Chapter 4

After the introduction, Lucas instructed Olivia to show Maddie to her new workspace.

"Follow me," Olivia said, trying to maintain a professional tone.

Maddie trailed behind her, a knowing glint in her eye. She was aware that Olivia's mind was buzzing with questions, and she was more than happy to provide all the answers.

As they reached the office, Olivia gestured to the spacious room. "This is your office, and the files you need to sort out are on the table. They're fairly straightforward, but if you have any questions or need clarification on anything, don't hesitate to let me know."

Maddie smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You don't have to sound so professional with me, you know," she said, her voice laced with warmth.

Olivia raised an eyebrow, choosing to ignore Maddie's teasing comment. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to work here?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Maddie shrugged, a hint of apology in her voice. "I had told Lucas earlier about me wanting to work here. He told me to send my qualifications to his email, but he didn't reply. I sent in everything he asked and finally, yesterday, he told me to start work. I wanted to secure the job before I told you. I was going to fill you in yesterday, but it wasn't exactly the right moment."

Olivia's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why didn't you text or call me then?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and mild reproach.

Maddie's expression turned slightly somber. "I did call you, Olivia. I called you three times last night because I wanted to catch up and tell you about the job. But you didn't pick up, and you didn't call back."

Olivia's face softened as she checked her phone, realizing that she had indeed missed Maddie's calls. After the events of the previous day, she had put her phone on Do Not Disturb mode and hadn't had a chance to check it thoroughly.

“Oh—sorry. My bad,” Olivia said softly, a faint crease forming between her brows. A small weight settled in her chest, the familiar guilt of not always being as present as she wished she could be.

Maddie waved it off easily. “It’s fine. No problem at all.”

There was a brief pause. Olivia hesitated, her fingers curling slightly as she gathered the courage to speak again.

“Um… did you stay longer at my place yesterday?” she asked, forcing her tone to sound casual.

Maddie froze for a second. Her eyes widened in surprise before she quickly masked it with a light laugh. “No, not at all,” she replied. “Lucas asked me to leave, and I did. Immediately.” She tilted her head, studying Olivia’s face. “Why do you ask?”

Olivia’s heart skipped. She felt suddenly exposed, as though her thoughts were written plainly across her face. “Oh—nothing, really,” she said quickly, offering a nervous smile. “Just asking, you know. Out of curiosity.” She shrugged lightly, hoping the gesture would make the question seem harmless.

But inside, her thoughts were anything but calm. She remembered the maid’s words from earlier, the hesitation in her voice, the way she had avoided Olivia’s eyes. A cold knot tightened in Olivia’s stomach.

It can’t be true, she told herself. It has to be a misunderstanding. Maddie was her best friend. Her sister in everything but blood. The thought alone made her chest ache.

She tried to steady her breathing, pushing the doubt away. Maybe Lucas had been handling work matters. Maybe the maid had seen something and misinterpreted it. People talked. Rumors grew from nothing.

"Just curious?" Maddie asked raising her brows.

Olivia nodded slowly, forcing another smile, even as her heart thudded painfully in her chest. “Yeah… just curious,” she repeated, though her voice lacked conviction.

She turned away slightly, pretending to be distracted, all the while hoping, desperately, that the uneasy feeling crawling up her spine was wrong.

She didn’t know how much more betrayal her heart could take.

Maddie hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “So… how’s Lucas?” she asked carefully. “Have you two settled things yet?”

Olivia’s shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly. The air around her seemed to tighten. She didn’t look up right away, her fingers busy with nothing as she searched for an answer that wouldn’t invite more questions.

“No,” she said quietly. “We haven’t.”

Maddie studied her face, concern flickering in her eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Olivia shook her head at once. “No,” she replied, a little too quickly. She inhaled slowly, steadying herself. “I really don’t."

There was something final in her tone—not anger, not sadness, but exhaustion. The kind that came from reopening wounds too many times.

“It’s just…” Olivia paused, then stopped herself. She pressed her lips together and looked away. “I don’t want to talk about him right now.”

Maddie nodded slowly, understanding—or at least pretending to. “Okay,” she said softly. “We won’t.”

Relief washed over Olivia as she went back to her workspace. 

She spent the morning compiling files, her mind concentrated on the task at hand. Once she finished, she gathered the documents and headed to Lucas's office.

As she approached his door, she felt a familiar knot in her stomach. She had been avoiding him ever since their confrontation, and the thought of facing him again made her anxious. She prayed that he wouldn't be in his office, hoping to avoid an awkward encounter.

But fate seemed to have other plans. As she reached the door, she heard Lucas's voice, low and husky, speaking into the phone. His door was slightly ajar, and Olivia's curiosity got the better of her. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should knock or wait until he finished his call.

As she stood there, frozen in indecision, she heard Lucas's words more clearly. "I love you, baby," he said, his voice filled with affection. Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she heard the feminine voice on the other end of the line respond, "I love you, too, my love."

The voice sounded eerily familiar, and Olivia's mind began to reel. Who was Lucas talking to? And why did the voice sound so hauntingly familiar?