Chapter 3

The soft beep of Olivia's alarm clock sliced through the quiet room like a dull knife.

Beep… beep… beep…

She didn't even flinch. Buried under a mountain of blankets, Olivia groaned, hugging her pillow tighter, one leg slung over it like it was her last comfort on Earth.

Beep… beep… beep…

Still, no movement—just a sleepy arm that reached out, smacked the snooze button with a precision born from long practice and flopped back onto the mattress.

The third time the alarm rang, it was louder. Meaner. As if personally offended by her laziness.

"Ughhh, fine!" Olivia finally sat up, hair a chaotic halo around her head, her voice muffled and dramatic. "I get it, I'm awake! You win."

She blinked sleepily, letting out a yawn as she slowly sat up in bed. Her pajamas—printed with her favorite anime character—were wrinkled from her tossing and turning.

At work, she was the polished, no-nonsense executive assistant of Ashford Corporation.

But here, in her tiny apartment with her mismatched socks and anime-print sleepwear, she was just Olivia—your average lazy otaku with a soft spot for handsome faces and dramatic 2D men.

She flopped out of bed like a tired seal, dragging her feet toward the bathroom. On the way, she muttered bitterly, "Why do people have to work anyway? Whose idea was it to build a society around suffering?"

After washing her face and brushing her teeth with exaggerated annoyance, she paused in the mirror and raised a brow at her reflection. "Well... I guess some parts of work aren't that bad."

A vision of Aiden's perfectly sculpted jawline and dark, brooding eyes flashed through her head.

"Okay, maybe that's the only part that's not annoying," she muttered with a blush, brushing her hair faster.

By the time she made it to the kitchen, Olivia was dressed in a hoodie and shorts, still half-asleep. She made herself a quick sandwich, poured a cup of coffee, and flopped onto the couch. Grabbing the remote, she turned on the TV.

The channel opened on a news report. The anchor's serious voice filled the room.

"In other news, a 29-year-old office worker was found dead in her apartment last night. Authorities say the cause was severe overwork, citing health complications from exhaustion and stress—"

Olivia froze. Her hand hovered over her coffee. A bite of a sandwich hung from her mouth, completely forgotten.

For a solid ten seconds, she didn't blink.

"…was that me?" she whispered, half in shock. "No wait. I'm still alive."

She slowly put the coffee down, staring blankly at the screen. "But it could be me."

The sandwich still dangled from her mouth. She hadn't even chewed.

After a moment, she sighed heavily, chewing her bite at last. "I need to take a few days off before I end up on the morning news. Maybe... after this month. Just a few days. Just me, anime, and my sanity."

" Maybe I should also visit Mom and Dad while I'm at it."

She took a long sip of her coffee and leaned back against the couch, eyes drifting up to the ceiling.

By 6:45 a.m., she was at Ashford's headquarters, blending in with the early morning flow of suits and heels. She'd already answered 11 emails on the ride in.

At 8:15 a.m., she stood inside Aiden's office with her planner in hand.

He arrives exactly on time—clean-cut in a dark charcoal suit, silver cufflinks.

"We have a lunch meeting with Mr. Earl today," Olivia reminded him, "12:30 p.m. at Virello's. Reservation under your name."

Aiden gave a small nod. "You prepared the proposal?"

"Yes."

 12:30 In Virello's Private Room.

The restaurant was a quiet luxury spot, half-tucked between a hotel and an art gallery. Discreet, polished—just like its regular clients.

Earl was already there, sipping water and scrolling through his phone. He stood when they arrived.

"Mr. Ashford," he greeted with a firm handshake. "And this must be Mrs. Olivia. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Olivia smiled politely. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Earl."

Today, they were here to discuss the land that was about to be auctioned. Earl was the one who was putting his land up for auction. The purpose of today's meeting was to make a deal with Earl to get the land at the auction. After all, who knows the price better than the seller himself? If they get a slight hint of the cost of the land, it will be theirs.

They discussed the land project over grilled sea bass and champagne risotto. Earl owned several acres on the city's eastern edge—unused waterfront property that had been sitting idle for years.

By the end of lunch, the tone was warm. Laughs shared. Hands shaken. Another silent victory.

If everything goes smoothly, then the land will be theirs.

Back at the office, Olivia collapsed into her chair. Her phone buzzed.

Emily:

You alive?

A new club opened near your company. I'm thinking about checking it. You in?

Olivia's fingers hovered over her keyboard.

Tell me the location and time.

Then she looked at the clock. 

3:45 p.m.

She took a deep breath and started her work.

She quickly checked any important emails, corrected the files that needed review, and separated the files that needed Adiens' signature.

She took those files to Adien's office to have him sign them.

By the time she was free from doing all the work, it was already 8:30— a perfect time to get some drinks.

So she quickly tidied up her office and left. She booked a taxi, told the location of the club Emily sent her and arrived at the club at 9:00— the time she agreed to meet with Emily.