Chapter 4
“Fuck! Open the door, bitch! Do it while I’m still asking nicely!
“Don’t pretend to be some innocent thing when you’re clearly a whore! Don’t think I haven’t seen you coming home in some guy’s car. That guy is your boyfriend, isn’t he? You’ve already slept with him, so why can’t you sleep with me too?”
Walter’s shouts were getting more and more appalling. He continued to bang on the door again and again, as if letting his anger out.
Teeth clenched, Olivia pulled out her phone to call the police.
The police arrived within five minutes and immediately detained Walter.
Perhaps because the cops were there, the neighbors from the other floors decided to stop holding back too. They flocked over to express their anger toward Walter and speak up on her behalf.
“He’s a totally shameless man! He often bangs on this young lady’s door after midnight!”
“The young lady doesn’t want to give him the time of day, so he starts spewing absolute filth. Even we can’t stand it!”
“Does this constitute harassment? Hurry up and arrest him!”
With the neighbors providing testimonies, Olivia was not required to go to the police station.
Walter was cuffed and led away, but not before shooting a hate-filled glare at her.
Olivia was freaked out by this. When she closed the door behind her, she could no longer stop her tears from gushing out.
She crouched down and hugged herself tightly while placing a call to Lucas.
“Lucas…”
Lucas instantly panicked the moment he heard the sobs.
“What’s wrong, Liv? Don’t cry. Tell me what happened.”
“Lucas, I’m really scared. Can you come and keep me company?”
He fell silent for a beat.
“I’m sorry, Liv. Something’s up at home, and I can’t leave right now. But I’ll go to you right away after I’m done, okay?”
“That’s okay.”
Olivia sniffled, wiping her tears away. “You go back to what you were doing.”
When you needed someone the most but that someone could not come, it was natural to feel disappointed. But she had already become accustomed to this over the years.
…
Even though it was March, the evergreen trees on the sides of the roads were still covered in frost. There was no indication that the weather was warming up either, and it was still just as cold. It was only spring in name.
When Olivia arrived, the CEO, team leader, and manager were already there, along with reporters from other departments, making it clear this was an important dinner.
The manager, Charles Hansen, took a look at her and frowned. Then, in a low voice, he turned to Raven. “Didn’t I tell you to bring someone experienced? Why did you bring someone still in their probationary period?”
Raven could only smile sheepishly after being told off. “Mr. Hansen, we need to give the new kids a chance.”
Upon hearing that, Charles had no choice but to let the matter go.
A few minutes later, the company’s CEO, Arthur Zelenski, abruptly stood up and rushed outside to lead someone in.
To be more specific, he very respectfully ushered someone in.
The man who walked in was wearing an immaculately-tailored black suit. He had broad shoulders, legs so long and defined that they appeared domineering, and eyes that exuded a sense of cunning ruthlessness.
He only needed to stand there—like a majestic tree, standing tall and firm among the wasteland—and no one would be able to avert their eyes or have the nerve to desecrate him.
It was the unmistakable air of someone who had always been at the apex of power, whether bestowed at birth or ruthlessly acquired.
The atmosphere seemingly froze with his arrival.
“Mr. Schumer, I’ve heard great things about you.”
With a grin that nearly stretched from ear to ear, Arthur pulled a seat out for him.
Olivia was there mostly as a seat-filler anyway, so she was not too interested in what was happening.
That was until she heard a familiar, magnetic voice.
“You’re too kind, Mr. Zelenski.”
Just then, a sharp thud alerted Raven to the fallen glass on the table. Raven quickly righted it.
“Liv, be careful.”
Olivia bit her lips in awkwardness. She lowered her head and pretended to wipe at the splatter that had gotten on her shirt.
Thankfully, Wilden’s gaze only flickered toward her briefly before looking away, as if he had not recognized her.
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief.
However, in the next moment, she realized that the man had declined Arthur’s seating arrangement and had instead sat down next to her.
“Here is fine,” said Wilden with a smile.
He was humble and polite in the way he talked, which greatly differed from the first impression he had given her.
Arthur nodded in response, then immediately had the others move their seats accordingly.
Charles took a look at Olivia and coldly told her off, “Ms. Levington, read the room. Can’t you see we have things to discuss with Mr. Schumer?”
Olivia did not even have a chance to react before Wilden answered, “No need to move. This is fine.”
Charles nodded his head awkwardly. “You’re right, Mr. Schumer. This looks good too. Haha!”
Wilden narrowed his eyes at him—eyes that held no warmth.
Goosebumps erupted over Charles’ skin. He could feel something was wrong, but he did not know what specifically had set their esteemed guest off, so he could only smile apologetically at him.
Olivia sat back down awkwardly.
Everyone at the dinner was pulling out all the stops to have a conversation with Wilden. And Wilden answered them all politely and graciously. No one would be able to nitpick anything about him.
Olivia was quite surprised. She had assumed that a scion like him would be arrogant and narcissistic, but it appeared that this was not the case.
Arthur took the opportunity to ask, “Mr. Schumer, could we perhaps conduct an interview when you have the time?”
The corner of Wilden’s lips curled up when he heard this.
He was very obliging. “I don’t see a reason to say no to your enthusiasm, Mr. Zelenski.”
Arthur was both flattered and shocked by how quickly Wilden had agreed to it.
There was a reason why he felt surprised too. He had had to pull a lot of strings and use his connections to schedule this dinner, and he had also learned that Wilden was not someone who easily agreed to things.
So for Wilden to oblige so easily was a surprise to say the least.
Arthur was ecstatic. “Then here’s to a great working relationship! To Mr. Schumer!”
Hearing this, everyone hurriedly reached for their glasses.
While Olivia was still hesitating, the wine glass in front of her was taken away.
“Let’s skip the toast. She doesn’t do well with alcohol.”
The whole room fell silent.
Olivia turned to Wilden in a daze.
Arthur was the first to regain his composure. Crinkles appeared around his eyes as he smiled.
“You know Ms. Levington? What a coincidence! I guess this is all meant to be!”
Olivia could not get a word in, so she remained silent. Moreover, she did not have the standing to speak up either.
The incident from before had not even been dealt with, and now there was this.
She did not understand what was going through Wilden’s head.
When dinner ended and everyone was preparing to leave, Olivia took out her phone to get herself a cab too.
Arthur suddenly called out for her.
“Ms. Levington, wait. Mr. Schumer had wine earlier, so he can’t drive. You should send him home.”
Olivia wanted to refuse. “Mr. Zelenski, I’ve already—”
“Hurry,” Arthur said while giving her a look.
Olivia swallowed her words. She had no choice but to follow Wilden to the basement carpark.
Wilden, who was ahead of her, suddenly turned around.
She was so alarmed that her steps faltered.
“Ms. Levington, you seem afraid of me,” said Wilden with a perk of his eyebrow.
His eyes were still as intense as ever, but beneath the intensity was a hint of teasing and mirth.
Even when he tried to tone it down, his presence remained more aggressive than most.
Olivia plucked up her courage and raised her head to look at him.
She said with a polite but reserved smile, “I’m not. It’s just better if we keep a certain distance, given we’re the opposite sex.
“Moreover, Lucas is my boyfriend and also your friend, so we should be more careful with our actions too.”
