The sun peeked over the horizon, bathing the beach house in warm, golden light. In the distance, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore could be heard, providing a soothing sound as the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air.
The breakfast table was set with a bright, colorful tablecloth with freshly squeezed orange juice, warm croissants with butter and jam, a bowl of ripe fruit, and a steaming pot of coffee sitting on it. The sound of seagulls calling in the distance and the occasional clinking of spoons against mugs were the only noises heard that morning.
Alex sat at the breakfast table, his gaze fixated on his plate of food and phone in his free hand. He methodically ate his breakfast, taking small, deliberate bites, and chewing slowly. Occasionally, he would take a sip of his coffee, but his focus never wavered from his plate. His demeanor was distant and cold, the man Olivia was quite familiar with. His eyes never made any contact with hers, even though they were seated opposite each other. His jaw was set in a firm line, and his eyes were hard.
As she watched his detached behavior, her confusion began to give way to a growing sense of frustration and anger. She couldn't understand why he was suddenly acting so distant and aloof after they had shared a moment of connection just the night before. Why was he now avoiding her gaze and refusing to engage with her at all?
Was he regretting their kiss? Did he think it was a mistake? Or was he simply trying to maintain a professional distance between them? Whatever the reason, she couldn't help but feel hurt and rejected by his cold demeanor.
Her anger continued to simmer. She couldn't sit there and pretend that everything was okay, like he was doing. He couldn't kiss her the way he did last night and then pretend like she didn't exist the following day.
Perhaps he saw their kiss as a betrayal of his marriage vows. Or he was just being arrogant. In the moment of frustration, she slammed her fork down on her plate, causing a loud clatter that only got a glance from him before he returned his gaze to his phone.
She pushed her chair back and stood up, her ears burning with embarrassment and anger and she fled to her room.
***
.
Olivia felt a deep sense of regret as she reflected on the events of the last few hours. She realized that she had been naive to think that he could ever have any feelings for her. He was a powerful billionaire, used to getting what he wanted, not concerned about anyone else's feelings. She was just a small part of his life, there to fulfill a temporary role and nothing more.
Who was she to think that someone like Alex could ever be interested in her? She had no wealth or status to offer him. How could she have been so foolish as to allow herself to feel even the slightest thing for him, to hope that he might feel something for her in return?
Tears streamed down her face as she fully processed the extent of her humiliation. She had never felt so belittled and insignificant. His silence had been deliberate, to dismiss her and make her feel small.
Her thoughts turned to Nath, and guilt washed over her. She had been so caught up in her supposed feelings for Alex that she had almost forgotten about the man she was engaged to marry. It was as if Nath had become a distant memory, replaced by the thrill of being around the powerful and exciting Alexander Westmore.
Nath deserved better than this betrayal. He had been nothing but kind and supportive to her.
She checked her phone, hoping for a message from Nath, but there was still nothing. The silence only made her feel worse, as if her betrayal would never make it possible for her to see him again.
Maybe it was for the best, she thought. She needed to get her priorities straight and focus on the task at hand. She was here for a job, to play a role and earn a paycheck, not to fall in love with her employer.
She wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. She would play her part, fulfill her contract, and make sure she's never swayed by the charms of Alexander Westmore. It might be difficult, but it was the only way to protect her heart and her dignity.
She slipped her headphones over her ears and felt a sense of relief wash over her. Music provided a temporary escape from her tumultuous emotions, allowing her to drift off into a restless sleep.
***
Alex was uneasy. He couldn't wrap his head around why he had been so foolish as to kiss Olivia. It had been a moment of weakness, a lapse in judgment that he felt quite ashamed of. Regardless, he had enjoyed the kiss, more than he cared to admit.
It was completely out of character for him to mix business with pleasure, and he knew that he would have to be more careful going forward. He would maintain his distance from Olivia, keeping their interactions professional.
He also had to set things straight with Olivia and make it clear that the kiss had been an error and that their relationship would remain strictly professional from now on. He composed a text message to her, keeping his tone as professional as possible..
"Miss Shaw," he wrote, "See me in my study."
He got no immediate response from Olivia. Exhausted from the stress and worry of the past few days, he drifted off into sleep. His dreams were filled with his demons closing in on him.
He woke up with a start, his body covered in a cold sweat. Someone was tapping on the door
"Come in," he called out.
The door opened, and Olivia walked in, her expression guarded and her posture stiff. Alex could see the awkwardness she felt concerning the situation but she held his gaze as she approached him.
" Have a seat," he said, breaking eye contact.
She hesitated for a moment before sitting down. He could tell that she was trying to maintain composure, and he found it admirable.
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "I know you're probably expecting some kind of apology," he began. ''I do recognize that my behavior last night was unbecoming of a CEO, and for that, I apologize."
He reached into his pocket almost immediately and pulled out the necklace, holding it out to her. "I believe I wanted to return this to you last night," he said, his tone flat but laced with a hint of arrogance.
Olivia took the necklace from him, her expression carefully neutral. "Thank you for returning it," she said. "And while I appreciate your apology, I hope you understand that I expect a certain level of professionalism from you, as my employer."
Alex nodded. "Of course," he said. "I assure you that you would never be in that position again. . "Besides," he continued, "I think we can both agree that last night's little...indiscretion was simply a result of too much wine and your striking resemblance to my wife.''
Olivia stiffened, her eyes narrowing as she glared at him. "I find it hard to believe that you could confuse me with your wife, Mr. Westmore," she said. "And while I may have had a glass of wine, I assure you that I was in complete control of my actions."
He shrugged. "Perhaps you're right," he said, his tone dismissive. "Regardless, I think we can both agree that it would be best to put this incident behind us and move on."
Olivia nodded, "Agreed," she said, standing up to leave. "I promise you that it won't happen again."
As the door closed behind Olivia, Alex let out a heavy sigh. He couldn't lie to himself that the kiss was because of the wine or Olivia's resemblance to Sophia. He was just simply in love with her.