Married to my Ex-Fiance's Boss

Married to my Ex-Fiance's Boss

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‘He was going to reject me.’ My stomach twisted violently. Why had I thought this was a good idea? My palms grew clammy around the ring, my mind screaming at me to retreat, to salvage what little dignity I had left. ‘What kind of person pulls a stunt like this?!’ My own voice taunted me mercilessly. ‘This is it, Claire. Game over.’ But instead of the anticipated rejection, Giancarlo reached out—his hand brushing mine, sending a jolt up my arm as he plucked the ring from my fingers. The motion was fluid, deliberate, like he’d done it before—and then… “I do,” he said simply, his voice steady as he slid the ring onto his finger yh with mad confidence. ~~~ Claire Bennett’s perfect Valentine’s Day proposal ends in a disaster when she catches her boyfriend with another woman. In a fit of rage, she forces an engagement ring onto the finger of the first man she sees—a suave and mysterious passerby who shocks her by playing along. But Claire’s spur-of-the-moment fiancé isn’t just anyone. He’s Giancarlo Fiore Caruso—her ex’s boss and the ruthless CEO of her company. A fake engagement, a trip to the Maldives, and an undeniable connection soon turn her spur-of-the-moment decision into something she can’t control. Sparks of desire fly despite their stark differences, and attraction simmers just beneath the layers of deception. But will Claire’s impulsive decision mark the beginning of something real—or a recipe for heartbreak?

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Bab 1

Chapter 1

Claire

Today had to be perfect—no exceptions, no mistakes. I was about to give my boyfriend the surprise of a lifetime.

A marriage proposal. 

The beginning of our forever and a perfect way to mark our anniversary—he'd never see it coming.

Every detail was planned out—from the bouquet of roses in my hands, to the reservations at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants—reservations I'd only managed to secure weeks ago through countless calls and relentless follow-ups; something other people would consider harassment, but to me, it was just simple tenacity. 

As the saying goes, ‘You want something? You go for it,’ and I wanted this anniversary to be flawless.

Clutching the roses in excitement, I approached the receptionist at Alex’s department with a bright smile. “Oh, hi, Laura. Won’t be long—I’m just meeting Alex. He’s still in?”

“Sure.” She started to smile as she looked up, but it faltered—just for a second. At the sight of me? The hesitation was fleeting, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. With a nod and a now firmer smile, she added, “He’s… in his office. Should I let him know—”

“No, no—it’s fine,” I cut in quickly as I walked past. “It’s a surprise.”

Something about her demeanor prickled at the edges of my mind, but I brushed it off. 

Maybe she was just having a bad day.

In the elevator, I rehearsed what I'd say when I saw him. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, love. Guess who’s sweeping you off to dinner?’ It sounded cute in my head—the sort of thing that would make him laugh.

But as I neared his office, the faint sounds I heard made me pause. 

They were soft… muffled… not unlike… moans? My steps faltered for a second. No, I told myself, shaking my head. My ears were probably just playing tricks on me. This was a workplace, afterall. Surely nobody would be that stupid?

Still, as I opened the door—

I froze.

All the blood drained from my face, and the words I’d rehearsed died in my throat.

I hadn’t knocked—I never needed to. Alex and I didn’t have those kinds of reservations. Or so I'd thought—because right there, tangled up with another woman like branches in a flood, was my boyfriend. 

Alex.

With his eyes closed, his lips moving hungrily against hers and his hands pulling her closer by the waist like she was the very air he needed to breathe.

Those same hands that cradled my face whenever he told me just how much he loved me, and his lips… I could barely think past the sight of them on hers. Her back was to me, shielding her face, but his—oh, his face—was so… engrossed, it physically hurt to see.

He hadn’t kissed me like that in months! And now…

Wait. Was that—

Tori?

The name infiltrated the painful fog clouding my mind and I gasped—the bouquet slipping from my trembling hands and hitting the floor with a thud.

The sound shattered the moment and both of them froze—their heads whipping toward me.

