43. ALL IN YOUR EYES.

Agatha’s hands slipped through hers and Olivia grasped her aunt. She was a chic black dress with slender arms, and it’s hem barely scraping her knees. Dark eyeshadows complimented her gray stilettos and a red lipstick was the perfect choice.

Agatha on the other hands was in a jacket, complaining of how she’d gotten cold in the uber. However, it was something seeing her dress for an occasion. And the smile on her face was enough to lighten Olivia’s whole week.

“You look great ma” Liv whispered, and Agatha reached to raise her chin. “Nothing as close to you my angel” Her voice was frail but genuine and Liv rested in her cold palms. “You never invite me to these things, i was a damsel back in the day” She turned around jokingly, holding her skirt in her hands and Liv chuckled.

“No doubt” She whispered.

“My uncle must have had excellent taste” Olivia smiled and Agatha halted quietly, letting her eyes fall on Liv’s dress. “Can’t wait to meet the gentleman Damien” She said. “He must have a refined taste as well” Liv rolled her eyes as they waited for the elevator doors to chime open. “No ma” She replied.

“I mean look at you.”

“It’s not—It’s not that. The arrangement with Damien ends soon, maybe eve tonight. As soon as Raznak signs the merger but” She grasped her aunt’s hands, noticing her smile drop. “But i’ll love for you to meet someone else” Her mind instantly went to the other and Agatha looked into her eyes.

“Damien is barely a gentleman” Liv has a crack in her voice and her aunt hummed. “If isn’t Damien, who else is there?” She asked and a half hearted smile crept to the beau’s lips. And Olivia held her stomach, heaving a deep breath. “You’ll meet him” She smiled and then turned back to her. “You’ll meet Luke Archer—”

And just then the elevator chimed open, as the doors drew away. They were met with a magnificent stairway and a silver chandelier hovering the opened doors to the event. Suited waiters and waitresses walked past them with trays in their hands and Agatha turned around, letting the light fill her eyes.

She recognized this song—All in your Eyes by Harvey and The Phenomenals, infact it was one that played on her wedding date as she danced with her soon to be husband. She scoffed, letting her eyes fill up with tears and Olivia turned to her.

“You ready to do this?”

Olivia referred to meeting her own soon to be husband as well, and Agatha took her hands as well and the Sander’s belles walked through the glassed doors— “Yes, yes i am” —oblivious of what the night held for them.

-

“Raznak” Came a exasperated cheer.

He stood from the table opposite the chair that had a card inscribed with her name. He took Olivia’s palms, placing a kiss arcoss her knuckles. “It’s nice to see you, Olivia” He croaked.

“Or is Mrs Archer too forward for now?”

She retracted her hands awkwardly. “I guess it is, Mr Soviet” She took a seat, brushing the back of her gown. “This is my aunt, Agatha and i invited her” She smiled and Raznak took a seat. “It’s no problem, honestly i’m surprised to see you without Damien and Amanda” He said, and she tossed her head upon her shoulders. “They’re late, as usual” He added.

And her eyes fell to the name next to her. Raznak took a sip of his champagne, and in a split second, Olivia exchanged the cards, bringing closer the one that bore Luke’s name. He was quick to look back at her but she was quicker.

“Honestly i’m more surprised to made it to Chicago from Vienna this soon?” She glossed her lips and Raznak let out a low chuckle. “Honey when you’re rich, you could be anywhere around the world within an hour” He boasted and Liv scoffed.

“It’s why Damien wants my help.”

“Then why are you hesitating?” She sipped from the glass in front of her and their eyes met. “Hesitating?” He echoed. “I laid my proposal over a week ago, it was your husband who needed time to think of it” He replied. “Certainly being Co-Ceo isn’t enough to break this deal is it?” He asked and she arched her brows. “Isn’t that too much to ask, Mr Soviet?” She was ever suspicious of this man but he’d grown on her each time they met. He ran his hands through the middle of his hair.

“He happens to disagree with you.”

“He already signed the papers” Raznak added and she placed the glass to the table. “Then why haven’t you?” There was a solo classic playing subtly beneath their voices but they didn’t offer a single care in the world. Rather they shared a well intentioned gaze. “Why is a necessity we get married?” She proceeded to ask. “Certainly it wasn’t too much as well—“ He imitated her words. “Because you were already engaged.”

