Guarding tlThe Billionaire's Heart

Untitled Episode4

Olivia barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, the message flashed behind her eyelids ‘like a dream’

Be careful. Next time you won’t be so lucky.

But she still dragged herself out of bed, showered, dressed, and pushed her hair into a neat low ponytail. She needed routine. She needed to be normal. She needed to pretend the ground hadn’t shifted beneath her feet last night.

And she needed distance from the man currently waiting downstairs.

Because after the way Gabriel had ‘looked at her—angry, protective, furious’ at losing control something inside her had begun to unravel.

—She wasn’t ready.

Not for the danger.

Not for him.

Not for the ‘truth that’ staring into his eyes had sparked a truth she wasn’t ready to name.

She stepped out of her room and expected the hallway to be silent.

But It wasn’t.

Gabriel stood outside her door.

Not next to it.

Not leaning against a wall.

Right in front of it.

‘Like he’d been her guard dog all night’

His shoulders were stiff, his arms ‘crossed’ his jaw tight. The moment he saw her, his posture eased just slightly as if he’d been holding something heavy and finally set it down.

Good morning, Olivia

Good morning,You… slept here?

Yes.

You didn’t have to.

Well I did.

There it was again that quiet intensity that felt like fingers sliding under her skin. She looked away before it could pull her deeper.

We have to leave for the office,she said.

She tried to move past him, but Gabriel stepped forward first, leading the way. He didn’t touch her, but his body formed a barrier between her and the world as if invisible threats lurked in every shadow.

And suddenly

She didn’t mind

On their way to Bennett Enterprise

The car was silent not awkward silence but

heavy silence.

The kind that presses against your ribs and refuses to let you breathe normally.

Gabriel sat beside her in the back seat instead of in the front like he usually preferred. Every few seconds Olivia felt his eyes flick toward her checking if she was okay. It should've annoyed her.

It didn’t.

It soothed something inside her she didn’t want to admit needed soothing.

When the car pulled up in front of the tall glass tower of Bennett Enterprises, Gabriel opened the door before the driver even stopped fully. He stepped out first, scanning the surroundings with sharp, trained eyes. Only when he was satisfied did he extend a hand to her.

She hesitated.

Her heart thumped.

But she placed her palm in his.

His hand wrapped around hers warm, firm, grounding.

And something jolted through her chest.

He let go too fast, as if he had felt it too and was afraid of it.

They arrived at the company.Inside the company the lobby was busy, as always. Employees moved in fast streams, voices carried over phone calls, elevators chimed open and closed.

Olivia walked with her father’s assistant, Jenna, while Gabriel stayed a step behind her. Always close enough to reach her. Never close enough to touch.

Her father was waiting in the conference room for their morning strategy meeting. When she entered, he looked up from a stack of papers.

Olive he said, softening. Come sit.

His eyes lingered on her face a little too long—long enough for him to notice her lack of sleep.

Are you alright?

She forced a smile. Yes I'm Just tired.

Gabriel remained in his new position: behind her chair, arms folded, gaze sweeping the room like he expected danger to crawl through the vents.

Her father nodded, but something in his expression tightened. Good. We have a lot to cover. A deal is being threatened and we need full focus.

Olivia stiffened. Threatened how?

He sighed, rubbing his temple. Someone leaked information to our rival company. The same rival that’s been trying to force their way into the market we’re entering. If this continues our project, months of work will collapse.

Information leak.

Threats.

Sabotage.

Dad this is getting too much and we need to do something about it.

Her father continued. We’ll walk through the security breaches today and figure out who’s behind this.

Gabriel didn’t move, but Olivia felt his entire focus sharpen.

Like a blade.

The meeting dragged into the next hour. Olivia tried to stay focused taking notes asking questions proving she earned her place at the table. She didn’t want anyone assuming she was only here because of her last name.

But her thoughts kept drifting back to the warning message.

Her pulse kept jumping every time someone walked past the door.

At one point she felt Gabriel shift behind her. Quiet subtle but she sensed it instantly. His presence was like heat radiating against her back. She didn’t need to turn around to know he was watching her again feeling the tension she tried to hide.

Halfway through the discussion, her father’s voice cut through the room.

Gabriel, could you step outside? I need to speak privately with my team.

