Olivia’s POV
I leaned forward, listening attentively...
"David knows you work for Maxwell, but doesn’t really know your exact position in the company. So before he arrives for his appointment, you’re going to excuse yourself from the office. Tell Maxwell you need to step out - make up some errand. Then, you’re going to change back into Olivia."
My eyes widened. "You want me to show up as Olivia while David is there?"
"Something like that. But instead, you’ll show up at Maxwell’s office as Olivia before David arrives. We need to gauge Maxwell’s reaction to seeing Olivia in the building while Oliver is supposedly absent."
"Julian, this sounds incredibly risky."
"All the best plans are," he said with a wink. "But think about it - if Maxwell doesn’t know you’re Oliver, he’ll be confused and maybe concerned about why you’re at his office building. If he does know, and if he cares about you, he’ll immediately recognize that you’re in danger with David’s arrival."
My heart raced as I thought of the possibilities. "And if he doesn’t care? If this whole theory is wrong?"
"Then we’ll have our answer, and we can focus on plan B - which involves getting you the hell out of that office before David exposes you."
I was quiet for a long moment, weighing the risks against finally knowing the truth. The plan was insane, dangerous, and could backfire badly. But it was also possibly the only way to get the answers I desperately needed.
"There’s just one problem," I said finally. "If I excuse myself from the office, Maxwell will expect Oliver to come back. How do I explain Oliver’s continued absence after Olivia makes her appearance?"
Julian’s eyes sparkled. "Oh, that’s the beautiful part of this plan. You’re not going to explain it. You’re going to let Maxwell draw his own conclusions."
I stared at him. "You really think this will work?"
"I think Maxwell Wellington is a very intelligent man who’s been playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. And I think it’s time you found out whether you’re his opponent or his queen.
"Alright," I said, surprising myself with my own resolve. "Let’s do it."
"Excellent!" Julian clapped his hands together. "Now, let’s go over the details. Timing is going to be everything..."
********
By 12:20, Julian and I had quickly gone through every detail of our insane plan. My palms were sweating, but there was no backing out now.
"Come on," Julian said, grabbing my arm. "We need to get you the perfect outfit for this little performance."
He dragged me to a boutique two blocks away from the office, where he immediately zeroed in on a stunning green dress that hugged in all the right places while still maintaining an air of sophistication.
"This one," he declared, holding it up against me. "It brings out your eyes, and more importantly, it’s going to make Maxwell Wellington forget how to form complete sentences."
"Julian!" I hissed, glancing around the store. "Keep your voice down!"
"Trust me on this," he said, adding a pair of elegant black heels to our selection. "If we’re going to test whether the man has feelings for you, we might as well do it properly."
Fifteen minutes later, we were rushing back to the office building, shopping bag in hand, with my heart hammering against my ribs.
"Remember," Julian said as we reached the lobby, "I’ll be waiting in the ladies’ bathroom at exactly 12:45. That gives us plenty of time for the transformation before David arrives."
I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. "What if this backfires completely?"
"Then we’ll improvise," Julian said with more confidence than I felt. "Now go be Oliver for a little while longer. I’ll see you soon."
Back in the office, Maxwell was still focused on his computer. He didn’t even look up when I went back behind my desk, which was probably for the best since I was fairly certain my face was broadcasting my nervousness.
Every few minutes, I’d check the time, then glance at Maxwell, then back at the time. 12:40... 12:41... 12:42...
Finally, at 12:44, I stood up from my desk, my legs feeling like jelly.
"Mr. Wellington?" I called out, surprised by how steady my voice sounded.
"Hmm?" he murmured without looking up from his screen.
"I’m just going to run out and grab your afternoon coffee from Taylor’s."
He waved a dismissive hand in my direction.
I practically ran to the ladies restroom, my heart pounding loudly.
Julian was waiting with the shopping bags when I burst through the door.
"Perfect timing," he said, immediately going into action. "Okay, wig off first. Careful with the - yes, like that."
In the next seven minutes, Julian helped me out of Oliver’s suit and into Olivia’s dress. The dress fit like it had been made for me, hugging my curves in a way that made me feel both powerful and vulnerable.
"Makeup," Julian announced, pulling out a small cosmetics bag. "Nothing too dramatic - we want elegant and sophisticated, not seductive vixen."
"Speak for yourself," I muttered, trying to calm my racing pulse as he applied a subtle layer of foundation and a hint of rose-colored lipstick.
"There," he said, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "You look absolutely stunning. Maxwell Wellington doesn’t stand a chance."
I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror and barely recognized who was staring back. Olivia was so beautiful and at that moment, I realized how much I’ve missed this version of her.
"It’s 12:53," Julian said, checking his watch. "You need to go now if you want to catch him before David arrives."
I took a deep breath, checking myself out one final time. "Wish me luck."
"You don’t need luck," Julian said with a grin. "You’ve got something much better - you’ve got the element of surprise."
I walked to Maxwell’s office, feeling like I was going into battle, but at the same time, rehearsing what I’d say to him. I needed to bring up his behavior towards me at his ’love doctor’s’ office - maybe that would explain his hatred for Olivia.
I paused outside his office door, my hand hovering over the handle. For a moment, I almost lost my nerve.
What am I doing? This is insane. What if Julian’s wrong about everything? What if Maxwell really doesn’t know, and this just makes everything worse?
But then I remembered David threats and it immediately fueled my determination.
I turned the handle and stepped into the office.
"Mr. Wellington?" I said softly, closing the door behind me.