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“Will doesn’t need that much money, he says it himself often enough.”
“He doesn’t. But the company does. You know his creed. You know how badly he wants to change a world that nearly discarded him before he turned eighteen. He’s been working toward a couple of side projects of his own for a long time, and we’re about to pull one hell of a trick on the stock market. Granted, it wasn’t his original intention, but since the whole thing has been oscillating like crazy on account of the NFT craze, Will allowed his stockbroker to speculate regarding his personal life.”
“Wait, what?” I say. “What does Will’s personal life have to do with the company?”
“Everything,” Zara replies. “Willisthe company. In the eyes of the world, at least, and certainly on Wall Street. A rumor here, a leaked photo there, and suddenly there was crazy high interest for his romantic endeavors. People were placing bets that maybe he’s playing for the other team, that maybe he’s already married, that he’s keeping a secret girlfriend somewhere… Thing is, with every such rumor, his value would spike.”
“The company’s value.”
“But like I said… Will is the company.”
I nod once. “So, it’s all about the money for him.”
“You make him sound shallow. He’s not. That money will help Bucklow Tech enact significant positive change. More than any of his fellow billionaires have ever managed to bring in. He’s really gonna put that money where his mouth is, Olivia. And when he’s done, you will see how big he’s been dreaming this whole time. Asclepius is just the beginning.”
I would like nothing more than to feel an inkling of admiration toward Will for this, but all I can feel is… dismay. That’s why he kicked me to the curb the way he did. Why he was so hesitant to begin with, despite the clear attraction between us. Oh, God, it makes so much sense now.
“I’m sorry, I… I’m gonna go back to work. Loads to do, still,” I tell Zara.
“That’s fine—but Olivia, I mean it. Please, just keep your distance. Let him do this. He’s been working toward it for a long time, and with how volatile the market has been lately, I doubt we’ll ever get another chance like this again.”
“I told you, Zara. There’s nothing left between Will and me. The little that there was… it doesn’t matter anymore.”
I’m choking up. It’s embarrassing. I leave the bathroom in a rush and go back to my worktable. I need music in my earphones and code flowing down my computer screen. I need to separate myself from the rest of the world again. My balance must be restored. My heart will eventually heal, but I need the rest of me to fall back in line.
* * *
Lilian stops by for a brief visit later in the afternoon.
She spends an hour with Will in his office, then Zara joins them. I can hear them talking and laughing, though I’m not paying attention to the actual conversation. I’m too busy stealing glances at Will’s brighter side while wondering if I should at least eat something. Water won’t keep me going for much longer, and I barely had any breakfast. Lunch was forfeited altogether. But if I eat, the nausea might come back.
No, I should focus on my code. I got a green light from the board today, and I’m going to take advantage of the positive energy I felt from their feedback. Asclepius will become a reality soon enough.
The door to Will’s office opens. Zara comes out, motioning for me to come in.
“Will and Lilian want to see you,” she says.
“Oh… okay,” I mumble and leave my desk.
Zara gives me a friendly wink, then walks over to the elevator, purse in hand and smart jacket on one shoulder. Just as the metal doors glide open with a delicate ding, she turns around and calls out to Lilian. “I’ll wait for you downstairs, Hot Red.”
“I won’t be long,” Lilian laughs.
I join her and Will in his office with a muted smile, doing my best to avoid eye contact with him. Mission impossible, of course. His gaze is so intense and persistent, I can’t help but meet it. At least I do it with every ounce of defiance I can muster. I want him to see that I’m okay, that nothing we did mattered. That I’m doing just fine.
“It’s good to see you again, Lilian. I hope you’ve been well,” I say.
“Oh, I’ve been great, honey. My divorce is one step closer to a clean conclusion. I’m lucky my future-ex-wife isn’t as demanding as I worried she might be,” she replies casually, but even I can sense the grief lingering underneath. It can’t be an easy process. It’s the death of a marriage, the end of an era. To many, it represents a failure, and for a woman as ambitious as Lilian that has to be a hard pill to swallow. “But I’m actually here to talk to you again. Will said I could at least ask. He owes me that much for all that wicked mentorship that ultimately made him who he is today…” She pauses to grin at him. “Thank you, by the way, for such a courtesy.”
Will chuckles dryly. “I said you were free to ask, Lily. Olivia is a free agent, and the only one who can give you a straight answer for what you want.”
“What’s this about, then?” I reply. My nerves are stretched, taut strings just waiting to snap. He makes me angry. Well, not Will, per se, but everything else about him. His hotness. His confidence. His calm demeanor. Here I am, boiling on the inside, while he’s all snorts and giggles. Here I am, vomiting my pain away, while he’s rubbing elbows with his executives and planning the coup of the century on the stock market. Oh, the anger is real… “I need to get back to my work,” I add, not so subtly.
“I’ll be quick,” Lilian says, a charming smile sweeping across her beautiful face. “I’m here to make you another offer. After you’re done building Asclepius, of course.”
“Oh…” I didn’t expect this. “You mean it.”
“I said it before, and I’ll say it again. You’d be a hell of an asset to my company, Olivia. And like Will also said… it’s your decision. I’m merely here to reiterate my offer. I’ll up the pay to what he’s giving you, if it will sweeten the deal. But I know you would catapult my whole system into the stratosphere.”
