Chapter_57
Tyler was supposed to attend a morning meeting, but the comfort of his bed and the weight of his thoughts kept him from getting up. He had told himself he’d get up early to prepare, but the morning passed in a haze, and he found himself staring at the ceiling, unsure of why he couldn’t bring himself to move.
By noon, he finally pulled himself out of bed, and they sat down together for lunch at the dining table. Tyler’s eyes lingered on Olivia for a moment as they ate, his thoughts turning toward her future. He was aware that she was in her fourth year of university, soon to graduate, and that she had spent so much of her time in the lab, immersed in her studies. There was something about the way she focused on her work, her determination, that intrigued him.
“Olivia,” Tyler said, breaking the comfortable silence between them, “what are your plans for the future?”
She glanced up from her plate, her eyes reflecting a mix of uncertainty and distraction. “I don’t know yet,” she admitted quietly, the words heavy with the weight of someone who had been caught in the limbo between college and the next chapter of life.
Tyler regarded her thoughtfully, sensing that she might not have given it much thought. He decided to shift the conversation, curious to get her out of her head for a moment. “Are you busy today?”
Olivia looked at him, confused by the sudden shift in topic. “What do you mean?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to visit the Harris Group with me,” Tyler suggested after a pause, his voice casual but with an undercurrent of something else. “My secretary is off today, so you could do a one-day internship.”
Olivia blinked, caught off guard by the offer. Her first instinct was to hesitate. “But I have no… experience,” she murmured, her brow furrowing with concern. “I don’t want to make a mess or get in your way.”
Tyler’s eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. He could tell she was overthinking it, and it was one of those rare moments when he wanted to pull her out of her thoughts. “Think of it as a break. And besides, I’m confident you can handle serving drinks. It’s not a difficult task.”
Olivia clutched her cutlery, still unsure, but the idea of leaving the house and doing something—anything—other than worrying about the future appealed to her. She straightened a little and tilted her head, eyeing him mischievously. “Tyler, if I work for you today, are you going to pay me?”
Tyler, momentarily caught off guard by her playful challenge, set his soup bowl aside. He met her gaze with an intense look, one that lingered as if trying to gauge her seriousness. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke with a quiet confidence. “Tell me how you’d like to be paid, and I’ll do as you say.”
Olivia blushed at the unexpected direction of the conversation, her playful tone faltering. “I was just kidding,” she stammered, realizing how it had sounded. “I didn’t mean it.”
Tyler couldn’t help but chuckle, the corner of his lips twitching upward. “Let’s see how well you perform today. If you do a good job, maybe I’ll consider paying you.”
She smiled at his teasing, the lightness of the moment offering a brief escape from the weight of her thoughts. “I’ll do my best,” she promised, determination flashing in her eyes.
Tyler raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “I have high standards for my secretary.”
A flicker of annoyance passed over Olivia’s face, and she shot him an exasperated glance. “You’re really something, Tyler,” she muttered under her breath, trying to hide a smile.
Later in the afternoon, Olivia found herself dressing in office wear, a crisp blouse and skirt that made her feel out of place. Yet, there was something about the unfamiliarity of it that distracted her from the growing tension in her chest. Standing beside Tyler in the elevator, she felt a mix of nervousness and uncertainty. The elevator ride seemed to stretch on forever, with the hum of the machinery around them filling the otherwise quiet space.
As the elevator ascended, Olivia found herself shrinking back, feeling the curious gazes of the other passengers on her. She moved instinctively to stand behind Tyler, where she hoped to avoid the scrutiny. Tyler, however, didn’t seem to notice or care about the attention they were receiving. He simply stood tall, his focus elsewhere, never offering an explanation to the others.
The doors opened on the thirtieth floor, and for a moment, no one moved. Tyler was the first to step out, and Olivia hesitated for just a moment, unsure whether she was meant to follow. He paused just outside the elevator, glancing back at her briefly, silently waiting.
Realizing he was waiting for her, Olivia quickly stepped out and followed him, her footsteps tentative at first but gaining confidence as she walked beside him. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but the quiet command in his voice when he spoke to her made her stomach flip. “Follow me,” he said, his words low and meant only for her.
“Yes, Mr. Tyler,” she replied, trying to keep the nerves from creeping into her voice.
Tyler didn’t acknowledge her reply, his pace steady as he led her down the hallway. Behind them, a few other employees stepped out of the elevator and followed in silence.
Inside his office, Tyler’s aura shifted. Olivia quickly adapted to the situation, taking a moment to observe how the office functioned. The atmosphere was professional, and the people there moved with purpose. She felt a little out of place at first, but the task Tyler had given her was simple enough—serve drinks. It was a task she knew she could handle, and for once, she felt like she was doing something useful.
She moved around the office with a quiet efficiency, grateful for the distraction. As she handed drinks to those gathered, her thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Tyler earlier. Maybe this one-day internship wasn’t such a bad idea after all. It gave her a glimpse into his world, a world that felt so far removed from the quiet, focused existence she had known in the lab.