CHAPTER 6 – The Confrontation
456 Words
Olivia’s POV
By the third day, my boss had left three voice messages:
“Olivia, where the hell are you?”
“We’re short-staffed and you’re just ghosting?”
“Look, if you don’t show up tomorrow, don’t bother coming back.”
I didn’t blame him.
But I couldn’t go back. Not yet. Not when my entire body felt like it was slowly breaking from the inside out.
Still, the part of me that needed control—needed normal—decided to go.
I threw on jeans and a hoodie and took the bus, keeping my head low the entire ride. I hadn’t seen Leo again, and that brought a strange relief. He had kept his distance.
But my heart still wouldn’t rest.
I walked into Paradise Pub just before opening. Some of the staff stared. My boss looked furious.
“You have guts, showing up here like this,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.
He glared at me. “You better be. One more stunt like that and you’re out for good.”
I nodded and got to work.
Sweeping, wiping, pretending everything was fine.
Until he walked in.
Leo.
He didn’t come with his usual crew. He didn’t sit in VIP.
He just walked straight up to the bar, eyes locked on mine.
“You haven’t returned my calls,” he said.
“I didn’t give you my number.”
He didn’t smile. “I got it anyway.”
“Stalker,” I muttered.
He stepped closer. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Olivia—”
“You’re just a customer. That’s all. Stop showing up where I am. Stop hovering. You don’t owe me anything, and I don’t owe you either.”
The room went quiet. A couple of coworkers watched us from behind the counter.
He looked like he wanted to say more.
But then he stepped back.
“Fine,” he said. “But I’m not going far.”
He turned and walked out.
I stood there, breathing hard, like I’d just run a mile uphill.
My legs were shaking.
Why couldn’t I breathe around him?
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Leo’s POV
She’s still fire.
Even when she’s pale, even when she looks like she hasn’t slept, she burns.
And she’s scared. I can feel it.
Not just of the pregnancy.
Of something else.
And I won’t stop until I find out what.
Even if she keeps pushing me away.
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Unknown POV
They think this is just some game.
That they can argue and flirt while I sit in the dark.
They think I’m done.
But I’m not.
The first message was a warning.
The next will be a lesson.
One they’ll never forget.
- Writer
