The CEO's Seductive Doll-Chapter 98: The Owner Asked For it

"So," Olivia drawled. "Why is Mister Holz with us again?"

"Oh!" Eternity exclaimed as she looked around the bookshelves, admiring the vast collection of books and inhaling the smell of ink printed on old paper as if it were a drug. "He has free time today!"

Olivia raised an eyebrow as she followed Eternity as she browsed through the aisle. Trailing behind her, Evan followed.

He was fresh from work, so he was wearing his expensive office attire, causing him to stand out in the library. Partly, it was because he was dashing in his outfit, with his slicked brown hair, his navy blue business suit, and tanned leather Oxford shoes.

But mainly, it was because he just completely seemed out of place in this mundane place.

"Isn’t 17:00 the regular end of office hours?" Olivia pointed out. "Not... 13:30."

"He’s the CEO of his company," Eternity reminded her. "Technically, he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted."

"That’s not true." Evan frowned, propping his arms to his chest as he continued following them through the aisle. "I think you’re assuming my job allows me to slack off just because I have the highest position in the company."

"Am I wrong?" Eternity asked, her moss-green eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, you are," Evan sighed, shaking his head in disbelief and disappointment. "You might be reading too many CEO romance books, Eternity."

"No, I’m not!" Eternity denied, her cheeks blushing slightly.

’Although that’s my favorite genre of contemporary romance,’ she thought to herself, but she’d rather be caught deactivated than admit that in front of them.

"Ah, yes." Olivia nodded in agreement, her tone unamused. "Yes, where the CEO-Love interests just do whatever he wants just to please the main protagonist as if he didn’t have a daytime job that needs tending for, where that aforementioned job is the reason why he could pamper the protagonist in the first place."

"Thank you," Evan said appreciatively, delighted that someone was proving his case.

Then, Olivia paused, as if a sudden realization struck her.

She turned her head to look at him, due to their height difference, she literally needed to tilt her head, as she asked accusatorily.

"Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing right now?"

Evan scoffed, belatedly realizing that Olivia wasn’t on his side after all.

"Listen here, you brat–" he began, but stopped mid-way when he noticed Eternity popping her head out of the bookshelves so he could visibly see the warning look she was giving him. "I haven’t even said anything remotely misogynistic!"

"But you were planning to say something mean!" Eternity said, furrowing her eyebrows in disgust.

Evan narrowed his eyes, muttering something under his breath.

Olivia’s eyes darted from Evan to Eternity. "Is this some sort of inside joke that I can’t relate to?"

Eternity laughed wearily, a sweat drop falling on the side of her face.

"Something like that."

"Anyway," Evan started to change the topic. "This is one of the odd places to choose for your second field trip."

"The Berlin State Library is one of the largest libraries in Europe!" Olivia said, placing her hand on her chest in an offended manner. "I say this is one of the best educational place you could go to in Berlin! Plus, Eternity could borrow some books for us to discuss in our lessons!"

"Books I could buy for her online," Evan pointed out.

"I prefer physical books!" Eternity interjected.

"Ah, right, I remember, a physical book elitist," Evan bemused, causing Eternity to gasp in offense. "You do know millions of trees are getting cut down just to satisfy your preferences, right?"

"Don’t talk about protecting the environment to me!" Eternity huffed. "Your literally the CEO of a company whose industry creates tons of carbon dioxide each year!"

"Hey, it’s a necessary part of fermentation!" He argued.

"... I still don’t understand why he’s here." Olivia sighed, moving away from the two to check a book on the bookshelf.

"You don’t want Evan here?" Eternity asked, her voice sounding concerned.

"It’s not that!" Olivia said it loudly, causing the other patrons of the library to shush her. "It’s not that," she repeated, but in a softer voice this time. "I just find it awkward because..."

"You accused me of being a human trafficker?" Evan finished for her.

"Wha--" Olivia spluttered before turning her gaze to Eternity. "You told him?!"

"I tell Evan everything," Eternity admitted.

"She tells me everything." Evan agreed.

