Chapter 3

Chapter Rating: PG

Olivia could only stare: first, briefly into the dark eyes that were blazing with the thrill of a righteous win, and then at the hand that had been presented to her... which she admitted should rightfully have slapped her in the face by now. She closed her eyes and chastised herself with all sorts of obscenities.

When she saw Olivia's eyes close, Natalia felt her smile widen. Thaaat's right Ms. Spencer...swallow it down; I'll wait. Even the voice in her head sounded righteously smug right now. But she didn't care. She found herself enjoying the fact that the woman sitting across from her, the woman who represented every stab of pain she had felt over the foreseeable loss of her home, was squirming under her gaze.

Olivia opened her eyes directly to the hand that was still waiting in front of her. She slowly raised hers and, in an attempt to salvage an ounce of her dignity, she once again met Natalia's eyes.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Rivera," she said quietly.

Though Natalia was certainly not going to offer up a "Likewise", she did, however, manage to shake the older woman's hand a lot more gently than she was actually wanting to.

Both women stared out of opposite windows while Olivia wracked her brain as to what she should possibly say next. Have I just ripped up my chance at closing this deal and thrown it right out the window? God you can be such a fucking idiot, Spencer!
 

"Listen," she began, in a much nicer tone than she had originally used to flat out insult the heiress of substantial social standing. "I don't suppose there is any way we could just..."

"Nnnnope," came Natalia's short reply, still looking out of her window, her face emotionless.

"Okay, well then may I just explain that I..." she was once again interrupted.

"No need." Touché, Olivia remarked inwardly as Natalia continued. "Look, this 'offer' that you will be presenting to my father is between you and him. I want nothing to do with it." Her voice getting a little bit louder but remaining calm, "And if I may be honest with you Ms. Spencer..."

"Olivia..."

Natalia paused momentarily, but decided not to accept the informality. "In all honesty, Ms. Spencer, if I had any say in the matter, whatsoever, you wouldn't even have had a reason to come to California in the first place." She ended with a sigh and turned back to the window.

There was a temporary silence.

"Well, I suppose that would have saved me from making an ass out of myself, now wouldn't it?"

"Indeed."

Though clearly still embarrassed by her actions, Olivia recognized that Ms. Rivera's hostility seemed to stem from something more than her ill treatment before the introductions. Therefore, she thought it best not to push her luck by making small-talk.

They rode a fair ways in silence. The air inside the cabin now almost as thick as the heat outside with tension. Natalia had shifted from her position across from Olivia and was now sitting on the far end of the same seat. Somewhat grateful for no longer having to carefully avoid glancing into the hostile face of the young hotel heiress, Olivia began checking her watch frequently with a kind of "Are we there yet?" impatience.

"I like your shoes," she finally stated, trying to make it sound as authentic as possible.

Natalia looked over at her and slightly raised her eyebrows as if to say "You're kidding, right?"

"What? Come on. We still have another 35 minutes here."

That remark earned Olivia a head shake and a roll of the eyes. But as Natalia turned back to her respective window, Olivia could see that the corners of her mouth were drawn up into a slight smirk, a smile – almost – that she was trying desperately to hide.

Alright, she pondered to herself, perhaps I still stand a chance at salvaging this mission.

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The Limousine finally pulled up to the front to the magnificent South Beach Empire. Seven large, white pillars framed the arched driveway, roughly ten meters apart. Each had its own five-foot fountain in between it and its counterpart; all of which took turns raising and lowering themselves in tandem, like a choreographed water ballet. Although the sun had not fully set over the horizon, Olivia could tell that there were colored lights beneath each fountain as well and guessed that it must be a sight to see in the later hours.

When the vehicle finally came to a stop, Natalia's was the first door opened on the left side. Olivia watched her exit and collected her things as she waited for the driver to come around to her side. When the door was finally opened, she was surprised to see that it had been done so, not by the driver, but by Ms. Rivera herself. Looking down at her with the same smug expression she had been flashing throughout the drive, she offered her hand to assist Olivia out of the limo.

Well now she's just being mean, Olivia fumed. If she's not going to let me apologize for my behavior, she could at least cut me some slack!

Despite the absurdity of being escorted out of the car by the powerful hotelier, Olivia accepted the hand that was offered to her and made her exit. When she was standing face-to-face with the brunette, she held on a bit tighter to her hand and refused to let it go when Natalia tried to extract herself.

"Thank you for your gracious assistance, Ms. Rivera," she said coolly, though with a courteous smile. Her eyes pierced through Natalia's as if to let her know that she understood that this seemingly harmless gesture was in fact anything but, and that it was highly unnecessary to continue to toy with her guilt.

Natalia read Olivia's eyes perfectly, but decided to remain a firm opponent in this game they had begun to play.

"Thank-you for graciously accepting it, Ms. Spencer."

Impetuous little sh...

"Ladies!" Her silent berating of Natalia's character was interrupted by a tall gentleman in a tailored Armani suit. She immediately dropped the other woman's hand. "How wonderful that you have finally arrived, Ms. Spencer. My name is Jacques, and I have been asked to send for you both to come and meet Mr. Rivera in his office."

She glanced quickly back to Natalia.

"After you, you're the guest." Natalia waved a long sweeping arm in front of them motioning her to move towards the entrance way. Olivia adjusted her suit and started off behind the tall man who led the way. When they had stopped in front of the revolving brass door, awaiting a group of tourists to exit, Natalia leaned in close to Olivia's ear.

"Oh, by the way," she half whispered, "Jacques is my father's Personal Assistant. So when we get to Dad's office, try to resist the urge to tip him on his way out."

Olivia bit her lower lip to refrain from screaming at the top of her lungs.

Natalia giggled and walked through the doorway... "Coming, Ms. Spencer?"

I hate my life!

Olivia slowly followed Natalia into the large revolving wedge.

And you just might succeed in getting me to hate you too!