Chapter 109
OLIVIA’S POV
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“I… I don’t understand?” I said, my brows furrowed in confusion.
“As you already know, I am the founder of Blake Enterprise, so think of what people would say when they find out that a Blake is a jobber,” my dad said to me.
Trying to make me understand, but his words still echo in my head, and for a moment, I felt like I had misheard him. Does he want me to join their company, at Blake Enterprise? The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.
I felt a warm, reassuring hand rest gently on my shoulder. I turned slightly to see my mother’s soft smile.
“You’re a Blake now, darling,” she said, her voice calm and filled with pride. “You’re never going to struggle for money again–not from this point
on.”
Her words hit me like a wave. I sat there, stunned, letting it all sink in.
A part of me wanted to cry, not out of sadness, but because of the overwhelming relief. For years, I’d lived paycheck to paycheck, treated like an afterthought in a marriage that never valued me. Now, suddenly, I was being told that those days were over.
It wasn’t about the wealth, not entirely. I wasn’t someone who cared about owning the flashiest car or the biggest house. But I had dreams. I had little desires–like those gold earrings I saw in a boutique window once, or the silver bracelet with the heart–shaped charm. I had mentioned them to Adrian multiple times. Each time, he either brushed it off or ignored me altogether.
“Don’t think too hard about it,” Julian’s voice cut through my thoughts as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. “Eventually, all the wealth becomes more of a pain than a blessing. Trust me–I’ve been trying to dodge it for years. But I’m actually glad you’re here now. Maybe Mom and Dad can start redirecting all their attention and money to someone else for a change.”
He chuckled a little, and I smiled. It was strange, but comforting, to see how naturally we were starting to connect like real siblings.
“I mean, really,” he added, “why would you be job–hunting when we own a damn company? It doesn’t make any sense.”
My father’s voice came through the laptop speakers again, clear and confident. “You said you’re trying to leave that toxic marriage, right?”
I gave a firm nod.
“And you have a degree in Business Administration?” he asked again.
I nodded once more.
“Then what’s stopping you? Why look for a job when you can come here and step into your own power? I want you to join Blake Enterprise. Not as a junior staff member, but as a leader. As a boss. As a woman with the strength and intelligence to run her own department–maybe even the whole damn company someday.”
I blinked. My heart thudded a little faster. “What?”
“Yeah, what?” Julian echoed, clearly caught off guard. He stood up straighter, unfolding his arms.
“You heard me,” my dad said with a grin. “Come over to headquarters. We’ll introduce you properly, give you the tools and the team you need. I want to see what you can do.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Julian said, raising a hand like a referee calling a timeout. “Don’t you think you’re rushing things a little?”
“Rushing?” my dad repeated. “She’s your sister. She has a degree in business management. This isn’t rushing–it’s aligning things. Or would you prefer she waste time applying for jobs that don’t value her?”
“But”
“Or are you having second thoughts about not taking over the company?” Dad asked, interrupting Julian before he could finish.
Julian opened his mouth to respond, but then paused. He looked at me, then back at the screen. A shift passed through his expression, like something clicked inside him.
“You know what?” he said slowly. “You’re right.”
He turned to me and placed a hand firmly on my shoulder. “I think she would be a perfect CEO.”
Hearing those words, I shot up from my seat in a rush, my chair screeching back behind me as I instinctively took a few steps away. My heart was pounding in my chest, loud enough that I could almost hear it. I looked between Julian and my mom, then shifted my gaze to the screen where my
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Chapter 109
father’s face still lingered, calm and serious.
“What do you mean by CEO?” I asked, blinking in disbelief.
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“You come over to our headquarters, and we make you the CEO,” my mother said as she slowly approached me, her voice calm but firm. “As you can see, your father is getting older. His energy isn’t what it used to be. We need someone fresh, someone we trust, to take over the reins of the company.”
I felt the panic rise in my throat. My stomach twisted with anxiety. “I can’t run a company! I’ve never done anything like that before. I mean, how can you even think of entrusting something that massive to me?” I asked, my voice quivering with uncertainty.
“Because you’re a Blake,” my father replied from the computer screen, his voice steady. “It’s in your blood. You have a degree in Business Administration, don’t you? That’s more than enough to get you started. We don’t have the luxury of time or options. You’re it, Olivia.”
I hesitated, swallowing the lump in my throat. “And where exactly is this ‘headquarters‘ of yours, if I may ask?”
There was a pause. My mother suddenly avoided eye contact. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, and I could tell she was about to say something she knew I wouldn’t like.
“Mexico,” she finally said, barely above a whisper.
“Mexico?!” I gasped, louder than I intended. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s a whole different country! I thought you were going to say a different city–like Houston or maybe Chicago—not Mexico.”
“Mexico is incredible,” my dad chimed in quickly, trying to sound cheerful. “You’ll love it once you see it. The weather, the people, the food—it’s an adventure.”
“No,” I said firmly, holding both hands up like a stop sign. “That’s completely out of my comfort zone. I can’t see myself packing up my life and moving to another continent. I’ve already gone through enough changes in such a short time. I’m not leaving, and that’s final. Not even for the title
of CEO.”
Julian, who had been quietly observing the back–and–forth, finally spoke. “Come on, Liv. What’s keeping you here? It’s not like you have any friends around, right?”
The words hit me like a slap. My breath caught in my throat. Of all the things he could’ve said, that was the last thing I expected. The silence that followed was heavy. Julian’s eyes widened slightly as he realized the weight of his words, and his hand went to the back of his neck, rubbing it awkwardly.
“Liv… that came out wrong. I didn’t mean…”
“No,” I cut him off, forcing a small, bitter smile. “You’re right. I don’t have any friends here.”
The truth in that statement stung. It wasn’t just about friends. It was about the sense of belonging–or the lack of it. I had been drifting through life, playing roles, surviving. And now, just as I was beginning to put pieces back together, I was being told to uproot everything again.
Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked out of the room. I didn’t want to say something I’d regret, didn’t want them to see the tears forming in my eyes. I needed space to breathe, to think.
And right now, I need to be alone.
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