“Oh my God!” Tori blurted, flushing crimson—her hair a disheveled mess and guilt written over every inch of her face.

Alex scrambled for words—his face ashen and his eyes wide with panic. “Claire, I—” 

“Don’t.” My voice came out hollow. Unrecognisable.

The room swayed, and I gripped the doorframe to steady myself, forcing my gaze to stay on him—on them. 

The betrayal hit like a punch to the gut. 

Suddenly it all made sense—the recent distance. The excuses and half-hearted smiles. The forgotten little things that used to mean everything. Him brushing off any talk that had to do with our future… I hadn't wanted to see it—all the signs, the glaring red flags. I'd foolishly ignored them all..

“How long?” I managed, each word trembling with barely contained rage.

Alex flinched. “It’s not what it looks like—”

“Don’t lie to me!” I snapped, my voice rising as the hurt clawed its way out. “It’s exactly what it looks like, Alex. And you—” I turned to Tori, bitter laughter spilling out of me in a cold, jagged rush that echoed in the office. “I told you everything. About the trip. The ring! The surprise I planned for tonight. And this is what you do?”

“I didn’t mean... Claire, I—” Her voice cracked, but I didn’t care. 

“What is she talking about?” Alex’s panicked voice cut in, his gaze darting to Tori.

Tori avoided my eyes, arms crossing over her chest like a shield.

I took a step back, my chest heaving as the weight of their treachery pressed tears to my eyes. But I wouldn’t cry—not here, not in front of them. I sucked in a shaky breath, my voice breaking as I spat, “You know what? Fuck you. Both of you.”

“Claire please, hear me out—”

“What’s the point?” I hissed, each word trembling with fury. “We’re done, Alex. There’s no trip. No engagement. No us.”

“No, Claire– I can explain—”

“Oh, go ahead, then!” I shot. “Explain.”

His mouth opened, then closed but nothing came out—no words.

Just silence.

“That’s what I thought,” I muttered, turning to leave, but Alex’s hand shot out to grab me.

“Don’t touch me!” My voice cracked as I wrenched myself free. “What more do you want from me, Alex?”

“Let’s talk this out—”

“There’s nothing to talk about!” My voice shook with fury. “You made sure of that when you shoved your tongue—and who knows what else—down someone else’s throat. How long has this been going on, huh? Answer me!”

“Keep your voice down!” he hissed, low and warning, as if I were the one at fault. “Let’s not make a scene.”

“A scene? You cheat on me, and I’m the problem?” My disbelief cut through the air. “You’ve lost your mind!”

“And you’re out of line!” he snapped, his calm facade finally cracking. “I didn’t mean—Damn it, I’m screwing this up.” He dragged a frustrated hand through his hair. “Claire, just calm down and listen—”

“To what, Alex?” I blinked back the tears blurring my vision. “More lies about how ‘this isn't what it looks like?’ You must think I’m stupid—”

“No, Claire—”

“After everything we’ve been through,” I pressed on, my voice breaking. “All I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me?”

“I couldn’t breathe!” he burst out, guilt twisting into frustration. 

“Oh, and that's my fault? I’m the reason you snuck around with your assistant?”

“Yes!” he exploded. “Don’t you see? I love you, but you micromanage everything! You make every decision—” 

“Because you don't!”

“And you do too much, Claire!” His face twisted from guilt to something uglier. “You suffocate me!” 

The words sliced through me.

What the hell was that even supposed to mean?

“Suffocate you?” My already broken heart splintered into more pieces, with my hand instinctively rising to my chest as though to hold them together. “That’s your excuse for sleeping with her?” I jerked my hand toward Tori, who looked like she might be sick at any moment.

“Not entirely,” His shoulders sagged, and his voice dropped to a maddening calm. “But we’ve been seeing each other for months. Honestly, I’m surprised it took you this long to notice.”

Months.

The word echoed in my head, drowning out everything else.

Months of my life reduced to a lie. How could I have been so blind? The late nights and vague excuses—had I missed it, or had I simply refused to see it?

