Between the Pages

Chapter - 4

Happy Reading cupcakes 🧁

Oliver's POV:

"Don't you have siblings or parents to go home to as well?". Sydney asks me while leaving work. She probably didn't give it much thought. We were working till late and both of us were quite exhausted. I don't think I'm ready to answer that question for her yet so I just wish her a good night and leave before my emotions get ahold of me.

I head to a nearby bar calling Liam on my way. He must've reached home by now but I really need someone now. He doesn't pick up my call though. It's alright, he might be busy with his parents. Unlike mine, who couldn't even care enough to raise me, Liam's parents were absolute sweethearts and they were like family to me.

I reach the bar just in a few minutes. I forgot to take my car and just walked here. I come here often, whenever my mind needs a refresh. About my parents, they gave me up for adoption at the ripe age of 5. When reasons asked, they just said how they couldn't afford another child with their travelling jobs. Well, why have a child when you can't take care of it?

They even took away my brother from me. My elder brother, Aiden Johnson, the only one who actually cared about me in that household. I remember late nights lying in his arms, crying my heart out when my parents told me how big of a burden I am while he told me once he gets older, he'll take me away from all this and we'll live together happily.

Could we? Ofcourse not. I spent innumerous nights in the adoption home crying and just wanting to be with my brother. Even till this day, I miss him from the core of my heart. However, I have zero contact with both my parents and my brother. Neither can I find them nor do I have any idea about their whereabouts.

Whatever I have made of myself today is all because of my own struggle and only I know how much I've done to reach the place I am today. I'm grateful to Liam and his parents too. They've supported me a lot throughout my journey and I could never thank them enough.

Anyways, my muddled thoughts about the past leads me to drinking a little too much than usual. I guess I got a bit out of control because I don't remember what happened after, just bits and pieces of me texting someone. Hopefully, Liam.

I wake up the next morning with a throbbing headache but I notice some pills with water on my bedside table with a note which said,

Stop drinking to avoid thinking about your problems, dickhead. Now, have these pills and come down for breakfast.
Xoxo
your love ;)

Obviously, Liam :)
Who else would taunt me and express his love at the same time? Anyways, I look at the time and it's 8:30 already. I'm gonna be late to work. Yesterday night was something else. I usually am the earliest in the office and I take punctuality very seriously. Without any further procrastination, I quickly change.

I reach downstairs and notice Liam watching Friends, again. He has an unhealthy obsession with that show. "Look who's finally awake". Liam says and I roll my eyes at him. "I don't think I have time for breakfast, I'm already super late for work". I say to him while my mouth was stuffed with a banana. I also grabbed a bottle of apple juice. (my ultimate fav<33)

"Eat something when you reach work otherwise I'm not responsible for the state you'll be in". Liam chuckles while continuing to watch the show. He works from home, at times so he doesn't need to worry about reaching anywhere. Lucky fella. Well, when you own the company, I don't suppose you gotta worry about all this. I nod my head and leave for work.

I reach the office and I'm already out of breath. Till the time I reach upstairs, it looks like I just ran a marathon before coming here. I head towards my cabin but I bump into someone on my way. It's Sydney. I don't exactly want to admit but I kind of felt something the moment she first walked in my cabin. Nevermind, not like I'm going to engage romantically with an assistant anyway.

She looks up and then abruptly, without making any eye contact, she just walked to her cabin. Weird.

I make a way to my cabin as well, realising we have three meetings and a whole lot of drafts to edit today. I call Sydney to my cabin to discuss upon the same.

She came into my cabin, and she was wearing all white. Boy, was she looking stunning. Wait no- what am I thinking?
She's just an assistant. "SIR???". She almost shouted. "Yeah yeah, I'm listening. Why are you shouting?". I say to her.

"Well, you've been zoned out for the past three straight minutes". Sydney says. "And you've been counting?". I say with a smirk. "Uh- what no- I was just- Um don't we have important meetings today?". She says stammering.
Cute. I don't know why I am engaging in so much conversation with her. I barely talked to my previous assistants. Anyways, I tell her about the details of all the three meetings, mentioning precisely the last one is at a restaurant and might drag up past work hours.

"If you want, you can just accompany me to the first two. I'll go to the third one by myself. It's a big contract, as well. She's a self established author at the age of 25 and this is one of the most awaited book of a series she has written. Olivia Carter." I tell Syd. I wish I could actually call her Syd but ig that would seem unprofessional. So, I think I'll just stick to Ms. Floyd. She said that she has no problem unless it doesn't drag up beyond 10pm. "It seems like quite a big opportunity. I'm sure I'll learn a few things there". Sydney says and I nod at her dedication.

We assign a few drafts to the members of our department and then get back to working on the bigger ones. Soon enough, it's time for the meeting. However, the first one is in our office only, in the conference room.

The rest of the day passes in meetings and a hell lot of work. It's almost 6:30 pm now and we'll have to leave soon for our last meeting at the restaurant. I go to Sydney's cabin to remind her that we're about to leave. I knock but there was no response so I just enter and notice Syd dozed off on her desk. Cute.

I come a little closer and tuck her hair  behind her ear and take off her glasses. (What are you doing, Oliver???)
I'll just let her rest for a bit. It's been too much of a hectic day.

After half and hour or so, I go to her cabin again and see her awake, assembling all the edited drafts. "Finally awake, sleepyhead?".