Olivia North

"Seriously? Dad?" I saw their shocked faces looking at my way then dad spoke.

"Livy, before you say anything, let me explain first." Dad spoke carefully.

"Dad, you don't have to explain. Oh my God." I snapped at him and folded my arms on my chest.

"Olivia, drop that attitude. Dad's trying to explain it to you." I looked at Zac and he was mad.

What the hell! If he's mad, then I'm mad too.

I narrowed my eyes at him and pointed my index finger at him.

"No, you listen to me!!! All of you! We were waiting for you three to have dinner already but you three decided to have a meeting right after I left! We are all starving, Dylan kept asking me when are we gonna eat." I looked at dad and continued. "Seriously, dad?! Are you really going to talk business on your birthday?!"

I glared at the three men staring at me with surprise.

I cannot believe that they really held a small meeting right before we have dinner. Can't it wait til after dinner? Or on Monday? Geez... I know these three owns a big company but can't they have a life outside of it? Why do they always bring their work with them?

"You're hangry?" Nick asked me and walked towards me.

"We all are. If you don't want me to make a scene tonight then let's go. I'm hungry and I can't stand to see my son salivating over a fried chicken. Let's go!" I opened the door and waited for them, I didn't know if I rendered them speechless because of my outburst because they stayed rooted on their place.

"MOVE!" I raised my voice and click my finger. Thankfully they all abide me and walked out of the study.

Nick put his arm around me but I removed it harshly. I glared at him and walked immediately to the dinning room.

I was hungry, so don't blame me for being grumpy.

When we entered the dining room, the whole room erupted with happy birthdays from Jowee, Erin, Neil, and Sky. Dad apologized for making them wait and we started eating dinner.

Dad sat in the middle while me and Zac took a seat on the sides of the table. Dylan was seated between me and Nick while Jowee sat beside him.

Erin hesitated to sit beside Zac but she didn't have any choice because the other two chairs were now occupied by Neil and Sky. Also the plates was equally placed in fours on both side of the table. Our side was already full so she has to sit on the other side.

Nope, we didn't plan it. Jowee and I were way too hungry to play cupid between them.

I was putting his silicon food bib around his neck when he spoke excitedly.

"Happy birthday, Gwanpa. Can we eat now?" Dad chuckled.

"Yes we can eat now. I'm sorry little man." Dad apologized and passed me the pasta to give Dylan.

"It's okay, gwanpa, it's okay. Mommy, can I have chicken first? Pwease." Everyone laughed at his cuteness and Lorna immediately served him the fried chicken.

The rest of the dinner went well for us, I just don't know if the two people in front of me enjoyed it. Obviously something happened between them and I will find out what it was tonight.

After dinner, dad called Dylan to play with him. I was following them when Jowee grabbed me to the patio.

"Livy, have spoken to Adolph?" She whispered when we arrived at the patio.

"Yes. I've seen him last last week when he had a business meeting here. Why?" I replied.

"He kept on asking me about you. He told me to remind you to check your messages or to answer his calls. Seriously Olivia, why are you ignoring him? Have you changed your mind?" She asked exasperatedly.

"Who changed her mind?" Erin emerged from the adjoining door.

"This missy. She kept ignoring Adolph's messages and calls. Poor man was losing his mind that's why he kept calling me asking about her." Jowee pointed her index finger to me and I just sighed and sat down on one of the chairs.

I remember the last time I went here was when I had the talk with Niccolo. I slapped him because he was being rude to me. I smiled to myself when I realized that we really have come a long way. I hated him so much, I insulted him about being after my money and now, I'm head over heels with him. Time really flies so fast when you're happy.

Then I heard a clicking of a finger and Jowee's irritated voice.

"Hello, Earth to Olivia North."I looked at her and raised my brows.

"I'm sorry, okay. Tell Adolph that I'm sorry too. I will make it up to him." I said.

