The CEO

Chapter 3: Scared To Love

I looked at her again with a straight face and she seemed confused. Suddenly, I wasn’t in control of my feelings anymore and my lips were on hers. Her sweet smell and soft lips hypnotized me and she did not disappoint me as she put her hand on my neck and kissed me back.

This was so wrong but felt so right that it intoxicated my entire body. What’s happening to me? Where did my selfish player character go?

Seconds later, which felt like hours, she pulls away and pushes me.

Olivia stood there looking at me with wide eyes.

“I-I have to go.” She ran out of the office.

After she left, I stood there alone replaying what happened in my head, and started breathing heavily. I wasn’t even guilty, not one bit.

-Olivia’s P.O.V-

As soon as I got home, I took off my heels and threw myself on the couch. I knew he was happy but did he have to kiss me to show me? And the worst part is… I kissed him back. Each time I closed my eyes I would replay our moment over and over again.

How he caressed my cheeks, how his eyes glistened while looking at mine. The way he spoke to my belly…the way he kissed me. Stephen resurfaced feelings I thought I buried a long time ago. A time where I stopped believing in feelings and buried the man I loved. I promised myself not to touch any man nor have feelings for one anymore.

 I was scared.

 I was scared to love. I was scared of love and now I’m not sure what I believe anymore. What happened today should’ve made me feel angry and instead, I feel guilty. Guilty because it didn’t feel wrong.

When I reopened my eyes, I realized I was smiling the whole time I was thinking of today.

Stephen and now…the baby. I rubbed my belly and a part of me was trying to convince me that the kiss was due to his overwhelming happiness. Yet, another part told me that the way he looked at me isn’t a look of happiness. It was a look of despair. Like there was someone else inside pleading to escape.

The next few weeks went by really fast. I didn’t meet Stephen and whenever we had a meeting, I would sit far from him and avoid his gaze. It was hard at first but every time, I would remember Tommy and why I choose to become this loveless person.

It was a Saturday morning and I had a doctor’s appointment to check if everything was okay and out of nowhere, I hear my phone buzz.

“Hey Oli, I’m so sorry something really important came up and I won’t be able to make it. I’ll visit you in the afternoon though, I promise.” Lea sounded sorry so I didn’t mind.

“It’s fine, I can go by myself,” I told her as I was taking my car keys and purse.

“No way, you’re pregnant and even though you can take care of yourself, I’d rather have one of us with you. I asked Stephen to go pick you up.” She said disapprovingly.

I sighed.

The last person I wanted to see was Stephen and now I’m going to the doctor with him. I was about to decline the offer when the doorbell rang and I already knew who it was.

“Oh, I hear the door ringing. It must be my big bro. I’m so sorry. Bye.” She closed right after.

I was hoping I would see another person when I open the door but who am I kidding. Of course, it’s him.

“Morning.” Was the only thing he said and I nodded letting him in.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Look, Stephen, you don’t have to do this.” I meant it. He didn’t have to and I really didn’t want him to.

“Olivia, I know that kiss created a sort of wall between us but you’re carrying my sister’s child and my future nephew or niece. I want to do this.” He said it with a very serious face and I couldn’t read past him. I wasn’t the only one trying to keep the other out.

I simply nodded and left with him.

When we arrived at the doctor’s office, we were escorted to the ultrasound room to check on the baby’s health and possibly get an ultrasound picture to take home with us.

I was lying on the bed and Stephen was seated on the small couch by the door. None of us was speaking with the other and it was really awkward but I didn’t care.

“I remember the first time I was here.” He started and I weirdly looked at him.

“Don’t worry I didn’t get anyone pregnant.” He laughed shortly.

“I was here with my mom when she was pregnant with Lea.” His face kept his smile while he was reminiscing his memories.

“I was so stupid. I barely understood how she could have my sister grow inside her, let alone a ‘camera’ that could take a photo of what’s inside her belly.” He looked at me.

“And now I’m here again to take home a picture of Lea's baby.” His lips barely formed a smile.

I just looked at him not knowing what to say or to do with this information. Luckily the doctor came in right on time.

