Chapter 73

OLIVIA

I WAS packing up my work documents and checking my schedule for today when I called Lara as I remembered that she knew who was the tabloid writer that was spreading the fake news about Chase hooking up or being with someone in Singapore.

I just made sure that Chase was not around and I ensured he was in his office room. I went to the guest room, and from there I contacted Lara.

"Hey, Lara. I'm calling to confirm the person that you talked about earlier. The one who spread fake news about Chase."

"Liv, I'm checking it with my sources if this is true, because I know this writer and they"re now deleting the article from their cheap websites. But some screenshots of the article are spread on some social media sites. I saw some hateful comments that it was normal for a billionaire like him to find girls outside of the country... what the heck!"

I exhaled deeply and went to the social media sites to check the circulating articles online.

It seems that there were fewer people that were interested because there were no photos and the source also came from a fake news entertainment website. So I was relieved to see that fewer people were biting on this topic.

"It doesn't ruin Chase's reputation, doesn't it, Lara?"

"Of course not, he's a billionaire but..."

"But what?"

"Nothing... I just saw some other news about him. About the winery business that he bought for your family, I mean to the Reese Jones family."

"He said it was a success, and we would celebrate it. He found someone that would happily invest in him. It was a whopping 10 million dollars!"

"Oh shit, no way! That's good to hear. Because the last few days, I've been hearing some bad news about it from the media and also, of course, when we were talking about it last time, about Ernest giving you an option to break up with him."

"I know Lara, it was tough for Chase to recover, but he is truly great at negotiating and making business. But I want you to know that we should be careful about his father, Ernest.

I have negative vibes about him. I hope I'm wrong. I wish I was wrong in thinking about him being involved in Reese's disappearance."

"We must devise an escape strategy. By the way, I need some ten thousand dollars, Liv. Can I borrow it? It's for my son's project."

"What the? That's such an expensive project, I bet 90% would be in your pocket!" I exhaled deeply and just went to my bank account app, and then when I tried to open it, it asked for a location. Something then popped up in my head.

"I just received it, Liv! Thank you!"

"By the way Lara, is it possible that you can ask your source if they can trace the location of the one that posted the article? I bet they can check it, especially the technology these days. I'm not great at computers but maybe it's possible? I was just curious."

"Sure, let me go back to my source and ask if it's possible, you evil genius!"

I shook my head and I gasped when I heard someone. I peeked at the door and saw Chase went out to his office and proceeded downstairs.

***

DURING our class, I finished my presentation, and everyone was impressed, especially my professor. I saw Mia and Charles were smiling and showing their tablets with messages saying, "Good Job!"

It was cringe of them doing these things, but I appreciate their efforts.

The class was over, and our professor told me to stay in the room for a second as she wanted to say something. I was nervous and I asked Mia and Charles to wait for me outside.

"Mrs. Maxwell, I saw your progress in your class. I want you to know that I'll be inviting you to an invite-only seminar that will be held in France. Let me know if you're interested. The date was tentative but the school will let us know when it will be held."

"Is that true, MS. Williams? It's such an honor to be there! I'm interested!"

My heart was pounding fast and a sense of joy and excitement was making me shake. I was nervous at first. Why was I staying in the classroom, thinking that I wasn't doing great in school, but here I was getting an invitation to a seminar in France?

"Please poke me, Ms. Williams... this must be a dream!"

I wasn't expecting that she indeed poked me in the cheeks. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Thank you, Ms. Williams. I don"t know what you see in me, but I want you to know that I'll make you proud."

"You already make me proud, Mrs. Maxwell. I bet you didn't remember me. We had a rough history before. When you vanished during your first wedding with Chase I'm a professor at the school where you studied in college before I was also admitted to teach her in this university. I must say that we have had some altercations and disagreements together."

"In short, I was a pain in the ass before. I'm a terrible student?" I chuckled.

"Yes, to put it in your words, yeah, you were. But when I see the new you, you're a completely different person. I like the new you."

She then handed me the small envelope with the invitation, and she left the classroom.

"That should be it, Olivia."

My jaw dropped when I heard my real name, and my eyes widened. I wasn't able to react right away.

"Sorry, I just remembered someone and said the wrong name. I am truly aging by now. Bye now, Mrs. Maxwell!" She then left and closed the door.

Mia and Charles entered the room while I was still dumbfounded by what had just happened. Did she just call me by my real name?

"What's that? Oh my gosh! You're representing our school in France to attend a business seminar?" Mia exclaimed as she grabbed the invitation in my hands.

"That's big news. Can you bring some friends there? Reese, please!"