"Livy, if you have changed your mind, at least tell him. Don't give him false hopes please." Erin spoke and sighed.

"I'm not giving him false hopes, it's just, how can I reply or answer his call when I'm always with Niccolo or I was in a meeting." I replied back to her.

"Olivia, he's in Germany for God sakes, there's time difference. Can you at least reply to him? Oh my God. I pity him for chasing me just to ask about you." Jowee replied in irritation.

I sighed.

"Okay fine. I'll give him a call tomorrow. Just not now, Nick's here. Are we okay now? Can we stop talking about him? If someone hears us I don't think I can explain to them without telling them the truth." I said in irritatoon too.

Then I remembered about what happened at the dinner a while ago. It's time to change the subject.

"So, what's going on with you and my brother, huh? Why were you too acting strangely with each other? Did you two fought or something?" I asked her totally not knowing what happened between them.

"W-what do you mean? Why did y-you think t-that? Nothing's going on between me a-and your brother. Why would you think that? We're not even close." Oh really? Then why are you blushing? I wanted to tell her that but I kept myself from asking because Jowee and I agreed that we will confront her about jer feelings when the time is right.

"Oh okay. It's just that you two were acting strangely a while ago. Anyway, I'm going to Paris tomorrow night, do you want something from there?" Jowee changed the topic.

"Nothing I have in mind. How bout you, E?" She just shook his head and sighed.

"Let's go inside, it's chilly out here." I told them and we went inside.

************
I looked at all the pictures I took on dad's birthday dinner last week. I was so glad that he's happy. His eyes were twinkling in every photos, it's been so long since I've seen him that happy. Also, I'm happy that he's so fond of Dylan, that he treats him as his own grandson.

My office phone startled me when it rang. Oh my God, who set my ringer to the highest volume? Anyway, I checked the caller ID and saw my brother's name. Ugh, what does he want now?

"What?" I pressed the speaker button. I hope I won't proxy to one of his meetings.

"Come here. Now!" Then he hung up. How rude. If I get the chance to strangle him I will gladly do it. Ugh, if only I could then I would. Can't he just tell me through phone? It would save time...

I informed Nikkie that I was going to him and that hold all my calls.

I entered his office and saw him pacing to and from. I furrowed my brows, is this urgent? What happened? Did something happened?

"Zachary?" I called him and he stopped to face me.

Uh-oh. Did I do something wrong? What's with that face?

"What's going on?" I asked then he hugged me. Oh God. This is killing me. What is going on? Why is he acting so strange?

"Zac! What has happened? You're killing me!!!" I pushed him to face me and there I saw regret in his face.

"I did something very very wrong. Horrendous actually, Olivia. I don't know what to do." He went to his couch and put his head inside his palms.

What happened. This is really killing me.

"Zac! Tell me what happened! Stop giving me nonsense answers for God sakes." I sat beside him and shook him to get him into his senses.

"I had sex with her colleague last night. I didn't know she was her colleague so when she went to her colleague's apartment a while ago, she saw me and her friend making out in her bed naked." He held my shoulder and looked me in the eye.

"Olivia, I saw the hurt in her eyes. I swear I didn't know. Oh my God I'm fucked up." He groaned and stood up to get a scotch from his stash.

Who is she? What was he talking about? Who saw them? Who's this colleague and her friend.

"Zac, I don't actually follow you. Who's who? Why are you acting like this?" I asked completely clueless about what happened.

Then just like magic, he became the feared Zachary North the business world know of. Oh no no no. He's not shutting me out, is he?

"Zac, tell me." I encouraged him but he just looked at me void of emotions.

"No one. Just go. Get the files to my secretary, you're going to attend my 4pm meeting with Sanjay Gupta. Now get out." He said sternly and poured another scotch in his glass.

"This does not work on me, Zac. Tell me what happened. I can see that it's eating you alive." I countered him and folded my arms on my chest.

He glared at me and shouted which made me startled.

