*Author*


    Olivia’s cheeks heated as she spun around to see Alexander and Duke in the doorway of the private room. Alexander’s hands were clenched into tight fists at his side, and jealousy was flowing through him because Stanley had asked Olivia if she was single. Why did that old man want to know? He was married to Hana.


    “Trying to set me up again, Uncle Stanley?” Duke said, sensing the tension in the room and trying to smooth it over. But this just made Alexander even more mad. Over his dead body, would Duke and Olivia ever be romantically together.


    Duke noticed that his friend had gone still and silent. He jokingly put his arm around Alexander. “Sorry, Alexander just asked me to marry him over a te of pad thai noodles. How could I refuse? We’re flying to Vegas tonight, and you’re all invited.”


    Everyone in the roomughed except for Neil. He was frowning at the ce where Duke had his arm wrapped around his son’s shoulders. Neil Green did not approve of Duke. Even though he knew that Duke was just making a joke, he didn’t appreciate it. His jaw clenched as he stared at the two men that he thought were acting inappropriate, especially because they were both respected businessmen.


    “Hey, as long as my favorite nephew is happy, I’m happy,” Stanley said and grinned at Duke.


    Anger shot through Neil at these words, and he frowned at his associate. Olivia noticed this, but she quickly looked away, not


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    wanting any more attention than she had already received from these


    two men.


    “My son is not gay,” Neil said in a hard voice, making the room go


    silent.


    A few tense moments passed, and it was like all the air had been sucked out of the room.


    Alexander shot his father a warning look and took Duke’s arm off his shoulders. “Dad, we were all just joking around. Lighten up.”


    “Don’t tell me what to do. The Green family has certain… traditions to uphold. I will not allow you to embarrass the Green family legacy. I’d rather die.”


    This seemed like a conversation that the father and son have had many


    times.


    Olivia and Duke shared a wide–eyed look. They had no idea that Alexander’s father was homophobic.


    Neil ignored Alexander. “In fact, everyone thinks that you are dating your assistant, Son.” He gestured to the woman sitting beside him. “The lovely, Olivia. Everyone at yourpany is sure that this is the case. They say that you are both in his office at all hours of the night.”


    Olivia turned more red than her Red Curry that was growing cold back at their table. She sank in her seat, wishing that she could just disappear. “We are not dating,” Olivia hurriedly exined. “It’s just a rumor that gossip magazines like to put on their headlines so that they can sell more copies and that bored secretaries in our office like to gossip about to make the day go by faster. I’m just Alexander’s assistant. That’s it.”


    Alexander was ring at his dad. Then, he turned to Olivia, sensing


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    how ufortable she was. “I have to go to the restroom. Since you’ve been to this restaurant before, I need your help finding it. Come on.”


    He held out his hand to her, and she gratefully took it.


    Their hasty departure made Neil smile. He hoped that there was something going on between them. Duke took Olivia’s empty seat and began to chat with his great uncle.


    Alexander put his warm hand on the small of Olivia’s back and led her out of the room. Right before they turned the corner, Olivia could feel someone’s eyes on her. When she turned back to look, her stomach flipped. Even though Stanley was in the middle of a conversation with his nephew, he was watching Olivia walk out of the room with an intense expression.


    This made her shiver. When they were out of hearing range of the three men, Olivia turned to him. “Do you actually need me to show you where the bathrooms are?” she asked.


    Alexander tightened his arm around her waist, grabbing on to her hip. “Humor me,” he replied, looking straight ahead.


    Olivia wanted to argue further, but Alexander’s body heat against her side calmed her down after that strange interaction with Stanley and his dad. Despite herself, she was surprised to find that she had no trouble rxing into his side.


    In the empty hallway next to the bathrooms, there was a plush red bench that was low to the ground.


    “When I was over here just a second ago, I heard something scurrying under there,” Alexander whispered to her, his mouth right next to her ear. “I was wondering if you could check it out for me.”


    Olivia blinked up at him in confusion. “You want my help catching a


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    mouse?” she asked incredulously.


    “Yes,” he answered like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Or it could be a rat. I’m not sure.”


    She stepped away from him. “Why can’t you do it?” she demanded, her legs trembling. Mice and rats were one of her worst fears. But she didn’t want to admit that to Alexander.


    “Because you’re my assistant,” he answered, a smile ying on the corners of his lips.


    “Why don’t I just ask an employee to do it?” she suggested and put her hands on her hips. “It’s their job, not mine.”


    “Oh,e on,” he said and grabbed her hand, tugging her to the bench. “Why don’t we look under it together. I’ll be right by your side the whole time.”


    Olivia wanted to say no and then go back to the table. But she didn’t want to argue and cause a scene at this fancy restaurant.


    “Fine,” she answered and sighed.


    The two crouched and looked underneath the bench together. Olivia took off one of her red heels in case she needed a weapon. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst. This day just kept getting weirder.


    Alexander looked over at her and tried to hold hisughter in. But a small chuckle escaped his lips, and Olivia red at him.


    He used the shlight on his phone to look under the bench. When Olivia saw a sh of white fur, her heart dropped, and her blood ran cold. She tightened the grip on her shoe in her hand and prepared herself to kill whatever rodent was underneath this bench.


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    But then she heard a faint purr.


    Alexander moved his shlight, and when Olivia saw the creature that was under there, her mouth dropped open in shock.


    A frightened blonde and white kitten was underneath the bench. The cat had big blue eyes that had a look of terror as it looked between Olivia and Alexander as if it were trying to see if they were going to hurt or help it.


    Olivia immediately set down the heel softly. Her heart burst at how scared the kitten looked. “It’s okay, little guy,” she said in a soft voice. She tried to coax the kitten out by gesturing to it and calling to it in a gentle voice.