The morning sunlight crept softly through Olivia's bedroom curtains, brushing across her face and glinting off her messy brown hair. But Olivia didn't stir. She was fast asleep — completely oblivious to the chaos the day was about to bring.
Today was important. The day they were heading to the Euphoria Mansion Headquarters.
The trip she had been waiting for.
Last night, she had been so excited she couldn't sleep a wink. She'd packed her suitcase twice, checked her presentation files three times, and even went through the itinerary until she practically memorized it.
By the time she was finally satisfied, the clock on her phone had glowed 4:07 a.m.
She had yawned, murmured something about "just a quick nap," and collapsed into bed — out like a light the second her head hit the pillow.
Now, hours later, her alarm had been ringing for the past fifteen minutes straight.
The shrill, repetitive sound filled the room, vibrating the nightstand and echoing against the walls. But Olivia didn't even flinch. She was in dreamland — the kind of deep, peaceful sleep that only comes after a long night of chaos.
Her phone buzzed next.
The screen lit up with Aiden Ashford's name, followed by the vibration that rattled against her desk. The call went unanswered. Then another. And another.
Outside her apartment door, Aiden stood, dressed sharply in his black suit, looking every bit the composed executive — except for the fact that he was anything but composed right now.
He had been knocking for twenty minutes straight.
At first, politely. Then firmly. Then, with increasing frustration that made the door tremble under his knuckles.
Still no answer.
He exhaled sharply, his patience wearing dangerously thin. He stared at his phone screen — her name staring back at him. One more try.
He pressed call.
The phone rang once… twice… three times…
A full minute passed before a groggy, half-asleep voice finally answered.
"...Hello?" Olivia mumbled, her tone sleepy and confused.
Aiden clenched his jaw, took a deep breath, and said in a low, dangerously calm voice,
"Olivia Bennett… open the damn door. Right now."
There was silence on the other end — then a confused, drawn-out response:
"...Aiden?"
"Yes. And I've been standing outside your apartment for twenty minutes. Open. The. Door."
The realization hit her like a bucket of ice water.
Her eyes flew open. "Oh my god!"
She practically jumped out of bed, the phone falling somewhere in her sheets as she scrambled for the door. In a whirlwind of tangled hair, fuzzy socks, and pure panic, she flung the door open.
There stood Aiden — his expression thunderous, his posture stiff, and his tie perfectly in place despite the chaos radiating from his eyes.
Olivia froze, still half-asleep and entirely disheveled. Her hair was a complete mess, sticking out in every direction, and her pajamas had a big, sleepy-looking cat printed on the front.
For a split second, the sight knocked the air out of Aiden. His words, sharp and ready to scold, caught in his throat.
She looked… adorable.
Disoriented, confused, blinking up at him with wide eyes — like a startled kitten.
He took a deep breath through his nose, forcing his composure back before it betrayed him. "Check the time," he said tightly.
Olivia, still blinking, turned to glance at the wall clock inside. "It's… 8:20?"
Aiden's jaw tightened. "And when was our flight?"
Her brain took a moment to process. Then it hit her.
"Oh no…" she whispered, horror dawning on her face. "Aiden, I—"
"Don't say it," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
But she already had. "I overslept!"
"Yes, I figured that out," he said dryly.
She panicked, running a hand through her messy hair. "Okay, okay, five minutes! Just give me five minutes! Don't move, don't breathe, just wait!"
She darted back toward her room but paused halfway, spun around, and blurted, "Wait! Come inside! You can sit! Do you want coffee? Water? Tea? Maybe a snack?"
Aiden just stared at her, torn between laughter and disbelief. "Olivia. Get ready."
"Right! Right, I'm going!" she said, nodding rapidly and vanishing into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
Aiden exhaled, finally stepping into her apartment.
It wasn't large, but it was warm — a cozy, lived-in space that somehow mirrored her personality perfectly. Soft pastel curtains, framed art prints, a couch piled with mismatched cushions, and a bookshelf filled with everything from fashion design journals to half-read novels.
He found himself looking around for longer than he meant to, catching little glimpses of her world.
A half-finished coffee cup on the table. A pink notebook labeled "Creative Sparks." A blanket was tossed over the armrest.
For someone who often brought chaos to his perfectly organized office, her home felt surprisingly peaceful.
He checked his watch. 8:31.
Then he heard it — the sound of hurried footsteps and the sharp click of a suitcase wheel.
Olivia burst out of her room in a whirlwind of perfume, energy, and determination. Somehow, in less than ten minutes, she had transformed from sleepy kitten to full professional.
Hair tied neatly. Makeup is subtle but fresh. Outfit immaculate. She dragged her suitcase behind her with a triumphant grin.
"Done!" she announced breathlessly.
Aiden looked at his watch again. "Eight thirty-four…"
He blinked at her. "You got ready in under ten minutes?"
She straightened with mock pride. "Record time. Told you I'd make it."
He stared at her, equal parts impressed and speechless, before muttering, "Remind me never to underestimate your chaos again."
"Come on!" she said, grabbing her bag. "If we don't leave now, we'll miss check-in!"
Aiden shook his head but followed her out. The two of them hurried down the building, Olivia still fixing her sleeve as they reached the lobby.
Outside, Aiden's driver was already waiting beside the sleek black car.
Olivia smiled brightly. "Good morning!"
The driver blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her energy, before nodding politely.
Aiden followed her in, shutting the door behind them as the car started moving.
The moment the city blurred past the window, the tension seemed to settle.
Aiden sat back, adjusting his tie and glancing at the woman beside him. "So," he said casually, "care to explain why you were late?"
Olivia flushed, fiddling with her tablet. "I, uh… couldn't sleep."
He arched an eyebrow. "Really."
She nodded, her cheeks reddening more. "I was too excited about the trip. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect — the files, the designs, the model sketches… I might've checked the itinerary three or four times."
Aiden exhaled softly, leaning his head against the seat. "I should've known."
Silence settled between them — not awkward, but easy. Olivia eventually turned her focus to her tablet, scrolling through presentation slides and checking the project details again.
Meanwhile, Aiden went through a few documents on his tablet but found his attention wandering. He stole a glance at her — the way her brows furrowed when she focused, the faint hum she made when reading something she liked.
He quickly looked away when she noticed.
"What?" she asked, suspicious.
"Nothing," he said smoothly.
She squinted but let it go, going back to her work.
By the time they reached the airport, it was 8:52 a.m. — just in time.
They moved quickly through check-in and security, managing to board the flight with a few minutes to spare. Olivia let out a sigh of relief as she sank into her seat, turning to Aiden with a grin.
"See? We made it."
Aiden gave her a side glance, his tone dry. "Barely."
"But we did!" she countered, buckling her seatbelt with a small, triumphant smile.
He shook his head, unable to hide his amusement. "You're unbelievable."
Olivia tilted her head, pretending to think. "Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
Aiden didn't reply — but as he looked out the airplane window, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
For someone who had started his morning wanting to yell, he somehow found himself oddly… entertained.
And as the plane began to taxi down the runway, he caught himself glancing at Olivia again — already dozing off beside him, her head resting lightly against the seat, the faintest trace of a smile still on her lips.
Aiden exhaled softly and leaned back in his chair.
"Of course," he murmured. "Typical Olivia."
The plane lifted into the clouds, carrying them toward Euphoria Mansion Headquarters — and whatever surprises waited there next.