She confessed her virginity in the elevator and the CEO heard everything,canceling all his meetings – Part 2

>> Ash, only today. Part of the experience is managing actual money and staying within budget. Nathan pulled out his wallet, staring at the bills as if seeing them for the first time. I honestly cannot remember the last time I used physical cash for anything. high society scrutiny. The following weekend, Nathan reciprocated by taking Olivia to a charity gala at the city’s most prestigious hotel.

 He had insisted on buying her a gown, and after significant resistance, she finally accepted, understanding this was part of their agreement. The dress was stunning, a deep emerald green that made her eyes sparkle. Though it cost more than 3 months of her rent, the gala was overwhelming from the moment they arrived.

 Everywhere Olivia looked, she saw designer gowns, expensive jewelry, and the kind of casual confidence that came from generational wealth. Nathan stayed close to her side, his hand warm and reassuring at the small of her back as he introduced her to various business associates and socialites. Most people were polite, though Olivia could see the curiosity and speculation in their eyes.

Who was this unknown woman with Nathan Blackwood? Where did she come from? What was her angle? She smiled and made small talk, trying to project confidence she did not entirely feel. She was returning from the restroom when she heard the voices, sharp and cruel, echoing from around a corner.

 Two women in glittering gowns stood there, champagne glasses in hand, completely unaware of Olivia’s presence. “Did you see that girl Nathan brought tonight?” one of them said, her tone dripping with disdain. She is so obviously out of her league here. The way she holds her fork, the way she talks, everything about her screams ordinary.

 I give them 3 weeks maximum,” the other responded with a harsh laugh. “Nathan always gets bored. Eventually, he will realize she cannot possibly fit into his world and move on to someone more suitable, someone with the right background and connections.” She probably thinks she hit the jackpot, landing a billionaire. The first woman added viciously.

 But girls like her never last. They’re just temporary entertainment until reality sets in. Olivia felt like she had been slapped. Her throat tightened and tears burned behind her eyes. She was about to turn and flee when a familiar deep voice cut through the hallway like a knife. Patricia Diane, how interesting to hear your opinions on my personal life.

Nathan’s voice was cold as ice, a tone Olivia had never heard from him before. She peeked around the corner and saw him standing there, his expression absolutely furious. Since you both seem so fascinated by my relationship, let me clarify something for you. The two women had gone pale, their champagne glasses frozen halfway to their lips.

 Olivia Carter is worth more than both of you combined,” Nathan continued, his words precise and cutting. “She has more integrity, more genuine kindness, more substance in her little finger than you have managed to accumulate in your entire privileged lives. If you cannot see how remarkable she is, that reflects poorly on you, not on her.

 And anyone who cannot treat her with the respect she deserves has no place in my life, business, or otherwise. Am I making myself absolutely clear? The women stammered, “Apologies,” and hurried away, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Nathan turned and found Olivia standing there, tears streaming down her face despite her best efforts to contain them.

 “How much did you hear? he asked gently, crossing the distance between them in three long strides. At >> “Enough,” Olivia whispered. “Both them and you defending me.” Nathan cuped her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears with infinite tenderness. “Every word I said was true, Olivia. You are extraordinary.

 Do not let anyone ever make you doubt that.” In that moment, something shifted between them. The careful boundaries they had maintained, the casual nature of their arrangement, all of it dissolved. Olivia found herself leaning into him, and when he kissed her softly, carefully, asking permission with every gentle movement, she kissed him back with all the emotion building inside her for weeks.

 Facing reality the next morning, Olivia woke to 17 missed calls from her father. Her stomach dropped as she called him back, knowing this conversation would not be pleasant. Livia Marie Carter, we need to talk right now, her father said immediately, his voice tight with worry and frustration. I saw pictures online from that charity gala last night.

 Everyone is talking about you and Nathan Blackwood. What exactly is going on? Dad, I was going to tell you, Olivia began, but he cut her off. Tell me what that you were dating a billionaire. that you are all over social media with one of the richest men in the country. Olivia, what are you thinking? I am thinking that I care about him and he cares about me.

 Olivia said, trying to keep her voice steady. He is a good person, Dad. If you would just meet him, you would see that. Sweetheart, listen to me carefully, her father said, and his tone softened slightly. I know you are a smart woman, but men like that, they do not end up with girls like us. We come from different worlds.

 What happens when he gets tired of playing normal? What happens when his family or his business associates pressure him to find someone more suitable? You are the one who is going to get hurt and I cannot stand by and watch that happen to my little girl. The words stung because they echoed her own deepest fears.

 So, what do you want me to do? Walk away from someone who makes me happy because you are afraid of what might happen. I want you to be realistic about this situation before you get in too deep. Her father replied, I want you to protect your heart, but I can see you have already made up your mind.

