9. Olivia
9
OLIVIA
“Eat your heart out, Alex,” I whispered as I stepped off the elevator. There was a pep in my step as I strolled down the carpeted corridor to Thomas Greggory’s office. He was a long-time friend of my father's who was willing to invest in BioTech. The man was loaded, so I knew I could count on him to be a major help.
He expressed his desire to take on a less active role in the business world. He’d surpassed retirement age after all. Partnering with me would be perfect for him. He’d do nothing really, and he’d still be collecting big bucks. The most important outcome… BioTech would continue to thrive under my leadership.
I was smiling when I reached the double glass doors of Thomas’ office. His secretary, who had been working there for so long I swore she was built into the place, greeted me warmly. “Olivia, it’s so nice to see you again.”
I grinned at the older woman who was acquainted with my family. “Roberta, hi. It’s been so long. How are you? ”
“Great. How’s your mother doing? I heard she had a health scare.”
“She’s doing much better now, thanks. I have an appointment with Thomas…”
Roberta’s smile dimmed. “Of course. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a few minutes. He’s still in a meeting.”
“No problem,” I said brightly.
My schedule was clear for the rest of the afternoon. I thought I’d invite Thomas to lunch to celebrate our new partnership after our meeting. It was pretty much a done deal after all. However, as I studied Roberta, suspicion kicked in. She looked rather shifty…
My eyes narrowed on her face. “Is something wrong, Roberta?”
Her cheeks, which were already rosy from a heavy application of blush, brightened some more. “No, not at all, dear.”
Yet, her eyes skated away from me. I didn’t know the woman all that well since we’d only had brief run-ins over the years, but she’d never behaved this cagey.
“Is Thomas alright?” I asked, glancing at the closed door.
“His arthritis has been acting up, but he’s fine.”
“Mhmm.”
As I stared at her, she glanced at her boss’s door. She then waved me closer with urgency.
Tentatively, I leaned closer.
“I can’t let you walk in there without a heads-up,” she whispered. “Mr. Greggory is going to back out of your deal.”
“What? Why ?” Alarmed, I gaped at the secretary as if she could save me with information.
“Someone named Alexander Knight called a few days ago. They had a lengthy chat and then Mr. Knight showed up today.”
My heart plummeted into my ass .
“I overheard something about Mr. Knight having dinner with Amelia and coming to some kind of agreement.”
Amelia was Thomas’ oldest daughter. She’d been reluctant to take over her father’s business, which was why he was willing to partner with me and take a more passive role. What the hell kind of agreement could she have come to with Alex and what did that have to do with my deal with Thomas? My mind raced. My thoughts then came to a screeching halt. Amelia and Alex had dinner?
I didn’t know why I focused on that part or why the jealous monster in me was lifting her head. I had to keep it together. Taking a deep breath, I found my composure. “I see. I appreciate the heads-up, Roberta.”
Sharp, pale blue eyes practically bore holes into my face. She gave me this motherly, sympathetic look that almost made me rest my head on her shoulder and break down into tears. I was fucking stressed and the new uncertainty that Roberta’s news brought nearly sent me over the edge.
However, Olivia Brentwood didn’t show fear or anxiety… Well, only around a selected few. Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, I straightened my jacket and hiked my shoulders back. “So, it’s Mr. Knight in there with Thomas now.”
The woman nodded in confirmation as she eyed me with more sympathy.
A part of me wanted to barge into the office and demand to know what Alex was up to. Of course, I couldn’t behave like an unhinged person.
“I’ll just have a seat and wait until their meeting is over,” I said coolly.
The entire time I sat waiting in the posh office, I glared at the door. It was a wonder the chunk of wood didn’t burst into flames. When the door finally opened, my eyes collided with striking blue ones.
Alex grinned. “Well, speak of the devil…” He looked over his shoulder. “She’s here, Tom.”
My eyes narrowed to furious slits. He was the only devil here… and Tom ? Since when were Alex and Thomas Greggory besties? I stood up and plastered on a smile when Thomas appeared in the doorway.
“Olivia,” he greeted with his typical jovial air. He stepped around Alex and spread his arms wide.
I walked into his embrace because I didn’t consider this a typical business meeting. I had entertained the thought that it would be a reunion with an old friend who would help me.
“It’s good to see you, Thomas,” I said when I stepped back.
The genuine excitement in his eyes dimmed as he studied me. “I didn’t get the time to call you about the changes to our agreement…”
My jaw clenched to the point of pain. “Changes…?”