The bastard!

This was the son-of-a-bitch I was so invested in?

I felt worse than a fool.

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t even think—I just needed to get away. 

My heels clicked against the floor as I stalked toward the exit, rage and heartbreak fueling my steps.

“Claire!” His voice followed, but I didn’t stop until I was outside.

The February cold bit into my skin, but it couldn’t compete with the frost spreading through my veins. I swiped furiously at the tears streaking my cheeks, as if scrubbing them away could erase what had just happened. My breaths came in shaky bursts—each one harder than the last—when Alex’s hand clamped around my wrist again.

“Let me go!” I snapped, but his grip was firm.

“Claire, don’t overreact—”

I spun to face him, fury burning through every nerve in my body. “You humiliated me, Alex! You call this overreacting? I had plans for us—the Maldives in a few weeks! Our future. I even—” My voice broke. “I thought I was going to marry you.”

His expression flickered with regret briefly, but it quickly hardened.

“Look, I messed up, okay?” he said, his voice sharp before softening into that condescending calm. “It was a mistake.”

I laughed, the sound hollow and disbelieving. The sheer gall of his words sent fresh rage coursing through me and I forcefully yanked my hand free. “Losing your keys is a mistake, Alex. Forgetting an anniversary is a mistake. This?” I jabbed a trembling finger in his chest. “This was months of lying and sneaking around!”

“Claire, listen—” he started. “Tori’s history. I promise—” 

“You must really think I'm stupid,” I laughed again, repeating my earlier words.

“No, I swear. If you'd just let it go, we can start over—”

“With someone who thinks I'm too much—”

“I was upset!” He cut in, his tone urgent as he reached for me again. “I didn't mean any of that, baby. And what about the trip?” His expression was pleading now. “Years of hard work—your sweat, Claire. We can’t just throw everything away.”

“That’s right, Alex. My sweat, not yours.” I reminded him, wrenching my arm free. “And the trip?” My voice was incredulous. “You still think you deserve anything from me after that?” I gaped at him, stunned. 

“Come on,” he pressed, desperation creeping into his voice. “It’s paid for. You said it yourself—we leave in a few weeks. Let’s just think this through—”

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I noticed the crowd forming, their curious stares fixed on the unfolding drama but I was past caring. My gaze darted wildly, searching for an escape—some way out of this nightmare.

That’s when I saw him.

A tall figure leaned casually against a sleek black car a few feet away, his attention fixed on his phone. He stood out, striking and completely out of place amidst the sea of strangers.

The tailored suit hugging his frame, dark hair swept back with effortless precision, his sharp jawline and dusting of scruff—all of it exuded an air of quiet authority. 

He was magnetic—but more importantly, he looked uninterested, unaffected, and completely unbothered by the chaos around him—and maybe that’s exactly why I needed him.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I stepped toward him, brushing past Alex without another word.

“Hey!” My voice cut through the noise—steady despite the carnage brewing inside me. “You!”

The stranger straightened as I approached, his brow lifting in silent question as his gaze shifted from his phone to me. His gaze, sharp and penetrating, held me in place and I felt my mouth go dry suddenly.

“Me?” His voice was deep, and smooth—like smoked English whiskey and sweetened honey washing over my frayed nerves. He slipped his phone into his pocket, giving me his full attention, his gaze sharper now, as if assessing the situation.

I pulled the engagement ring from my pocket—the metal cold in my trembling hands—and held it out to him.

“Will you marry me?”

