Love In High Stakes

As if struck by a eureka moment, the employees moved about their desks, laughing and chatting loudly throughout the building. Despite their seemingly easygoing appearance, Miller Corporation employees were anything but, with their only goal being to please their boss.

At 7:15 a.m., their boss was still absent from work. The boss was always here before 7 a.m. to avoid running into them. Most workers didn't know who they worked for but were told to be on time because the dictator boss hated being late. The boss had also cautioned them not to make any noise, and they always remained as quiet as possible. They were afraid of an unknown force.

The stillness that descended upon the whole building was startling.

It seemed as though the area had abruptly changed into a silent graveyard. The silence was so profound that it felt like a single pin had fallen. Her heels clicking against the white tile floor was the only sound audible in the calm.

Head held high, her dark gaze scorching everything in her path, she entered the building. She was dressed in a black straight skirt, a white shirt, and a black jacket from a designer suit, all of which hugged her figure and emphasized her tanned legs. Her brown hair, neatly pulled into a bun, hung down to her shoulders, highlighting her tanned complexion. She was carrying a brand-new, high-end purse that likely cost three people's salaries in the building and a black briefcase she most probably carried to work every day. Her appearance belied her age. Still, others were terrified by her icy demeanor.

Many people were unaware of Olivia Miller, the twenty-eight-year-old CEO of Miller Corporation and one of the wealthiest women in London and the entire world. She and her brother, David Miller, founded Miller Corporations ten years ago at the tender age of eighteen, engulfing the world in their power. After just two years in operation, they had twenty branches throughout several nations, and by the end of the third year, they had established themselves as multibillionaires. Olivia Miller keeps everything else hidden.

A few employees regarded her with curiosity. They mistook Olivia Miller for a guy when they first heard about her, but one glance at her confirmed their suspicions-she was far more terrifying than most women they had known. She strode past a group of interns in her way and marched over to the reception desk, where Aria Wilson, the receptionist, was standing with her glasses positioned over her nose. "Good morning, Miss Miller." She smiled warmly as she said hello. However, her employer was not experiencing the same level of positivity as she was on Monday morning.

"When Zoey arrives, tell her to come to my office immediately." Olivia Miller gave an icy command.

Aria's face became white, and she nodded excitedly before trembling and answering, "Yes, Miss Miller."

With a curt nod, Olivia moved graciously toward her elevator. She pushed the button that led to her office on the last floor. The elevator doors opened, and everyone released their held breaths as soon as she stepped inside.

Olivia stepped out of the elevator on the final floor in silence. On her way to her office, she passed her secretary's desk, which was empty. Glancing over the vacant area, she strained to see her secretary, Sophia Davies. Shaking her head, she went into her office.

Her office was large and flashy. A wide glass partition separated her office and the reception desk outside, while another wall on the opposite side provided a view of London's business district. The other two walls, not composed of glass, were simply regular walls with a gray paint job. Awards and painting collections were on the left wall, behind the massive brown mahogany desk. To the left of the desk was a sizable drawer cabinet with several drawers, and to the right was a glass stand displaying additional accolades and diplomas. Next, an oversized white office couch with royal blue cushions stood directly against the front glass wall in the middle of the workspace. Across from Olivia's desk was a larger cabinet with several drawers and a smaller desk belonging to Zoey Brown, her personal assistant.

Olivia made her way to her workstation, set down her briefcase and purse, and then turned the desk around to remove her jacket, which she folded up and stacked atop the oversized chair. Before she began working, she sat down, took her laptop from her briefcase, and turned it on.

She waited nervously for her personal assistant to arrive, and she kept checking her watch. Olivia expected her to arrive an hour or less earlier, yet she remained unseen at nearly 10 in the morning. A slender lady in a plain knee-length blue dress appeared outside Olivia's office. She sighed and took up her office phone to call Aria.

The woman stood at the office desk, engrossed in a phone conversation, seemingly oblivious to her employer, who gave her a stern look. Zoey Brown, a twenty-five-year-old, traveled to London for employment. Unexpectedly, she found herself working as Olivia Miller's personal assistant at Miller Corporation for the past five years. "Good morning; sorry I am late." She spoke cheerfully as she entered the office. She put her purse on her desk and walked over to sit in one of the empty seats in front of Olivia's desk. She tossed her long brown hair and leaned back into her seat, putting her phone and a tiny pack on the desk.

"Why are you late?" Olivia asked without opening her eyes.

Rolling her eyes, Zoey muttered to herself, "Monday blues." Glancing up from the screen, Olivia closed her laptop and sat back against her seat, crossing her knees and moving her chair back and forth while examining Zoey. Recognizing that her boss would not give up, Zoey sighed and straightened her back. "I was out sorting out the mess you created, Miss Miller; you missed the meeting with the accountants, so I had to meet up with them and find a way forward." She says.

"I didn't miss the meeting with the accountant because it wasn't scheduled. I told you to cancel all my meetings and appointments," Olivia firmly stated as she leaned forward.

"Olivia, you are a multibillionaire and the Chief Executive of a multi-national corporation with numerous locations worldwide." We cannot cancel these meetings; in case you haven't noticed, the corporation has had almost 20 million dollars stolen." Zoey explained the situation in a tone that was reminiscent of a toddler. Olivia did not like how Zoey talked to her, so she clinched her jaw and squeezed her lips into a narrow line.

The only person in the office who was close to Olivia's friend was Zoey. Olivia ignored everyone, but since Zoey Brown was her long-standing personal assistant, she felt compelled to approach her. "However, we resolved it. Excuse me, but the police have already located the suspects." Her phone began to ring, so she lifted her index finger. Before taking the call, she mumbled, "Sorry." "Zoey Brown speaking, hello?" She glanced at her boss, who was currently organizing the office, and spoke. "Hello Aiden, how may I help you?" Her eyebrows knitted as she listened to Olivia Miller's driver talk on the other end of the line, wondering what Olivia was searching for. "Oh, I see. I will inform her. Thank you, and goodbye. She put her phone back on the desk after hanging up. She said, glancing dubiously at Olivia, "That was Aiden."

"Oh?" Cursing whoever took her ladder from her office, Olivia mumbled nonchalantly as she climbed on a little bank next to her desk, trying to reach the top shelf.