Filed To Story: Cheating with My Boyfriend's Best Friend Novel Read Online (Olive & Aaron)
My mind went blank, and I didn’t know how long I stood there like a statue. Aaron’s outfit today was a complete makeover from his usual style. He was wearing a smart suit and shiny leather shoes. His medium-length brown curls were brushed back and secured with a band. He seemed more authoritative and collected, nothing like the scruffy guy he used to know,
“Mr. Trout”. Charlotte naturally greeted the man next to Aaron with a friendly smile, but her eyes locked on Aaron. Aaron looked up at me and Charlotte. He was sure that our eyes met for a split second.
“What are you gawking at?” Charlotte nudged me in the shoulder with her, bringing me back to reality. Charlotte had already taken the initiative to approach Giancarlo and Aaron. With no other choice, I trailed after her. Sanity finally came back to me. I felt a surge of shame over my worries of a week ago. I was so bored. Even if Aaron didn’t come here as the new CEO, it was still possible for him to come to Germany and Ulm for TWII.
“I know you? I wonder who you are.” Giancarlo looked at Charlotte and held out his hand.
“Charlotte Charles, and this is Dr. Olive Woods. We are both members of Lab 3 and I am Dr. Olive’s research assistant.” Charlotte shook his hand and continued:
“What a stroke of luck! We were talking about you.”
“Me?” Giancarlo looked at Aaron and asked,
“About what?”
“About why you haven’t done the swearing-in ceremony or made any announcements.” Charlotte was so direct that I didn’t even have time to stop her. All she could do was do my best not to look at Aaron, but it was too hard.
“Does TWH have that kind of ceremony?” Giancarlo looked a little surprised before turning to look at Aaron, as if he was looking for confirmation from the latter.
“I never heard of it.” Aaron Charlotte finally sensed that something was wrong and her voice faltered.
“Usually, there’s an inauguration ceremony for the CEO, right?”
Giancarlo’s eyes widened and he then he laughed.
“Yes, but the thing is, I’m not the CEO.”
“That?” Charlotte’s face turned beet red. She took a step back and looked in alarm at the two men before her.
“Aren’t you the CEO? But I heard that you are the only one who has been working in the CEO’s office every day during this time.”
“The CEO is not the only one working in that office; Mrs. Charles.” Giancarlo’s smile was wide and gentlemanly. He stepped forward and said,
“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am the secretary to the new CEO. The revelation was like a bomb had gone off in my head. Aaron was the new CEO of TWH. In fact, he had harbored this suspicion when I saw him appear in the office just now, but I had made sure that he was only here to oversee things instead of staying here for a long time. Now my self-deception has come to an end. My ex-boyfriend became my big boss! How absurd! How absurd!
“But why?” I did not understand Aaron made a name for himself at a young age. With such rare business savvy, why did he leave Manhattan and come to this small, remote place to be CEO instead of looking after the Morris Group and the public company he founded? All eyes suddenly turned to me and I realized that he had blurted out the
“why” out loud.
“I think he meant to ask why the real CEO showed up just a week later.” Charlotte clearly misunderstood me.
That was fine since I shared her doubts. Giancarlo looked at Aaron and said,
“Mr. Morris had a health problem and was confined to bed for a week. I took care of things in his name during that time.” Aaron was s**k for a week! wow I instinctively looked at Aaron and immediately remembered that night. It turned out that he had not deliberately tried to fire Adenauer. He really did have a health problem. But he had always been physically robust. How could he suddenly get sick?
“Are you OK now?” I tried to sound calm to sound like a normal employee asking politely about the health of her boss. Aaron fixed his gaze on me. Clearly, he saw through my intentions, and his expression turned serious.
“Dr. Woods also hails from Manhattan, USA. She joined Lab 3 just a few months ago. She is a brilliant scientist and a trailblazer for women in her field.” Charlotte hastily introduced me to Aaron, not understanding the situation. I caught Aaron frowning slightly, so subtly that he would have missed it if he hadn’t been paying close attention. This was a sign of his displeasure.
