cross’s office with quick but cautious steps, trying to look confident despite the tension pressing against her chest like an invisible hand.The air in the room was strangely heavy — silence filled it completely, and even the air itself seemed hesitant to move around his desk.The office was spacious, elegant, and obsessively neat. Everything was in its place with almost clinical precision — papers stacked in perfect order, pens lined up in one corner like soldiers at inspection. Even the wall clock ticked so softly it felt afraid to disturb him.Ethan sat behind his desk, brows slightly furrowed as he flipped through some documents with meticulous care. His features were sharp, sculpted — but his eyes carried something darker: exhaustion laced with anger, or maybe anger wrapped in control.When he noticed her, he stopped moving. Slowly, he raised his head, meeting her gaze. His eyes were cold and steady — yet beneath that calm, there was something

Chapter 5Olivia had finished the files Ethan had assigned to her in record time.It hadn’t been easy — she had spent the entire night reviewing, checking, and rewriting every single line.And when the morning sun rose, she was already done, two full hours ahead of schedule.She walked into his office with hesitant steps, carrying the small bag that held the reports.He was sitting behind his glass desk, flipping through some papers with meticulous focus — as if nothing outside those pages mattered.She knocked lightly. He lifted his gaze toward her without saying a word.She simply said, her tone steady and confident:> “I’ve finished the reports, sir.”He reached out slowly, taking the files from her without even glancing at them. Then, in a low, detached voice:> “That fast?”“I went over them more than once. Double-checked all the numbers,” she said.He stayed silent for a moment before replying in a tone so cold it could cut through air:> “Speed doesn’t impress me, Miss Olivia.

Chapter 4The clock was nearing eleven in the morning, and the apartment was wrapped in a heavy silence.Olivia sat on the couch, staring at the television without really seeing what was playing — as if her mind were still trapped in the office she had been fired from the day before.The cup of coffee in her hands had long gone cold, yet she kept holding it, as though the warmth it once had was the only thing keeping her together.Grace stepped out of her room, wearing her elegant coat and searching for her keys. She lifted her handbag onto her shoulder and said,— “I’m heading out for a bit, Olivia. I’ll stop by the store, then visit my friend. Do you need anything?”Olivia looked up slowly, a faint smile curving her lips.— “No, Mom, I’m fine. Thanks.”Grace studied her for a moment, then said gently, her tone filled with motherly warmth,— “Don’t weigh yourself down with worry, dear. You’ll find a better job soon, God willing.”Olivia only nodded silently as her mother left the apa