"Hello."
Olivia sat cross-legged on her couch, a blanket around her shoulders. She frowned at the silence that followed. No voice came through the other side, only… silence.
Her patience lasted all of three seconds.
"If you're not going to say anything," she said flatly, "then I'm hanging up."
The words seemed to snap Aiden out of whatever trance he had fallen into. His grip on the phone tightened, his usually sharp tongue suddenly tangled. "Wait—don't. I… I called to ask if you're free for lunch tomorrow."
Olivia blinked. Her lips parted, but no words came immediately. There was only silence. But it was enough to make Aiden's chest tighten with unease.
He pulled the phone back slightly, glancing at the screen to confirm whether she had already hung up on him or not. The call was still active, yet the silence stretched far too long.
Just as he was about to call her name, her voice finally cut through.
"You mean to tell me…" she said slowly, her tone both incredulous and sharp, "that you called me in the middle of the night just to ask if I'd be free for lunch tomorrow?"
This time, it was Aiden's turn to be silent. His throat bobbed, heat creeping up his neck and settling in his ears. Embarrassment—a rare feeling for him—washed over his usually composed demeanor.
"Yes," he admitted, his voice lower than before. "I… didn't look at the time."
"Next time," she said, voice dry but not unkind, "try looking at the clock before calling someone. Especially at midnight."
"…Noted."
"And," she continued, leaning back against her cushions, "yes, I'm free tomorrow. Just send me the location."
She didn't give him the chance to say anything else. With a quick tap, she ended the call.
Olivia tossed her phone aside and pulled the blanket closer, eyes shifting back to the flashing images of her horror movie. Within moments, she was absorbed again, as if nothing had happened.
However, Aiden remained frozen in his office chair, the phone still in his hand. His face still burned faintly, the echo of her scolding lingering in his mind. For the first time, he knew what it felt like to be embarrassed.
Closing his phone, Aiden leaned back. He was already looking forward to tomorrow.
The next afternoon, Olivia arrived at the restaurant Aiden had chosen. The hostess led her straight to a private room, the faint hush of fine dining lingering in the air.
When she opened the door, she found him already there.
Aiden was seated at the long table, his posture straight, but his face visibly more tired than when she had last seen him at the party. Dark shadows clung beneath his eyes, the kind that spoke of sleepless nights and endless work.
Looks like the company's situation might be more serious than I thought… Olivia mused silently as she stepped in.
The moment Aiden saw her, he pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. "Olivia."
She gave him a small nod in return, walking toward the table. Sliding into her seat, she crossed one leg over the other and fixed her calm gaze on him. "What is it that you want, Mr. Ashford?"
He hesitated, fingers tightening around the edge of his chair. For a moment, his jaw worked as though the words refused to come out.
Olivia didn't rush him. She sat in silence, watching him. She knew how difficult this must be for him since he had never asked for anyone's help—especially after declaring that he would never be the one to approach her first.
"…I'm sorry," Aiden said, his voice low. His eyes lifted to hers with uncharacteristic vulnerability. "I want you to join the company again. I can't handle everything alone."
The quiet that followed was heavy. Olivia's gaze softened slightly, though her expression didn't change. After a moment, she exhaled and shook her head. "I already told Grace yesterday—I won't be rejoining the company."
Aiden's face fell, the flicker of hope in his eyes dimming.
"But," Olivia continued, her voice firm, "I will help you with the fashion project one last time. I've already invested my time and energy into it, and I want to see it through."
He didn't argue. He only nodded, but the disappointment was written across his face like an open book.
Olivia sighed quietly. Her patience wasn't endless. "If you don't have anything else to say, then I'll be leaving."
"Stay," Aiden said quickly, surprising her. His voice carried a note of urgency. "At least have lunch. You're already here."
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment before she relented. With a small shrug, she reached for the menu. "Fine."
Aiden called the waiter, and they placed their orders without much conversation. When the waiter left, silence returned to the room. Olivia gazed out the large window, watching the flow of traffic on the street below. Aiden, meanwhile, busied himself with the files on his phone, though she noticed his attention drift more than once.
When the dishes finally arrived, they ate quietly. It wasn't until midway through the meal that Olivia spoke.
"I'll come to the company tomorrow," she said calmly. "...to take over the project."
For a brief second, Aiden froze. Then, as the words settled, a small but undeniable spark of relief crossed his features. "Okay," he said softly, almost as if afraid she would change her mind.
After lunch, they parted ways—Aiden heading straight for the company, Olivia returning to her apartment.
Later that evening, Olivia curled up on her couch, an anime playing across her television, when her phone buzzed with a call from Emily.
"Come out for a drink," Emily's cheerful voice urged.
Olivia considered declining but ended up agreeing.
At the club, Emily greeted her with a bright smile and a wave, clearly in high spirits. They ordered drinks, laughter, and casual chatter blending with the music around them.
Between sips of her cocktail, Olivia mentioned her earlier conversation with Aiden.
Emily's eyes widened in surprise. "He actually asked you that? Wow. So… are you really going to do it?"
Olivia gave her a faint smile, swirling the liquid in her glass. "Yes. Just this once. It feels right to finish what I started."
Emily leaned closer. "Then you should do it. If that's what you want, don't let anyone stop you."
After a while, the night wore on. They shared another drink, exchanged a few more stories, and eventually went their separate ways. Olivia walked home with the faint buzz of alcohol in her veins and the weight of tomorrow already forming in her mind.