His Love, Her Revenge

Chapter four

Olivia’s pov

“That guy doesn’t deserve you , Olivia”

I tried holding myself together but I could not as tears roll down my cheeks.

I looked at him.

“I heard the shouting from downstairs,” he continued. “ At first, i didn’t think much of it. I thought it was just a couple having a fight.”

His hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

My hands trembled.

“I went upstairs to see what was happening.” He paused. “And when I got there…”

His voice faded away.

I already knew what he was going to say .

“You found me.”

Kellen nodded.

A sob escaped me before I could stop it.

Kellen looked at me , his expression softening.

“Hey.”

I shook my head , wiping my cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I whispered.

“Don’t apologize, you deserve the best and you can talk to me anytime you want to.”

Kellen reached for a tissue and held it out to me .

I took it with trembling fingers.

“You don’t have to be strong right now , you have gone through a lot already .”

I pressed the tissue against my eyes .

For a while he didn’t say anything else. He didn’t ask questions .

After a moment , he spoke softly ,

“Whatever happened between you and that guy, none of it makes what he did okay.”

I looked at him through my tears.

“You didn’t deserve that,Olivia.”

And somehow, hearing those simple words from someone who had witnessed the worst moment of my life made me cry even harder.

My phone rang a few days later.

I almost ignored it.

I was sitting on the edge of my bed with my laptop opened in front of me, I stared at the same page for long that I wasn’t even sure what I had been reading.

I reached for my phone.

An unknown number.

I frowned before answering.

“Hello?”

“Olivia?”

I froze.

I knew that voice.

“Kellen?”

“Yeah.” He sounded almost amused. “Sorry. I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“No. It’s fine.”

I didn’t know why, but hearing his voice made something inside me loosen.

“I just wanted to check on you,” he said. “How are you holding up?”

I looked down at my hands.

“I’m okay. I think.”

“You think?”

I let out a small laugh. “I’m trying.”

“That’s something.”

There was a short silence.

Then he asked, “Did you get any email from Hayes Holdings?”

My eyes widened.

“Why?”

“Just check.”

I reached for my laptop and opened my inbox.

Then I saw it.

Hayes Holdings -Interview invitation.

My mouth fell open.

“Oh my God.”

Kellen chuckled. “You got it?”

“I got it.”

A smile spread across my face before I could stop it.

“I actually got it.” I screamed

“I told you to apply.”

“I didn’t think they’d even look at my application.”

“They did.”

I stared at the email, suddenly feeling like maybe things weren’t completely falling apart after all.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You don’t have to thank me. You still have to get through the interview.”

“I know.”

“You’ll do fine.”

His certainty made me smile.

We talked for a few more minutes. Nothing important, really. He asked if I was eating properly. I complained about how annoying job applications were. He laughed at something I said.

It was so ordinary.

And somehow, that was what I needed.

When the call ended, I lowered my phone slowly.

The room felt quiet again.

I stared at the screen, but my mind wasn’t on the interview anymore.

It was on Kellen.

On how easily I’d laughed with him.

On how, for a few minutes, I’d forgotten about Damian. Forgotten the hospital. Forgotten the baby I’d lost.

I pressed my lips together.

That should have made me happy.

Instead, guilt settled heavily in my chest.

How could I find comfort in another man’s voice when I was still supposed to be grieving everything Damian had done to me?

I shook my head and placed the phone beside me.

But even then, I couldn’t ignore the truth.

For the first time since that night, someone had made me feel safe.

And somehow, that someone was Kellen.

The moment the elevator doors opened, I reminded myself to breathe.

By the time I walked into Hayes Holdings , I had already convinced myself I was going to embarrass myself.

The building alone was enough to make me nervous.

Everything looked expensive. The marble floors, the glass walls, even the people walking around looked like they belonged there.

I took a deep breath before entering lobby.

I’d spent the night before researching the company. I knew the basics,their real estate investments, their developments, their major projects, even the names of the people running the company.

The waiting area was packed with candidates.

I adjusted the strap of my bag and looked around at the other candidates sitting in the sleek leather chairs. Everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing. They had polished résumés, expensive-looking suits, and the kind of confidence that made me suddenly question every decision that had brought me into the building.

Then I saw her.

My steps stopped.

Eliana.

For a second, I genuinely thought my mind was playing a cruel trick on me.

She was sitting near the window, scrolling through her phone like she belonged there. Her hair was perfectly done, her clothes immaculate, and she looked completely at ease.

Then she looked up.

Our eyes met.

The smile disappeared from her face.

Mine did too.

I hadn’t seen Eliana since the day everything fell apart.

Since I discovered her with Josh.

My best friend.

My boyfriend.

The two people I’d trusted more than anyone.

I’d spent weeks trying to convince myself that I was finally getting over it. That I could hear her name without feeling something twist painfully inside my chest.

Apparently, I’d been lying to myself.

Now, all I could think about was Josh.

Her hands on him.

His excuses.

My heart sank.

Eliana.

For a moment, I couldn’t move.

“Olivia?”

Her voice made my stomach drop.

I said nothing.

Her eyes traveled over me before she gave a short, humorless laugh.

“Well, look who decided to show her face.”

My stomach twisted.

I hadn’t heard her voice in weeks, but somehow, it still managed to hurt.

I looked away, hoping she’d take the hint.

She didn’t.

“Seriously, Olivia?” she called after me. “You actually came here?”

A few heads turned.

I stopped walking.

“Eliana, don’t.”

“Don’t what?” She laughed. “Ask why you’re here?”

Her eyes swept over me, taking in my outfit, my handbag, everything I had spent the morning carefully choosing.

Then she shook her head.

“This is embarrassing.”

My fingers tightened around my bag.

“You don’t know anything about why I’m here.”

“Oh, I know enough.”

She stepped closer.

“Look at you. You can barely keep your own life together, and now you’re walking into Hayes Holdings like you belong here?”

My chest tightened.

I could feel people watching us.

“Eliana, please.”

“Please what?”

Her voice sharpened.

“Should I pretend you’re qualified now?”

That one landed.

I swallowed.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

She knew I had spent the past few weeks trying to hold myself together. She knew about Josh. She knew what losing him had done to me.

And she’d still chosen him.

She’d chosen my boyfriend and then acted like I was the person who had done something wrong.

“You really haven’t changed,” she continued. “Always walking around like everyone owes you something.”

I stared at her.

“That’s enough.”

She scoffed.

“Or what?”

I could feel my eyes burning.

I refused to let her see me cry.

Not again.

“You know what I find funny?” she said. “You show up here dressed like you’re about to become some important executive, when everyone knows you don’t have what it takes.”

My face burned.

“Stop.”

“Why? Does the truth hurt?”

A couple of candidates exchanged uncomfortable glances.

I wished the floor would open beneath me.

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then Eliana shoved my shoulder.

It wasn’t hard enough to hurt.

But I wasn’t expecting it.

I lost my balance.

I reached out instinctively, but there was nothing to grab.

I was already bracing myself for the impact when an arm wrapped firmly around my waist.

I froze.

I slowly turned my head.

Kellen.

He was standing behind me , his arm still on my waist .

For a second, I could only stare at him.

His eyes met mine.

Then his gaze shifted past me.

To Eliana.

Whatever warmth had been in his expression disappeared.

And suddenly, the waiting room felt very, very quiet.