Logan

My mind had been divided between the ongoing discussion and my own thoughts. Today marked two days of my stay in Santorini, and I would say it hasn't gotten any better for me. Yes, I know I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have left without informing Olivia. I had thought it would be a one-day deal signing, but it turned out to have its own setbacks I needed to navigate to see it through.

The only thing keeping me sane was the thought of Olivia. Being away from her made me realize how much I was missing in life. It made me confront my feelings. Yes, I have fallen for Olivia. I don't know how it happened, but I know what I feel for her isn't just sympathy for the responsibility or the child growing inside her. It's more than that. I haven't felt so out of place with my emotions like I have since the day I left New York for Santorini.

I had tried calling Olivia countless times but discarded the thought. At some point, I was nervous. What could I possibly tell her when I left just like that? However, her absence around me has given me strength. To pursue her. To allow her to creep into my tainted heart. I know I'm not the perfect person out there, but for Olivia, I want to be that person she can rely on. Someone she can lean on. But for that to happen, I need to come clean. Not only about my feelings but about her rights.

I have decided I will take matters into my own hands. The first thing I will look forward to is coming clean to my family about my relationship with Olivia. Yes, I'm going to tell them everything. Whether they accept the truth or not doesn't matter. What matters is Olivia.

I exhaled deeply, almost unknowingly. Pairs of eyes were fixated on me. "It looks like we need to review the contract again before we proceed with the signing," Mr. Christopher, the director in charge of the company I was planning to make a deal with, uttered.

I leaned forward, intertwining my hands together. "We've already discussed most of the key points. I don't believe there's much left to go over. Let's finalize the deal," I said confidently.

The man nodded in agreement with my assessment before reaching for the pen. He signed his part of the contract, and I followed suit. In that moment, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The deal my father had wanted was now successfully signed. My mind immediately turned to home, to Olivia. We exchanged copies of the contract, and I headed straight to the airport.

My little excitement was cut short as soon as I landed in New York; my father wanted my immediate attention at the office. I didn't take it personally; I knew he was eager to hear a briefing about everything. I would have preferred to head directly to Olivia's clinic, just to see her face, but I understood the need for patience. If I wanted everything to go smoothly, I had to be patient.

"Let's discuss that," I heard my father's voice as I pushed open the door to his office. Seated in front of him was one of the employees.

"Logan," he greeted, his face wearing a smile that I found rather unusual. It wasn't like it was my first time signing a deal from another country, so the overt praise felt odd. Nevertheless, I didn't dwell on it. I waited until the man left before fully focusing on my father.

"So, how did it go?" He asked, taking a sip of what I assumed was coffee or tea. He lived on that during work hours.

"You know your son," I replied with a smile forming on my lips. The fact was, there was no business deal I couldn't successfully navigate. My father trusted me in that regard.

"You're right. I know it went well. Good job. This is what Liam and Collins should be doing. You, Scott, and Bernard are the only ones consistently doing the right thing. I don't know what Liam wastes his time on," my father commented, bringing up Liam and Collins unexpectedly. I had a feeling one of them had done something wrong again.

"You should know Collins doesn't like involving himself in company matters. As for Liam, I think we should just allow him to do whatever he wants," I said. It's not like I really mind what he does. If he doesn't want to be part of the company, then he shouldn't be forced to. After all, Scott and I are the ones handling most of the hard work.

I didn't miss the look, or rather the glare, my father gave me. "The Nero sons are destined to lead this empire. I've given Liam enough freedom. He should be thinking about settling down by now. Scott and Bernard have their families. On that note, you don't intend to stay like this forever, do you?"

My father's sudden interest in my relationship affairs didn't sit well with me. It was even more reason why I needed to pull myself together. But I didn't want to have this conversation with him alone. I wanted everyone to be gathered around before I revealed everything. "As you said, Liam should be considering settling down before things get out of hand. I'm heading back to the office. I want to wrap things up and take a week off," I declared, getting up from my seat.

"A week off?" Father repeated, causing me to pause in my tracks.

