Chapter 8

Chapter 8

the 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, though he knew she was holding her feelings back.

Olivia forced a small, nervous smile, trying to appear natural:

— “Good morning, Mr. Edward. Yeah… just thinking about the upcoming meetings.”

He sat beside her, and they started reviewing the files together. Their conversation was smooth, casual, full of practical notes, yet it brought her comfort. Despite her inner annoyance with Ethan, Edward’s presence made the atmosphere lighter, as if he was easing the weight of the tension pressing on her chest.

— “Sometimes you wonder if the boss makes things difficult just to test you, right?” he said with an encouraging smile.

Olivia nodded, trying to control her emotions:

— “Yeah… sometimes it feels like he never misses an opportunity to test me. But he’s unpredictable.”

— “True. But you’re handling him well. And I know that last penalty really shocked you,” Edward said in a supportive tone.

Olivia swallowed hard, feeling a mix of resentment and frustration. The salary deduction wasn’t fair, and it made her upset with the man she worked so hard for, but she knew it was just a test of patience and endurance.

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After hours of preparation, it was time for the offsite meeting. They got into the car together, Olivia in the front seat next to the driver, and Edward and Ethan in the back. The drive was short, but the quiet in the car felt heavy. Every time she glanced at Ethan, the silence suffocated her and made her heart race strangely, as if the air itself had grown thick between them. She focused on the files, trying to ignore the odd sensation creeping over her.

They arrived at the meeting venue, a spacious hall equipped with the latest technology. The meeting began, and Olivia noticed that Ethan, despite his usual cold demeanor, was more focused on minute details, leading the discussion with absolute confidence, as if every word he spoke measured the strength of those around him.

During the meeting, Ethan asked Olivia to present some figures and reports. She felt nervous but pulled herself together and delivered the information clearly and accurately. Despite the frustration in her heart over the salary deduction, she felt a small spark of pride for completing the task without any mistakes. This tiny victory eased part of the anger twisting inside her.

After the meeting, they drove back to the office. Olivia reflected on her recent interactions with Ethan, noting that he showed no concern for her mood or feelings about the salary cut. That annoyed her in a strange way, yet she also felt a mysterious pull toward him, a feeling she couldn’t explain.

When she tried to get out of the car, she tripped suddenly. Ethan rushed to steady her, his body close to hers for a brief moment. Her heart raced, and she felt a mix of irritation and a strange comfort in his grip, even if it had been just an accident.

— “Careful, Olivia,” he said in a low, cold voice, showing no other emotion.

She caught her breath, rearranging her bag with a trembling hand, struggling to manage the conflicting feelings of anger over the salary cut and an inexplicable attraction toward him.

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On the way back to the office, Olivia started noticing new details in his behavior: his low voice during meetings, the way he focused on details, the sharpness of his remarks. All these things intimidated her, yet in his silence, she sensed something that made her heart beat differently—a feeling she hadn’t understood before.

Once they arrived, Edward sat next to her while Ethan returned to his office, busy reviewing documents. They exchanged some light words about the day’s meeting, and Olivia felt relief in being able to speak with Edward without any sense of threat or punishment.

But there was something about the way Ethan stood at the doorway, and the long silence that followed, that made her heart race. It was a new and thrilling sensation, one she had never felt before, a strange mix of tension and attraction.

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Before the day ended, while helping him organize some papers, Olivia accidentally bumped into him. Their bodies collided, and she felt his warmth, her heart beating faster. Ethan didn’t show any obvious reaction, but he remained still, which made her feel a strange pull toward him, something she couldn’t explain.

She paused, lifting her eyes to meet his for a brief moment. Her heart raced, and she felt a strange flutter in her chest, as if all the tension, anger, and frustration from the day over the salary cut had transformed into something deeper and more complex—a strange mix of attraction and fear of closeness.

She stepped back quietly, sighed, and smiled to herself, realizing that something had begun to shift in her feelings toward this strict, cold, but mysteriously compelling man.

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Olivia paused in front of his office, realizing that her feelings for Ethan were no longer just respect or irritation. Something new was taking shape in her heart. His steady gaze and long silence made her realize that her heart was drawn to him, and that her long, tension-filled day—full of anger, frustration, and anxiety over the salary cut—had ended with an unexpected feeling: attraction, and a mysterious flutter she couldn’t explain.

With every passing moment, she realized that the greatest challenge wasn’t just completing her tasks, but understanding her own feelings for a man who sometimes seemed heartless, yet left an unignorable mark on her heart.