Unbowed

Olivia's POV

"Oh, really, Olivia?" Jessy sneered, her voice dripping with mockery as she blocked my path. 

She folded her arms, tilting her head as if she had all the time in the world to gloat.

 "Before he even finds out, you'll already be gone. And one more thing—you couldn't even climb your way into his heart after sharing an apartment with him. Such a pity." 

Her words were designed to sting, but I refused to let her see how they affected me. Instead, I plastered on my sweetest smile, the kind that I knew would infuriate her more than any retort. 

"You won, Jessy," I said, my tone light and syrupy. "I guess I'm just not as low as you. You're willing to warm anyone's bed just to be close to him. It's funny, really. 

Despite him being your childhood sweetheart, you still have to resort to these pathetic little tricks to keep his attention." I let out a soft, mocking laugh. 

"You'll always be a whore in everyone's eyes, Jessy. No matter how hard you try to hide it." 

The words left my mouth effortlessly, each one hitting its mark. I didn't care if they hurt her—I wanted them to. 

Jessy's face twisted in fury, her carefully composed mask slipping. "How dare you?" she hissed, taking a step closer. 

"If you don't mind, Jessy," I said casually, brushing past her, "I have more important things to—" 

Before I could finish, she grabbed my arm and yanked me back with surprising force. The next thing I felt was a sharp sting across my cheek. 

The slap echoed in the air, leaving my skin burning. 

"How *dare* you call me a whore, you poor pumpkin from the countryside?" she spat, her voice trembling with rage. 

I didn't hesitate. My hand flew up and connected with her cheek, the sound just as loud as hers had been. "Touch me again, Jessy," I said through clenched teeth, "and I'll show you exactly why people like you shouldn't mess with people like me." 

But Jessy wasn't the type to back down, and neither was I. 

The slap was just the beginning. In seconds, we were locked in a full-blown fight, clawing, shoving, and throwing punches. I wasn't proud of it—I hated fighting—but there was no way I'd let her think she could treat me like dirt and get away with it. 

The commotion quickly drew a crowd. Staff members gathered around, murmuring and whispering, their faces a mixture of shock and curiosity. But none of them dared to step in. 

Jessy underestimated me. She thought I was some quiet, docile girl from the countryside who would take her insults lying down. She didn't realize how much I had tolerated from her—from the humiliation to the petty jabs—all because of Christopher. But not anymore. 

The adrenaline surged through me as I managed to knock her to the ground, pinning her down.

 My fists connected with her face, each blow releasing the frustration and anger I had been holding back for so long. This wasn't just about today—this was for every insult, every condescending look, every ounce of humiliation I'd endured since coming to the city. 

"Enough!" 

The voice boomed behind me, but I didn't stop. Not yet. 

Strong hands grabbed me and pulled me off Jessy, dragging me backward. I struggled against the grip, but it was no use. 

The next thing I knew, a sharp sting exploded across my cheek. My head snapped to the side, and my vision blurred for a moment. 

Christopher. 

He'd slapped me. 

I stared at him in disbelief, my hand slowly rising to touch my burning cheek. "You slapped me, Christopher," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. It wasn't a question—it was a statement of betrayal. 

But he didn't respond. He didn't even look at me. His focus was entirely on Jessy, who was still on the ground, crying as she struggled to stand. 

It was as if I wasn't even there. 

The pain of the slap paled in comparison to the ache in my chest. I turned to leave, my pride barely intact, but Christopher's bodyguards stepped in front of me, blocking my path. 

"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded, my voice rising. "Get out of my way!" 

One of the bodyguards—Adam—stepped forward, his expression emotionless. "Olivia, whether you like it or not, you need to apologize to Miss Smith. Right here, right now. Otherwise, you're not leaving." 

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "You want me to apologize?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Then you'd better be ready to kill me first, because that's the only way it's happening." 

I shoved past Adam and marched toward Jessy, who was now leaning against Christopher for support. Her pathetic attempt to look fragile and helpless only fueled my anger. 

"You want an apology so bad?" I said, my voice cold and cutting. I leaned in closer, my eyes narrowing. "Well, even Christopher couldn't get me to bow to you, Jessy. And you know what? You'll never be anything more than a desperate, pathetic little whore." 

"Watch your mouth, Olivia!" Christopher's voice thundered, snapping through the tension like a whip. 

I turned to him, my eyes blazing. "And if I don't?" I challenged, stepping closer. "What are you going to do, Christopher? Slap me again? Humiliate me in front of everyone?" 

He glared at me, his jaw tightening. The tension between us crackled like a live wire, the air heavy with unspoken words. 

"You think you can control me?" I continued, my voice trembling with anger. "You think you can break me? Well, guess what, Christopher—I'm not afraid of you. And I will *never* apologize to her." 

His silence spoke volumes, but I didn't care. 

I turned on my heel and walked away, ignoring the stares, the whispers, and the heavy weight of his gaze on my back. 

But I was blocked by the Adam, he's just another trouble me in this company.