Olivia froze.

Gabriel didn’t.

He simply replied. With respect sir, I can’t leave her alone in an unsecured room. Not after last night.

Silence crashed over the table.

Olivia’s head snapped toward him.

He didn’t look at her.

Her father looked at him for a few minutes.Is it that serious?

Gabriel replied, " Yes.

Fine you can Stay.

Olivia felt heat rise in her cheeks. No one had ever fought to stay near her before. No one had ever insisted she mattered, even professionally.

It did strange things to her breath.

Two hours later, the meeting was finally dismissed.

Olivia walked out first, shoulders tense from sitting too long. Gabriel followed her into the hallway lined with tall windows and framed achievements.

The moment the conference room door closed behind them, he spoke.

We need to go over everything you remember about yesterday.

She pressed her back against the cool wall. I don't want to talk about it here.

Then we’ll go somewhere private.

There was no room for argument in his tone. Not harsh, just final. Like stone softened by concern.

They slipped into a smaller unused office down the hall. Gabriel locked the door before turning to face her.

Olivia, he said quietly, told me everything.

She tried to hold it together but she failed.

It was supposed to be a normal day,she said, voice trembling. I left the office and I walked to my car. And then—then I saw the message under the windshield. Folded so small. Almost like the person wanted to tuck it right where I’d find it.

I opened it, and the handwriting looked… rushed. Angry like the pen kept digging into the paper. It said I should be careful next time because I won’t be so lucky. I didn’t know what it meant. I still don’t.

Her breathing hitched.

Gabriel stepped closer not touching her but close enough for her to feel the warmth of his body, close enough for her to inhale the faint scent of cedar and clean soap clinging to his skin.

What did you do after reading it? he asked.

I froze, she admitted. I… I felt stupid because I didn’t know what to do. I kept thinking someone was watching me. And then you came out of nowhere.

His eyes softened the hard edges melting inch by inch. I’m glad I did.

She looked up at him.

And for the first time, she saw the exhaustion in his eyes too. The shadows of fear he tried to hide. The tension in his shoulders from staying awake outside her door.

He had been scared too.

Not for himself.

The realization made her chest swell with something warm and terrifying all at once.

Gabriel,she whispered, what do you think is happening to my family and my father’s business?

His gaze locked onto hers deep, steady, unflinching.

I think, he said, voice dropping to a low, rough timbre, someone wants to hurt all of you. And I think they’re getting closer

For the first time his expression cracked open.

His voice came out hoarser than before. And you’re the easiest way to break him.

She felt the world tilt.

He stepped closer, closing the remaining distance between them until they were only inches apart. She could feel every breath he exhaled, feel the heat radiating off him, feel the air tighten with something that wasn’t fear anymore.

It was something else.

Something forbidden.

Something dangerous.

Olivia,I promise you I won’t let them touch you.

Her throat tightened. You can’t promise that.

Yes, I can.

She stared at him, heart pounding so loud she wondered if he could hear it.

His eyes,dark, intense, burning with something he shouldn’t feel never left hers.

And for a moment, the world outside the small office blurred.

There was only him.

Only the promise in his voice.

Only the quiet war he seemed to be fighting inside himself.

A war between duty and something far more dangerous.

You scare me sometimes.

Gabriel didn’t move away. If anything, he leaned in a fraction closer.

Good,he murmured. Because you scare me too.

Her breath caught.

Neither of them moved for several long seconds.

Then a sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.

Olivia jumped. Gabriel immediately reached for his gun.

Who is it, he barked.

It's Jenna’s shaky Miss Olivia, Your father wants both of you in his office now.

Olivia and Gabriel exchanged a look—tense, heavy, charged.

Whatever was waiting for them in her father’s office

It wasn’t going to be good.

And this time, Olivia didn’t step away from Gabriel as he unlocked the door.

She walked beside him.

Close enough that their shoulders brushed.

Close enough to feel safe.

Close enough to feel the danger between them growing stronger by the second.

The walls of

Bennett Enterprises might have been listening, but Olivia no longer cared.

Something was changing.

Inside her.

Inside him.

Inside everything around them.

And whatever came next…

Would pull them deeper into a darkness neither of them could ignore anymore.