 So, I am asking you to bring him here. Let me meet this man who has turned my daughter’s life upside down. Let me see for myself if his intentions are genuine. Olivia agreed, though anxiety twisted in her stomach. She called Nathan immediately after hanging up with her father, explaining the situation. To her surprise, he sounded relieved rather than worried.

 I want to meet your father, Olivia. Want him to know this is real for me. When can we do this? They arranged dinner for the following evening at her father’s modest house. Olivia spent the entire day cooking with her father, preparing his famous pot roast and all the traditional sides. The house smelled amazing, but her nerves were completely frayed by the time Nathan arrived.

 He showed up in casual clothes, jeans, and a simple button-down shirt, carrying flowers, and a bottle of wine that was nice, but not ostentatiously expensive. Olivia noticed these small considerations, and loved him a little more for understanding what was needed. Her father, Robert Carter, answered the door with his arms crossed and his expressions stern.

 He was a big man, made strong by decades of factory work, and he used every inch of his height to be intimidating. Nathan did not flinch. “Mr. Carter, thank you for inviting me into your home.” “I brought these for you,” Nathan said, extending the flowers and wine with genuine respect in his voice. Robert took them without smiling. “Come in.

 Dinner is almost ready.” The meal started awkwardly with Robert asking direct probing questions that made Olivia want to sink through the floor. But Nathan answered everything honestly, never trying to charm or evade. He talked about his humble childhood, his struggles to build his company, the loneliness that came with success.

 What exactly are your intentions with my daughter? Robert finally asked, setting down his fork with deliberate force. My intention is to be worthy of her, Nathan replied simply. to support her dreams, respect her boundaries, improve every single day that she made the right choice by giving me a chance.

 I know we come from different worlds now, sir, but I remember where I started. I remember what matters. What matters most to me is sitting right here at this table. Robert studied Nathan for a long moment, then turned to Olivia. Do you love him? Olivia felt her breath catch. She and Nathan had not said those words to each other yet though she felt them growing stronger every day. Yes, Dad, I do.

 And you? Robert turned back to Nathan. Do you love my daughter? With everything I have, Nathan answered without hesitation, looking directly at Olivia as he spoke. She changed my entire world. She reminded me how to be human again. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. Robert Carter sat back in his chair, his weathered hands folded on the table, its expression still guarded but softening at the edges.

 The pot roast sat halfeaten between them, steam still rising gently from the serving dish. Olivia held her breath, waiting for her father’s verdict, her hand unconsciously reaching under the table to grip Nathan’s. I raised my daughter to be strong and independent after her mother passed. Robert said finally, his voice thick with emotion.

 I taught her never to depend on anyone else for her happiness or her security. I worked double shifts so she could go to college so she could have opportunities I never had. And now I am supposed to trust that some billionaire actually cares about her for who she is, not what she represents or how she makes him look.

 You are not supposed to trust me yet, sir, Nathan replied, his voice steady and respectful. Trust has to be earned over time through consistent actions, not words. All I am asking for is the chance to prove myself. Let me show you through my actions that I am serious about Olivia, about us building something real together.

 Roberts stern expression cracked slightly, revealing the worried father underneath. My daughter is the most precious thing in my world, Mr. Blackwood. If you hurt her, wealth and power will not protect you from me. Are we clear? completely clear, sir,” Nathan said. “And if I ever do hurt her, which I have no intention of doing, I would deserve whatever came my way.

” The tension in the room finally broke. Robert stood up and extended his hand across the table. Nathan shook it firmly, and Olivia felt tears of relief streaming down her face. Her father pulled her into a tight hug afterward, whispering in her ear, “He seems like a good man, sweetie. But you call me the second anything feels wrong.

 You hear me? I will, Dad. I promise. Olivia whispered back. Meeting the family two weeks later was Nathan’s turn to face family scrutiny. He had been avoiding telling his older brother, James. About Olivia, knowing exactly what kind of reaction to expect. James Blackwood was everything their parents had wanted both sons to be.

 Married to old money, obsessed with status, and constantly concerned about appearances and business connections. The confrontation came unexpectedly when James showed up at Nathan’s office unannounced on a Tuesday afternoon. Olivia was there, having stopped by during her lunch break. They had been laughing about something silly when James walked in without knocking, expensive suit perfectly pressed, his expression already disapproving.

“Nathan, we need to talk privately,” James said barely glancing at Olivia. Anything you need to say can be said in front of Olivia, Nathan replied calmly. But Olivia could feel the tension radiating from him. James finally looked at her properly, his gaze cold and assessing. So you are the administrative assistant everyone is gossiping about.

