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Chapter 25 - Chapter 25

Olivia's POV

As we walked toward the restaurant entrance, I found myself caught between Gabriel's nervous energy and Maxwell's insufferable confidence. Gabriel kept glancing at me with concern, clearly worried that I might have another breakdown. Maxwell, on the other hand, strutted along like he was attending his own coronation.

*Why was he even here? What kind of person insisted on chaperoning their friend's date? And what kind of friend allowed it?*

The hostess greeted us warmly, though I caught her doing a double-take when she saw Maxwell. Apparently, his arrogance was visible even to strangers.

"Table for three?" she asked, grabbing menus.

"Actually," Gabriel said quickly, "could we possibly get a table for two? My friend here is just... keeping us company for a moment."

Maxwell raised an eyebrow. "I'm staying for dinner, Gabriel. We discussed this."

"We discussed you giving us space," Gabriel replied, his voice becoming hard. "This is supposed to be a date, remember?"

The hostess looked between them uncertainly, clearly picking up on the tension. I wanted to disappear into the floor.

"It's fine," I said weakly, not wanting to cause a scene. "Table for three is fine."

Gabriel looked at me with disappointment, but nodded to the hostess. "Table for three, then."

We were led to a small table near the window. The restaurant was beautifully decorated, with cool lighting and perfect place settings. 

Maxwell immediately took the seat directly across from me, settling in like he owned the place. Gabriel sat to my right, looking increasingly frustrated with his friend's behavior.

"Isn't this cozy?" Maxwell said, opening his menu. "Just like a double date, except I'm flying solo."

Gabriel shot him a warning look. "Max..."

"Relax bro. Just making conversation."

I stared down at my menu, trying to focus on the words, but they all seemed to blur together. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone could hear it. Maxwell's presence across from me was like a dark cloud, making it impossible to think clearly.

*How was I supposed to have a normal conversation with Gabriel when his insufferable friend who was my boss was sitting right there, watching my every move? All he just needed to do was take a closer look, and he'll discover I was the same person he'd fired yesterday. Oliver Hopton. Olivia Hopton. What were the odds? Also, how was I supposed to pretend to be interested in getting to know Gabriel when all I could think about was how much he looked like Alex?*

*And need I forget that Maxwell knew exactly who I was? The pathetic woman who had been obsessed with his best friend?*

*Oh God, my brain needed release*

The waiter approached our table, interrupting my thoughts. "Good evening! Can I start you off with some drinks?"

Gabriel looked at me expectantly. "Olivia? What would you like?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My throat felt completely closed off, like someone had tied a knot in it.

"She'll have a wine," Maxwell said smoothly when the silence stretched too long. "Something light. She seems a bit overwhelmed."

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. "I can order for myself," I managed to croak out.

"Of course you can," Maxwell replied with fakery. "I was just trying to help."

Gabriel intervened quickly. "I'll have a beer, and the lady will have whatever she'd like. Take your time, Olivia."

"Water," I whispered. "Just water, please."

The waiter nodded and moved on to Maxwell, who ordered some expensive-sounding wine with the confidence of someone who had never questioned their right to take up space in the world.

After the waiter left, an uncomfortable silence settled over our table. Gabriel kept glancing between Maxwell and me, clearly trying to figure out how to salvage the evening. Maxwell, meanwhile, seemed perfectly content to sit there and radiate smugness.

I kept my eyes fixed on my hands, folded in my lap. Every few seconds, I would steal a glance at Gabriel, trying to reconcile his face with everything I thought I knew about Alex. The resemblance was so perfect it was almost painful.

*What would it be like to actually date Gabriel? Would his laugh sound like Alex's? Would he have the same gestures, the same way of running his hand through his hair when he was thinking?*

*But wait - if Gabriel was Alex's twin, and Alex was engaged to Vanessa, then what was Gabriel's situation? Was he single? Was he also engaged to someone? Did he know that I had been pathetically pining after his brother for months? Of course he knew. The jerk in front of me had blurted it out.*

My head started spinning with all the questions I couldn't ask.

