You Were Always Mine

No Empty Threats

Oscar had never had to dwell on a thought so much that it cost him his sleep.

Well, he has and it had been about Vivian but this one was even worse; it came tangled with a feeling he didn't want to place a label on.

Yet as he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, the city stretched endlessly below him while Liam's parting words echoed with irritating clarity.

"She's still your wife."

"What happens after now... is your problem."

His jaw tightened.

The man had always known exactly which buttons to press and had sometimes wondered if he got that infuriating trait from his grandfather.

Of course he did. His father had always been Rick's favourite.

He wondered how the old man would feel when he learned his prodigy was back in town.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

Charles stepped inside carrying the morning reports.

"You have three meetings before lunch."

Oscar didn't turn around.

"Hm."

Charles set the files on the desk.

"...Sir?"

Oscar finally looked over.

"What?"

"You haven't taken your morning coffee. Should I make you another one?”

Oscar glanced at the said cup of coffee to see the steam was gone.

He glanced back at the busy city and nodded.

Charles walked closer, took the mug and made his way out of the office with a million questions running through his mind.

Oscar always takes his morning coffee.

At least it makes the man less grumpy in the mornings but today, he didn't.

Not because the cup didn't come on time because it did. So why?

He'd been real quiet since yesterday too. He wondered what the problem was.

[Pearl Corp]

Vivian stepped out of the elevator with a mug of coffee in one hand and her tablet tucked beneath the other arm.

Her ankle still ached slightly but it didn't feel like a complete pain in the ass anymore.

And that had been all thanks to Oscar acting quickly when he did. The doctor had told her things could have been a lot worse if he hadn't.

She frowned.

Goodness...

Why was she even thinking about him?

Cassandra hurried after her.

"The procurement team is waiting."

"Great."

"And Legal sent the revised merger documents."

"Good."

Cassandra hesitated. "...Also..."

Vivian looked over.

"I received a message this morning."

"From?"

"Mr. Liam."

Vivian blinked as her face brightened.

"Liam?"

"He asked if you'd be free after work."

A small smile found its way onto Vivian's face before she could stop it.

She'd felt bad that they couldn't even talk properly yesterday because of her schedule.

She could have cleared it but it would only come back to bite her in the ass later.

Liam would hate that for her.

She nodded. “Of course. I'm free this evening right?”

“Yes.”

“Let him know that.

***

The entire day has been nothing but exhausting for a majority of the staff of Pearl Corp.

The new merger had everyone on their toes and by noon, everyone looked exhausted.

Everyone except Bibi Faye.

She floated through the office like she owned the building.

"Tina."

Tina looked up. "Yes?"

"My coffee is cold."

"Oh."

"I like it hot."

Tina immediately stood. "I'll get you another one."

Bibi smiled sweetly."You're the best."

As Tina hurried away, Tony glanced at Tina and then back at Bibi with a small frown.

It's been going on like this for a while now; Bibi tells Tina something she needs and Tina is running to get it done like the deadlines they had wasn't crushing already.

"...Couldn't you have gotten it yourself?" He asked Bibi, leaning over to her cubicle.

Bibi gasped dramatically. "I would."

She flexed one hand.

"But my wrists still hurt from the sports event, you know? The doctor told me not to apply pressure on it."

His frown deepened, it's been a few days already and she still can't use her hand?

Like seriously?

Tony looked at her perfectly healthy arm.

"...Both of them?"

"Especially both of them."

He stared for another second before sighing. Something was starting to seem wrong but he couldn't point a finger on it just yet.

[Onyx Tech]

Oscar's zoom meeting had barely ended when he received a knock sounded on the door.

Charles stepped inside just as Oscar wrapped up the very last part of the meeting.

His gaze moved over to his assistant.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir."

"What is it?"

Charles glanced around the room, hesitant to whether or not he needed to deliver the news.

He lowered his voice.

"...Mr. Liam called."

Oscar's expression remained blank.

"So?"

"He wasn't asking for you."

Oscar already knew that. Why the f**k would Liam ask about him?

"He wanted to know whether Ms. Pearl would be available after work."

