Welcome to My Company!

A touch of red lipstick, a bit of blush on her cheeks, and wavy strands cascading over her shoulders—Olivia was ready to return to the company and welcome the Martens.

"You look beautiful, my love. What’s the reason for all the elegance?" Elise asked, admiring her daughter’s appearance.

"Good morning, Mom. I didn’t hear you come in."

"I just did. But you were so focused in front of the mirror—so adorable!"

"I’m the same as always, Mommy. Just with a couple of giant dark circles. I couldn’t fall asleep all night," Olivia replied while adding the final touch to her makeup, trying to cover the purple marks under her eyes.

"Why didn’t you sleep, my love? Are you feeling unwell?"

Olivia went silent. The only reason she hadn’t slept a wink was Harrison Martens.

"Nothing important, Mom. Just some physical anxiety. The change of city has me a bit disoriented, that’s all," she lied to avoid further explanation.

Olivia took her purse and kissed her mother on the forehead.

"It's all right, honey. It's okay," she kept lying, while her stomach churned with emotions.

Olivia left her house very early. She wanted to be the one to personally welcome the Martens on their first day of work.

She was so nervous. No matter how much she tried to appear strong and indomitable, deep down in her heart, her essence was more sensitive than that. She was still a girl who believed in love, in kind gestures, in the goodness of people—but above all, she was aware of the pain the Martens had caused her.

Her hands trembled as she watched the minutes tick by on the clock. It was already eight o'clock, and none of them had arrived. They were supposed to be on time. She picked up the phone and called her secretary, but the woman only confirmed what she already knew—there was no sign of them.

"Shameless! Who, with even three brain cells, doesn't show up on time on their first day?" she cried in her solitude.

However, a few minutes later, two knocks on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Go ahead!" she blurted out angrily.

Megan Martens crossed the doorway, her cheeks flushed and dressed in a semi-elegant manner. Her footsteps were heavy with nervousness.

"Good morning, Olivia. How are you?" the embarrassed girl greeted.

"What's so good about it, Megan? It's your first day on the job, and you're half an hour late."

"Olivia, I had to take public transport, and it’s the first time I’ve taken the bus. I actually left my brother’s apartment a long time ago, and until that moment, I didn’t even know if they were ready to come."

"The last straw! Who do they think they are? Listen, my secretary has specific instructions for you. I suggest you wake up earlier and get to work on time. Your start time is eight in the morning. For today, I’ll overlook it. And your family is no longer employed," she snapped.

Megan paled at her words and raised her hands in supplication.

"No, Olivia, please, no. It's just that my brother’s car is broken, and it’s very difficult for us to get public transportation. Right now, we don’t have any cash. Our situation isn’t the best," Megan confessed, revealing her family’s darkest secrets.

"I see… I don’t understand, Megan. Are things that bad?"

She nodded. Deep down, Olivia felt miserable, knowing she had been part of the Martens company's downfall—especially when Harrison had thrown the divorce in her face. But it was what they deserved for making the last year of their marriage a misery.

"With your permission, Olivia, I’ll go see your secretary so she can explain my duties," Megan said to escape the awkwardness.

"Of course. And starting tomorrow, remember to arrive earlier. The company has rules, and they must be followed."

Megan left with her hands clasped, her head lowered.

Olivia poured herself a glass of alcohol. It was far too early to start drinking, but the situation with her ex-husband’s family caused her anxiety. She managed to down two drinks when the door rang again.

"Go ahead!" she ordered.

The three missing Martens entered. Unlike Megan, Emma walked in imposingly, as did Harrison.

"Hi, Olivia!" Emma said, heading straight to the large armchair. She threw her purse over it, sat down without permission, and began rubbing her ankles. "That damn public transport was disgusting. And you make us come in at 8 in the morning like we’re just any other employees. Do you forget who we are?"

Olivia rose from her chair, incredulous at Emma’s words, and looked at the three of them.

"You’re nearly an hour late on your first day of work," she said furiously.

"Good morning, Olivia," Harrison greeted, embarrassed. "We had a mishap with the family car, and, well, none of us know how to use public transport."

Olivia walked up to Harrison. She was pale, her eyes shadowed with dark circles, and her hair only half-combed.

