You Were Always Mine

Somethings Never Change

The conference room emptied far quicker than anyone expected.

There was simply no point in crowding around one table anymore.

The department heads had been divided into smaller teams, each responsible for fixing a different section of the merger documents before bringing the revisions back for approval.

It turned the executive floor into a hive of quiet activity. Some executives remained inside the boardroom while others occupied the smaller meeting rooms down the hallway.

Every few minutes, someone could be seen carrying another stack of files toward Vivian's office.

It had become headquarters for the night.

[Vivian's Office]

Vivian loosened the top button of her blouse before rolling both sleeves to her elbows.

The fabric refused to stay folded at first and she had to try again.

"There."

Her hair, usually pinned back neatly, had long since escaped into a loose ponytail.

She reached for another file without wasting a second.

Across the desk, Oscar had abandoned his suit jacket nearly an hour ago.

It now rested over the back of his chair.

The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled just below his elbows, exposing strong forearms dusted with faint veins that became more noticeable every time he turned another page.

Vivian tried her hardest not to notice.

His tie had disappeared somewhere during the first hour.

Charles had quietly rescued it from a pile of documents before it vanished forever beneath the paperwork.

Neither CEO looked particularly concerned.

The mountain of files occupying Vivian's office was growing rather than shrinking.

Charles stepped inside carrying another stack.

"The revised procurement report."

He placed it in front of Vivian.

"The finance team also updated the supplier list."

Cassandra followed closely behind with two more folders balanced carefully in her arms.

"And Legal finished reviewing the contract amendments."

Vivian accepted them with a tired smile.

"Thank you."

Oscar looked up briefly. "Anything from HR?"

Charles nodded. "They're still making the changes."

"They have twenty minutes."

"I'll let them know."

The assistants disappeared almost as quickly as they had arrived.

The office became quiet again. Only the soft turning of paper and the tapping of keyboards filled the room.

Nearly fifteen minutes passed before Vivian finally broke the silence.

"This approval chain is too long."

Oscar didn't look up."It is."

"If every purchase needs four signatures, nothing will ever get done."

"It should be two."

She glanced across the desk. "You agree?"

His eyes remained on the paper he was reading.

"I don't enjoy wasting time."

One corner of her mouth almost lifted.

Oscar calmly signed the bottom of another document, eyes still fixed on the paper.

She crossed out two unnecessary approval stages before sliding the file across the desk.

Oscar read it once, picked up his pen and signed before pushing it toward the growing pile marked Approved.

One down and a dozen more to go.

Dinner arrived shortly after seven.

Several large boxes were placed neatly on the side table.

The rich aroma of grilled chicken, rice and vegetables drifted through the office almost immediately.

Charles looked hopeful.

"I ordered enough for everyone."

Neither of them moved.

Cassandra looked between the two CEOs.

"...Perhaps we should eat while it's still hot?"

Vivian never lifted her eyes from the spreadsheet in front of her.

"In a minute."

Oscar echoed almost absentmindedly.

"Mm."

Charles exchanged a look with Cassandra. They haven't eaten anything all day and here they both were, powering through the night with nothing but morning coffee in their stomach.

Five minutes passed and then ten, then twenty, then thirty and the food remained untouched.

Charles finally sighed where he stood at the furthest end of the room and away from ear’s shot.

"I'm beginning to think we ordered dinner for decoration."

Cassandra elbowed him gently.

"They're concentrating."

Vivian looked up at them.

"You two have permission to remind us if we forget."

Charles blinked."...Really?"

She nodded.

"If either of us collapses, the merger will probably be delayed."

Oscar signed another page without saying a word.

Charles grinned. "I've waited years to tell both of you to take a break."

"You still haven't." Oscar pointed out.

Charles immediately straightened.

"...Right.I'll...wait another ten minutes."

Vivian laughed quietly, the sound surprised even her.

Oscar's pen paused for the briefest moment before continuing.

Another hour slipped by almost unnoticed.

The office door opened and closed so many times that Charles eventually stopped knocking altogether.

Yet the duo worked together in silence like last night never happened.

Hell, there was too much going on for them to even think about that right now.

Every now and then, their fingers would brush but one party didn't particularly register it as she was more than done with the pilling documents and wanted it done and over with.

While the other found himself pausing for a brief moment, hands tingled where she had touched.

Outside the office windows, daylight slowly surrendered to evening. The city lights flickered awake one building at a time.

Somewhere down the hallway, someone yawned loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Charles chuckled. "I think we're all beginning to run on fumes."

Cassandra glanced at the clock mounted on the wall.

"...Eight forty-seven."

