Chapter 5

• CHAPTER 5
• OLIVIA POV
• I'm sure he's one of their lap dogs, doing whatever he's told the moment they bark orders at him.
• I can't risk it. I can't risk him coming back here with Samantha or Lucas, knowing I have a child. They'd do the math in the blink of an eye.
• That would only let Alessandro learn about the part of my life he doesn't know, and I pray he never finds out.
• A few minutes later, Jaden and his nanny, Jane, returned, and he quickly rushed over to me.
• “Mommy?” he called out sweetly. “I bought you this.” He stretched out his hand and handed me one of his chocolates. I couldn't help but smile as I gently cradled his head. I watched him happily jog back to Jane while I continued my apartment hunt.
• I swiped through pictures, looking for the best place—one with a playground where Jaden could play. Once I found it, I quickly emailed the realtor, who sent me photos of the apartment I wanted. Without hesitation, I made the payment and began packing.
• When I entered Jaden’s room to pack up his clothes, he sat down, staring blankly at me. I could tell he sensed the urgency and change, or perhaps even the lies, but he didn't fully understand enough to talk about it.
• I tried to joke with him, pretending everything was fine as I packed, but the tension was palpable. I just couldn't hide it.
• After a while, he asked, “Mommy, why are we packing so soon? We just arrived.”
• I took a deep breath and turned to him, smiling. “Jay, this place isn't close to my job. I need somewhere a little closer.”
• I lied, putting on the most motherly smile I could muster. He wouldn't understand, even if I told him everything and why I had to leave right away.
• “But I love this place,” he protested. I exhaled slowly. “I promise you, the next place we go will be better.”
• “Is there a playground there?” he piped up. When I nodded, he frowned.
• “But there’s a gigantic playground just opposite the house with lots of boys,” I tried to convince him. “You can always go there, but you have to go with Jane.”
• I caressed his head and continued to pack as quickly as possible. I just needed to get out of there right now. I had a deep feeling that Samantha and Lucas must have known I was back; their lapdog must have called them.
• The next morning, I was awake by seven and quickly prepared breakfast for Jayden before heading to take a shower and get ready for the Fuldab Law Firm. It was one of the largest law firms right after ours. I glanced at my wrist and then at the clock— I was already running late. I should have woken up earlier, but moving from one house to another all night had been exhausting.
• Once I was finished, I settled into my car and drove to the law firm. After parking, I made my way to the CEO’s office as directed. When I reached his door, I paused to smooth my dress. He wasn't just anyone. Williams Jerkins is one of the top attorneys with the most successful law firms in the country—a self-made billionaire who made his fortune through various businesses, especially in stock exchanges. Leading his family firm is purely out of passion.
• Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door to the imposing office. A wave of nervousness washed over me as I stepped inside.
• I put on my most charming smile and approached the man sitting behind the mahogany desk, his head bent over his laptop.
• “Good morning, Mr. Jerkins,” I greeted politely.
• Williams raised his head upon hearing my voice, and I froze in shock. I stumbled back, my mouth agape as I pointed at him.
• “You?” I said in disbelief. “What are you doing here? Where is Mr. Jerkins?”
• I must be cursed to keep running into this same stranger from five years ago.
• What was he doing in Williams Jerkins' office? I swallowed hard, my eyes trailing to the name tag on his suit. As I read it aloud, “CEO… Williams Jerkins,” my jaw dropped, and I prayed for one thing:
• Superpowers to disappear.
• A deep wave of shame washed over me, and I couldn't bear to look at him.
• Who would have thought I would cross paths with him again?
• And not just cross paths, but to find out he is Williams Jerkins?
• My heart raced as I considered my options. The best course of action would be to ignore him and act professionally. That was my only way to navigate this situation.
• When I raised my gaze to him and noticed he was staring at me wordlessly, I chuckled nervously.
• “Sorry, I thought you were someone I know,” I said with a straight face. “I'm sorry for pointing at you like that.”
• He still didn't say a word, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was looking at me that way. Should I keep talking, or was it better to just stop?
• “I’m sorry… My name is Olivia Knowles, and I'm here regarding the application we signed as part of our agreement last year,” I explained, hoping he understood the purpose of my visit.
• His intense gaze made it uncomfortable for me to stand in the office, and I could feel my palms growing sweaty.
• “So, you're still going to keep playing the pretend game with me, right?” he finally spoke, causing me to gulp.
• Olivia, you’ve got this. I needed to pull myself together.
• “What do you mean by that, Mr. Jerkins?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
• “Are you really going to stand there and pretend you don't recognize me?” he challenged, his tone sharp. I feigned a frown.
• “Am I really supposed to know you, Mr. Jerkins? I think you have the wrong person. We might have a little resemblance, but I'm only here as an intern attorney, just as I mentioned in my letter,” I clarified quickly, hoping he would drop the subject.
• His eyes narrowed as he studied me intently, as if he were taking in every detail. I wondered if he knew I was pretending.
• “Well, it seems you really don’t remember me,” he said, rising from his chair. My heart began to race.
• “Perhaps I should help you remember, right?” He stood directly in front of me, causing my breath to hitch and my chest to pound. Leaning closer, he moved slowly, his tongue brushing the side of my ear, making me giggle nervously.
• “Now do you remember me, pretty damsel?” he asked, and this time I was too stunned to reply.
• My brows furrowed in confusion. “No, I already said I don’t know you. Why are you—”
• Before I could finish, he lowered his lips to mine. The moment his lips touched mine, I stiffened.
• “Let me in so I can help you remember,” he whispered in a sultry voice, his hands resting on my hips.
• I managed to push him away and stepped back, my dark eyes flashing with anger as my face burned red. “What was the meaning of that, Mr. Jerkins? You know that could be considered harassment, right? Even if we’ve encountered each other in the past, that doesn’t give you the right to do that.”
• “I see why you hate being captured by the media, and why only your childhood photos are on the internet,” I snorted. “You really don’t want them to see the kind of person you are.”
• He chuckled darkly. “And what kind of man do you think I am, Olivia?” he asked, his gaze steady as I glared at him.
• “The kind who harasses every woman that manages to come into his office.”
• He started to approach me again. “Are you sure that’s what you wanted to say?” His eyes glinted with confidence, igniting my fury. “Or were you going to explain the kind of man who takes advantage of you when you're dead drunk until you're sober? The same one who makes you beg him to stop, right?”