The CEO's Temporary Assistant

Surprises

"What is this place?" Elise asked as she excitedly skipped inside her secret haven.

"This is my playroom," she simply replied.

There were several compartments inside Olivia's playroom, and she was quite proud of them since she had designed all of them herself. She also couldn't stop marveling at Elise's reactions. She did not know what had gotten into her as to why she had brought Elise inside her most private place. Maybe she was already going crazy.

"This is my music room," she said as she led her inside the first room. There was a drum set in the corner and a huge piano on the left side, along with other musical instruments. Elise excitedly looked around, her fingers darting from one musical instrument to another.

"You even had karaoke!"

Olivia chuckled when Elise's eyes glittered with excitement. "Do you sing?" she asked. Elise suddenly looked bashful as she frantically shook her head. "N-no. I-I didn't."

"Oh, what a shame."

They sauntered to the other compartment that was filled with a mini-casino and a gaming station. "So, you are a gamer."

"Yeah," Olivia replied proudly. "I get to be anonymous online. And I could do unlimited cussing."

"You know what they say, what happens on the internet satys on the internet. It is pretty obvious that staying anonymous online helps you become a different person."

"You're on point, Elise."

The comment made Elise smile, sending a slight panic to her heart. Olivia exhaled another deep breath as she avoided her gaze. Shaking her head, she then moved towards the next compartment with Elise quietly following her.

"So that explained why you have that mural outside this playroom. Did you paint these?"

Olivia nodded her head. "There were also some photographs that I captured myself," Olivia replied. A hint of pride was clear in her voice. It had been years since she had invited someone over here. And that last visitor had left her with a scar inside her heart.

"What are the odds? It comfords me to know that there is at least one thing that we shared an interest in."

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked, curiosity immediately digging into her skull.

"I also paint," Elise replied softly as her fingers daintily touched the portrait painting on the wall.

"You do?" Olivia asked, feeling excited by the discovery. It was not every day that she encountered someone who shared the same interest with her. Elise's cheeks had turned red as she took a careful nod. "Yeah, I can show you if we go back to the province."

"Do you miss the province?"

"I do. Life there was so simple." She then moved another step and suddenly glued her stare on the one picture that stood opposite her collection. "Who is this?"

Olivia looked over Elise's shoulder and saw a beautiful photo of a woman. She had long, curly hair and a slender body. Her smiling dimpled cheek was captured perfectly. A cat was cuddled on her lap, and her smile was so beautiful that, despite the black and white background, the picture was full of life.

"That was Katrina, my ex-fiancé."

"I'm sorry," Elise replied, her voice sounding defensive.

"It's alright. Those were only artworks anyway. She meant nothing anymore."

"Where is she now?"

"Married. To a man."

"Oh."

"I-I like this place, Miss Fabien," Elise said after some time, filling the gap in between.

"Again, call me Olive."

Elise then looked at her again, smiling softly. "Okay. I forgot."

After quite some time, they moved to the other compartment; her favorite place. The library. The sudden nostalgic air between them was replaced with high spirits when Elise strolled around her library.

"You know, you are very lucky. These books were just literally in my dream when I was a kid. And to think that you are just keeping these babies inside your fancy underground secret playroom is insane."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh at the energy that Elise was sharing with her.

"Do you also like books?"

"Books are the best company in solace."

"Gorgeous."

"True!"

"No, Elise. I mean, you are gorgeous."

Elise stopped talking, only blinking her small eyes a million times.

"What?"

Instead of replying, Olivia leaned closer to her, her hand now cupping her chin. "You heard what I said."

Elise was silent for a moment, then she started laughing. Her laughter was so loud that it even echoed all over the place.

"What's funny, Elise?" Olivia asked seriously as her eyebrows knitted into a frown. It was definitely not the reaction that she had expected.

"I'm s-sorry," Elise replied, suppressing another wave of laughter. "I remembered you hating me so much. And now, you're throwing me compliments? Well, that's a surprise."

Olivia felt her heart sinking as Elise flushed in red because of laughing so hard. "Just forget it then."

It pissed her off. Other girls would have died for that one simple compliment from her, but this girl? She was just literally laughing at her! She looked at her once more before pointing to the door. "Get out."

Elise was taken aback this time, and her smile was completely wiped off her face. "Wait, are you offended that I laughed at you?"

"Just f*****g get out."

"Olivia, I didn't mean it in a bad way."

Clenching her fist, she grabbed her by the arm and pushed her inside the elevator. "No one laughs at me, Elise! Remember that."

But Elise yanked her arm away, all the bright smiles completely gone.

"And here I am thinking we could finally be friends," she said, shaking her head in disgust. She stepped on that elevator, and she was gone.

It had been five minutes, but Olivia was still standing in front of the elevator. She then found herself raking her pixie-cut hair as frustration sank inside her head again. Heaving a sigh, Olivia walked casually to the couch and stared at the woman in the black-and-white photo that she had shown Elise earlier. She suddenly remembered that woman in a distant memory; Katrina, wearing that Gingham polo shirt Olivia had gifted her several months before her birthday. Memories of that girl riding a horse also crossed her mind.

They had once been happy, Olivia used to tell herself that. She was the only girl that sent butterflies to Olivia's stomach. The punch was quite intense, especially when they touched each other's hands, or kissed, and made love. There was that connection. She thought she would never have felt that intense connection with anyone again, but then came Elise. A probinsyana who didn't even know how to accept a compliment!

Clicking her tongue, she wondered why her feelings always shifted whenever she was with Elise. That girl made her feel like she was always on her period. Her unpredictable behavior made Olivia Fabien vulnerable.

Her thoughts were disturbed when her phone started ringing.

"Hey," she said, putting the phone to her ear.

"Where are you?"