The one who has my brother completely distracted from his responsibilities. James, that is enough, Nathan said sharply, standing up from his desk. No, it is not enough. Do you have any idea how this looks, Nathan? You are dating an employee. Someone with no connections, no background, no social standing. The board members are concerned.

 Her business partners are asking questions. Father would be absolutely horrified if he were still alive. Olivia stood up quietly, gathering her purse. I should go. This is a family matter, St. Nathan said firmly, taking her hand. Then he turned to his brother with an expression of cold fury. Father would have respected Olivia because she has something most people in our circle lack completely, genuine character.

 She does not need social standing or connections because she has integrity. And if the board members or business partners have a problem with my personal life, they can take it up with me directly. You’re thinking with your heart instead of your head, James argued. This infatuation will pass and then you will be left with the professional complications and social embarrassment.

 Be realistic, Nathan. I am being realistic for the first time in years. Nathan shot back. I spent so long surrounded by people who only cared about what I could do for them, what connections I could provide, what doors I could open. Olivia does not want anything from me except my time and my honesty. That is real, James.

 That is what actually matters. James looked between them, his jaw tight. I can see I am wasting my breath. But do not come crying to me when this all falls apart. He turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Olivia felt shaken, but Nathan pulled her into his arms, holding her close. I am sorry you had to see that.

 James has always been concerned more with appearances than actual happiness. He is your brother, Nathan. I do not want to come between you and your family. You are not coming between us. His own narrow-mindedness is doing that. And honestly, if he cannot see how remarkable you are, that is his loss. The grandmothers wisdom.

 A few days later, Nathan received an unexpected phone call from his grandmother Margaret. His father’s mother, who had mostly stayed out of the business world after her husband died. She was in her early 80s, sharp as ever, and wanted to meet Olivia immediately. Grandmother is the only family member whose opinion I actually value, Nathan told Olivia as they drove to Margaret’s estate on Saturday morning.

 She has always seen through nonsense and gotten straight to the truth of things. If she approves of you, which I know she will, that means everything to me. Margaret Blackwood lived in a beautiful but not ostentatious house surrounded by gardens. She still tended herself. She answered the door in gardening clothes, soil on her hands, her silver hair pulled back in a simple bun.

 Her eyes were bright and intelligent as she looked Olivia up and down. “So, you are the young woman who has my grandson smiling like an idiot,” Margaret said, her voice carrying warmth despite the blunt words. “Come in. Come in.” “I just made tea the old-fashioned way. None of this fancy nonsense. The afternoon was magical.

” Margaret asked Olivia thoughtful questions about her childhood, her work, her dreams for the future. She told stories about Nathan as a boy before money changed everything. When he was curious and kind and full of wonder, she showed them photo albums filled with memories of simpler times. My husband built this company from nothing, Margaret said as they sat in her cozy living room.

 Somewhere along the way, he forgot why he started. He forgot that money is just a tool, not a measure of worth. I see that same mistake in James. So obsessed with status and appearances that he has forgotten how to be human. But you, Nathan, you have always been different, more like me. Thank goodness. She turned to Olivia, taking her hand gently.

 And you, my dear, you remind me of myself 50 years ago. I married into wealth, and it was terrifying. People judged me, looked down on me, whispered behind my back, but I never let them change who I was. I stayed true to myself and eventually they either accepted me or moved aside. You have that same strength.

 I can see it in your eyes. I am trying, Olivia said softly. Some days are harder than others. Of course they are. But you have something most people spend their whole lives searching for. You have someone who loves you for exactly who you are. That is rarer than any amount of money and more precious than any social standing.

 Hold on to that and the rest will work itself out. As they left, Margaret hugged them both tightly. “You have my blessing. For whatever that is worth,” she whispered to Nathan. “She is perfect for you.” The turning point over the following weeks, Olivia and Nathan found their rhythm. They stopped worrying so much about what other people thought and focused on building their relationship on their own terms.

Working at Blackwood Industries, though she transferred to a different department to avoid any appearance of impropriety, Nathan made efforts to spend time in her world, tending her father’s birthday barbecue and meeting her childhood friends. The real test came 3 months into their relationship when Nathan had to attend a major business conference in another city.

 He asked Olivia to come with him, not as his assistant, but as his partner. She took vacation days and joined him, determined to prove to herself that she could navigate his world with confidence. The conference was full of powerful people, making deals worth millions of dollars. Olivia felt intimidated at first, but she remembered Margaret’s advice about staying true to herself.

 Instead of trying to pretend she understood complex financial discussions, she asked genuine questions. Instead of wearing a fake smile, she was honest about her thoughts and opinions. and something unexpected happened. People responded positively. They appreciated her authenticity in a world full of calculated interactions. At a networking dinner, a prominent investor approached her.