CHAPTER TEN
Olivia stepped into Hayes' office, the file she was holding pressed tight against her chest. The sharp edge of the paper felt like it matched the tension in the air-thick, almost suffocating. She'd been walking on eggshells around Hayes ever since that phone call he had the day before. The shouting, the anger-it had unsettled her. And now, she was here to drop off a file, but something about the atmosphere in the office today felt off.
She hesitated, then cleared her throat. "Here's the file on the Wright Foundation," she said, placing it on the corner of his desk.
Hayes didn't immediately acknowledge her, his eyes focused on his phone screen. Olivia stood there, trying to make herself invisible, wondering if she should just leave or wait for him to speak. But before she could decide, the door to the office swung open with a sharp bang.
Tessa.
Olivia's stomach dropped. She didn't need to hear anything more to know that this wasn't going to be good. Tessa's eyes immediately flicked between Olivia and Hayes, and Olivia could almost feel the tension rising in the room. There was no love lost between them, not that Tessa was ever shy about showing it.
"I need to talk to you, Hayes," Tessa said, her voice sharp and demanding, as if she was entitled to his attention.
Hayes looked up slowly, his gaze cold. For a brief moment, Olivia wondered if he was going to tell her to leave. Instead, he got up from his desk, his eyes still locked on Tessa. But then, in a move that took Olivia completely by surprise, he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her.
It was quick, but it was hard. Hayes pressed his lips to hers like it was the only way to stop Tessa from saying anything else. Olivia froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had no idea what to do-what was happening? Why was Hayes kissing her, of all people? What was going on?
Tessa, standing just a few feet away, went wild at the sight.
"What the hell is this?" she screamed, her voice full of fury. Before anyone could move, Tessa crossed the room and yanked Olivia's hair, the sharp sting making Olivia gasp in pain.
Hayes reacted immediately. He stepped forward, grabbing Tessa's wrist with enough force to stop her from pulling any more. His voice was low, deadly. "Don't you dare touch her."
Tessa shot him a look of pure venom, but Hayes didn't back down. "Get out. Now," he ordered coldly.
Tessa's face twisted with rage. "You think she's better than me, Hayes? Is that it?" she spat, eyes wide with disbelief.
Hayes' face remained hard, emotionless. "Leave, or I'll call security."
There was no hesitation in his voice. Tessa seemed to realize she wasn't going to win this battle, so she tried one last, desperate move. She swiped at the stack of papers on Hayes' desk, knocking over a lamp, sending it crashing to the floor. Her voice erupted again, wild, unhinged. "You really think she's better than me?"
Hayes didn't flinch. He just stared at her, unbothered by the destruction she was causing. With a single glance to the door, the security guards moved in, grabbing Tessa by the arms and dragging her out. She continued to scream, her voice echoing down the hallway, but Hayes stood unmoved.
When the door slammed shut behind Tessa, the silence in the office was almost deafening.
Olivia was still standing there, frozen in place, trying to process everything. She didn't know what she was feeling-confusion, surprise, maybe even a little anger-but all she knew was that Hayes had kissed her in front of Tessa, and now she felt as if the entire room had shifted somehow.
Without saying a word, Hayes stepped back, as if pulling away from something he didn't want to touch anymore. He removed his suit jacket, throwing it over the back of a chair, his face suddenly cold and distant. His eyes, once sharp and intense, now seemed... empty.
He didn't even glance at Olivia as he moved. His voice, when it came, was devoid of warmth. "Use the door behind you," he said flatly, as if she were a stranger.
Olivia blinked, taken aback. She wasn't sure how to react, what to say. What had just happened? Why had Hayes kissed her like that? Was it real, or just a way to push Tessa away? She wasn't sure if she wanted an answer. But she couldn't stay here anymore.
She turned toward the back door, her heart pounding, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside her. Hayes didn't even look at her as she left, not a single glance.
As Olivia stepped out of the office, the door clicked shut behind her. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her mind was a storm of confusion and questions. What had just happened? What did Hayes mean by everything-by the kiss, by the way he pushed her away after? She didn't know how to make sense of any of it.
And as she made her way down the hall, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything had just changed, but she wasn't sure how.