Chapter 22 Pack Up and Leave

Luke was seething with anger. "Pack up and leave now, before I really get mad. I'll have payroll give you three months' pay. Just get out, right now." Olivia, scared and in tears, pleaded with him. "Boss, I'm still valuable to the company. You can't just throw me out. I've loved you for so many years. You must have known." Luke's disgust was evident. "I can't stand women who don't respect themselves. If you want a chance at future jobs, don't even think about staying." Olivia thought hard about her options. Without money, she felt worthless. This scandal could ruin her future job chances. 'Luke is so heartless,' she thought, wiping away her tears. She turned to the other women behind her. "This was all our plan." She pointed to a tall girl. "She's been against Charlotte from the start and pushed us to do this." Luke gave her a brief look. "Alright, expect a letter from my lawyer." The tall girl quickly tried to defend herself. "It's not what she's saying. I didn't do that." But Luke wasn't interested in their excuses. "It doesn't matter. I trust only what I see." The tall girl, furious, slapped Olivia. "How can you act like this? I never pushed you to go against Charlotte." Olivia, believing it would save her job, quickly turned on her ally. "Boss, do I get to stay at the company?" Luke's response was cold. "What do you think? Someone who easily betrays their friends isn't welcome here. You think you're still in school, adored by all the boys? Where's this confidence coming from?" "I've loved you for years. Can't you just look my way once? I truly love you. I even dumped my boyfriend for you. Doesn't my love mean anything?" "You're repulsive." Luke's voice was tinged with disdain. "Your love life is your business, not mine. Don't pin your choices on me." Lawson, who had just finished his tasks, walked in on this drama in Luke's office. Luke looked at him. "Get them out of here now." Not fully aware of the details but seeing how mad Luke was, Lawson promptly called security to remove the group. Luke, gathering his composure, picked up the newly-bought women's clothes and burn ointment and headed off to find Charlotte. "I've put it here for you. If you're uncomfortable, use this cream. After you change, we'll go out for lunch." Charlotte gave a small nod. "Sofia is going to join us. Can she come with us? She suggested the steakhouse we like." "Sure, I'll book a table." Lawson, noticing Luke's return, checked his phone with a concerned look. "Someone's interested in buying that villa." "Who's the buyer? I need their full background, connections, everything. I don't want any complications." Luke sounded nonchalant. "Someone you know - it's Frank." "Why is he buying it back after giving it away? Typical of him." He remembered his good-for-nothing nephew and laughed. Lawson showed him the phone. "It's odd. The message wasn't from his usual account. I recognized the way he talks, checked, and yes, it's Frank." "Tell him the villa isn't for sale." "Got it, boss." Charlotte, ready to go, knocked on his office door. "Can we head out now?" "Yes, let's go." Luke grabbed his jacket and they left together. Sofia was always punctual for meals and shopping but tended to procrastinate with other things. In the mornings, Charlotte would be ready with her makeup done, while Sofia would still be in bed — a clear contrast between a boss and an employee. Charlotte knew Sofia had arrived when she spotted the shiny sports car outside the company. Luke asked, "When will Sofia get here?" Charlotte pointed to the flashy car. "She's here already." Luke recognized the car from the night before at his house. "Then let's head out." Sofia emerged from her car in high heels. "Good afternoon, my old friends." Seeing Luke with Charlotte, she realized they were together. "So, you're treating me to lunch today?" Luke led the way. "No big deal. I owe you thanks, actually." Sofia smiled. "You should be thankful. After thirty years of being single, you've found a great girlfriend." Charlotte nudged Sofia playfully. "Let's not talk about it here. Too many people around." She was wary of company employees overhearing. Sofia was baffled. "Why hide it? If I were in love, I'd want everyone to know." Charlotte remained silent on her concerns; she was just worried about her past resurfacing and causing issues for Luke. Luke was keeping the mood light. "She prefers to keep things quiet at work. There's no hurry, we're just beginning, and I'm patient." Sofia playfully ribbed them. "So, both of you are taking it slow, leaving me to worry alone, huh? Fine, I'll just order the priciest dish at the restaurant for lunch." Luke was ever the generous one. "You could even rent out the whole place, and I wouldn't bat an eye." Sofia perked up with a mischievous idea. "Really?" "Of course." "Then how about booking it for me for a whole month?" Charlotte, knowing Sofia was joking, just smiled at their exchange. "Enough joking, let's head to lunch. You run a huge company; surely you've got things to do, right, Sofia?" Sofia, reminded of her business responsibilities, groaned. "Busy? Of course, I am. What did you think?" Charlotte thought about their usual routines and figured Luke was the busier one. "To be honest, I can't really see how busy you are. You're the most laid-back boss I've ever met." "That's just because you haven't seen me in action during busy times."