Charles was pleading, and I suddenly realized that we needed to get to our next class.

"I'll check first with Ms. Williams, alright?"

They both nodded and grinned from ear to ear. I palmed my face because these lovebirds are just too annoying sometimes. Then part of me was so confused about what just happened earlier, I was holding myself not to react when Ms. Williams called me by my real name. It came out to her very naturally that I almost answered back.

We went to our next class and I suddenly received a text message from Lara while the instructor was teaching. I excused myself to the class that I"ll be calling someone.

Good thing Mr. Mendez was so kind as to allow me to go outside for a bit.

I didn't waste any minute and called Lara.

"The text that you sent to me, was that true?"

"Yes, Liv, based on my source, we traced the location of the writer then when my agent went there, the writer refused first to tell who's the person who's paying him up to write that cheap ass article, then in exchange of thousand dollars, he spilled the tea and it was the name of Elizabeth Risto."

"Hello, Liv?"

I ended up with the phone call and I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist. But I should remain calm as I still have my class ongoing. I went back immediately and I was furious to hear about Elizabeth's involvement in this scandal.

***

AFTER OUR CLASS, we head on to the new office Ellie prepared for us to get some work done with my team. Mathias escorted me to our building. I was still in school uniform so Mia was my assistant carrying the clothes that I'll be wearing for that day.

I went to the washroom, then went to some of the cubicles when I heard some gossip about Chase.

"Did you see some articles about Chase Maxwell lately?"

"Wait, the young billionaire who married Reese Jones? That's our creative director, right?"

"Yeah, I wondered if that's true or not that Chase really cheated on her."

"It's normal, right? I bet Reese also hangs out with some other rich men out there. I bet she is just pretending she has amnesia. I heard some rumors that even before she liked some employee in a business that her family was managing and she got pregnant by that employee."

"Oh really?"

"I guess so, why was she missing for a long time right? I don"t know if that was true though, but who knows, at the end of the day, Reese got benefited from marrying Chase Maxwell. She's the real winner of marrying him. She has now connections."

"I know right! She can now easily be in top position because of her last name."

"Fuck this life, I wish I can date some billionaire so I no longer work my ass off."

They both giggled and went outside of the washroom.

"They're just jealous of you Reese, don"t listen to them."

"I totally agree with you, let's go, Mia. We have some tasks to accomplish. Let's get things done."

Mia and I went to our office while I was checking my emails. I saw Elizabeth emailed me and she said she would be running late. She also submitted the attachments that I was asking her to be completed.

I can't help but focus on reviewing my works while thinking about what Elizabeth did to Chase. She kept ruining Reese Jones's reputation but she was dragging Chase with it. It was such a distasteful act that I ended up breaking my pen. I crumpled pieces of paper and threw them violently in the trash can.

Mia then saw me at the next table and I asked her to pull down the roller blinds of my office so our officemates wouldn't see my furious and angry face.

"What's going on, Reese?"

"Please lock the door first Mia, and put up the don"t disturb sign on the front door of my office, thank you."

Before she left I also asked her to bring me a cup of coffee. She just gave me a smile as a response.

I massaged the temple of my nose and I began typing Reese Jones rumors on the search site on my computer. I saw an article that the Reese Jones family paid a lot of money to cover and removed all content about their daughter. Now, I was wondering what's the truth about Reese Jones.

I then remembered Ms. Williams, I decided to send her an email for us to talk in private. I hope she did reply since I need to know the truth about her.

I was scrolling and trying to find any rumors on her but it was just all her achievements as a swimmer and her being married to Chase Maxwell.

Mia then went inside and locked the door with my coffee.

"Here you go, Reese, I hope you liked this. I bought you some coffee from our café, and I also bought you some pastries."

"Thank you, Mia, I appreciate your gesture, I'm so sorry about what you saw earlier."

"That's okay, I'm also upset and wanted to scream back at them but I know it wouldn't help."

I went on to drink the coffee and ate the pastries which were so delicious that made me calm at that moment. I was then able to finish my task that time. After two hours of our work, I went to a quick meeting with some Project Managers and then also presented the current theme of our brand. I then noticed that Elizabeth's chair was empty but she went inside the meeting room.

"You're late, Elizabeth. Where have you been? I know you emailed me that you'll be running late for thirty minutes but this is an important meeting."

I can't help but raise my voice at her but I ended up changing up the mood to lighten up a bit.

"Grab some coffee and donuts after this, it was from Mia's coffee shop. They're delicious, anyway, sit down now, and let's move on,"

She smiled and went to her seat and I proceeded with my presentation.

