Olivia Sparks

Jack tasered Yana with his eyes, electrocuting the little lass on her spot. His lips twitched when he saw her cower in the kitchen, turning him in as the fall guy. But he didn't call her out because he wanted Yana to owe him a favor that might come in handy in the future.

So, with a smile, he took Olivia's cup of coffee and replied, "Of course, Ms. Lin."

"This tastes the same to me," Maxen commented when Jack went to his side, ready to pick up his cup. He made a toast to Jack before the latter went on his way to grab Olivia's caffeine fix.

After saying their graces, Maxen and Olivia dug in and ate their breakfast in silence. 

While Maxen had his usual heavy platter of proteins, Olivia, on the other hand, took bird bites of her avocado toast topped with a slab of scrambled eggs and strips of smoked salmon.

Wiping a napkin over his lips, Maxen probed, "Where are you meeting your client tonight? I can pick you up after my…"

"State dinner, Your Highness," Jack interrupted, after seeing Maxen gave him 'the look'—the one where Maxen tips his head as if telling Jack to fill in the blanks for him because he totally forgot who or what it was that was being talked about. 

He then placed the fresh cup of coffee on Olivia's side of the table, bowing slightly after Olivia mouthed a thank you.

"Oooof. That'll end later than I anticipated," Maxen tsked. He knew how time consuming state dinners were and there's no way that it would end before midnight.

"It's ok. I can go home by myself. Plus, we don't know how long that meeting would last. It's my first time meeting her today so I have to do all the rituals that come along with the contract."

Maxen furrowed his brows at the mention of 'rituals' but still glad that the client was a 'her'. 

Scratching the skin above his eyebrow, he followed up with a question, "So, uh, this client… is she a normal one or a Pyxis?"

Taking a sip of her coffee, Olivia replied, her eyes never left Maxen's, "Just your average CEO. I don't handle Pyxis accounts in Nisia because Tristan's the one who handles it. Unless, a certain prince would sign up for me, then, we can talk about business." She winked.

A slow boyish grin curved on Maxen's lips. "But I don't want to be unprofessional and mix business with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, so… No, thank you, baby."

The two exchanged smiles, and the smell of feral d.e.s.i.r.e wafted in the air as if it was their cologne.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yana's sense of hearing heightened. "Are they flirting?" she whispered. But when her senior didn't reply, she elbowed Secretary Gail who elbowed her back, so she stomped on the secretary's foot who retaliated soon after.

It was a good thing that they were standing behind the kitchen island. If not, their movements would give away that they were eavesdropping on their boss's conversation.

They finally came to a truce when Olivia called upon Secretary Gail and the two—Olivia and Secretary Gail—walked towards the renovated study.

"Anything else that I need to know about CryptoDynamics?" Olivia asked, flipping the pages of the doc.u.ment on her table. 

She had to ask Secretary Gail to run another background check on their client after reading the CEO's file last week. Somehow, she felt a weird vibe just from reading what's printed on the company's data.

"It's all clean, President. But I went around to ask a few friends and one came back with… a tip."

Olivia raised a brow at Secretary Gail, unsure of how to take the news. Usually, her secretary would never resort to crowdsourcing, but it seems like this client was someone formidable.

"And what did you find out about her?"

"Nothing big, really. She just prefers a certain brand."

"Is the brand something that we should be worried about?"

Secretary Gail shook her head. To her, what her friend informed her felt like a trivia rather than a fact.

Seeing no urgency in knowing such insignificant detail, Olivia gathered the files on her desk and stood up. Passing by her secretary, she handed the files under Secretary Gail's care.

Meanwhile, outside by the foyer, Maxen stood waiting for Olivia to finish her morning briefing. He turned on his heel upon hearing the door creak open.

"Max, can you take my photo?" Olivia asked. She handed him her phone and stood on her usual photo spot by the foyer nook beside a towering fig leaf tree.

And like a true Instagram boyfriend, Maxen didn't disappoint, giving instructions whilst making sure that his thumb would press the shutter—nonstop.

"Move a little to your right. Wait, I don't like the lighting. Okay, that's better. Do you want to change your pose a bit? The last one looks the same as yesterday."

"Just take a photo. I can photoshop it on the way to the office."

Ding!

Their mini-photoshoot was cut short. On the way inside, Maxen took the lead, holding Olivia's free hand.

He leaned on the steel wall while Olivia leaned her back on Maxen's c.h.e.s.t.

"When are you going to delete that bikini photo?" he grumbled when his eye caught that one photo he asked her to take down.

"What's wrong with that? You don't like it? But you're the one who took that photo. And that's the most liked one, so no bueno. That photo is staying." 

She immediately locked her phone screen and hid her phone. She knew why he was asking her to delete that photo, but there's no way he would take control of her social media accounts.

Arriving at the bas.e.m.e.nt parking lot, Maxen dropped Olivia in her car first. He paused for a second when the car didn't leave right away.

...

Oakwood Capital—Olivia's office

Later that day, Secretary Gail knocked on Olivia's office door. She straightened her jumpsuit as she waited for the office door to unlock. "CryptoDynamics is in the lobby waiting for a lift, President," she announced.

"Oh," Olvia checked her wristwatch and bobbed her head, impressed that this client was punctual. "Just in time. Perfect. Is everything ready in the meeting room?"

"Yes, President." Secretary Gail bowed, gesturing towards the door so her boss could walk ahead of her.

Standing by the company's entryway glass door, Olivia could feel three lines crease on her forehead upon seeing her guest. Her mind subconsciously went on critical mode, overstimulated at her client's arrival.

Chanel eyewear, check.

Chanel clothes, check.

Chanel footwear, check.

Okaaay. Chanel earrings, check check. It's a pair.

"Oh, god." Olivia crinkled her nose. Behind her, she heard Secretary Gail whisper, "Confirmed. Chanel #5, President."

The two ladies tried their best to keep a business-like smile as their guest approached them, but it all went down the drain when the CEO spoke as she shook hands with Olivia.

"Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Lin. AHAHAHAHA!" The client covered her mouth with the tip of her eyewear as if it would quieten her cackling.

"It's a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to be of service to your company, Ms. Greene."

"Ooooow. You're so cute and formal, Ms. Lin. But since you'll be taking care of me and my baby, why don't you call me in my first name instead?"

Smiling at her client, Olivia gestured to the hallway that would lead to the meeting room. "After you, Ms. Chanel."

"AHAHAHAHAHA! I love my name. It's my favorite brand. AHAHAHAHA!"