Chapter 2
“Enough” Dylan cut in coldly. “This isn’t the first time you’ve tried to steal credit from Chloe. I’ve warned you before. Stop testing my limits.”
Olivia said, “I’m not stealing anything. I really was the one who saved you.”
Dylan replied with indifference, “I was barely conscious back then. I couldn’t see her face, and 1 didn’t catch her voice, but I saw what she was wearing. I had someone look into it. The outfit I saw was Chloe’s.”
Olivia explained, “That’s because after I saved you, she waited until I was too weak to move and forced me to switch clothes with her—”
Dylan interrupted, annoyed, “Do I look like an idiot to you? You think I’d fall for something that pathetic? This is your last warning. Try to take Chloe’s credit one more time and I won’t let it slide.”
The way he looked at her made Olivia lose any desire to keep explaining. She had no proof, but every word she said was the truth.
Over the past few years, Olivia had told him the truth more than once. But he never believed her. He only believed what he remembered in that blurry moment–those clothes.
Olivia scoffed internally, ‘Anyone who didn’t know better would think it was the outfit that saved him.‘
If one day you find out the truth, don’t say I didn’t keep my promise. I tried. You were the one who didn’t want me.” With that, Olivia turned and walked out of the office.
Something in Dylan’s chest twitched. A strange frustration crept in, like something was slipping out of his control.
He stared at the file on his desk for a moment, then picked up the phone and called his assistant, Ivan Fraser. “Look into Olivia’s movements last night. I want to know who she spent the night with,” Dylan ordered.
Ivan moved quickly. In less than an hour, he came back with a report. “Mr. Wilson, based on my investigation, Mrs. Wilson left the house alone at eleven last night and went to The Hideaway Bar.
“A portion of the bar’s surveillance footage was hacked, so we can’t see what Mrs. Wilson did inside. Some of the surrounding street cameras were also hacked, so we can’t confirm what time she left.
This morning at nine, she left the hotel next to the bar by herself and came straight to the office.”
The irritation in Dylan’s chest vanished instantly. “So she really spent last night alone. She never actually went out to find a man.
“She said all that in front of me just to get my attention in another way. Classic push and pull. Too bad I’m not interested in her. That trick doesn’t work on me.
Dylan didn’t even realize how contradictory he was being. He was the one who told Olivia to figure out how to get pregnant on her own, even brought a man home and tried to force her into sleeping with a stranger.
But when Olivia actually planned to keep a man, Dylan felt suffocated. And after hearing she spent last night alone, he felt strangely relieved.
Dylan ordered, “Right, my stomach’s been bothering me. Go make me a cup of stomach–soothing herbal tea and bring it in.”
Ivan replied, “We’re out of those tea bags. Mrs. Wilson usually prepares and delivers them herself. Since she didn’t bring any today, I’ll call her now and ask.
Dylan frowned and stopped him. “Wait. Don’t call her. Has she ever forgotten something like this before? She’s doing it on purpose this time.
“She’s just waiting for me to tell you to contact her so she can feel needed. It’s just a cup of tea. Whether I drink it or not doesn’t matter.”
He thought, Just like her. Whether she exists or not doesn’t matter.’
“Yes, sir,” Ivan replied and said nothing more. He poured Dylan a glass of water and left to get back to work.
But Dylan’s frown only deepened. The burning pain in his stomach made his face pale, sweat broke out all over his body, and his hands felt weak.
In the end, he had no choice but to send Ivan to buy some stomach medicine for him.
In the car, Olivia called Julian and said on the phone, “Let’s meet. I’ll send you the address of my private villa. Bring your things. You’ll be staying there during our arrangement.”
Julian’s lazy, teasing voice came through the phone. “Already craving more? It hasn’t even been three hours.”
Olivia’s mouth twitched. “I’m trying to pay you and get your living situation settled. That’s where we’ll meet from now on. If we keep doing this at hotels, a purely physical setup like ours might get us arrested.*
11/3
Julian chuckled in a husky tone, “Fair enough. I’m still at last night’s hotel. Come pick me up.”
After hanging up, Olivia drove to the hotel from the night before.
When she got there, she didn’t see Julian. She got out of the car and glanced around. Just as she was about to call him, a tall figure suddenly appeared in front of her, exuding a powerful presence that was impossible to ignore.
Olivia looked up and saw a handsome man, about six feet three inches tall, standing right in front of her.
“Can I help you?” she asked, frowning, her voice distant.
Julian said with a half–smile, “What, you don’t recognize me now that I’ve got clothes on?”
Hearing that familiar voice, Olivia finally realized he was the man from last night.
From last night until this morning, they had never turned on the main lights in the room. She had only seen his face in the dim light, not clearly enough to recognize him afterward.
Because of what he said, people nearby started giving them strange looks. Olivia’s face flushed bright red as she muttered, “Keep your voice down. Do you think that’s something to be proud of?”
She
got into the car first. Julian let out a low chuckle and followed her in.
Olivia brought him to a villa Morgan had given her as a wedding gift. “This morning we only talked about the money. I didn’t go over the specific rules with you. I’ll lay them out now.”
As she walked to the couch and sat down, she said, “First, I’ll mostly want to see you at night, so your daytime is free. Just don’t make any plans in the evening, so you’ll be available when I need you.
“Second, during this arrangement, you’re not allowed to see any other clients. I’m paying a lot and I don’t plan on sharing.
“Third, you don’t get to drop me just because some other rich woman offers you more. This ends when I say it does. Then you can see other clients.
“Fourth, no photos, no videos, and you can’t tell anyone about what’s going on between us. Fifth, neither of us is allowed to look into the other’s personal life. That’s basically it. If you’ve got any issues, speak up.”
Julian sat down next to her, his posture lazy and relaxed. “I can’t be on call all the time. I’ve got other work. Sometimes I have to work late, and occasionally I go on business trips. There’s no way I’m free every night.”
Olivia looked surprised. “I thought you worked full–time as an escort.”
Julian said, “This is just a side hustle. I’ve got a day job.”
Olivia asked, “Three hundred thousand a month still isn’t enough for you to quit?”
Julian replied, “That only buys my nights. What I do during the day is a separate rate, and you can’t afford it.
“Don’t worry, though. You’ll get your money’s worth. If I miss a night because of work, I’ll make it up to you another time. Double.”
Olivia thought about it and figured it wouldn’t be a big deal, so she nodded. “Alright, deal. Send me your bank account number. I’ll wire you part of the payment first.”
“No rush.” Julian suddenly leaned in, his deep voice laced with something seductive. “I’m heading out of town for a few days tomorrow. Since I’m free now, how about we get a few sessions in ahead of time?”
Olivia’s mouth twitched. “That’s not necessary. I’m not that horny. I don’t need to sleep with you every day.”
Julian grabbed her hand and placed it on his abs. “From the moment we met, your eyes haven’t left my body. You sure you don’t want it?”
Under her hand, she felt the firm tension of his muscles, and her heart began to race before she even realized it.
But Olivia wasn’t focused on what he said. What caught her attention was something else. Muscles at rest should feel soft, but under her palm, his abs were rock hard, full of strength.
Olivia thought, ‘So he’s flexing his muscles on purpose?‘ She couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.
“What are you laughing at?” Julian looked confused.
Olivia’s face was flushed from laughing. She spoke between laughs, “Muscles are supposed to be soft when they’re relaxed, but your abs are so firm. Are you secretly flexing?
“Never mind. Forget it. Still, I guess it means you’re willing to put in the effort for me.”
A crooked smirk tugged at the corner of Julian’s lips. “So you really like it hard that much?”
