Chapter 232 - In Surrender

The following day, Olivia's head bobbed inside her London office when lack of sleep and jet lag finally caught up with her, sapping all her energy at ten in the morning.

Lucky for her, she was alone in her office and no one saw her drooling as she stole a much-needed twenty-minute power nap.

Buzz!

Olivia jolted in her seat when her office phone's intercom came to life, sending a wave of electricity to Olivia, which was enough to rouse her from her slumber. Pressing the speaker button, Secretary Gail's voice echoed in the room.

"Sorry to disturb your nap, President, but Mr. Tristan Yang just arrived and is waiting at Meeting Room 2."

"I don't remember seeing him in my schedule today, Gail."

"I told him the same thing, President, but he said it's a Pyxis level of importance."

Swallowing nothing in her dry throat, Olivia said, "Let him wait for a little. I want to nap some more." Tipping her seat at a safe angle, Olivia c.a.r.e.s.sed her belly with her eyes closed. She tried to steal a few more minutes of a nap, but her mind wouldn't stop blabbering.

"Tristan, Tristan, Tristan. You will pay for my lost nap in millions," she seethed as she faced her reflection in the brass mirror sitting on her desk. She paused for a second, gathering her thoughts before facing her brother-in-law, Tristan Yang.

Olivia was wondering why Tristan would pay her a visit when a simple phone call or email would suffice. And why would he travel a thousand miles away to London when they could set a meeting in Nisia?

And Pyxis? Really? She hasn't heard from the organization after getting hitched to Maxen months ago. Olivia felt that Pyxis already severed their ties with her, which she honestly thought worked to her advantage after all the organization politics that she had to live through.

She felt as if she gained her lost years back after hearing not a single office politics, which was affecting her sanity and health back when she was getting emails from the organization daily.

Finding her way to the meeting room, Olivia rolled her eyes as soon as she saw the man she considered as the only friend she had growing up.

"What?" she barked. She then slumped on the seat and scrunched her nose. She didn't like the strong cologne that was assaulting her nose. It was so strong, she felt the scent went straight up to her brain in a zing. "What's that smell? Is that you?"

"Snap. I forgot you're s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to scents. Sorry, Sister," Tristan apologized, but he was still beaming, which irked Olivia more.

"I don't remember having another brother besides Ollie," Olivia deadpanned. She didn't spare Tristan another glance and checked her phone when it beeped. "Cut to the chase and tell me why you're here."

Snapping his fingers to get Olivia's attention, Tristan bared his teeth when she continued to ignore him.

"What? I'm all ears. I just need to attend to more important matters, which is this email from Connor Ma."

"No shit? Connor Ma?" Tristan's eyes widened. "And here I am thinking my news is worth the headlines."

Olivia shifted her gaze from her phone to Tristan. "Is it good news or bad news?" Olivia's eyes narrowed into slits as she regarded Tristan Yang.

"If it concerns your dad, what do you think?"

Listening to every word of Tristan's story, Olivia wanted to wipe the charming smile on his face, but she couldn't help but smile as she processed the piece of information.

An hour and a half later, Olivia walked Tristan into the lobby. They were waiting by the elevators when Tristan slightly turned his shoulder to face Olivia. With a hand dipped in his pocket, he asked, "Just curious, mind sharing your business with Mr. Ma?"

"If I tell you, then I have to kill you," Olivia said with a straight face. Seeing Tristan's smile drop for the first time of the day, Olivia felt fluttering wings in her stomach. In a beat, she burst into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth with the ball of her fist.

"No shit, Olivia," Tristan uttered. His eyes darted around the empty hallway and focused back on his friend. "Is he like what they said he was?"

"He was nice to me. That I can assure you, but I can't vouch for his treatment towards other people. Tristan? Are you okay? You're a little jumpy today," Olivia commented. Now that she stared at him longer, Olivia noticed how restless her friend was all morning.

"It's nothing, really. If you can put in a word to Mr. Ma for me, then I would be forever indebted to you." Tristan locked his gaze on Olivia. "I don't want to bring it up but… There will be a shareholder's meeting in the Yang Corporation soon."

"Oh." Olivia took a sharp breath. "And you're getting a seat?"