"When I said get out Olivia, get the fuck out! Don't make me drag you out by you hair. Go somewhere else, go to Niccolo or wherever! I won't care! Just get out!" He sat on his chair after his outburst and called Jane, his secretary.

I didn't know what to say. Should I say something? No... If I say something he'll get mad again. I should zip my mouth and get out. The level of his outburst was beyond my reach now, he's about to be the scary Zachary.

"Get her out of here. Now!" He commanded her. Seriously, what did I do? He told me come up here then I came, now he wanted me to get out? I just asked what happened.

His door opened and Jane entered with a pale face. I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Miss North, it's time go." I nodded and exited my brother's room.

"Jane, what's going on? I didn't even say anything and then he went ballistic on me. What happened?" I asked Jane when we're outside my brother's office.

"Ms. North, I too didn't know. He just came in with a sour mood. He almost fire our IT head for almost tripping in front of him. About the meeting later, I already forwarded the files and restaurant place to Nikkie for your review." What the actual hell? What's going on with him?

I sighed and looked at her.

"Okay. Thank you, Jane. Just hang tight today. Don't make any one single mistake and make sure to tell it to anyone who dares  to come in to his office." I suggested to her and went to the lift.

Oh brother, you seriously needed help. What's happened this morning. Phew... Good luck, Jane.

I went to Sanjay Gupta's company, apparently Zac's trying to have a joint venture with his company, Gupta Flavors and Fragrances, and today's meeting was about the furnishing of the proposal. I reviewed Jane's report from the previous meetings and I noted that Zac was okay with everything. I'm just here to seal the deal and sign on his behalf.

As I was waiting for the lift, someone called me and I hoped that I didn't responded because it happened to be my most hated person in the Earth, Cassandra Tucker.

"Well, well, to what do we owe the pleasure, Olivia North?" She stood beside me and patted my shoulder. I ignored her presence and looked at the lift's screen.

"Are you here for a meeting? With whom? With Mr. Gupta? Oh, I must say, he's a very ravishing man. Someone like him will definitely fall for your charms. Is that why you're the one having a meeting with him? Instead of your brother?" She said and I just ignored her. How did she know about my meeting?

"Well, I've seen your brother here twice... So, did he not manage Mr. Gupta's agreement so he sent his nun of a sister instead?" She's trying to annoy me but I will not give her the satisfaction.

"Or are you really? I've seen lots of videos of you being wild in a club, making out with different men, and a news about you having an affair. Oh my God, Livy. Are you here to seduce Mr. Sanjay?" She said it in a loud voice and thankfully, there were only few people in the lobby. But still, they looked at me with judgemental looks.

I took a deep breathe and faced her. I smiled and narrowed my eyes at her.

"Let's see if I get him to sign the proposal with my charms. Afterall, I can give anything he wanted. Right?" I whispered seductively and tucked a loose strand of hair on her ear.

"Now you're showing your true colors. What would Niccolo think if he knew that you're not the Olivia North he knows. That you are what the media tells us, huh." She asked and I still remained smiling at her.

"He won't, Cassie. Because he's blinded by his love for me." I said and entered the lift. I closed it immediately so that the bitch won't enter.

Thank God, I restraint myself in slapping her. How dare she accuse me of using my body for this deal? And what did she say? I am not the Olivia North? Then who am I? Was I faking in front of him? I scoffed.

She's trying to transfer her doings to me. She may look like a kind woman but she's far from being kind. She's a kind of woman that won't stop and does everything until she gets what she wants.

And did she think that my brother would sell me just to have this proposal signed? What did she think that we're desperate? No way, there are lots of companies out there who are willing to do business with us. Don't she dare cheapen our company with that kind of thinking.

Oh and she works here? Yuck. This is the first and last time I'm going to this company. I don't want to see a trash or better yet talked to one, it will just spoil my day.

Anyway, let's start this meeting with this Sanjay Gupta.

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