The voice sounded weary but excited. "I am in the playroom, Gran."

"Well, hurry, girl! We are waiting for you in the garden."

***

"I was really pissed when Olivia threw me out of her 'fancy' playroom. Her mood always shifted. Seriously! It feels like she is already about to enter her menopausal stage," Elise said, clicking her tongue and heaving a sigh as she endlessly ranted to Mrs. Fabien and Aunt Milda. "When she kicked me out of that room, I swore I would never talk to her again. I'm really sorry, Mrs. Fabien, but it couldn't be helped. Fine, I laughed at her, but that was just my usual reaction whenever I was faced with an awkward situation. I swear, I didn't mean it to be offensive."

Mrs. Fabien chuckled as soon as Elise finished her recount. They were inside the butterfly sanctuary, sitting side by side and admiring the colorful and beautiful scenery. The flowers had been in full bloom, and Elise once again remembered that incident in the pool. The memory made her cheeks flush red. Mrs. Guada Fabien sat in her wheelchair, looking healthy despite her condition.

"I am so sorry about the behavior of my grandchild, Elise. Well, she had been through a lot of things since she was little. She could be a little dramatic."

"I don't know, Mrs. Fabien. Maybe we still needed time to get to know each other so we could get along."

"Oh, I'm sure you would."

Not long after, Mrs. Fabien's expected visitor came in. The visitor was a man in his fifties, looking sharp and wise in his exquisite black tuxedo. He was also carrying a suitcase.

"Attorney Villoso, come, come!" the old woman excitedly said, raising her arm in the air. The attorney immediately smiled and shook Mrs. Fabien's hand. He did the same to Aunt Milda, then he gently kissed Elise.

"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Fabien," the attorney's voice was filled with conviction. Despite his small stature, he resembled a respectable man.

"Ladies, this is Attorney Vicente Villoso. He will read to us my Last Will and Testament."

Aunt Milda gasped in disbelief. "W-well, Mrs. Fabien. I suppose my niece and I shouldn't be hearing all of this, right?"

"No, no! You stay here, Milda and Elise. You are included in the Will."

Elise's heart automatically leaped inside her chest. "You can't be that serious, Mrs. Fabien," she said breathlessly.

"Well, Mrs. Fabien is serious and is not mistaken, Miss Elise, Ma'am Milda. Sit with us here because you are indeed part of this affair," the attorney interjected in that same dignified voice. Just then, Xander arrived wearing an expensive T-shirt, a suit hanging on his right arm. He looked like he had just come out of the shower. And his appearance had even intensified Elise's discomfort.

"I can't believe this, auntie," Elise whispered as she hid behind her aunt Milda.

"So, everyone is here, except for Olivia," Xander exclaimed, making his way in their direction. "Now, where is that prick? Do you think she is still angry with me, Miss Elise?"

Elise blinked several times and replied, "How would I know, sir?"

"Sir?" Xander replied with a shocked expression. Then he started laughing so hard, astonishing everyone.

"What is wrong with you, young man?" asked Mrs. Fabien as she stared at her grandson, who was being hysterical in his seat.

"I'm so sorry, Grandma. I just find Elise attractive and funny at the same time." Elise could only roll her eyes.

Their conversation was disturbed when Attorney Villoso purposely cleared his throat. Mrs. Fabien quickly told Milda to dial Olivia's number. Once the call was done, Mrs. Fabien chatted again with Milda and the lawyer.

Elise felt Xander moving closer to her. Just then, Olivia arrived not long after, still wearing that usual smug look on her face. "Let's begin this already because I still have to be at the office in an hour," Olivia remarked, impatience heard in her voice.

"Always the impatient cow, cousin."

"Shut up, Xander."

Elise caught Olivia's slight glance but decided not to read too much into it. Above all, being here felt wrong, especially since this was such a special time for the Fabien children.

"First, we already knew that I only had about six months to live. As much as I wanted to live longer because I was honestly terrified of dying, my health is already failing. I couldn't go on any longer."

There was a grim eeriness in the air as they listened to Mrs. Fabien. Elise had grown fond of the old woman, and hearing her talk about her death was heartbreaking. Even Aunt Milda was already wiping her tears.

"So, Attorney Villoso and I had already completed the Will, and this afternoon, you were going to hear everything that I wanted you to know. Attorney, the floor is yours."

The attorney proudly cleared his throat and in a loud voice started reading the piece of paper in his hand.

"You are here because you are all going to receive a portion of the wealth that Mrs. Guada Fabien and her late husband earned throughout their lives. Mrs. Fabien was hoping that you would accept everything that is written in this document.

"So, here it goes: All the companies that the Fabien couple established are entrusted to the hands of the first grandchild, Miss Olivia Fabien. However, the Cruise and Travels Enterprise would be handed over to the second grandchild, Mr. Xander Fabien.

"60 percent of the assets and properties owned by the Fabien couple were entrusted to Miss Olivia Fabien, while 40 percent is to Mr. Xander Fabien.

"600,000 pesos are given to all of the loyal servants and security guards of the family. However, each of the following people would be given an additional 5 million pesos and a property: Selya Kapili, Franko Domingo, and Milda Cortez."

Milda had almost fainted when she heard of her reward. Xander was smirking, and Olivia's face was blank. Elise felt herself heating up when their stares lingered for a while.

"There is also a special request stipulated in this Will," the attorney said as he flipped several pages. "Miss Elise Cortez, the niece of Milda Cortez, was given a position in the most prominent company of Fabien Enterprise."

Elise felt herself sweating upon the mention of her name.

"Elise would train under Miss Olivia Fabien. And in thirteen months, she should be ready to assume the highest position in one of the Fabien companies on the designated date, given that starting next week, she would be Miss Olivia Fabien's Temporary Assistant."