Unable to move, Olivia stared at the name on the door. "What are we doing here?" April responded with an incredibly disbelieving expression.
Why was Olivia behaving in this way? She pondered.
She was aware that Olivia and Noah Jones had a difficult separation, but she was unaware of the extent of it. Years later, Olivia appeared ghostly at the mere mention of his name. What might have gone wrong between them? Olivia canceling at the last minute, when she'd already purchased a non-refundable plane ticket she could almost afford, sent shivers down her spine.
"You can't back out now, Olivia Miller; it's too late." April clenched her teeth, knowing she could lose a lot of money. After gently knocking, she opened the door without waiting for Olivia's response.
Since she could not risk Olivia pulling out, she knew her employer would not respond. Even though April had worked for Noah Jones for years, he was not her biggest fan, and the only reason she had progressed with him so far was because of her boyfriend. April was one of the few individuals permitted access to the top floor.
"You can come in." As she entered, her boss's voice rang with unmistakable derision. He was working on his laptop while seated behind his mahogany desk. April's presence had alerted him, and he didn't need to look up to recognize her.
"Come in." Breathing tremblingly, she whispered to Olivia, praying that nothing would ruin the moment. When Olivia entered the office slowly with dull eyes, she sighed with relief.
When Olivia entered the room and took a position next to April, her heart stopped. The sight of Noah Jones before her made her feel dizzy. The man was still the same, albeit a little more mature.
Her breath caught when he looked up and met her gaze; his lovely features creased in a scowl at how pale she appeared. He walked around his desk and stood in front of Olivia; I'm not sure why he left his chair and approached her. It appeared that they were alone as he put his hands in his pants pockets and stared at her. "Are you okay, Miss?" He walked away, patiently waiting for her to identify herself.
Does he not recognize her? April scowled as she glanced at the two.
April uttered a word Olivia seldom heard: "Williams." This is my sister, Miss Livvy Williams. She will act as my substitute." April made this observation as she watched Olivia, who seemed on the verge of losing consciousness.
Olivia stared at Noah Jones, still in disbelief. He bore a striking resemblance to her memories, with his dark brown hair and eyes, bushy eyebrows and thick lashes, a chiseled jaw, and pointed cheekbones that showcased the matching stubble. There was no way this could be real. Olivia felt the ground tremble beneath her feet, only to discover that powerful arms had trapped her before her feet ever touched the earth.
"Hey, are you OK?" The sound of his voice and the unexpected touch caused Olivia to freeze. She shoved her away and walked out of the office, not looking back as April ran after her, her nostrils tingling with the familiar scent of perfume.
Her hardness startled Noah; she jumped away from him like he was some sickness. He waited for the sisters to return, pacing around the office with a deep sigh. The idea made him shake his head; April had never mentioned her sister, and he was unaware of her existence.
"Livvy!" As Olivia was ready to board the elevator, April yelled after her and yanked her back. Before she knew what was happening, Olivia wrenched her arm out of April's grasp. She saw nothing but red as a loud, shattering sound rang out.
April gripped her cheek with her eyes wide with shock and her body trembling from the force of the smack. Although she had witnessed Olivia become enraged previously, she had never witnessed her become so enraged that her body shook, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes lifeless. While Olivia moved ahead, April retreated a step. Even though Olivia had never touched her before, she appeared to be attempting to kill her, so April wouldn't be surprised if she slapped her again. "Olivia, I'm sorry," April spoke, terrified.
Olivia let out a sour laugh and licked her teeth. "Not as sorry as you will be once I'm done with you." Knowing that this was more than just a threat, Olivia stated in a chilly tone, sending shivers down April's spine. Olivia Miller never threatened; instead, she made promises and did a fantastic job keeping them. "Lead the way, sister." Olivia pointed to Noah Jones's office and spoke in a lethal tone.
April wasn't sure if she still wanted to do this, but she had come a long way toward giving up. Olivia followed her into the office as she made her way back there. Noah Jones returned to his desk and waited for the two women to take their seats.
"Is everything OK?" he asked, shifting his gaze between the two women but not straying from the red markings on April's cheek.
"Yes, my sister and I just had a little disagreement." April sat beside Olivia, who spoke calmly and gave her a sidelong glance.
Noah glanced at her, almost missing the familiarity in her voice due to its distinct ring. "I didn't know April had a sister." He sat back in his chair and swung it from side to side, trying to find similarities between the two women, but he could not find any. April and Livvy didn't look alike in any way.
"Let's just get down to business. The last thing we need is for my sister to lose her last money for the non-refundable ticket," Olivia laughed.
Noah remarked, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "I see."
"Miss Williams, could you explain your qualifications for this position? "Tell me why you are the best candidate for this job," Noah remarked, curiously glancing at Olivia.
"Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but I have a flight to catch!" Surprised that this was turning into an interview, April intervened, warning Noah that if he didn't like Olivia, she could either leave and risk losing her job or stay and discard all her ideas.
"Are you sure you want her to stand in for you?" Noah questioned with a harsh tone.
"Yes, Sir." All April could do was grimace while nodding.
"Then let her speak for herself." With an order, he turned back to face Olivia.
"Well, I have more experience than just making coffee, printing copies, and taking minutes," Olivia spoke sharply, stabbing April in the heart with her remarks. With interest, Noah sat up and rested his wrists on the desk. "I have connections with people, and I can assist you in attracting more clients." She spoke officially.
"What makes you think I need your help, Miss Williams?" Noah questioned smugly, observing her with curiosity as she appeared calm, unlike her sister, who winced at every word they spoke.
"Unless you need my help, I have no business here," Olivia replied, pushing back her chair and reaching her feet. With Olivia's comments echoing in her ears, April's eyes grew wide with fear. Before going to the door, she said, "Have a good day, Mr. Jones."
Noah's face straightened, and his eyebrows went up in perplexity as he suddenly recognized the voice bothering him for the last fifteen minutes. "Wait a minute." In an instant, he whispered to himself and turned away from his desk. He walked to where she was, at which point Olivia turned around and shot him a beautifully arched eyebrow. "I know who you are," Noah muttered, reddening his face from fury. "You are the woman from the restaurant." With his hands balled up at his sides, he spoke solemnly.