Under his wing

CHAPTER.THREE

It was him. The guy from earlier. The same piercing eyes, the same smug expression. Her mind flashed back to that infuriating encounter on her way to work.

Seriously?

"Watch where you're going," he said coldly, not even bothering to apologize.

Olivia’s jaw tightened. She was too frustrated to deal with this right now. "You’ve got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath, brushing past him.

She didn't have the time nor energy to start a fight.

I should call Davis. Olivia muttered.

Davis Carter who is currently 25 years old has been her best friend since high school.

He had a striking green eyes that appear warm and inviting. He is effortlessly charming and able to win people over with his quick wit and engaging conversations.

He comes from a family with a complicated past. His father was involved in an illegal act, and rumoured to be currently hiding from the police.

He has been best friend with Olivia for 10 years now and counting

She pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling as she scrolled through her contacts. Without thinking too much, she pressed Davis’s name and waited, chewing on her lip anxiously

“Liv, what’s up?” Davis’s voice came through, warm but distracted, probably still at work.

“Hey…” she hesitated, feeling her throat tighten. “I, um… I just got fired.”

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the sound of rustling papers. “Wait, what? Fired? What happened?”

She bit back the tears threatening to spill. “I messed up—again. I was late, and then I dropped this huge order... Mr. Thompson’s had enough of me.

“Damn, Liv, I’m so sorry,” Davis said, his voice softening. “But it’s not the end of the world. You’ll bounce back, I know you will.

“Thanks, Davis. I’m heading to Stephanie’s place now. I need to get my head straight before I even think about what’s next.”

“I’ll swing by after my shift,” Davis replied. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“Thanks. See you later.”

Olivia hung up and tucked her phone back in her pocket, taking a deep breath before heading toward the subway. Maybe Steph can help me figure out what to do next.

At Stephanie’s Place – About an Hour Later

Stephanie’s apartment was always a comfort for Olivia.It felt like an oasis of calm after the chaos of her day.

Stephanie herself was busy in the kitchen when Olivia arrived, her face lighting up when she saw her friend walk in.

“There she is!” Stephanie called out, waving a spatula in the air. “I’m making cookies. Don’t judge. Stress-baking is my new thing.”

Olivia managed a weak smile as she hung up her coat. “Honestly, I could use something sweet right now.”

Stephanie frowned, immediately sensing something was wrong. She put the spatula down and walked over, concern in her eyes. “What happened?”

“I got fired,” Olivia muttered “I totally screwed up today.

“Oh no, Liv,” Stephanie sighed, sitting beside her. “I’m so sorry. That place didn’t deserve you anyway. You’ve been overworked and underpaid since day one.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Before Stephanie could respond, the door buzzed, and they both looked up.

“That’s probably Davis,” Olivia said.

Stephanie opened the door, and Davis walked in, still in his work uniform. “Well, this place smells a lot better than the restaurant where I just came from,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Olivia shook her head with a small grin. “You always know how to make an entrance.”

Davis flopped down on the couch next to Olivia. “Okay, so, what’s the plan now? Do we need the key Mr. Thompson’s car?”

Olivia laughed despite herself, nudging him. “No, we don’t need to commit any crimes.”

“But seriously,” Davis said, his tone softening, “you’re not going through this alone. We’ll figure it out.”

“Actually,” Stephanie chimed in, “I was just telling Liv about an opportunity at a company downtown. My cousin works in HR there, and they’re hiring for secretarial positions. It could be a fresh start.”

Olivia sighed, the weight of the day still heavy on her shoulders. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that, Steph.”

“You don’t have to decide right now,” Stephanie said. “But it’s worth thinking about. The pay is way better than the restaurant, and you’d finally get a chance to do something where you’re valued.”

Olivia leaned back, letting the support of her friends sink in. She didn’t have all the answers yet, but knowing Davis and Stephanie had her back made the load feel a little lighter.

“Okay,” she said finally. “I’ll think about it. But if I mess this up, I’m holding you both responsible.”

“Deal,” Stephanie grinned, tossing a cookie to Davis.

“Hey, I’m just here for the cookies,” Davis teased, taking a bite.

For the first time all day, Olivia felt herself relax. Maybe things would be okay after all.

As the Evening Progressed

After they enjoyed the cookies and shared a few laughs, Olivia began to feel a sense of normalcy creeping back into her life. But then she remembered the unsettling encounter with Vincent.

“Hey, do you guys remember that guy I told you about? The one who was a total jerk in the car?” she asked, hesitating slightly.

Davis raised an eyebrow. “The guy who embarrassed you?”

“Yeah, that guy,” Olivia confirmed. “He just… he seems so familiar, like I’ve seen him before.”

“Maybe he’s just one of those people you’ve crossed paths with,” Stephanie suggested, trying to brush it off. “New York is full of faces.”

“Or he could be someone important,” Davis interjected, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Maybe he’s a billionaire in disguise.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Not likely.”

Davis chuckled but his expression shifted slightly. “Just keep your distance from him. People like that are usually trouble.”

“Why do you say that?” Olivia asked, noticing the intensity in his eyes.

“Just a feeling,” Davis replied quickly, shrugging it off.

“Fair enough,” Olivia said, not wanting to push further.

As the evening wore on, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing beneath the surface. She glanced at Davis, who was now leaning back with a relaxed smile, but there was a glimmer in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine.

Eventually, they wrapped up their time together, and Olivia left Stephanie’s apartment feeling a mix of gratitude and lingering unease. Davis walked her to the subway, his playful banter easing her tension.

“Promise me you’ll consider that job opportunity, okay?” he said as they reached the entrance.

“Promise,” she replied, offering a smile.

But as she stepped into the subway station, the memory of Vincent's piercing gaze flashed through her mind once more. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over.

And just as the train pulled up, a text notification buzzed in her pocket. It was from an unknown number:

“You shouldn’t be looking for trouble, Olivia. I know more than you think.”

Her heart raced as she

looked up, the train doors closing behind her. Something was definitely brewing, and she had no idea how deep the trouble would go.