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125 Bab
Chapter 1
ClaireToday had to be perfect—no exceptions, no mistakes. I was about to give my boyfriend the surprise of a lifetime.A marriage proposal. The beginning of our forever and a perfect way to mark our anniversary—he'd never see it coming.Every detail was planned out—from the bouquet of roses in my hands, to the reservations at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants—reservations I'd only managed to secure weeks ago through countless calls and relentless follow-ups; something other people would consider harassment, but to me, it was just simple tenacity. As the saying goes, ‘You want something? You go for it,’ and I wanted this anniversary to be flawless.Clutching the roses in excitement, I approached the receptionist at Alex’s department with a bright smile. “Oh, hi, Laura. Won’t be long—I’m just meeting Alex. He’s still in?”“Sure.” She started to smile as she looked up, but it faltered—just for a second. At the sight of me? The hesitation was fleeting, but it was gone almost
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
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Chapter 2
ClaireWhat the hell are you doing?!” Alex’s harsh whisper startled me so badly I nearly dropped the ring. I hadn’t even realized he was that close. I’d been too caught up in this insane, reckless moment that was sure to blow up in my face!My heart pounded like a jackhammer against my ribs—and I hated that he was right, because what the hell was I doing?!“My sincerest apologies, Mr. Giancarlo,” Alex said, turning to the stranger in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation. His forced smile faltered. “She doesn't know what she's saying, she’s upset and—”The heat of embarrassment crawled up my neck, burning my ears at his belittling choice of words.But the man—Giancarlo—had already interrupted, silencing Alex with the single commanding lift of his hand, before I could say anything. “Let her speak,” he'd said, his piercing grey-blue eyes then shifting to me and holding me captive as he waited for me to speak?“Well?” The question sliced through my haze and for a moment, I forgot
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
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Chapter 3
GiancarloI didn't know what it was about Claire that intrigued me.Ordinarily, she wasn’t the type of woman I usually dealt with—too bright, too unpredictable, too… real. But there was something... compelling about her that kept me seated here, instead of putting an end to this ridiculous situation and heading off a long time ago. This farce was a distraction I didn’t need. And yet, I’d somehow found myself asking her to dinner. She’d hesitated before saying she’d already made reservations for two somewhere else—likely for her and the fool she’d been seeing. That she'd mentioned the reservation at all kind of amused me more than I cared to admit. None of the women I knew would've risked pointing it out and passing on the chance at dining somewhere far superior—especially with a man like me. But I’m learning… Claire wasn't like most women. I’d offered to take care of it though, seeing no sense in letting her effort go to waste. I had no obligations to—I wasn't a man who acted wit
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
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Chapter 4
Claire~The restaurant doors burst open, plunging us out into the chaos beyond. Flashes of light seared my vision as the roar of the crowd outside reached deafening proportions. How were there so many people in one location?The blinding lights were accompanied by a barrage of voices yelling over one another.“Claire! Over here!”“Is it true you’re engaged?”“How long have you been together?”Their words barely registered before I felt his hand on my back—firm and steady, guiding me forward. I tried not to lean into his touch, but my feet were jelly and the warmth emanating from that small point of contact made it almost impossible."Keep your head down,” Giancarlo murmured softly, his voice controlled as his even warmer breath fanned my ears, making me weak in the knees.I tried to follow his lead, but the noise was suffocating. Panic clawed at me, my breaths turning heavy.“Hang on," he said, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me closer to his side as he shielded me from the on
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-20
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5Giancarlo The beeping sound of my alarm rang through my ears, drawing me out of sleep. I stretched, my muscles pleasantly sore from the best night’s rest I’d had in weeks. A laugh slipped out before I could stop it, soft and warm. I couldn't explain it, not in words that made sense, but I felt good. Light, even. The kind of good that clings to your skin and makes you grin like a fool for no damn reason. Or maybe it's the thought of Clarissa…I rubbed my hand on my face and let out a breath before stumbling out of bed. By now, it was clear that it was the thoughts of Clarissa that brought a smile to my face.She's just weird in all the perfect ways. As I got dressed for work, the thought of how my day would play out went through my head. I'll drive out of my compound with paparazzi hoarding me, drive to the company and still try to bypass another hoard of paparazzi. I'll get into the company and my assistant will ask me what she could do about the string of news that is f
