Babel Novel
Chapter 25
"Don't mind her."
Ethan Carter raised his hand, nonchalantly wiping away the tears from Olivia Brooks' face. In the past, seeing her cry would have tugged at his heartstrings, but now it stirred a vague sense of annoyance within him.
"Ethan, I've thought carefully about this since I woke up. My injury isn't serious, so I'm planning to discharge myself tomorrow and return to work."
She gently bit her lip, her voice still a bit choked with emotion. The thought of leaving Emma Johnson alone with Ethan under the same roof made her uneasy; needed to be there to keep an eye on things. she felt sh
"The company isn't very busy right now. You should really take the time to recover fully before you return to work," Ethan replied firmly, without a moment's hesitation.
Olivia's persistent presence felt like an invisible pressure on him, weighing down on him and stemming from a deep-seated guilt.
"I won't have it! The tasks you assigned me aren't demanding at all. Even with this injury, I could manage just fine. Please, just grant me this small request!" She gazed up at him with her watery eyes, swaying her arms playfully as she made her earnest appeal. Ethan frowned slightly, a hint of exasperation flickering in his expression before he gave in with a reluctant nod.
The next day, Olivia made a special effort to dress up before her discharge. If it weren't for the bandages, one wouldn't have guessed she was recently a patient.
"Thank you all for your hard work during my absence. I brought coffee and pastries to treat everyone!" A sharp voice broke the quiet of the office.
Olivia strode in confidently, flanked by two bodyguards carrying the refreshments.
Wow, Olivia, you're too generous!"
Three Years to Love
"Wow, Olivia, you're too generous!"
"Three cheers for Olivia!"
Those eager to curry favor with her took this chance to flatter her, their voices laced. with admiration.
Listening to their fawning comments, Olivia beamed with delight.
"If you all stay positive and work hard, I promise to bring you treats from time to time!" She declared, waving her hands like a queen addressing her subjects. "On the strength of Olivia's words, we will definitely work diligently!"
"Dani, come over here and distribute these." She gestured at the woman sitting at the front, giving her a meaningful glance. "Sure thing, Olivia!" Dani obliged and began handing out the goodies.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
However, when she reached Emma, she purposefully overlooked her, instead passing a treat to Rachel Smith nearby.
The atmosphere grew tense. Emma, maintaining an unbothered demeanor, focused on perfecting her design draft.
"Thanks, but I'm on a diet and have cut out sweets," Rachel interjected, stepping up to ease Emma's discomfort. "Unappreciative," Dani sniped dismissively, shooting a glare in Rachel's direction.
In the design department, everyone except for Emma and Rachel received goodies from Olivia, and the overt favoritism couldn't have been clearer.
Emma felt warmed by Rachel's gesture, and she shot her a grateful glance, both of them sharing a smile.
After distributing everything, Dani sidled up to Olivia. "Olivia, I heard that Emma pushed you down the stairs yesterday. Is that true?"