"That’s not my problem. You're just like every other employee in this company. None of you get special treatment." She turned to Emma. "And you—get up from my couch, Emma Martens! Who do you think you are, sitting there?"

Olivia pointed her hand at her, and the woman jumped to her feet, never imagining Olivia would yell at her like that.

"Olivia, please, you don’t have to do this," Harrison tried to calm her, but inside Olivia, the effects of alcohol on an empty stomach were already raging—just like her fury at having to face them again.

Olivia lashed out at him.

"You didn’t have to do a lot of things either, Harrison! Now, if you don’t like the working conditions, the door is open."

Harrison barely managed to swallow the lump in his throat, knowing they had no other choice. All other doors had been closed to them.

"Olivia, let my parents go to their posts. I need to talk to you for two minutes."

Olivia took a deep breath and gave in to Harrison’s soft voice.

"So, Emma—your duties are on the second floor, in the cafeteria. Ana is waiting for you there; she’s the supervisor and already knows what to do with you. And you, Joshua—you need to go to the fourth floor. There’s a hallway to the right and a door with a safety sign. Teresa is there. She also has instructions for you."

The Martens nodded and were about to leave the office when she addressed them once more.

"One last thing—first and last time you’re late. A second time, and you’re all fired."

Emma opened her mouth with a deep desire to insult her, but a small pinch from Joshua made her stop. She just nodded firmly.

"What do you want, Harrison?" Olivia’s cheeks were flushed, and a couple of beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. She was nervous. Everything about him used to confuse her.

"Olivia," he came a little closer, "I know that in the last year we lived together, I was a terrible person to you. And, well, so was my family."

"And?" Olivia interrupted him. "I’m not interested anymore, Harrison. Do you want to rub in my face what I once cried over?"

"No, of course not. I want to thank you for letting us into your company," he said sincerely. "After all the pain we caused you and after our marriage failed, you didn’t have to give us jobs."

Olivia stared at him, only she knew what was in his heart: that deep anger and his desire for revenge.

"That shows that I'm not like you, Harrison, but I want to tell you that you are just ordinary employees of this company, so I demand that you do your duties. Or do you want to leave on your own two feet?"

Harrison lowered his head and took a deep breath. He wasn’t hurt by what she said because he knew her words could be found anywhere. He was hurt by the forced manner in which she addressed him, showing him a hatred that perhaps she didn’t even feel.

"Olivia, we'll do our best to work as best we can, I promise you, everything’s going to be fine."

"I’m very sorry for what’s happening to you right now, but I believe life is fair to everyone, and in the end, everyone gets what they deserve." Harrison pursed his lips, trying to contain his immense desire to talk to her, but Olivia was angry, and anything she said at that moment could be used against her.

"It’s okay, Olivia. Since we were together, you knew this was going to happen. Thank goodness you didn’t stay with me."

"Yes, thank goodness. By the way, Harrison, what happened to your wife? The one you left me for and threw my divorce papers at?" Olivia took a sip of her third glass of liquor, her tension rising, and she felt more uninhibited to speak.

"She left with someone else, stealing what little I had left." With his words, Olivia felt a chill in her chest.

"Karma, do you believe in karma? You’re the perfect example of someone who does well, and the one who doesn’t ends up like you." She looked at him with even more anger; at least she would have preferred if he had changed her for someone worth it.

"Why did you hide your identity from me?" That question had kept Harrison awake for the past few days.

"As I always said, I was looking for someone who would love me for who I am, not for what I have. And you, you never loved me, neither for who I am nor for what I had," Olivia's voice trailed off.

"Olivia, why are you treating me this way?" Harrison was completely dejected.

"How? Like just another employee? In your house, I was your wife, and I was treated worse than a servant."

"Okay, I’ll go get the business I need to stay here." Harrison didn’t want to leave Olivia’s office, but she didn’t give him a choice. So, he had to resign himself.

"Harrison," she called softly. He turned with vain hopes.

"Tell me, what’s in that suitcase?" She pointed to one on the table.

He smiled, shaking his head, and walked out of the office. Olivia drank the last sip of liquor and went completely out of control. Real memories came to her mind, reminding her why she had fallen in love with Harrison, and her heart ached. Would she ever forget him?