Chapter Four
1113 Words
Chapter 4
Three years later… Olivia Harper stood in the doorway of her quaint Brooklyn apartment, carrying a tiny Spider-Man backpack in one hand and a lunchbox in the other. "Ethan!" she called down the hallway. "We’re going to be late!" The sound of small, quick footsteps resonated down the corridor before a little boy with a mop of unruly dark hair and large green eyes came tumbling around the corner. His smile was dazzling, dimples sparkling as he virtually vibrated with energy. "Mommy! Look!" Ethan pulled up a crayon drawing of a gigantic green dinosaur standing next to a much smaller red dinosaur. "I made a picture for you!" Olivia’s chest constricted cruelly. It wasn’t just Ethan’s smile that made her heart hurt, it was the unmistakable green of his eyes, the sharp tilt of his cheekbones, and the way his small jaw pinched when he was concentrating on something. All of it was a mirror of Nathan Blackwood. "That’s fantastic, baby," Olivia murmured, dropping to his level and kissing the top of his head. "I’m going to hang it on the fridge, okay?" Ethan nodded happily, then rushed for the door. "Can we get pizza tonight?" Olivia laughed gently. "We’ll see." She shifted his rucksack over his shoulders and grabbed her keys. As they stepped out into the crisp fall air, Olivia’s smile wavered. Ethan skipped along the pavement, hopping over cracks, oblivious to the building tightness in his mother’s breast. Three years. Three years since she had walked away from Nathan without informing him about Ethan. She had made the choice to safeguard her son and herself. Nathan lived in a harsh world of power and control. She couldn’t risk Ethan becoming a pawn in the Blackwood enterprise. And so, Olivia had crafted a life for them, humble but stable. She had accepted freelance consulting assignments and eventually obtained a solid work at a mid-sized corporation. It wasn’t glamorous, but it paid the bills and kept Ethan’s world secure. But all of that was about to change. Her stomach knotted as she buckled Ethan into his car seat and climbed into the driver’s seat. The email had come yesterday, an offer from Mercer & Co., one of the most powerful consulting firms in New York. A six-month contract with a stunning compensation. The kind of pay that could provide Ethan better schools, better prospects and a meaningful future. It was all she had been working toward. Except for one problem. Her first assignment was with Blackwood Industries. Her fists tensed around the steering wheel as the traffic light turned red. She had almost deleted the email the instant she saw Nathan’s name but the salary… It was too wonderful. Too necessary. Ethan deserved the best, and this job may finally offer it to him. She simply had to survive working face-to-face with the one man she had spent three years trying to forget. ******* Later that afternoon, Olivia sat across from the sleek glass desk of her new employer, Claire Holloway, the head of strategic development at Mercer & Co. Claire was an exquisite woman in her early forties with sharp cheekbones, long blonde hair braided into a perfect bun, and ice-blue eyes that missed nothing. Claire’s groomed hands were folded neatly on the desk as she studied Olivia. "You’ll be immersed with Blackwood Industries for six months," Claire replied effortlessly. "Your major function will be to oversee the integration of their latest purchase." Olivia’s throat clenched. "Understood." "Mr. Blackwood personally approved your assignment." Olivia’s chest seized terribly. "He… what?" Claire’s smile dimmed. "Nathan Blackwood is very hands-on with these types of initiatives. I expect you to cooperate closely with him." Olivia’s pulse beat painfully. "I’m convinced you can manage it," Claire continued. "Unless there’s a problem?" Olivia forced herself to breathe. "No issue." "Good." Claire’s gaze sharpened. "The contract is really generous. Don’t give Mr. Blackwood a cause to doubt you." ******** The following morning, Olivia stood in the glistening foyer of Blackwood Industries, clutching her briefcase so hard her knuckles became white. The edifice surged around her, glass and steel and calm, merciless efficiency. Businessmen in impeccable suits marched across the lobby with sharp precision, the murmur of wealth and power permeating the air. The receptionist’s gaze lifted as Olivia approached. "Ms. Harper?" "Yes." "Mr. Blackwood is awaiting you." Olivia’s chest squeezed uncomfortably as she walked inside the elevator. Her heart raced as the doors slid shut and the elevator began to rise. This was a mistake. She should have gone away. But then she thought of Ethan, of his beautiful green eyes and the way his whole face lighted up when he smiled. This was for him. The elevator dinged faintly. Olivia stepped out onto the executive floor. A tall man in a dark suit stood at the far end of the corridor, his back turned to her as he examined the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her pulse skipped. Nathan. Her throat clenched uncomfortably as he turned, his green eyes hardening when they focused onto her. "Olivia." His voice was deep and steady but beyond the calm surface, tension coiled in his gaze. "Nathan," Olivia replied, forcing her voice to steady. "It’s been a long time." Nathan’s eyes raced over her, piercing and assessing. "Three years." Her chest constricted terribly. "Yes." His gaze clouded. "Sit." She hesitated, then crossed the room and sat on the leather chair across from his desk. Nathan slipped into the chair behind his desk, his elbows resting on the glossy surface. His gaze narrowed. "You’ve done well for yourself." Olivia lifted her chin. "I manage." His eyes clouded. "That’s not why you’re here." Olivia’s breath hitched. Nathan’s gaze sharpened. "I requested you." Her heart banged brutally. "Why?" Nathan’s mouth twisted faintly. "Because I wanted to see you." Her stomach twisted horribly. "This is business, Nathan. Nothing more." His smile deepened. "If you say so." Her fingers clenched around the edge of the chair. "I’m here to do a job. That’s it." Nathan’s eyes lingered on her face. "Then let’s see how well you do it." ******* That night, Olivia sat on the edge of Ethan’s bed, stroking his dark hair as he went off to sleep. He looked so much like Nathan it made her heart ache. Her gaze softened as his small fingers curled around her hand. I can do this. She would keep Nathan at a distance. She wouldn’t allow him get too close. But as she sat there, Ethan’s sweet breath warming her hand, Olivia realised it wasn’t that simple. Because Nathan was already too close. And this time… He wasn’t going to let her go that simply.
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