After that meeting, I saw that everyone was impressed based on their facial reactions. I saw Elizabeth not getting any pastries or coffee and she just left the room.

"That arrogant bitch."

I then asked Mia for us to chat and I know for sure that office gossip was a terrible idea and I shouldn't be involved in this such thing but I can't help but spill the tea to Mia because I was so frustrated with Elizabeth's actions.

"Mia, can I trust you?"

"Of course, Reese, what's up? Does it have something to do with those people in the washroom?"

"No, technically it's different. It's about Elizabeth."

"Alright, I'm listening and I'll promise it's just about you and me." She then gestured her hand while zipping her mouth.

"Alright, she actually paid a writer to write that article about Chase meeting someone in Singapore, and I was so upset on how she went that far to ruin Chase if she truly loves him."

"What do you mean she loves him, Reese?"

"She said that we're rivals, she said that she loves Chase. I certainly do that's why I was trying my best to establish myself and to be independent because I was tired of being accused of just being a leech of Chase's money and that I was only using him to save our family business. I was so tired of hearing that bullshit."

Mia then massaged my back and I felt the heat was engulfing my face.

"So she still has not moved on? She still loved Chase?"

"Mia, listen, if she loves Chase, she wouldn't do that reckless act. It was just so stupid. You know what, let me just go to her office,"

Mia was stopping me and grabbing me on my elbow. "Get off me, Mia, she needs to know how stupid she was, I no longer care about separating company and personal issues, she also was late for our important meeting,"

I stormed out of my office and I ran to Elizabeth's cubicle. I then saw her standing talking to someone over the phone.

"How dare you bitch!"

I slapped her hard on the face then tackled her down on the ground and pulled her out.

"You think I was dumb? Do you think that I didn't know what you did? You think that you ruined me? Or our relationship, hell no! You bitch. You ruined Chase's name. He was working so hard out there but you're stupid writer make he was a total jerk"

"What's going on here?"

Ellie Steward then came in and I immediately rose up to my feet. While Elizabeth was still on the ground aching in pain.

"I'm so sorry, Ellie."

"You two are suspended for two days, this is your first warning, I don"t tolerate violence in this company."

She then left us and everyone around us was in complete silence.

"Let's go back to work," I said out loud and they then went to their cubicles. I then saw Elizabeth standing up and when I tried to help her she slapped my hands.

I rolled my eyes at her and I exhaled deeply, this was such a terrible way of dealing with things. I regret slapping her in the face because it turns out to be the main topic in this company.

Before I head home and our work is done. I went back to Elizabeth's office to apologize. I was nervous at first but I decided to gather my thoughts to say that I regret what I had just done.

I knocked a few times and I opened the door as soon as I heard Elizabeth's voice for me to come in. She then immediately stood up from her swivel chair and grabbed a flower vase.

"No, I wasn't here to fight you or what. Put it down."

She then put down the small flower vase but I can sense that she was still worried that I would smack her.

"Listen, I'm here to apologize. I was wrong and I promise not to do anything like that ever again."

Before I left she then stopped me as she spoke, "I'm the one to blame, it's natural for you to get mad, knowing that I did such a horrendous act. Even me, I can't forgive myself. I was fucking stupid. I just realized that I became so obsessed with putting you down. So that was slapped earlier. I deserved it and you don"t need to say sorry."

She burst out crying and I felt so sorry also for her.

"That's why I was late earlier than Reese because I was not in the right mind to go to the office. I felt so bad hearing gossip in the cafeteria, in the washroom in the cubicles about Chase. He didn't deserve it. I so love him but I ended up doing bad things for him"

"Don"t worry, we're doing fine Elizabeth. Chase's trip was successful and he said that he would celebrate it with me. So cheer up. I'm going to leave you now. See you in two days."

I went out to her office and I saw Mia waiting on me.

Mia then told me to chin up because I had so many blessings flowing. First, me being a creative director, the successful meeting we had earlier for our brand, then also me being a representative of our school in France for the business summit that I'll be attending and of course the news that Chase's business trip in Singapore was a success and I no longer need to be worried about the winery business that he bought from Reese Parents.

"Thank you so much, Mia, I appreciate you and I apologized that I pushed you away earlier. I was hoping that I listened to you and I let you stop me from doing such a terrible act. Now, it would be remembered in this office that I slapped someone."

"It's fine, Reese, remember that you're one of the directors here. It now gave them a warning that they can't mess up, especially to you. No one can be messing around, they saw how terrifying you are."

She said then chortled while tapping on my shoulders.

"Oh, well, let's just say it was a good thing then, I hope it would work as an advantage for me."

I then kissed her on the cheek and I went to the car to go back home.