Vivian followed her gaze. "...Already?"

Oscar finally leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck before reaching for the untouched cup of coffee beside him.

It had gone cold hours ago.

Without a word, he stood, picked up the mug and walked toward the coffee machine tucked into the corner of Vivian's office.

He poured the stale coffee away and made another cup.

As he turned back, his eyes landed briefly on Vivian.

Her own cup sat empty beside her laptop.

He hesitated for only a second before quietly making a second cup.

He walked back to the desk and placed it in front of her without a word.

He returned to his seat.

Vivian looked at the steaming mug and then back at him before pulling the cup closer.

"...Thank you."

Oscar said nothing and opened the next file.

By the time the last set of revised documents reached Vivian's office, the building had become unnaturally quiet.

The bustle that had filled the executive floor earlier in the evening was gone and the ringing phones had stopped.

Only the occasional click of a keyboard or the rustle of paper reminded anyone that work was still going on.

Charles stepped inside carrying another folder.

Across from Oscar, Vivian was still reading through a report, red pen moving across the margins.

She looked exhausted.

The neat ponytail she'd tied hours ago had loosened, strands of dark hair escaping around her face. She brushed one behind her ear without even noticing she'd done it.

Oscar's eyes traced her fingers without meaning to before returning his attention back to the paper he'd been reading.

Where was he again?

"Ms. Vivian," Cassandra said gently, "perhaps we should continue tomorrow."

Vivian didn't even lift her head.

"There are only three sections left."

"Then let's finish all three." Oscar said as he signed the page in front of him.

Charles sighed dramatically. "Of course you do."

Neither CEO acknowledged him

He looked toward Cassandra.

"They're impossible."

"They've always been impossible."

Another hour passed and the stack marked To Review became smaller.

Eventually, Vivian rubbed her eyes.

"I've read this page three times."

Oscar looked across the desk, he could see the exhaustion already wearing her down.

Maybe they need to slow down.

"Because it's the same page, Ms V.” Cassandra offered.

She blinked before looking down.

"...It is."

For the first time all night, she laughed at herself.

"I'm more tired than I thought."

Charles checked his watch. "It's almost midnight."

Vivian leaned back in her chair.

“We're nearly there." She said as she opened another file anyway.

"I'll sleep when this is done."

The assistants leave the office once more to organise the Approved files. There was no talking the duo out of this.

Vivian managed to read the first paragraph. Then the second. The words gradually blurred together.

Without realizing it, she rested one arm on the desk.

A moment later, she folded the other beneath her cheek.

"I just need..."

Her voice trailed away before she finished the sentence and silence wrapped the room.

Oscar raised his head, glancing her way.

The pen still rested loosely between her fingers and several documents lay spread beneath the arm stretched across the desk, while her head rested comfortably on the arm tucked beneath her cheek.

She had fallen asleep exactly where she sat.

Oscar remained silent for a long moment.

Then he stood, walking slowly around the desk.

His suit jacket still rested on the back of his chair.

He picked it up, unfolded it carefully, and draped it over Vivian's shoulders with surprising care.

She stirred slightly but didn't wake.

Oscar waited until the jacket settled properly. His eyes traced her face in silence as a million thoughts ran through his head.

A stray strand of hair fell on her face and he pulled it behind her ears gently only to pause after.

Is he truly ready to lose her? Even after everything?

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment. One thing was clear, he couldn't bring himself to despise her.

He sighed and returned to his seat.

Charles returned and paused on seeing Vivian asleep and Oscar's coat covering her.

He exchanged a glance with Cassandra but neither of them said a word.

Oscar picked up the final report.

"I'll finish these."

Charles hesitated. "Sir..."

"It's fine."

The assistants quietly left to organize the completed files outside.

When they returned nearly twenty minutes later, the office was completely still.

Oscar hadn't made it very far.

One completed report lay beneath his hand and another remained open in front of him. Like Vivian, exhaustion had finally caught him.

His head rested on his folded arm across the desk.

From the doorway, the two CEOs faced one another in sleep, separated only by the polished wood between them.

The desk lamp cast a warm glow across the office. Vivian remained wrapped in Oscar's jacket.

Charles smiled faintly. "I suppose even they have limits."

Cassandra nodded. "It only took an entire merger to prove it."

She quietly gathered the signed documents before dimming the overhead lights, leaving only the desk lamp burning.

Charles stepped into the hallway.

"The remaining files are approved," he told the waiting executives. "You can all head home."

The executives exchanged relieved smiles before quietly making their way toward the elevators.

Charles smiled on his way home; such peaceful…loving couple….