My gaze shifted to Alex who stood in the doorway wearing a smirk that I wanted to slap away.
“Yes.” Thomas gestured for me to go into his office.
As I passed Alex, he stepped aside. However, he was close enough for me to get a whiff of his delicious scent. It made me want to lean closer to him and inhale deeply, but then I remembered that I was supposed to be pissed at him, so I scowled instead. That made amusement flash in his eyes… The asshole.
“Olivia, I’m sure you know Alexander Knight,” Thomas said once I was in his office.
“In passing,” I said dismissively and heard Alex snort. “I take it your meeting with him is over. Surely, he can leave now…?” I gave Alex a heated look but smiled at Thomas .
Thomas’ eyes darted between us with curiosity. “Uh… well, this meeting now involves Mr. Knight.”
In my head, I stomped my foot and threw the metal paperweight on Thomas’ desk at Alex’s head. However, on the outside, I didn’t bat an eyelash. “Is that so?”
“Have a seat.” Thomas pointed to a chair.
Barely holding my shit together, I sat and crossed my legs. To my chagrin, Alex took the seat beside me. He smiled serenely, and I had to exercise great self-control not to reach for that paperweight…
“Mr. Knight and I have been corresponding for a few days,” Thomas began. “But I wasn’t sure if he was serious until now.”
“What’s going on, Thomas?” I asked.
“If you’re still interested in my investment…”
“I am.” I hated that I had to admit why I was here in front of Alex. He must be enjoying himself immensely.
“You’ll have to go through Mr. Knight, I’m afraid,” Thomas revealed. “He gave me an offer I just couldn’t refuse, and Amelia liked the idea. You know how good she is with all the legal stuff…”
My heartbeat gradually sped up. Don’t say it. Don’t. You. Dare. Say. It.
“Mr. Knight owns a significant portion of our shares now… the majority, actually.”
Motherfucker!
“He’s essentially a co-owner of the company as of this morning.” Thomas’ gray caterpillar eyebrows furrowed into lines of concern as he watched me. Perhaps he saw the horror I tried to hide. “It’s up to him now whether we invest in BioTech.”
The room tilted slightly as his words sank in. I turned to Alex, wondering how the hell he beat me. None of the board members knew about my plan to partner with Thomas, so none of them could have blabbed to anyone. I’d been so careful…
The smirk playing on Alex’s lips told me he loved that he now had the upper hand. “How about that? Congratulations, Mr. Knight,” I managed through clenched teeth. “This is certainly… a surprise…”
Alex’s smile widened. “Business is full of surprises, Ms. Brentwood.”
Thomas was oblivious to the tension crackling between Alex and me. He nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Mr. Knight has proposed an ingenious plan for the future of the company. It aligns perfectly with where I hoped my hard work over the years would lead. Amelia reviewed everything, and she’s quite impressed.”
“I bet.” I wanted to tear my hair out.
“Well, Ms. Brentwood, aren’t you going to ask if I’m willing to invest in BioTech?” Alex drawled.
I turned to him with a forced smile that probably looked more like a snarl. “Something tells me you’re not.”
He steepled his fingers and studied me with a smirk. “You’re very intuitive, Ms. Brentwood. I’m not interested.”
Thomas watched us with creased eyebrows and through narrowed eyes. Maybe he finally picked up on the tension in the room.
“Well, then, there’s no point in wasting any more time,” I said. Getting up, I offered Thomas a hand. By some miracle, I was able to keep up my professional smile. “Thomas, I wish things had worked out differently, but thanks for your time.”
He shook my hand as he gave me an apologetic look. “Take care, Olivia.”
“You too.”
Although my professional mask was on, I couldn’t stomach pretending to be cordial to Alex. I didn’t even look at him as I waltzed out of Thomas’ office. I managed to give Roberta a farewell smile and wave, and I kept my composure until I reached the elevators. My cool mask began to slip and by the time I entered the lift, it completely melted away. As the door slid shut, I let out a frustrated growl and stomped my foot so hard, I almost broke the heel of my shoe.
To my dismay, a hand appeared in the elevator and the doors slid back open. I gritted my teeth as Alex stepped in and casually leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. I didn’t dare to look at him because I might lose control of my temper and kick him in the shin. However, I saw him watching me from my periphery.
