<b>Chapter </b><b>152 </b>


    *Olivia*


    “I’m sure that Alexander was just being sarcastic,” I told Korbin, throwing Alexander an annoyed look. “We just live close to each other. We’re practically neighbors, so he periodically gives me rides to work,” I exined.


    “Ah, that makes sense,” Korbin answered and nodded.


    The three of us were silent for the rest of the elevator ride. Korbin raised one of his eyebrows, and I knew that it was because I called my boss by his first name. But that was the least of my worries right now. Korbin was looking between Alexander and me with scrutiny. He took out his phone, and I could see the glowing screen from where I was standing. He hunched his shoulders and navigated to his email.


    My stomach plummeted when I realized he was typing out a message to report Alexander and me riding to work together.


    No! How could I exin to him that nothing was happening between Alexander and me? If he reported this, I could be fired.


    I raised my hand to tap on his shoulder–unsure what I was going to say–but there was a small ding, and the elevator doors opened.


    Korbin hurried out of the elevator, and I tried to rush after him. But Alexander grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I watched the doors close as Korbin walked away.


    Frustration coursed through me, and I turned to Alexander. “Why did you do that? Korbin’s going to report us to the board of directors. I


    0.00%


    000


    11:42


    230


    could lose my job.”


    Alexander merely shrugged, seemingly unaffected. “I’m not worried about it, and you shouldn’t be either.” He put his warm hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. My hands shook from the contact. “If there’s trouble with the board members, I promise to smooth things over. But I doubt there will be.” He paused. “You worry too much. Don’t forget…I am the chairman.”


    I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. It was easy for him not to worry about losing his job. I was much more easily receable than him.


    During my workday, I didn’t have much time to worry about Korbin and what he had assumed he saw. I was swamped with phone calls, emails, and filing important documents. I even worked through lunch, and my stomach was growling in the afternoon. When I stood up to grab a gran bar from the breakroom, the phone on my desk rang again. I sighed and sat back down.


    “Good afternoon, this is Olivia. How can I help you?” I said when I answered the phone.


    “Hi, Olivia, this is Helen Green.”


    My eyes widened, and my grip tightened on the phone. Helen Green was the chairman’s mother–Alexander’s mom.


    “O–oh, hello,” I said and cursed myself for stuttering. “How are you, Mrs. Green?”


    “I’m well, thank you,” she said in a voice that reminded me of how a queen would speak. Her voice sounded royal. “I was calling to see if you could do a favor for me.”


    I froze. What kind of favor would a woman from one of the most


    33.91%


    11.42


    <b>Chapter </b>152


    1 * Voker


    respected and influential families need from me?


    “Anything, Mrs. Green,” I promised, not really having any other choice.


    “Would you please be a dear and remind my son that I set him up on a blind date tonight?” she asked, her voice overly sweet. “It’s with the daughter of a family friend. I would hate for him to forget about it.”


    I paused for a fraction of a second longer than I should have. “Of course. I’ll remind him right now.”


    I swallowed thickly as Alexander’s mom thanked me and hung up.


    With shaking legs, I stood up and let out a big sigh. I knew that Mrs. Green had only called me to warn me away from her son. Korbin must have contacted Alexander’s parents about seeing us drive to work together. The Green’s would do anything to avoid a scandal. And anything between Alexander and me would be exactly that–a scandal.


    I went to Alexander’s office and briskly knocked on the door. I would simply remind him of his blind date and then get back to work. I still had a lot to do. But he didn’t answer. I waited for a full five minutes and even knocked again, but still no answer.


    I went to Gia’s office but she wasn’t there, so I called her cell phone.


    “Hey, I’m at lunch with a client,” she said in a whispered voice. “I can’t talk right now.”


    11:42


    <b>Chapter </b>153