Oscar remained unreadable. Charles immediately regretted saying it.

Oscar looked down his watch without really seeing it, he knew exactly what Liam was playing at.

Why the f**k would he ask his assistant for Vivian's schedule? It was intentional.

"Get the car ready.”

Charles simply nodded once before leaving the office.

"...This can't be good." He muttered under his breath.

[Pearl Corporation.]

Vivian finally escaped her last meeting shortly after five. She stretched both arms above her head before letting out a relieved sigh.

"What time is it?"

Cassandra checked her watch.

"Five twenty."

Vivian smiled. "I actually finished on time."

She gathered her handbag.

"You can head home."

Cassandra watched her boss stand on her feet, “Ma?”

“I'm meeting with Liam, remember?"

Cassandra nodded as she recalled. “Alright. Have a lovely night ahead.”

“You too.”

She pats Cassandra's shoulder gently.

“Great work.”

Vivian walked out of the building in seconds.

Outside Pearl Corporation, the low rumble of a motorcycle engine echoed across the entrance.

Employees leaving work looked toward the sound and a few who recognised him blushed tremendously.

Liam leaned casually against it, helmet hanging from one hand and the second on the bike.

"Who is that?"

"No idea. But he was here yesterday.”

"He's ridiculously handsome."

Liam looked up just as the revolving doors turned and Vivian stepped outside.

"There you are."

She laughed. "You've attracted half my staff."

He raises his hands in surrender.

"I can't help being memorable."

"You certainly think highly of yourself."

"I've been told it's one of my better qualities."

She rolled her eyes.

He reached into one of the motorcycle compartments before holding up another helmet.

"For you."

Vivian stared at it.

"You actually expected me to get on that thing?"

"I expected you to complain first."

She folded her arms. "I love my life, you know?"

"So do I."

"I would also like to arrive in one piece."

"Take the helmet V.” he said. “You know I would never let you get hurt. Rick would kill me.”

"You've never dropped a passenger but you've dropped yourself."

"...That happened once."

"Three times."

"Who's counting?"

"You."

"...bloody hell."

She laughed. Goodness, some people never change.

Liam smiled. "I thought we'd grab dinner."

Vivian shook her head. "I don't have enough time for dinner."

"What about coffee?"

She considered it. "...Coffee I can do."

"Perfect."

He handed her the spare helmet again.

"Come on."

She accepted it. "If I die..."

"You won't." He cuts in.

"I'm haunting you."

"I'd deserve it."

Across the street, a black sedan waited at the traffic light.

Oscar had intended to head straight home but he had made a stop by Pearl instead, parking the car a few meters away from the entrance.

He couldn't just ignore this. Not after the message he received from Liam.

His eyes lifted and found Vivian. She was standing beside Liam's motorcycle, laughing again.

The same laugh.

The one that had followed him home after Sports Day.

Liam handed her the spare helmet. Vivian hesitated only briefly before putting it on.

Oscar's fingers tightened around the steering wheel. He had insisted on driving himself tonight.

He watched as Vivian climbed onto the motorcycle like she trusted the man in front of her.

Liam glanced back. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He laughed. "Hold on."

She lightly rested one hand against the side grip behind her.

"No." Liam shook his head. "I'm a biker."

"So?"

"I could brake suddenly."

Vivian looked unconvinced.

"You'll fall." He adds.

She sighed dramatically before placing one hand lightly against his shoulder.

"There."she glanced at him."Happier?"

“V, wrap your hands around me. I am not ready to face my old man if anything happens to you?”

She does, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“See why I don't want to do this?”

Liam smirked. “Yeah. Sure.”

The engine roared to life. Several employees watched with open curiosity.

"They know each other?"

"They seem close."

"I've never seen Ms. Pearl smile that much."

Oscar heard every word and none of them helped.

The traffic light turned green and the motorcycle pulled smoothly into the evening traffic before disappearing beyond the intersection.

Oscar continued staring long after it was gone, his grip tightening around the steering wheel.

A chuckle escaped his lips, Liam wasn't joking.

His gaze remained on the motorbike until it darkened.