I told myself I wouldn’t say a word to him, but the longer we stood in silence, the more my fury rose. Eventually, I turned to glare at him. “That smug smirk of yours tells me you’re extremely happy with yourself.”
Alex quirked an eyebrow. The way he looked at me… that quick and subtle way his gaze raked my form from head to toe… made me hot and confused .
“Another successful acquisition… of course, I’m happy,” he said, returning his gaze to the floor indicator.
“You only went after Thomas’ company to obliterate my chance of getting an investor,” I accused.
It could be a huge coincidence that I ran into him here, but I was suspicious. I knew Alex Knight. Despite the changes in him, I bet he was still a mischievous maverick who wasn’t afraid to play dirty. I used to find his bad boy edge hot, but now… it was just annoying.
“You really think you’re that important, huh?” He laughed and the mocking note struck a chord.
I used to be important to him …
“You’re not, Olivia. My focus is on branching out, extending my reach, and making more money…”
“I don’t believe you,” I hissed.
The ding of the elevator announced our arrival, and the doors opened, revealing the underground parking lot.
Alex stepped out, his expression like granite. “Goodbye, Olivia. Good luck with your next potential investor.”
The dismissiveness of his tone left me seething. Instead of behaving in my usual cool manner, I followed him out, my heels clicking against the pavement.
“Alex!” I refused to let him have the last word.
He stopped and turned around with stiff shoulders as if preparing for a fight.
“I know you’re doing this out of spite,” I said vehemently as I pointed an accusing finger.
“You don’t know shit,” he growled.
I was taken aback by his vehemence but then my eyes narrowed to slits. His reaction confirmed my suspicion. As if realizing he lost his temper, his jaw clenched and relaxed. In an instant, his expression went back to being unreadable.
“I think I do,” I challenged. “Ever since we reunited?—”
He snorted derisively.
“It’s like you’ve been out for blood,” I continued. “I get why you’d want to come after me, but I don’t understand why you’re relentlessly trying to destroy my entire family.” My pride took a step aside as I looked him in the eye. “Look, we’re barely hanging by a financial thread. I can’t lose my company…” My cheeks got dangerously hot after admitting that to him. I hated looking weak.
“I don’t give a shit about your family, Olivia,” he replied softly. “I want what I want, and I’m going to get it.”
“You cared about some members of my family once.” My dad hated him and the idea of us together, but my mother thought he hung the moon and my brother idolized him.
If I hadn’t been watching him so closely, I would have missed the tiny crack in his stony expression. I saw the way his eyes softened. Hope flared in my chest at the thought that we could talk and work something out.
To my dismay, he said, “That was another lifetime ago.”
“It’s only been nine years…”
“Enough time for me to stop giving a shit about selfish people.”
My molars snapped together. That was a dig at me, but it was so far from the truth. Frustration practically boiled my blood. “Alright, fine.” I threw my arms up in defeat. “I hurt you, Alex, and I never apologized. Is that what you want?”
His eyes narrowed on me. “The only thing I want is BioTech.”
“Only because I broke your heart in college. I’m sorry, okay? Now, can we be mature thirty-year-olds and move on? It’s time you stop being petty over a little college breakup.”
The instant the words left my mouth, I regretted them. I didn’t mean to downplay what we had. It wasn’t little . It was real and intense… so much more than the frivolous fling I just made it out to be.
The fury in Alex’s eyes ignited to a blaze as he stepped closer. “Yes, you did hurt me.”
Remorse struck me in the chest. I didn’t think he’d admit it.
“But you give yourself too much credit… typical Brentwood.”
The guilt coursing through me stopped, and I glared at him. It was irritating how he kept putting down my family.
“I got over you fast, Olivia,” he said. “I didn’t even think about you because you just weren’t that fucking memorable, so I’m not being petty . This is business .”
His words were like a slap in the face. I wasn’t that memorable? Well, fuck. That stung like a thousand venomous bee stings. I stared at him, trying to gauge if he really meant that. There was no sign of the old Alex, my Alex, in his cold stare, so maybe he did mean every word…
My throat convulsed as I swallowed my hurt. “Well then, may the best man or woman win…” I spun on my heels and walked away. My steps were brisk, resonating with the emotional blow I just got.
I suppose I deserved that, considering I tried to hurt him first with my stupid comment about our little college breakup. As I sat in my car and stared ahead, Alex’s words echoed in my mind. He didn’t even think about me after we broke up. That sucked because I thought about him every day.