Chapter 22: A Date with Helena
The morning sun streamed through Vincent’s penthouse office windows as he reviewed his cleared schedule with quiet satisfaction. Every meeting had been postponed, every call redirected—today belonged entirely to Helena.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. "Come in."
Olivia entered with her usual professional composure, but Vincent caught the subtle tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers gripped her tablet just a fraction too tightly. "Sir, I’ve confirmed all your rescheduled appointments for next week. The Henderson contract review has been moved to Monday, and the board presentation—"
"Thank you, Olivia." Vincent’s voice carried warmth that made her pause mid-sentence. "I appreciate you handling everything so smoothly."
She nodded curtly, but he noticed the slight tightening around her eyes. "Of course, sir. Will you be... unavailable for the entire day?"
There was something almost vulnerable in the question, carefully disguised as professional concern. Vincent’s lips quirked upward. "Yes. The entire day."
"I see." Olivia’s mask slipped for just an instant, revealing something that looked suspiciously like disappointment before she recovered. "Should I have David prepare the car for... your appointment?"
"Already handled," Vincent replied gently, watching the micro-expressions flicker across her features—the way her jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, how her breathing became just slightly more controlled.
"Of course you have." The words came out sharper than intended, and Olivia immediately looked mortified. "I apologize, sir. That was unprofessional."
Vincent stood, moving around his desk with fluid grace. When he reached her, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, feeling her sharp intake of breath at the contact. "Olivia, you’ve been working too hard. Take the day off. Rest."
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Her eyes widened, searching his face with an intensity that made his chest tighten. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to say something—something important, something that had been building behind those carefully controlled expressions for years.
Instead, she simply nodded. "Thank you, sir. Have a... have a lovely day."