"Yes, Father. I'm sure the break is much needed. I've completed all pending tasks, and Scott is working on the Bluetooth project. So I'll cut myself some slack," I replied, not waiting for his response. I forced a smile and walked away.

For some odd reason, time seemed to be moving in slow motion today. I had been checking my phone and the wall clock, but it felt as if time was moving backward. There was a nervousness in the pit of my stomach about seeing Olivia again. Would she be happy to see me? Or would she be angry with me for not getting in touch with her?

Of course she will. What do you expect? You didn't leave her a single message or even make a call. My inner mind scolded me.

I found myself running my hands through my hair in frustration. The knock on my door, followed by Abigail entering, made me even more agitated. It better not be another work matter because after the task I was just handling, I don't plan to focus on any work. They would have to wait until I had myself together. "Abigail..."

"It's not about work, sir," she cut me off before I could finish my statement. A smile was curling up at her lips. What's with everyone being in such a good mood today?

"What is it, then?" I asked, my voice softening.

"I noticed that it's past your usual time. So I was wondering if you're planning on doing a night shift," she explained.

What! I had been so preoccupied that I lost track of time. I glanced at the wall clock. Quarter past nine. Great. I needed no more excuses to keep me behind the desk. "It's okay. You can call it a day. I'm heading home now," I said, dismissing her.

"Thank you, Sir," she said, turning to leave. But I stopped her with another question, causing her to turn back. "Abigail."

"Sir?"

How do I ask her without making it sound weird? Damn! I'm not good at these things. Her brows creased in question as she waited for me to speak up. "Erm... what do you think one should gift a woman once in a while?"

Fool.
What kind of lame question was that?

Abigail blinked her eyes, clearly taken aback by my question. I don't blame her. Abigail and I have never spoken about anything other than work-related matters, so it's understandable for her to find my question somewhat odd. "Once in a while?" she repeated. I couldn't meet her eyes.

"I think you should get her something precious. I would have suggested flowers, but it's not a new thing for women. Something valuable. Something she will cherish," if I said I understood what Abigail was getting at, I'd be lying. How would I figure out what Olivia cherishes when I know nothing personal about her? Her likes and dislikes. What I remembered, last time at her clinic, she almost threw the flowers I got her. So getting her flowers is a no-go area.

"Thank you, then," I said after thinking for a while.

"I will take my leave then. See you tomorrow," she said, and I nodded in response, watching her leave. A frustrated groan left my lips. Seeking Brian's help is as good as putting myself into his shackle of teases. So maybe I could think about what to give her next time. For now, I just want to see her. To see her pretty face.

The drive back home was filled with anticipation and nervousness all together. I didn't know what to expect from the family when I revealed the truth to them. But I was more worried about Olivia. I knew it wouldn't be easy for my family to take in the news. After all, they don't fancy her being around that much.

The noise coming from the dining area as I stepped inside the house made me halt in my tracks. Standing there was Olivia, her head cast down, while my father's voice echoed throughout the room. "If you can't do a single thing right, then there's no point in staying here. No one is forcing you to!"

What was he going on about?

"I'm sorry, sir," I heard Olivia say as I approached the table. "What is going on?" I asked, my eyes darting between my father and Olivia. He shot me a look, and it wasn't a pleasant one.

"Well... see what you brought. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't bring her here. How can one put in too much salt in a dish? Who is she planning to poison!" Father snapped, pointing a finger at Olivia. Her head was cast down, but I could tell she was holding herself back. The rush of adrenaline inside me pushed me to speak up.

"You can't force her to abide by the rules, father."

"Of course she'll follow the rules as long as she's staying under the Nero roof. Weren't you the one who brought her to the house? Did I question you? Your relationship with her! We have enough on our plate to take on another. I don't-"

I cut him off instantly. "Father-"

"Look what I found," Sarah's voice interrupted me. She walked down the stairs, holding a white envelope in her hand. The focus shifted to her. "You won't believe this!" She said again, dropping the contents on the table. That was when my whole body went rigid. I felt as if the air had been knocked out of me, and my eyes went wide. Olivia and I shared a frightened look.