"Eternity!" Olivia whined, and her cheeks grew flushed from embarrassment.

"I didn’t know it was supposed to be a secret!" Eternity reasoned it out before getting distracted by a specific book on the shelf. "This looks nice!"

Olivia sighed before turning her head to Evan behind her.

"You’re surprisingly different from what I thought you would be."

"Likewise," Evan commented, shrugging.

Olivia gave him a dirty look. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I should be asking the same thing of you," he fired back.

"I am curious, though," Eternity interjected. "What did you think Evan was like?"

Olivia looked at the floor, biting her lips as if she wanted to say it, but her awareness of social cues told her not to.

"Spit it out, brat," Evan said as he rolled his eyes, checking out the aisle to see where he was nearest. "This place has quite a selection of books."

"Evan!" Eternity admonished. "Though I agree, the books here are quite nice."

"Fine!" Olivia huffed, crossing her arms like a petulant child. "I was never the type to judge a person unless given the facts, but according to the comments I read on the internet, you treat your interns like shit and you’re an arrogant, misogynist who likes his coffee sickeningly sweet."

Evan raised an eyebrow before looking away to the side, muttering, "I think that comment specifically came from 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 intern..."

"What?" Eternity demanded as she emerged from the hallway. "You treat your workers badly?"

"Not exactly," Evan replied vaguely, already feeling that another fight between them would ensue. He then looked at Olivia with a scowl, to which she responded with a simple shrug.

"You literally asked for it, Mister Holz."

***

The trio stood awkwardly at the entrance of the library, having been kicked out of its premises after Eternity started making a ruckus over what she heard from Olivia.

Eternity’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, and her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she avoided Evan’s gaze. Meanwhile, Evan’s frustration was evident, with his brows furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line, struggling to contain his irritation towards her.

Meanwhile, Olivia, caught in the middle of their dispute, shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"Well, that was embarrassing," Olivia muttered under her breath, breaking the awkward silence between all of them.

But neither Evan nor Eternity were paying her any attention.

Olivia looked to her side to see that Eternity had her arms crossed; her back turned to Evan, and Evan looked frustrated that she was throwing a fit in front of so many people.

"But Eternity," Evan argued, his voice sounding almost like a child’s whining. "This was before I even met you!"

"I know that!" Eternity shouted, turning her heels around to finally face him. "I know that..." She said softly this time, biting her lips as she glared at the ground. "But it hurts me to know that you needed me as a moral compass before you even realized that there was something wrong with your actions."

Evan let out a huff of air, running a hand through his hair as he struggled to find the right words. It seemed like he didn’t know how to respond to Eternity’s words.

Olivia cleared her throat, drawing their attention away from their heated exchange and causing the couple to look at her. Both had surprised expressions on their faces, as if they had completely forgotten about her.

"Figures," she sighed, her shoulders slumping down. "Anyway, if you two are busy fighting, then I’ll take my leave already. Being a third wheel is awkward enough, but this one is an even worse experience."

Eternity reached out, grasping Olivia’s hands to prevent her from leaving.

"No," she insisted, her tone apologetic. "I’m sorry for our embarrassing display of a lover’s quarrel, Olivia. Let us make it up to you."

"Us?" Evan repeated, raising an eyebrow at Eternity’s sudden inclusion of him.

"Evan." Eternity addressed him, her tone gentle yet firm. "Let’s treat Olivia to something to eat."

Evan furrowed his eyebrows together but nodded still.

"Okay..." he said hesitantly before adding. "As long as it’s affordable."

Olivia wrinkled her forehead, completely unimpressed with Evan’s answer.

"For a CEO, you’re rather cheap, aren’t you?"

Evan scoffed.

"I just prefer not to spend my money frivolously, Miss Wilde," he retorted defensively. "After all, a billion dollars wouldn’t be a billion if a dollar was missing."

Olivia seemed to give it some thought before shrugging. "I guess that’s true."

"So," Eternity drawled, interjecting before the banter could escalate further. "Where do you want to eat, Olivia?"

"Happy Hornets," Olivia replied almost immediately.