The days after the party passed in a blur of quiet routine for Olivia. She had slipped back into a strangely comfortable rhythm—one that involved waking up late, lingering over breakfast, catching up on books she had abandoned, and indulging in dramas, anime, or horror movies deep into the night. Her phone buzzed often, mostly Emily's cheerful texts about her budding romance with Jason, but Olivia didn't mind.
Still, even in her solitude, there were flickers of something else—unease, maybe, or the nagging sensation that a part of her was missing. But she brushed it aside every time it came creeping in.
One cloudy afternoon, as Olivia lounged on her couch reading a novel that Emily recommended, her phone buzzed with a call. The name made her raise her brows.
Grace.
She hadn't heard from her colleague—well, ex-colleague—since the night she resigned.
Olivia swiped the call open.
"Grace? It's been a while."
"Yeah," Grace's voice sounded both relieved and hesitant, " Miss. Olivia, are you free today? For lunch?"
Olivia tilted her head, curious. "Lunch? Sure. I've got nothing else planned."
"Great. I'll send you the address. It'll be good to see you again."
An hour later, Olivia stepped into a quiet restaurant tucked in the heart of the city. The place was cozy, with soft lighting and an elegant charm that fit Grace's personality perfectly. She spotted her right away—Grace was already seated by the window, her hands wrapped around a glass of water, eyes scanning the menu with a tired expression.
Olivia walked over with a warm smile.
"Grace," she greeted.
Grace looked up, relief flooding her face as she stood to shake hands. " Miss. Olivia!"
They ordered food and settled in. For a moment, the atmosphere was light, the way two old friends might catch up after months apart. But Grace didn't take long to get to the point.
"So," Grace began, stirring her drink, "how are you, really?"
Olivia leaned back, a genuine smile tugging her lips. "Honestly? Never better."
" Though you yourself look tired," Olivia asked.
Grace sighed, leaning forward. "The company is a mess these days."
Olivia narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Three secretaries have already been fired in the past month," Grace said bluntly. "And the atmosphere… It's unbearable. Everyone is overworked, frustrated. And the worst part?" Her voice dropped. "Because of the design getting stolen, the workload has doubled the team is trying to create something new before Fashion Week. And the boss…" She paused, hesitant. "…he's worse than ever. His temper has gotten worse; he'll yell at anyone, even for a small mistake."
Olivia's brows furrowed. She could picture it so clearly. The office is buzzing with fear instead of efficiency. Aiden retreated into himself, demanding perfection, pushing people to the edge because he couldn't afford failure.
"Hang in there," Olivia said softly, though her voice lacked its usual conviction.
Grace looked at her carefully. "Everyone says the same thing these days. They all think no one can manage the company better than you. We all wish you could come back."
Olivia's chest tightened. She shook her head firmly. "No, Grace. I'm not going back. I've already decided."
"But—"
"No." Olivia cut her off gently but with steel in her tone. "I've worked with Aiden since his very first day at that company. Every sleepless night, every battle, every achievement—I was there. And still, he didn't trust me enough. He questioned my loyalty. If he still doesn't believe in me, then what's the point of returning?"
Grace's lips parted, but she couldn't find the words to argue. The pain in Olivia's voice was clear, even if Olivia was trying to mask it with calm detachment.
"I'm not going back," Olivia repeated, this time softer.
Grace swallowed, her eyes lowering to the table. After a pause, she tried again. "You've invested so much of yourself in Fashion Week. You put endless hours into it—if it fails, wouldn't you feel sad?"
Olivia was silent for a long moment, her fork frozen in midair. Her expression flickered, betraying the truth she didn't want to admit. Yes, she would feel sad. She had poured herself into that project, and seeing it collapse would hurt.
But she pressed her lips together and said, "It's not my responsibility anymore."
Grace reached across the table, her voice gentler. "What if you don't come back permanently? Just help with Fashion Week. One last project. After all, it's also your project."
Olivia's jaw tightened. She hesitated. "…If Aiden himself asked me, I might consider it."
Grace exhaled, a small smile tugging her lips. "Okay. I'll talk to the boss myself."
They finished their lunch chatting about lighter things, then parted ways.
Back at the company, Grace didn't waste time. She walked straight to Aiden's office.
The moment she entered, Aiden's sharp gaze lifted from his laptop. "What did she say?"
Grace blinked, surprised by his urgency. The office wasn't empty—several senior employees were already there, waiting. They turned their attention to her, too, eyes filled with hope.
Grace sighed and shook her head.
"She said no." Grace's voice was blunt, but her expression softened with sympathy. "She said she will not work where she isn't trusted."
They all came up with the idea to have Olivia come back to the company and ask Grace, who was closest to her, to talk with Olivia, but the plane failed, and Olivia denied.
A heavy silence fell across the room. Aiden's shoulders stiffened, and guilt flickered in his usually unreadable eyes. Around them, the other employees lowered their heads, their own guilt mirroring his. They all knew what had happened—that Olivia had given her all, only to be dismissed so easily.
Grace hesitated, then added, "But… I asked her to just help with the Fashion Week project. Since she spent so much time on it, I thought maybe she'd agree."
Everyone's heads snapped up, eyes wide with cautious hope.
"What did she say?" Aiden asked quietly, his voice strained.
"She said… If the boss asked her himself, she might consider it."
Aiden didn't hesitate. "I'll call her tonight."
Relief rippled through the room. Some sighed audibly before dispersing back to their offices. Grace lingered a moment, watching Aiden as he sat back in his chair, his jaw tight, eyes unreadable. But the guilt etched in his features was undeniable.
That night, Olivia was curled up on her couch in her pajamas, half a blanket draped over her as the eerie sound effects of a horror movie filled her living room. She was completely absorbed in the suspense when suddenly her phone rang, vibrating against the coffee table.
The shrill sound made her jump so hard she nearly spilled her popcorn. "God!" she muttered, clutching her chest. She fumbled for the phone, her heart still racing.
Her eyes widened when she saw the name flashing on the screen.
Aiden.
For a moment, she simply stared at it, frozen. Why was he calling her at this hour? Then she thinks about her talk with Grace at lunch today, where she told her that if Aiden asks her personally, she might consider it, but she didn't expect him to call this soon!
The phone kept buzzing, and with a deep breath, Olivia swiped to answer. She pressed it to her ear.
"…Hello?" Her voice was cautious, almost reluctant.