Page 80 of His Cruel Billionaire Scorecard

“Hey, Olivia,” Jane said, feeling awkward.

“I have these files for you. The boss wanted them on his desk right away.”

Olivia took the files from Jane, giving her a grateful nod. “Thanks, Jane. I appreciate it.”

Jane hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Listen, Olivia, we were wondering if you’d like to join us for lunch in the dining hall. The rest of the team will be waiting.”

Olivia looked up, surprised by the invitation. She had been feeling isolated lately, but the gesture from her coworkers, who hardly ever spoke to her, apart from Linda, warmed her heart. “Oh, um, sure. That sounds nice. I’ll join you.”

Jane’s face lit up with a smile. “Great! They will be seated at that big table in the corner. We saved a spot for you. I hope you don’t mind that I rattled, but I had to clear up the story for everyone.”

“That’s okay, I’d prefer I didn’t explain. Thank you for clearing things up.”

The three hours of work flew by in a haze, and Olivia found herself following Jane to the dining hall, feeling a mixture of apprehension and gratitude.

As she entered the room, she saw her coworkers sitting around a large table, waving and calling her name. She smiled, feeling warm.

She walked over to the table, greeted by friendly faces and cheerful conversation. The atmosphere was lively, and temporarily, Olivia forgot her worries. It felt good to be among colleagues who genuinely cared about her well-being.

“Here, sit beside me,” Linda said, patting an empty chair.

“Thank you all for inviting me,” Olivia said. “I needed this today.”

“Olivia, don’t let him get to you. You’re strong and capable,” Sarah, her office neighbor, reassured her.

“Besides, we know the man has the emotions of a bear,” Linda added. “Believe me, I’ve worked with him the longest. Don’t focus too much on it.”

The group burst into hearty laughter.

“Yeah, he’s the one who messed up. You deserve better,” Mike added, smiling at Jane, who nodded.

Their support brought a flicker of a smile to Olivia’s face. “Thank you, guys. I appreciate it.”

The dinner ended, and Olivia went back to her office.

The weight on her shoulders lifted it just a bit.

A knock sounded on her door just as Olivia was trying to gather her thoughts and focus on her work. Linda entered the room carrying some files and a new assignment. “Olivia, we need you to take over the Anderson account. It’s a big opportunity for you to showcase your skills, maybe bump up your position up the….”

“Ridiculous Scoreboard?”

Linda laughed. “Yes, that.”

Olivia nodded as she collected the file, though her mind was still clouded with thoughts of Roman. She struggled to concentrate on her new task, fumbling with files and mixing up important details. The weight of her emotions proved to be a significant distraction, murdering her usual efficiency. It took a toll at the end of the day to go through the file. Normally, it took her an hour, but she was sure Linda would understand.

At the end of the long and emotionally draining day, Olivia finally turned the key to her door.

She changed into comfortable cotton PJs and curled up on the couch with Sandy; her soft purrs and gentle nuzzles offered some comfort.

“Hey, Sandy,” Olivia whispered, stroking the cat’s soft fur. “It’s been a rough day, hasn’t it? Roman... I don’t know what happened between us. I thought we had something special, but now everything feels shattered.”

Sandy blinked back, seemingly understanding Olivia’s pain.

“I don’t know how to move forward, Sandy. Every time I see him, it’s like a knife twisting in my heart. And now he’s acting like I don’t even exist. It hurts, Sandy. It hurts so much.”

Sandy bounded out of the sofa and disappeared from the room.

Olivia switched on the TV and settled into her couch; she regretted it immediately.

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