“Who commits so much to something that’s going to crash in the end—“ He paused. “Personally i find that deceptive” His voice went low and Olivia was restive in her chair. “Damien is a lot.” Olivia replied. “It’s different.”

“And so was i to my first wife, perhaps it was why it ended. I have my regrets, because some part of me thinks she was my one true love” He said and Olivia scoffed. “Those only exists in books and stories. What Damien and i have is mere tolerance for each other and occasionally love” Olivia whispered and she felt her aunt pinch her soft palms before she pulled away.

Damien wasn’t here, at least she owed him some words.

“You know it doesn’t exist because you read the books, i know it does because i felt it. Now which is better, Olivia?” He threw a question to her and she rested back in her seat. “What changed because she seems past tense?” She threw one right back at him and he scoffed coldly. “She isn’t.” Raznak replied.

“I just don’t want you making the same mistakes like i did, and Damien as well. He’s like a son to me because of his father Hank. It would be an honor to host the wedding of the year”

A lump went down her throat as she grasped the bottom of the glass. “And as much i have plans for him, i have for you as well. And i have for the both of you” He smirked and Liv faked a smiled on her lips. She looked to the doors, hoping that the Archers just walked in to relieve this awkward conversation.

It was a mere thought, but it was a wish.

One granted, Damien stood with Amanda behind the door. And Luke behind. He heaved a deep breath, adjusting his suit and his mother reached for his tie.

“I’m thinking of telling her today.” He whispered and Amanda looked up to him before slowly pulling away. “Olivia?” She asked and he scoffed. “Of course Olivia, i got an extra party on the roof for her, book themed i think. Do you think she’ll like it?”

“Do you think she’ll like me?” He grasped her arms, feeling uneasy in his stomach and he ran his hands in his hair. “Do you think it’s too late?” Came the final question and Amanda’s palms brushed his shoulders.

“Only one person can answer that” She looked pointedly to the door. “And she’s just behind.” “What’s behind? What’s going on?” Like popped up from nowhere. And Amanda sighed.

“Your brother. He’s pretty serious about that girl” She had a sly smirk on her lips and Luke pulled away, the smile on his lips disappearing. “Olivia?” He asked and Damien met the horror in his eyes. “Do you think it’s a bad idea?” He asked and Luke just froze for a second and then he shook his head.

“I uhm—i don’t” He stuttered. “It’s surprising, you falling for someone” He covered his gibberishness. “I mean what about Amelia? The woman i met back in Vienna that totally seemed into you” Luke added and Damien shrugged.

“Actually, she somehow talked me into this.”

“Like how you had Nadia and somehow you never thought of life without her until that girl in Vienna you said” Damien teased, grasping his arm. “This is just like that. Except it’s Liv”

Luke’s hands slipped into his pockets. “She’s different yeah” He replied. “Come on boys, we don’t want to keep them waiting” Amanda noticed the tense atmosphere and figured something was off. So she broke it, opening the doors before them. “We shouldn’t keep our guests waiting” She whispered.

And Damien bridled past her shoulders, halting just in front of the door and Liv turned around. They instantly locked eyes before her gaze shifted his brother beside him—whom she waved at with a smile and only Amanda could tell what was up.

She bumped into his shoulders as Damien waved, thinking it was him. Little did he know of what happened between them, he also had no idea that the Vienna girl was Olivia—

—the same Olivia he was about to profess his love to on the roof. But as they approached the table, Luke was faster to the space next to her than he was. Her smile instantly dropped seeing the arch in his brows. “What is it?” Her hands fell to his knees, next to his.

And Amanda stood to Damien, there was a that sharp pain that migrained in her head like a splitting skull but she held up a smile, reaching out to his kind gestures. “Gentleman Damien” She fondly called and he enclasped her hands. “You must be Agatha” Their handshake was just between Luke and Liv and after gazing up at them, they looked to each other.

“I need to tell you something.” Luke whispered, concern filling his eyes. “On the roof. Just you and I” He continued, unsure whether or not thiswas a good idea, or even what he was about to do. But Olivia liked the sound of that, and a smile crept to her lips as she pulled away from his knees but alas, not quick enough.

Standing behind them was Amanda who caught a glimpse of a touch as sensual as that. And putting two and two together, her jaw dropped. “No” Her shoulders fell as she looked between her two sons—what were ever the odds of them falling for the same Olivia Sanders?

Terrifically slim, but it was never zero.

To be continued…