You Were Always Mine

The Vivian Effect

She was ignoring him.

Oscar Onyx shouldn't have noticed whatever Vivian Pearl chooses to do but here he was, standing here like a complete i***t when he should be getting ready to head to work that morning.

Merely seconds ago, she had brushed past him like he wasn't even there and now he was watching her step into her car and head off to work.

Oscar frowned, why should it bother him what she chooses to do?

She was the one who shoved Athena yesterday and was yet to apologise.

Damn it, he had told himself he would confront her about that this morning but as always, his tongue seemed to lose its ability to speak when he saw her walk down the stairs.

This was not the first time it's happened; he'd be mad about something she did only for his eyes finally meets her and every anger seemed to vanish in an instant.

He had termed it the Vivian effect back in college and had embraced the absurdity of the effect her face and her smile did to him.

But right now, he felt like a college kid again, furious that she wouldn't look at him.

“Sir?”

It was Charles and he'd been standing there for a while, not sure if it would be reckless of him to try to call his boss's attention.

Oscar started walking, heading out of the house and towards the porch where his car was parked.

He settled into his ride and Charles drove out of the mansion later.

Oscar stared out the window, his hands tingling where her fingertips had brushed it minutes ago.

God, why was he remembering or noticing every bloody thing she does today?

He shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind and threw all his attention to his schedule for the day.

His eyes read one line after the other on his tablet until he paused for a second, his heart doing that flip thing when he read her name.

A meeting with Ms Vivian Pearl to officially sign the merger agreement with Pearl Corp.

He glanced up to meet Charles gaze in the rear view mirror.

“The merger agreement is to be signed today?”

Charles glanced up at his boss while making sure to keep his gaze on the road.

“Yes sir.” He offered. “Ms Vivian requested that the event stay private. We will be having two reporters covering the event.”

Oscar remained silent; why did she request for a private event? Did she really not want to be seen in public with him?

Charles kept glancing from the road to the rear view mirror.

“Is there something I need to do sir?” Charles asked.

He's worked long enough with Oscar to know when something was wrong and those furrowed eyebrows told him everything was wrong.

“Nothing.”

The ride continued in silence but his mind refused to settle.

***

Within a twinkle of an eye, it was already one thirty in the afternoon and it was time to head towards the boardroom and sign the merger agreement.

Oscar adjusted his cufflinks as the elevator carried them to the fifth floor with Charles next to him with the said documents.

He could have moved things a bit further, probably dragged the whole signature ceremony by a couple of weeks.

But why?

Oscar shoved the answers back into the shadows from where it had crawled out of.

He didn't enjoy seeing her in his office, rejecting his terms of agreement with that fierce look in her eyes that he found ridiculously sexy.

No. That wasn't why he wished he had pushed things back. He refused to acknowledge it.

The door swung open and Oscar stepped out with his assistant, heading towards the boardroom.

“Is everyone here?”

Charles nodded as he adjusted the file under his arm. “Yes sir. Ms Vivian is here.”

Oscar stopped in his tracks and turned to face his oblivious assistant slowly.

“That wasn't what I asked.”

Charles stared at his boss, confused. Did he not ask if everyone was here?

“I'm sorry sir but I believe I heard you ask if everyone was here.”

Oscar turned fully, making the young man straighten up.

“Yes. I asked if everyone was here. Why did you need to tell me she was here?”

Charles looked even more puzzled, was she the one that needed to be here the most?

The young man cleared his throat, “My apologies sir.”

Oscar exhaled, what was he doing?

“Forget it.”

He turned on his heels and approached the door. Taking one deep breath for some reason he refuses to acknowledge, he pushed the door open.

His eyes seemed to scam the room for him without meaning to. Then he found her.

She was sitting behind the table, her hair pulled behind her ears with tear drop earrings on that delicate skin, heart shaped mouth whispering something to her assistant.

She didn't even glance at the door when he walked.

Hell, that was one thing that drew him to her back then. All through kindergarten, middle school and high school. She had always walked right past him like he didn't even exist.

And man did he want her to know he existed. He wanted to exist in her world and seeing her paying no regard to him at all was..strangely upsetting.

“Good morning everyone.” Charles greeted as the two reporters he'd hired stood on their feet on seeing Oscar.

“We should commence in a few minutes. We can take a moment to prepare.” Charles said to Cassandra.

“There's no need to waste any more time.” Civan said and glanced up.

Oscar's breath seized as her eyes finally flickered up only to settle on his assistant like she knew exactly where he was standing.

“Let's get started. I have other commitments today.”

Charles nodded frantically, “Yes ma'am.”

He hurried towards the reporters, muttering a few instructions about what they should take and what the articles should be about.

Oscar remained where he stood, his eyes still fixed on her as she returned her attention to the notes in her hand.

Not even a glance was sent his way.

His fist clenched as he got closer to the table, settled on the seat next to her and still, not a glance at him.

Two minutes later, Charles had the documents placed right in front of the duo and it was finally time to sign the documents.

The reporters stood across from them, taking pictures as the duo signed the merger documents.

They exchanged the documents, his finger brushing lightly against hers but she didn't even seem to notice as she tendered her signature almost immediately.

His jaw set tight as he signed the document, his finger brushing against her signature unconsciously.

She’d always had lovely handwriting and his had been worse than a drunk's.

They stood up, showing the documents to the camera as the reporters took a couple shots of it.

Oscar turned to give her a handshake but Vivian turned away from him, handing the signed document over to Cassandra.

“I believe we're done here.” She said simply, placing her pen into her bag, clearly ready to leave.

No.

He wasn't having it.

Oscar stepped out of his seat and blocked her father before she could leave.

Even then she didn't look at him, her eyes remained fixed on her bag. She may not have noticed he was even standing there.

That seemed to set him off.

“Charles.” He called, making her pause as though she suddenly realised how close he was.

“I would like to speak with Vivian.” He said simply.

“We have nothing more to discuss.” She said, zipping up her bag.

“Alone.” He said more firmly this time.

Charles rushed everyone out of the room, including a reluctant Cassandra.

“What is this about?” She asked, her gaze finally flickering up to meet his.

Oscar lets out a breathe didn't even know he was holding.

God, she still had him under her charm. It's been years and he still craved her attention this much…

“We have unfinished business.”

She glanced at the papers on the table and the man in front of her who was now caging her.

“What business?” She asked, her eyes darting over his face with a bit of irritation in her tone.

Exactly.

What bloody business did he have with her anyway?

That she pretended he didn't exist? That he was in fact mad that she acted like he didn't exist?

She exhaled. “If this is about Athena..”

“Who said it was?” He cuts in, his voice carrying that tone she knew all too well.

This should be about Athena. He was still mad about that…right?

He leaned closer, forcing her to lean against the table as his hands settled on either side of her thighs.

Her eyes glanced down and then back at him, what is he doing?

“Why did you request to make this a private ceremony?”

“I have other places to be.” She said simply, turning away from him only for him to step even closer, holding her there.

God, she still smells like jasmine and something sweet. He knew it was her shampoo.

Hell, he remembered the product she preferred to use, Eden. He knew because he had helped her to wash her hair years ago when she broke her arm.

“I asked a question Vivian.”

She exhaled, brows furrowed. “Because I can’t stand another public event with you.”

He chuckled. “You can't stand pretending.” He met her gaze. “But that's something you know how to do best.”

She'd string him along back then and now she can't play pretend? Who the hell is she kidding?

She exhaled, “I don't have time for this.”

She shoved past him and walked right out of the boardroom. Again, like he didn't even exist.

It should infuriate him and the part that shook him to his core was the fact that it didn't.