Page 100 of Rivals Next Door

“I’m hormonal every day,” she muttered. “Sorry about the pillow to the head.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She glanced at me with a pout. “You’ve been patient with my mood swings.”

“Well, I knocked you up, so I owe you that much,” I joked.

Olivia laughed and then I practically saw her relax.

“Can we talk now?” I asked.

She sighed. “Sure.”

“Why don’t you want the company back?”

Her eyes darted around the room, and I waited patiently for her to gather her courage because I could see her embarrassment.

She shrugged. “I don’t know… Alright, it’s not that I don’t want it back. It’s just…” she sighed and ducked her head. “I feel like I don’t deserve to be CEO. I mean, I failed…”

My heart dropped into my ass. I caused this. I never should have gone through with the acquisitions out of sheer pettiness.

“You were right when you said I did well but not good enough. You were also right about BioTech maybe needing a new leader. All the board members—the ones with penises, in particular—who resented me for becoming CEO were right to doubt me.”

I gawked at her as my mind raced with what to say to fix this. “I was wrong, Liv. I was an idiot.” I spread my arms wide and reiterated, “I’m an idiot.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re not.”

“You kicked ass at being CEO.”

“How do you know?” she asked.

“I looked into the company’s history.”

Her eyeballs did a complete rotation. “Of course, you did.”

Holding up a finger, I continued, “And I learned that your father ran things into the ground financially, and you came in and kept the company afloat for years. You’re smart, strong, and determined as hell. You were born to run the Brentwood empire. You’re fucking Princess Olivia.”

She laughed. “You sound like Elena.”

“Well, we know how incredible you are.”

Olivia nibbled on her lower lip. “You won our war fair and square. BioTech is yours. I don’t want you to give it back because I’m sleeping with you again and carrying your child.”

I snorted. “Princess, I may be your loyal servant…”

She giggled at that.

“...but the way I love to win… if I really didn’t think you were the best CEO for BioTech, I’d be rubbing my victory in your face at this very moment.”

She shook her head. “That would make you an asshole.”

“It would.” I laughed. “But that’s because I see you as a worthy opponent. You fought well, Liv. I’m proud of you, but I’m not right for the company. I don’t know shit about science or medicine. Besides, a lab coat would cramp my style.”

She scoffed, but there was a suspicious twitch at the corners of her mouth. “You take nothing seriously, do you?”

“I take the wellbeing of the general public seriously. BioTech doesn’t need someone who only pursued it for petty reasons running it. It needs someone passionate about science and helping people live longer, better lives.” I cupped her chin. “That’s you, gorgeous.”

Her eyes got misty as she held my gaze. Finally, she sniffed, “You’re damn right that’s me.”

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