Loving My Best Friend

Ch 9 - The File

Emily and Oliver sat beside each other in the car which was taking them back home from the airport.

“You have been awfully quiet ever since—” Oliver asked, glancing at her and was awarded with a glare from Emily.

“Don’t, just don’t. You crossed your limits today… If I ever find you behaving this way again, a s****l harassment lawsuit will be waiting for you the next moment,” Emily said with emphasis, and Oliver was unperturbed.

“You would do no such thing. And I am not dying to sleep with you. I value our friendship more than any business relationship or physical attraction,” Oliver said, and told the driver to stop, since he wanted to get off the car and get his own ride back home. It was torture sitting beside her and not able to touch her.

“I am glad to hear that,” Emily said and wondered why she felt the sudden disappointment. Was she looking forward to him sleeping with her? Even if it was just s*x.

Emily continued to be lost in thoughts when Oliver got out of the car and took a cab back home.

She felt further disappointment with herself for not being able to feel relief at Oliver’s statement. He wasn’t going to create trouble for her, instead he wanted them to be friends like before. But she knew her heart yearned for more, it always had. That was why she left university.

~~~~~~~~

Two days later…

Emily had arrived at her office late and was checking her emails on her phone. While sipping on her coffee, she scrolled and found no noteworthy emails except for one.

“Oh not again…” She muttered and placed her coffee back on the table.

She opened an email from Rickard Hansen from Gem Inc.

Ever since she had set up the company, Rickard Hansen had been after her like a vulture. He was always inquiring about the profit and loss statements, the financial analysis, the audit report and the annual accounts. It was true that, as the investor, they needed full disclosure of the accounts, but she felt like he was waiting for her company to fail since it was his father, Bernard Hansen’s decision.

The tension between Rickard Hansen and his father was becoming a problem for her and her company.

She blew out a breath to calm herself and mumbled.

“Stay calm, stay calm.”

Her eyes scanned the email and she felt panic clawing up her throat. Jumping up from her seat, she put her phone on the table and began to pace around in worry.

What were they going to do? He was asking for some company files and Emily could feel the impending doom. Even if there was anything wrong, he would find something to cause her trouble, since he was so strict about company affairs.

Groaning, she looked around for a solution and, like a miracle, her eyes fell on Oliver, who was sitting in his office, peacefully. How could he sit peacefully when his brother was giving her hell?

Emily had to tell him. Maybe he could help handle his brother. Nodding to herself at her brilliant idea, she stalked to Oliver’s office and opened the door without knocking.

Oliver, who was working, looked up, startled, and frowned.

“Have you forgotten to knock?” He asked, looking at her and Emily felt her insides melting at his gaze. His blue gaze still sometimes gave her goosebumps. She had stoned her feelings behind a solid wall since she knew she was going to see him everyday and she couldn’t be acting like a lovesick puppy. But still, sometimes, when he looked at her that way, she felt every wall crumble to the ground like it was never there.

She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.

“No, something urgent came up. I need you to sort it out,” Emily said, coming closer to his table.

Oliver nodded, standing up and went around the table. “What is it?”

Emily grabbed the paper weight on his desk and began to twirl it in her palm.

“It’s your brother,” Emily said, and saw Oliver frowning. He gently took the paper weight from her hand and placed it back on the table, knowing she was tense.

“Which brother?” He asked, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. What he didn’t know was that instead of relieving the tension, his touch ignited another type of tension in her body.

Emily hastily snatched her hand away and rubbed it on her skirt to ignore the feel of his warm hands.

“Are you seriously asking that? Of course, it’s Rickard. He wants to see some company files and I know he would find something to give me hell over,” Emily said and ran a hand through her blonde hair.

“Rickard?” A chuckle escaped from Oliver’s lips. “I thought he would be preoccupied with other things right now to concentrate on such matters.

“I don’t think so. You need to help me, talk to him. Stall him or do anything,” she said. “I will give him the information he wants but you have to handle him.”

“Don’t worry. I will talk to him about it,” Oliver said with assurance, and Emily felt like she could hug him, but she stopped herself seeing his knowing smirk.

“You can hug me if you want,” Oliver said with a devilish smirk, and Emily blushed scarlet. She hated how he could easily read her thoughts.

“Or I could kick you in between your legs,” Emily retorted.

Oliver’s smirk died and his lips pressed into a thin line. “You know you want to.”

“In your dreams, Oliver,” Emily said on her back as she fled his office as fast as she could.

~~~~~~~~

Oliver got home later and inquired about Rickard from the servants. They told him that he was staying at the mansion and was in his room.

After freshening up, Oliver went to Rickard’s room and knocked. Their father and Rickard were mostly at odds with each other about business and Oliver couldn’t understand why. If Rickard wanted to lead the company, then his father should let him. He was talented and driven. But there was no way Rickard and Bernard could see eye to eye.

However, Oliver knew how to handle his brother and he had always gotten his way with him. This time he hoped it would not go any differently.

He knocked on the door and waited patiently. The door didn’t open even after several knocks. Exasperated, Oliver opened the door and went in. Rickard was in his room and he knew it.

Upon opening the door, Rickard was nowhere in sight but he could hear the shower running in the bathroom faintly. He was going to exit the room and come back later when his gaze fell on a file at the dresser.

Curiosity got the better of him and he walked closer, taking a better look at the file.

“Eleanor Harrington.” Oliver read the name on the file and recalled Eleanor he had met before when he was spying on his brother. It must be her. Why else would Rickard have a file named after her?

Questions began to plague his mind but Rickard’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Oliver? What are you doing here?” Rickard asked, and Oliver turned around, leaving the file alone, and saw Rickard coming out of the bathroom showered and fully dressed.

“Hi, I was here to talk to you about something but then I saw that file. Why do you have a file on Eleanor Harrington?” Oliver asked, and Rickard stiffened on hearing Eleanor’s name.

“What do you want to talk about?” Rickard asked, ignoring his question, though Oliver noticed the distress his question caused.

“You asked for some company files from Emily. I wanted to know what for?” Oliver asked, and Rickard looked up in surprise.

A smirk formed on Rickard’s lips. “She sent you to evade sending those files. No wonder she seems sketchy.”

Oliver scowled at him. “You keep asking for company information even though you have little interest in its progress. I know you’re just doing it because Dad supports this company.”

Shaking his head, Rickard put the towel away from his head. “Emily needs to learn things and she won’t consult me on anything. Do you have any idea how some of her decisions are purely impulsive? That’s not how you run a company.”

“She’s passionate and I admire that in her,” Oliver said, and saw Rickard narrowing his eyes.

“Think with your head, Oliver. The one at the top, not the other one,” Rickard said, and Oliver glared at him. His brother clearly knew that Oliver and Emily were more than just friends and he was using it to his advantage.

“And do what? Spy or make files on her just like you did on Eleanor,” Oliver retorted, and saw Rickard stiffening.

“Stop bringing Eleanor into this... I trust now that you’re working with Emily, there will be changes in the company's decision making. I expect to see the reports in three months. Till then you can do as you like,” Rickard said.

Oliver nodded reluctantly and sighed. “Next time, you won’t find anything to pick on. Don’t worry.”

“Surprise me,” Rickard said, and Oliver left his room, fuming.

What did his brother think? That he knew it all and that Oliver and Emily couldn’t do anything on their own. It was time Oliver made Rickard eat his words back.