Chapter 62: Chapter 62
Olivia’s POV
I froze in the bathroom stall even after I heard the sound of Sabrina walking away. My mind was reeling, replaying her words over and over again.
*Maxwell’s first love was named Olivia.*
Had I heard that correctly, or was my stressed-out brain playing tricks on me? The way Sabrina had said it so casually, like it was common knowledge - "her name was Olivia" - before Gabriel’s voice had interrupted their conversation.
*Is it possible that Maxwell has a problem with my name and not me specifically?* The thought sent a chill down my spine. *Why? Did his first love dump him? Break his heart? Leave him for another man?*
If Maxwell Wellington had been hurt by someone named Olivia, that would explain his hostility toward me at his Dr. Heart’s Office, his cruel comments about "women like Olivia," his determination to sabotage my relationship with Gabriel.
*Damn... that’s wild.*
"Honey, you can come out now," Julian’s voice cut through my thoughts. "The coast is clear, and we need to talk."
I slowly opened the stall door to find Julian standing there with his hands on his hips, impatiently tapping his legs.
"Spill," he demanded without preamble. "And I mean everything. I want every detail, every tea, every juice... and you better not leave anything out."
"Julian, I really can’t—"
"Oh, you absolutely can and you absolutely will," he interrupted, moving closer, "Because honey, let me paint you a picture of your nearest future if you don’t start talking. Option one: you tell me everything right now, and I help you figure out how to go through this mess without destroying your life. Option two: I march straight to Maxwell Wellington’s office and inform him that his ’male’ assistant has been using the ladies’ room for very obvious reasons."
My face went pale. "You wouldn’t."
"Try me, sugar." Julian’s smile was sharp. "I’ve got nothing to lose here, but you? You’ve got everything to lose. So what’s it going to be?"
I stared at him for a long moment, weighing my options. Julian clearly wasn’t going to let this go, and honestly, after living this lie for a while now, the thought of having an office confidante was almost irresistible.
"It’s a long story," I said finally in a low voice.
"Honey, I live for long stories. But right now, you need to get back to your office before the ice prince starts wondering where his assistant disappeared to. Meet me for lunch - 12:00 sharp at Taylor’s cafe so we can talk privately."
Julian paused, giving me one final look, "And Oliver? If you even think about standing me up, I will hunt you down and expose this whole charade. Are we clear?"
I nodded quickly, "crystal clear."
"Good. Now get out of here before someone else walks in and starts asking questions."
I hurried out of the bathroom and back down the hallway, with a pounding heart. I grabbed the files I’d abandoned on the couch earlier and took a deep breath before pushing open Maxwell’s office door.
Inside, I found Maxwell still behind his desk, reviewing documents with intense focus. He looked up when I entered, his eyes immediately filled with irritation.
"About time, Oliver," he said coldly, going back to his papers. "I told you to wait outside, not go home."
"I didn’t go home, sir," I said quickly, settling back at my little desk. "I just needed to use the restroom."
Maxwell’s pen paused mid-signature, and he slowly raised his eyes to meet mine. For a moment, he just stared at me, then his face hardened.
"I don’t give a damn where you went," he said curtly, returning his attention to his documents. "Just get back to work. I need those files before the end of the day."
"Yes, sir."
The next few hours passed in tense, awkward silence. I threw myself into recreating the coffee-damaged files, trying not to think about where Maxwell had been last night, or about his first love, or Gabriel’s unexpected arrival.
Maxwell worked at his desk with single-minded focus, occasionally answering phone calls or reviewing contracts, but otherwise ignoring my presence entirely.
The atmosphere in the office felt suffocating. Every time Maxwell shifted in his chair or cleared his throat, I tensed, expecting him to confront me about something. But he remained coldly quiet, treating me like a piece of office equipment.
Finally, the clock on my computer screen clicked over to 12:00 PM.
"Sir?" I said hesitantly, looking up from my work. "It’s lunchtime. Would you like me to order something for you, or...?"
Maxwell glanced at his watch, then back at me with slight surprise, as if he’d forgotten I was a human being who required food to function.
"Take your lunch break," he said dismissively. "Be back in exactly one hour."
"Yes sir."
