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Chapter 61: Taking Responsibility

Author: MM de Wet
last update publish date: 2026-05-20 14:47:51

Harpers hands moved down to work on the buckle of Oliver’s belt, while she muttered, “I am ready.” A low, guttural sound rumbled in his chest as her fingers worked at his belt buckle. His hips bucked involuntarily against her touch, the promise of release making his entire body tense with anticipation. “Yes,” he breathed out harshly, abandoning her breasts to grip her waist tightly. “Get them off. I need to feel you against me without anything in between.&r

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  • Paperwork and Hearthbeats   Chapter 123: Partner in Disaster

    Oliver smiles, a playful glint in his icy blue eyes that rarely surface in the office. “So, it sounds like we would be a disaster together on a dance floor. Which, honestly, sounds like a lot of fun.” Harper laughed softly as she said, “Fun? I did not think you would be the type to enjoy disaster.” His gaze holds hers, his expression shifting from playful to something more thoughtful. He picks up his water glass. “I like order, Harper. I like things that work, things that makes sense, things that follow a predictable pattern,” he says, his voice steady. “But a disaster… a disaster is unpredictable. It is the one thing my spreadsheets can’t account for.” He takes a sip of water, his eyes never leaving hers. “And sometimes,” he adds, his tone dropping to something quieter, more intimate. “The unpredictable is exactly what you need to remind yourself that you are actually alive.”Oliver sets the

  • Paperwork and Hearthbeats   Chapter 122: Their Pasts

    “I can’t imagine you like that. Young and out of place,” Harper admitted. “But I like trying. I was always more interested in books too. My parents were the carefree types. My dad is a botanist, and my mom is a photographer. So, they always wanted to go on adventures, wanting me to be more carefree.” Oliver’s icy blue eyes soften, a genuine warmth replacing the tension that had been building since the conversation about Knox. He listens to her description of her parents– the botanist and the photographer– and he can almost see the life they lived through her words. “A botanist and a photographer,” he repeats, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “That explains a lot. The attention to detail, the way you observe things.” He leans back in his chair; his fingers interlaced on the table. “It sounds like they gave you a very different foundation than mine did. I was taught how to build structures; they taught y

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    The waiter arrives with water and bread, and Oliver seamlessly shifts back into his composed self, ordering for both of them with efficient precision. "Osso buco for me, and the lasagna al forno for her," he adds, nodding to the waiter as the man scribbles on his pad and disappears back toward the kitchen. Oliver settles back into his chair, his posture relaxing just a fraction now that they are out of the public eye. He picks up the small olive oil bottle and places it in the centre of the table, adjusting its position by a millimetre so it sits perfectly parallel to the breadbasket. "You know," he says, his gaze dropping to the candle between them, "I was thinking about what you said earlier. About Knox loving your idea." He looks up, his icy blue eyes searching hers. "He is a difficult man to please. He will argue with anyone just for the sake of hearing his own voice. If he actually listened to you, it means you have found a way to speak his language without compromising your ow

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    Oliver stops walking for a brief second, his eyebrows lifting in genuine surprise. He lets out a short, quiet laugh– the kind he only does when he is genuinely impressed. “Side by side shots,” he repeats, testing the concept. “That is clever. It creates a narrative arc within the campaign itself. It shows the brand’s versatility and its ability to handle different moods.” He resumes walking, his stride picking up speed as the idea takes hold of his analytical mind. “Knox will hate it because it ruins his ‘perfect lighting’ fantasy, but Marius will love the efficiency of it. It maximizes out shooting windows and gives us two distinct visual directions for the price of one.” He glances at Harper, his blue eyes bright with approval. “You just dismantled his entire creative pitch with a single logistical argument. That is exactly what I need from you in that boardroom later.”“Knox actually loved the id

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    Oliver’s phone buzzes on the desk with a message from Harper.Harper: I am at my desk. The proposal outline is taking shape. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. He types back quickly.Oliver: Good. Keep pushing. I will see you at lunch. The rest of the morning passes in a blur of emails, spreadsheets, and the rhythmic clicking of his keyboard. Oliver works with a singular focus, his mind a well-oiled machine processing date and drafting responses. Every few minutes, his icy blue eyes drift toward the door, half-expecting Knox to burst back in with another dramatic grievance but he does not. At 11:45, he stands up and adjusts his tie in the small mirror behind his office door. He takes a moment to smooth down his hair, ensuring not a single strand is out of place. The professional mask is firmly back on. He walks out of his office and heads toward the elevator, his pace steady and p

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    Knox was practically vibrating in his chair. “And ah’ll start pullin’ thegither some reference images fer the ‘stormy’ aesthetic. We need mood boards fer the dark lightin’ an aw. It is a whole new chapter.” He glanced at Harper with a grin. “Ye’re stayin’ on the project, right? Ah dinnae want anybody else layin’ their hands on these notes.” Marius looked up from his paper, catching her eye. “She is staying right where she is, Knox. She is too valuable to lose now.” She smiled lightly. “I am not going anywhere,” she said proudly. “Though we should discuss the type of models to use. Knox, you said you wanted curvy, natural beauty models…” Knox’s eyes lit up again, his enthusiasm seemingly bottomless. “Aye! Exactly! Ah want skin that looks real, no plastic. Ah want bodies that tell a story, no just mannequins on a runway. The curves, the texture—it needs

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    “What are you craving? Past? Pizza? Or something more exotic?” Oliver’s blue eyes flick back to Harper, a teasing glint in them as he waits for her response. While she decides on the dinner options, Oliver begins tidying up the kitchen counter. His movements are efficient and pr

  • Paperwork and Hearthbeats   Chapter 82: Nothing Has Happened Yet

    Harper smiles softly. “God, you are hot when you are being all possessive,” she breathes out before clearing her throat softly. “But we have to think logically. Like you said there is more at stake in this situation. If you just fire him or make his life hell. He could sue. But

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    “Oliver speaks very highly of you,” Marius continued, his voice dropping slightly. “Says you are the most organized person he has ever worked with.” A hint of amusement touches his lips as he leaned against the edge of his desk. “He also mentioned how… dedicat

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    Harper just smiled softly. “Yes, sir. I– I will see you at lunch time,” she said and moved over the the desk to pick up her purse. Oliver’s icy blue eyes followed her movement as she retrieved her purse from the desk that was no longer hers, the casual way she called him &

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