“Dr. Woods, TWH is thrilled to have him on board.” She reached out for her hand, acting like he didn’t know me. My heart felt the tug on an invisible string. I had been longing for this moment, but when Aaron really treated me like a stranger, I felt like he was going to explode. I couldn’t contain my emotions. If I stay there any longer, I’d surely blow my cover. So, I shook his hand, planning to make a quick exit as soon as our fingers touched and part after the formalities. But to my amazement, the moment I tried to pull my hand away, his big hand gripping mine suddenly tightened its grip, refusing to let go.
“Forgive me for being nosy.” Aaron took my hand, his face showing no emotion.
“Why did you choose our company in the first place, Dr. Woods? With his credentials, he must have had many opportunities in the United States
.” He suddenly chuckled and continued:
“Is it because you heard that TWH is backed by Morris Group?” This was a blow to me! Anger flared in my chest instantly. I withdrew my hand with a glacial gaze.
“Oh, I’m afraid I’d disappoint you, Mr. Morris. I only recently discovered TWH’s connection to the Morris Group, which is far away in the US. In fact, apart from my research assistant, no one in our lab had a clue about it.”
“Olive?” Charlotte’s soft voice brought me back from the brink of losing my sanity just in time. Her worried expression made me realize that an ordinary employee shouldn’t be so ‘honest’.
“Well, Olive is a professional scientist who focuses on scientific content rather than corporate politics.” She tried to soften my frankness. Aaron raised an eyebrow and looked at me again, the corners of his mouth turning up in amusement, Seeing him put on that intelligent expression made my blood boil even more.
“Yeah. It just so happened that TWH extended an olive branch with a generous salary, and it just so happened that I wanted to leave the US and forget some unpleasant memories at the time, so come here.” I forced a joyful smile onto my face,
“It turns out that I started a new life.” Until he showed up… I swallowed the last half of my sentence, but by the look in Aaron’s eyes, I was sure he’d gotten my subtext. His brows furrowed and his fake smile faded. Meeting again, I finally scored a point! Yeah! I celebrated in silence. Just when I was feeling smug and ready to go, Aaron’s voice it rang again. She had recovered the fake smile of that suave gentleman.
“Well then I hope you have a nice new life working for me.” He did it on purpose. He was sure!
There was only one thing more infuriating than watching your ex rise to the ranks of the elite. It was when he used his new power to attack you. He was more than sure that Aaron was doing just that. He was threatening me. Like the old flame of him. She was all too aware of the havoc Aaron could wreak when he was unhinged. As long as he was still a TWH employee, he would come up with a thousand ways to torment me. He felt like my lungs were going to burst.
“Actually, you don’t have to pretend you don’t know me.” Aaron’s sudden words chilled me. I looked at him in disbelief. What was he playing at? Charlotte and Giancarlo blanched at the same time, their gazes going from Aaron to me as their faces took on a peculiar mix of curiosity and concern.
“Olive, do you really know Mr. Morris?” Charlotte murmured, her voice barely audible. Panic rose within me like a tidal wave. Aaron had lost his mind again! He was pushing me to the edge. I looked into his blue eyes, recognizing the manic glint inside him. My anxiety and anger only seemed to fuel his enthusiasm. What a twisted man! ”
“Manhattan is not that big and we find ourselves in similar circles. It’s hard for us not to cross paths,” Aaron explained, faking a polished, refined air as he addressed Charlotte.
“In fact, I visited Columbia University a few years ago and sponsored some research projects.”
“So, you were a sponsor of the same project team that Olive used to be a part of!” Charlotte’s face lit up with a sudden epiphany.
“Serendipity, right? First as a benefactor and protégé in the United States, and now as a superior and subordinate in Germany.” As Aaron and Charlotte exchanged pleasantries, I clenched my fists, fighting back the urge to punch him in the face. He was making fun of me!
Aaron knew that I didn’t want my past in the US, especially our shared history, to be known to everyone here. However, he was hell-bent on prodding me, keeping me on edge. It was hard to understand his mentality when he once faked his devotion to him for me. Did he just crave the thrill of manipulating women? The more he reflected, the more he was convinced that That was the case. If Vincent’s wedding hadn’t surprised me, he might have remained in the dark forever. Maybe Aaron thought I was playing him too, that I wasn’t happy with his twisted games anymore. That might explain his sudden irritation. And my words just now only reminded him of his failure to control me. So, after three long years, he resorted to these tactics to get revenge.