I gathered my purse and headed for the door, acutely aware of Maxwell’s gaze following my every movement. It wasn’t until I was safely in the elevator that I allowed myself to breathe normally again.
Olivia could be his first love, last love, or even the woman he’d spent last night with - I didn’t care right now - all I cared about was meeting Julian.
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting across from Julian at the cafe, watching him sip his tea like a princess while impatiently drumming his fingers against the table.
"Alright," he said, setting down his cup. "Story time. And don’t you dare try to give me some watered-down version. I want the full, unedited, scandalous truth."
I looked around nervously, making sure no one from the office was within earshot, then leaned forward and began to speak.
"My real name is Olivia Hopton," I said quietly, "And I came here because of a man."
Then I delved into the story.
Julian leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows rising higher with each word I spoke. When I finished my explanation about disguising myself as Oliver to follow Alex Gregory to Wellington & Sons, he was completely silent for a full thirty seconds.
Then he started laughing.
Not just a chuckle, but full-blown, tears-in-his-eyes, gasping-for-breath laughter that drew stares from other people in the cafe.
"Stop laughing!" I hissed, sliding lower in my seat. "This is serious!"
"Oh honey," Julian wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes, "this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life. And trust me, I’ve heard some stories."
"It’s not ridiculous," I protested weakly.
"You disguised yourself as a man to follow your crush to a new job?" Julian repeated. "Baby girl, that’s not romantic. That’s restraining order territory."
I winced. When he put it like that, it did sound pretty unhinged.
"But wait," Julian continued, suddenly sitting up straighter, "so, not only did you follow Alex, but you ended up working for his best friend who happens to be a complete psychopath, AND you’re now dating Alex’s twin brother who has no idea of your double identity?"
"I’m not exactly dating Gabriel yet, and I wouldn’t say Maxwell is a psychopath..."
Julian fixed me with a look that could have frozen hell. "Sweetie, the man demoted you out of pure spite, fired you for being late once, then hired you back just so he could torture you some more. If that’s not psychotic behavior, I don’t know what is."
I opened my mouth to defend Maxwell, then stopped. What was I doing? Why was I trying to defend that creep? Of course he was a psychopath. And a crazy one at that.
"You’re right," I admitted. "He’s been horrible to me."
"And yet you just told me you think you’re developing feelings for him?" Julian shook his head in disbelief. "Honey, we need to get you into therapy. Like, immediately."
"I don’t have feelings for him!" I protested, then paused. "I mean, maybe I do, but it’s just confusion. Kira explained it - I’ve been single too long and I’m mixing up attraction with Stockholm syndrome or something."
Julian stirred his tea. "Okay, let me ask you this - why were you in the ladies’ room today? You said Gabriel showed up unexpectedly?"
"Yes," I said, grateful for the change of subject. "He appeared in Maxwell’s office completely out of nowhere. I panicked and ran because I was terrified he’d recognize me. Gabriel knows me as Olivia, not Oliver."
"And he has no idea about your little masquerade?"
I shook my head. "None whatsoever. He just met Oliver today for the first time. I couldn’t bear the thought of him recognizing me, not after turning him down for Saturday night."
"Saturday night?"
"Gabriel had asked me to be his date to Alex’s engagement party. But Alex and Maxwell both expect Oliver to be there as a colleague."
Julian nearly choked on his tea. "You’re joking."
"I wish I was. My life has become this insane web of lies, and honestly, I can’t seem to keep track of who knows what anymore. I lie so much these days that I can’t even differentiate the truth from the lies."
"Olivia," Julian said, his voice becoming serious, "you realize this can’t continue, right? You’re going to get caught. And when you do, it’s going to destroy everything, including your entire career."
"I know," I whispered, staring down at my food. "But I’m in too deep now. If I come clean, I lose everything anyway. At least this way, I’m getting paid really well while Maxwell makes my life hell."
Julian tilted his head. "How well?"
"He’s paying me five times what I made at my old firm. As his assistant." I looked up at Julian. "Which doesn’t make any sense, by the way. Why would anyone pay an assistant that much money?"
"Because he wants to keep you close," Julian said immediately. "But the question is why?"