Chapter 3: Secrets and Confession

Olivia stood frozen in front of the elevator doors, heart pounding. Lucas Cross stood just a few feet away, staring at her with those piercing blue eyes. There was something about his gaze, intense and calculating, that made her feel like she was being cornered.

“Olivia,” he said, his voice low, but the words felt like a command. “We need to talk.”

Every instinct in Olivia’s body screamed at her to run, to escape, but she couldn’t. She had to face this. She had to face him. And yet, the words caught in her throat as she tried to speak.

She forced herself to speak, her voice betraying her nerves. “I—what about?”

His lips curled slightly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. It was cold, almost predatory. “I saw your little performance this morning. With Mr. Jacobs.”

Olivia’s breath hitched. Her mind raced. Had he figured it out? Had he seen through the disguise she’d so carefully crafted? No. She couldn’t let him see that she was flustered. She had to stay in control.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied, forcing the words out with an air of innocence.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, making her heart race even faster. “Don’t play games with me, Olivia. You’re not as clever as you think you are.”

A cold shiver ran down Olivia’s spine. His words had a weight to them, as though they weren’t just about the disguise—there was something deeper, something more dangerous in his tone.

Before she could react, the elevator doors chimed open. Lucas glanced at them, then back at Olivia. He didn’t wait for her to respond before stepping into the elevator.

“You’re coming with me,” he said, his voice unyielding.

Olivia’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion and fear as the elevator doors slid shut, trapping her inside with Lucas. Her pulse raced as the elevator ascended in silence. What was he going to say? What did he know? And why did he seem so… calm?

“Do you know what’s going on, Olivia?” Lucas’s voice cut through the quiet, sending a jolt of panic through her chest.

Olivia swallowed, her throat dry. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” she said, her words barely above a whisper.

Lucas didn’t say anything for a moment, his gaze sharp, almost predatory. “I know you’re hiding something. You’re not the person you’re pretending to be. And I don’t take kindly to secrets.”

Olivia’s stomach dropped. Was he threatening her? Was he really onto her cover? Was everything about to unravel?

But before she could speak again, the elevator came to a stop. The doors opened to a dimly lit hallway. Lucas stepped out without looking back, and Olivia had no choice but to follow.

They walked in silence, her every step heavy with dread. Olivia could feel the tension in the air—like a storm that had been building for days and was finally ready to break.

At the end of the hallway, Lucas stopped in front of a closed door. He turned to her, his face a mask of cool indifference. “In here,” he commanded.

Olivia stepped into the office, barely registering the sleek, modern design before her. The door clicked shut behind her, and Lucas locked it with a deliberate motion. Her pulse quickened. What was happening?

“I don’t like being kept in the dark, Olivia,” Lucas said, turning to face her. “You’ve been pretending to be someone you’re not. And I’ve been watching you. The questions I’ve had, the things I’ve noticed… they don’t add up.”

Olivia’s heart hammered in her chest. This was it. She had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice shaking despite her best efforts.

Lucas’s eyes narrowed, and for a brief moment, the ice in them cracked, revealing something else—something far more dangerous. “You’re lying,” he said, his voice dark with barely contained anger. “You want to know what I think?”

Before she could answer, he took a step closer, invading her space. Olivia stepped back instinctively, her pulse racing in her throat.

“I think you’re hiding a lot more than you’re letting on. And I think you know exactly who I am… and what I’m capable of.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Olivia’s mind scrambled for an explanation, anything to turn the situation around, but the truth was, she didn’t know what Lucas was thinking or what he was about to do.

Meanwhile, back at the office, Ethan had no idea what was going on. Olivia had been gone for over an hour, and no one had seen her since she’d walked off with Lucas. Ethan tried calling her, but her phone went straight to voicemail.

He paced in his cubicle, a knot of anxiety forming in his stomach. Where was she?

He’d never seen her act this way before—so distant and shaken. Had something happened? Was she okay? Ethan couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between her and Lucas, and it didn’t sit well with him.

Back in Lucas’s office, Olivia took a shaky breath as she faced him. This was it—the moment everything could either fall apart or change forever.

“I know you’re hiding something, Olivia,” Lucas repeated, his voice cold. “And I want to know what it is. What’s your game?”

The question hung in the air, loaded with implications. And Olivia realized, with a sick feeling in her stomach, that whatever happened next would change everything—both at work and in her heart.

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