Goodbye Forever Ex-Husband (by Ammund) novel Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Chapter 197

OLIVIA’S POV

“He said I should let you know that you guys are gonna talk on Zoom,” Clara said.

Just when I was about to call Charlie too… of all times.

I glanced around the hotel suite, my eyes darting from the large bed to the couch and the white walls. My father knew how my house looked like – from the marble–tiled background of my living room to the signature painting of my mother above the fireplace. If I were to video call him here, even with the luxury around me, he’d surely notice something was off.

But maybe I could pull this off. I could always tell him I went out to see someone. Besides, he said he wanted to talk about business, and when he gets into that mode, he rarely notices much else. Still, my stomach twisted at the thought.

I let out a small sigh and straightened my shoulders. “Alright, set up the Zoom meeting,” I told Clara.

Clara gave me a silent nod, her face calm and professional, though I could sense she knew how risky this was. She walked in, quietly closing the door behind her to keep out any hallway noise.

I moved to sit on the couch where my laptop rested, the black screen reflecting my slightly anxious expression. I ran my fingers through my hair, smoothing it down and checking that it looked presentable. My fingers lingered on my necklace for a moment, an old habit whenever I was nervous.

The hotel room felt too quiet, almost as if the walls were waiting to hear what would happen next. The tension wrapped around me like an invisible blanket. I took a deep breath and opened the laptop, the screen’s cool glow lighting my face. Clara’s reflection hovered in the background as she tapped and clicked to get the call connected.

After a few rings, the familiar face of my father appeared. His expression was the same serious yet fatherly one I’d seen countless times but there was something else too new lines around his eyes, and more grey in his hair than when I last saw him almost a month ago. Funny how time marks people quietly, like gentle waves against stone.

–

“Olivia,” he called out, his voice still carrying that quiet authority.

A smile lifted my lips as I nodded. “Hi, Dad,” I replied, my voice calm though my heartbeat raced beneath the surface.

“I know how busy you’ve become since you became CEO,” he began, leaning slightly forward on his chair. “So I figured you wouldn’t have much time to come home. That’s why I want us to have this discussion here.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding again, trying to keep my expression from giving away how uneasy I felt.

“As the CEO, you know about the branch in New York that the company has been working on,” he continued, his tone shifting into the measured cadence he always used for business.

“Yes, I do. I’ve been keeping tabs on it,” I replied, my voice quick, eager to show that I was still on top of my responsibilities. “Funny enough, they’re already done with it. The building is just as beautiful as expected.”

The words left my mouth before I could stop them. The second they did, my mind froze. I’d spoken too quickly too honestly. He wasn’t supposed to know that I was in New York.

My father’s brows lifted, his eyes sharp with quiet suspicion. “And how do you know that?” he asked, his tone softer than usual, which somehow made it even more dangerous.

I swallowed hard, searching for something anything to say that wouldn’t sound like a lie or make things worse. The silence stretched, and every second felt like a heavy stone dropped in water, ripples echoing out.

My mind raced, heart drumming so loud it nearly drowned out my father’s voice. I shot a quick glance at Clara, silently begging for a lifeline, but she just shook her head gently, her expression telling me she had nothing to add.

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10:08 Sun, 27 Jul G

For a moment, there was silence. My father tilted his head slightly, as if weighing my words, his sharp eyes narrowing the way they always did when he suspected I wasn’t telling the whole truth. My chest tightened. Even now, even through a screen, he had that uncanny ability to read me.

“Hmmm… ok,” he finally said, and I exhaled, though my shoulders still felt stiff with tension. “In that case, that’s good. Now, since you’ve seen a video,

“Of course, Olivia,” he replied, almost sounding disappointed that I’d even questioned it. “This branch would be our 50th branch globally. That’s huge something to celebrate properly. And since the building is already finished, we’ll have the ceremony in a few days.”

A cold chill settled in my stomach. A few days. My thoughts scrambled: I could still fly back to Mexico before then, Nobody would know I was ever here. My eyes flicked up to Clara again, and she gave me a tiny nod, as if reminding me to stay composed.

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