“Good morning Ms. Adams. How are you feeling today?” The doctor asked once he started to prepare the machine.

“I’m okay thank you,” I replied

“So, I see you’re one month pregnant and I can see a baby bump is starting to show.” The doctor chuckled.

“I will put this gel on your belly and it’s a little cold, don’t worry.” He said before he put the gel and gently put the handle on my tiny bump. Suddenly we started hearing something that sounded like a heartbeat.

“There it is. I can see one heartbeat meaning you’ve got one baby. Everything seems to be healthy. Congratulations.” The doctor said pointing at the baby.

“I’m going to leave you two alone.” He printed a couple of photos of the ultrasound and gave them to me.

Stephen came and stood beside me and was trying to spot the baby but I noticed that he couldn’t…cute.

-Third Person P.O.V-

“It’s here.” Olivia pointed at the bean-like baby in the photo and smiled.

Stephen followed Olivia’s finger and saw the still to be developed tiny human being.

He reached out to take the photo from Oli’s hand and simply looked at it. After he took the ultrasound, Olivia sat there looking at him, and when Stephen looked up their eyes met.

They were looking at each other for a little while and they both saw that they needed to be saved in each other’s eyes.

“What are you doing to me?” He whispered.

When Stephen parked the car in front of Olivia’s house, she was about to leave when he grabbed her hand.

“Olivia, we both know that we will do things like today more than just once in the next nine months. I personally don’t want to let that simple mistake ruin our work and get in the way of Lea’s happiness.” He still didn’t look at the girl by his side.

Both of them flinched internally at the word ‘mistake’ but they could not deny it. She knew she was an emotional wreck and he knew he was too damaged to have feelings in the first place.

She just nodded.

“How about we go to dinner tomorrow night? We can put barriers to our relationship and try and take it back to what it was a month ago.” He was looking at the girl next to him now waiting for her response.

“Stephen, dinner is too much.” She moved her hand away.

“I’m not asking you to wear something fancy or spend hours preparing yourself. All I’m asking is to go back to being merely friends and co-workers. For the company and Lea's sake.” They both knew that what he was asking for is very fair so she agreed.

“Okay, I’ll pick you up at 7 tomorrow night.”

When he was done Olivia left the car and Stephen felt a lump in his throat. He knew what was happening but why all of a sudden?

A month ago, they would annoy each other about him being with too many girls and her being with none and now, they kissed each other and started feeling things they both buried.

Stephen went home and opened a bottle of whiskey to drown in his thoughts like he usually does.

“Where are you, mom? Hmm? Just when I start needing you for real…” He spoke to himself wishing someone would reply.

Stephen’s mother died when she was giving birth to Lea. She was given the choice to either save herself or save the baby and as a mother, the one thing she wished for was for her daughter to see the light of day.

Out of all the problems in the world, telling a five-year-old boy that he will never see his mother anymore was definitely high on that list. Especially if that mother was the only emotional support to the boy.

From that day on, Stephen felt this void in his heart. He was longing to call someone's mom or to come back from school and tell her about his school days or if he got a bad grade or anything that made him feel like he had a mother. For the longest time, Stephen hated his sister. He believed that she was the reason his mother was gone and because of that, he never tried to be a brother to her…not for ten whole years.

After all that time, Stephen was 15 and Lea was 10. He started to explore his life as a man and started to mature more making him accept Lea more day after day. Yet, with that acceptance came another problem. Stephen found himself incapable of love.

He thought that if he loved a woman and had a child with her, he would lose her the same way his father did and the child would have to grow without a mother like him. That reason alone, his fear of losing the one he loves made him the person he is today. The cold person that sleeps with almost everyone.

The boy chose the people he wanted to show his true self to, them being his family and Olivia, the only girl that could read him the way he wished he was read, the only girl that made him kiss her out of feelings and not lust.

Stephen knew, he knew what these feelings were. These feelings weren’t love it's too soon for that, but they could lead to it.

This is why he chooses to be the cold person with her too.

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Will Olivia and Stephen's relationship end the moment it started? How will Stephen's past affect him?

Continue reading to find out. Don't forget to like the story for more.

Stay safe.

XOXO