"I am," Tristan confirmed.

"Does Alexa know what should happen before you get a seat?"

"That's the thing. I'm finding a way out of it, you know. Try to make it a little bearable for her. Alexa… She's not cut out for our world."

"So you haven't told her yet?"

Tristan's shoulders dropped. It was the confirmation that Olivia was looking for—Tristan hadn't mentioned a word of it to his wife.

Olivia wanted to snort or even laugh at her half-sister's predicament. She felt it was Alexa's payback for all the years she drugged Amelia, but deep inside Olivia, she felt sorry for the girl.

It takes grit and determination plus a stomach made of steel to pass the Yang Corporation's board of directors ritual. To those directors, a wife is a reflection of her husband and if she couldn't pass their series of tests with flying colors, then the husband couldn't take a seat with them.

Olivia thought it must be the reason why her father gave her hand to the Yangs. He knew she could get the board's approval with flying colors and, in turn, expand Henry Lin's network through her.

The silence ended when the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to an empty car. Like the perfect host that she was, Olivia gestured for Tristan to step in before her. However, Tristan clamped two hands on each side of her shoulders and pushed her in.

"You're silent," Tristan said, breaking the deafening white noise in the elevator car.

"I'll speak with Mr. Ma and try to convince him, but I can't promise anything."

Tristan bowed his head, defeated for the nth time since hearing his promotion, which should be good news to him if not for the fact that his wife had to live through a nightmare.

"There's a loophole in that ritual somehow," Olivia uttered.

"Trust me, I checked the rules and guidelines a hundred times. I have lawyers combing through it, but found none."

"Hmm," Olivia exhaled loudly. She scrunched her nose to think of things to say to comfort her friend, but couldn't come up with any. "Alexa's tougher than she looks like. Women are always tougher than they look like. First things first, come clean to her about this Yang ritual. You'll never know. She might surprise you by agreeing to it."

After dropping Tristan in the main lobby, Olivia made her way to the elevators, blending amongst the sea of people coming in and out of the building. Reaching her office's level, she scrunched her nose upon seeing Secretary Gail waiting for her in the lobby. She had an inkling that another surprise visitor popped up.

"Presideeent," Secretary Gail drawled. She didn't want to break the news knowing the history of the two women, but it was not as if she had any other choices to begin with. "Ms. Natalia Vasiliev is waiting for you in your office."

"Oh," Olivia uttered, a smile painting her face. She suppressed the laugh that threatened burst but she couldn't help it, not after witnessing Natalia pass out twice last night. "Relax, Gail. It's fine. And would you mind sending in tea, please."

"Absolutely," Gail responded. She held the door open for her president and watched as Natalia Vasiliev shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Earlier when Natalia showed up unannounced, Gail wasn't able to look properly at the princess of Vuono. But now that she had a second to spare, shock glimmered in Gail's eyes.

Was that the reason why a bodyguard was carrying Natalia bridal-style earlier? Gail realized how the princess couldn't even walk all because of the meter-long curly toenail extension she was sporting.

Tipping her head to the side, Secretary Gail gingerly closed the door before walking towards the pantry to brew tea.

Meanwhile, inside Olivia's office, Natalia Vasiliev held her chin up whilst watching Olivia saunter to her seat.

"To which do I owe your humble presence, Princess Natalia?" Olivia asked with a neutral face.

Pursing her lips into a thin line, Natalia closed her eyes just so it wouldn't spill tears. "I was told you have the solution for my beautiful nail extensions," Natalia said. Her lips quivered as she spoke.

How could she not when she woke up to such an abominating sight? She tried to have it taken off earlier, but hours later, those freaky nails wouldn't fall off, she had to be carried around everywhere she went because she couldn't even walk with those nails attached to her.

"Oh thaaaat," Olivia trailed off, steepling her hands together. "But I didn't hear you say 'please'. Where are your manners, Princess?" Olivia pouted, clearly enjoying power-tripping someone as spoiled as Natalia Vasiliev.

Closing her eyes in surrender, Natalia forced the words out of her mouth. "Please, Olivia. I won't bother you and Maxen again. Just give me the damn solution."