“Is this the end of the day for you guys?” Aaron continued his conversation with Charlotte.
“Yeah.”
“Miss Olive, might I need a lift?” He asked me another question on purpose. Although his manner seemed very gentlemanly and refined, the words struck a jarring note, drawing shocked looks from both Charlotte and Giancarlo.
“I’m fine.” My countenance showed an almost tense submission. Turning to Charlotte, I said,
“I just remembered some unfinished business. Charlotte, please go on without me.” With that,
Aaron’s gaze followed me until the elevator doors slid open.
“Damn!” Once the elevator went up, I could no longer contain my expletive. I reflected on those fleeting moments when his piercing gaze, like a cheetah’s, made me feel completely exposed, as if I were naked before him, with nowhere to hide. Time after time, I had been unable to resist him. Even my protests inevitably culminated in his triumph. I doubted that three years would bring any significant improvement to my fighting prowess. At present, only one avenue remained. Quickly, I entered the lab, turned on my personal computer, and quickly generated a new document. My fingers flew over the keys: resignation request. If victory eluded me, I could still run. Hastily, I filled out my resignation letter, putting my name at the bottom. Then I went straight to Aaron’s email and hit the send button. Then a wave of immense relief washed over me. Evasion could be a triumph. At least, it was the case in the contest between Aaron and me. I win! He could no longer exert control over me. Euphoric, I left the office and entered the parking lot, where the expected Adenauer was waiting for me.
“Looks like I’m a little late today,” Adenauer commented with a smile, coming closer to me. Pop! The reality collapsed. I suddenly understood the implications of my decision a few minutes ago. Quitting my job meant losing my income and having to leave Germany once my visa expired. I would even have to give up my current residence. And just a week before, he had decided to make things work with Adenauer.
“What’s the matter? You seem out of sorts.” Adenauer watched, sensing my uneasiness.
I watched his tender smile, my lips parted, but words failed me. If he divulged the truth, his keen intuition would surely deduce that my relationship with Aaron had been anything but ordinary. Also, it would be just as excruciating to admit that I impulsively quit without discussing it with my current partner, all for the sake of an ex. Heavens! 3 * What had I done to deserve this predicament? As Adenauer’s worried expression gradually turned solemn, I quickly grabbed his arm.
“I’m fine, I’m just dealing with a work problem and a bit of a headache. Let’s get in the car first.” Adenauer kindly refrained from pressing the matter. Sitting in the passenger seat, I struggled to find peace of mind. The resignation letter had been sent to Aaron’s inbox anyway. Once the company processed it, the truth would be impossible to hide. I had to come clean with Adenauer. Stealing glances at the man in the driver’s seat, I caught his smile.
“What’s happening?”
“Nothing, I was just pondering a question,” I replied, my voice tinged with vulnerability.
“Inform me”. I swallowed.
“What would you do if I had a problem at work and could lose my current job?” Adenauer glanced at me before turning his attention back to the road.
“I would comfort you, stand by you, and face the challenge with you,” he said, his voice soft but resolute.
“Olive, I want you to know that I have the means to take care of you if you wish. You don’t have to lift a finger.” I stayed silent. Adenauer’s response was deeply moving. Any normal woman, he believed, would have burst into tears. But why did he feel more and more irritated?
“Of course, I know you’re not the kind of woman who wants to drift,” Adenauer added, echoing my thoughts. I arched an eyebrow.
“That’s true.” For the moment, I put thoughts of returning to the United States aside. Who cares! The future is uncertain, but today I will cherish my time with Adenauer.’ *** The next day, as soon as I entered the office, a familiar figure materialized before me. It was Giancarlo. With a smile, he stopped my progress.
“Dr. Woods, please come with me. Mr. Morris wants to see you.”
In the blink of an eye, the news spread throughout the company like wildfire. Aaron Morris, the second son of the Morris family, had officially taken over as CEO of TWH.
Despite this development, Giancarlo intercepted me in the lobby. Passing colleagues cast sidelong glances in my direction.
I longed to follow him and get out of his sight before I had a chance to voice my objection that I had prepared after a night of contemplation.
When I followed Giancarlo into the CEO’s office, strong resistance took hold again:
“Mr. Trout”. I stopped abruptly.
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