Gabriel cleared his throat softly. "So, Olivia," he said, his voice gentle and encouraging. "Tell me about yourself. What do you do for work?"

The simple question hit me like a physical blow. What did I do for work? Well, I was currently pretending to be a man named Oliver while working with Gabriel's brother, who was engaged to someone else, while being tormented by Gabriel's best friend, who happened to be my stupid boss who had already fired me once.

*How exactly was I supposed to explain that?*

I opened my mouth, but again, no words came out. I just sat there, staring at Gabriel like a deer in headlights.

Gabriel waited patiently, his expression kind and encouraging. But I could see Maxwell in my peripheral vision, leaning back in his chair with that infuriating smirk.

"I..." I started, then stopped. 

Gabriel leaned forward slightly, giving me his full attention. "Take your time. No pressure."

But there was pressure. So much pressure. Maxwell's eyes on me, judging me, waiting for me to mess up. Gabriel's hopeful expression, expecting me to be normal and charming and date-worthy. The weight of all my lies and disguises pressing down on me.

I kept glancing at Maxwell, unable to help myself. Every time I looked at him, he was either staring at me with that knowing look or pretending to be absorbed in his phone. Either way, his presence was like a constant buzzing in my ear, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else.

Gabriel noticed my repeated glances and followed my gaze to Maxwell. Something shifted in his expression - a flash of understanding.

"Max," Gabriel called firmly.

Maxwell looked up from his phone with exaggerated innocence. "Yes?"

"I need you to leave."

Maxwell's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I need you to give us some space. This isn't working with you sitting here."

Maxwell looked surprised, as if the thought had never occurred to him that his presence might be unwelcome.

"I'm not doing anything," he protested. "I'm just sitting here quietly. You two can pretend I'm not even here."

"That's the problem," Gabriel said, his voice gaining strength. "Olivia clearly isn't comfortable, and I can't blame her. This was supposed to be a chance for us to get to know each other, not a group dinner."

I stared at Gabriel in shock. I couldn't believe he was actually standing up to Maxwell. No one stood up to Maxwell. He was too intimidating, too powerful, too... Maxwell.

Maxwell leaned back in his chair, studying Gabriel intently. "You're serious about this."

"Dead serious."

For a moment, I thought Maxwell might actually leave. He looked between Gabriel and me, his expression unreadable.

Then he shrugged. "Fine. If you want privacy, I can give you privacy."

Relief flooded through me. Finally, I could breathe again.

But my relief was short-lived.

Instead of leaving the restaurant entirely, Maxwell simply stood up, grabbed his wine glass, and moved to a table about eight feet away - close enough to overhear every word we said, but far enough away to maintain the pretense of giving us space.

He settled into his new seat, pulled out his phone, and began typing away as if nothing had happened.

Gabriel looked at Maxwell's new position and sighed. "That's not exactly what I had in mind."

"It's the best you're going to get," Maxwell called over without looking up from his phone. "I promised your mother I'd keep an eye on you tonight, and I keep my promises."

*His mother? Gabriel's mother had asked Maxwell to chaperone this date? What kind of family dynamic was I dealing with here?*

Gabriel rubbed his temples, looking defeated. "I'm so sorry about this, Olivia. I had no idea he would be so..."

"Insufferable?" I suggested, finding my voice at last.

Gabriel's mouth quirked up in a small smile. "I was going to say 'stubborn,' but your word works too."

Despite everything, I smiled. Like actually smiled.

The waiter returned with our drinks, and I gratefully took a sip of my water, soothing my parched throat.

"So," Gabriel said, settling back in his chair with renewed energy. "Let's try this again. And this time, let's pretend that my overbearing friend isn't sitting ten feet away pretending not to eavesdrop."

From his new table, Maxwell snorted softly, but didn't look up from his phone.

Gabriel turned his full attention back to me, and I was struck again by how much he looked like Alex. 

"I want to know more about you, but first, I need you to be very honest with me." 

I nodded for him to go on.

"What Max said in the car, about your feelings for my twin brother, is it true?"

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