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16
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Chapter 6
“Leave us alone, Sydney.” I said to Sydney, my eyes fixed on my grandfather walking into my office like he owned the place. With a simple bow of her head, Sydney walked out of my office but not without giving my grandfather a greeting.Instantly, my eyes caught the sharp lines of his tailored Italian suit, the dark fabric clinging to his frame like it had been hand-stitched by God himself. Every inch of him was polished to perfection, from the gleaming cufflinks to the crisp pocket square folded with military precision.Even before he spoke, the air shifted. Authority clung to him, ringing from every step he took. He didn’t need to raise his voice to command attention; he just existed, and people straightened up.Pride swelled in my chest, I had always admired my grandfather. And I still do. He was my role model. “Grandpa! You didn't tell me you were coming around.” I said with a smile on my face, leaving my desk and walking towards him. He pulled me into a brief hug, a fond smile
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-16
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Chapter 7
Claire I stared at the blank screen of my phone, battling in my mind on what to do. Since the news about Giancarlo and I started flying around, I hadn't logged into my social media accounts. The hoarde of paparazzi I had to push through last night gave me PTSD and made me dread the amount of people I'll have on my social media. At least I didn't need to go to work since Giancarlo owns the company I work for. I wouldn't be able to deal with coming up with a lie or going regardless, supposing I wasn't working for his firm. “Oh God! How could I be so stupid to propose to a complete stranger on impulse?” I whined to myself as my hand slumped on the bed, my head collapsing into the pillow. “At least let me take my phone off flight mode.” I turned on the screen of my phone and tapped on it, putting off the flight mode. I feared my phone would somehow be hoarded with calls so I placed it on flight mode the moment we came back from the restaurant. It wasn't up to a minute when my phone
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-19
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Chapter 8
Giancarlo “You still haven't answered my question.” Enzo's voice series into my ears, bringing me back to the warm glow of my office. “What question?” I asked, clearing my throat to get a hold of myself. There was no way I was thinking that. “What do you intend to do about your sudden engagement? It's not just you, Claire and the public in play. Your grandfather is also now in play, and he takes the top of the chart.” He's right, and I didn't know what to do. I had taken a line out of Claire's playbook and impulsively told my grandfather we were going to get married.“I'll think of something. Bring up some kind of drama to call off the engagement, something my grandfather would believe.” His gaze slipped away for a few seconds as though he was in deep thoughts before he nodded his head in agreement. “I hope you're going to be fast on that.” Lifting my weight off the sofa, I made my way back to my desk. As much as I had a crisis on my hands, I had work to do. “For now, I need t
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-01
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Chapter 9
ClaireI stared at the screen of my phone as it continued to vibrate violently in my hand, the sound of the ringtone reverberating through the walls of the house. “Oh God! What do I do?” I panicked, biting harder on my bottom lips. I thought of what to tell them, come up with a lie or something, but I came up blank.“Give me let me talk to them.” Giancarlo suggested, stretching his hand forward to take my phone, but I took a step back.“No, you can't.” The phone stopped ringing and I knew we all had the same thing on our minds. They were eventually going to call again. And just on cue, the phone started ringing again. “Well, you have to pick that.” Enzo said in a calm voice. I nodded my head and let out a breath before swiping my finger across the screen. “Hey mum.” I squeaked, trying to keep my nerves from wrecking my voice. “Where the hell did you keep your phone? We've been ringing the doorbell for minutes and you're not opening up. We're all tired from the long flight, you k
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-01
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Chapter 10
“You can't be serious about that.” I stared at my parents, my chest tightening with disbelief. My father sat, staring at me with a daring gaze, challenging me to say otherwise. My mother was just being my mother as usual and the snide look on her face made me more angrier.As promised, when they woke up this morning, Giancarlo was the first name they uttered and now they want a family dinner to get to know “my fiancé’s” family.“First of all, you don't tell me you are flying down here and now I'm supposed to arrange a dinner with Giancarlo and his grandfather for tomorrow night? Be real, mum.” “Having dinner with them doesn't sound bad. We never knew you guys were together, that's just the perfect medium to get to know them.” Eliza said, her voice as calm and cool as ever. “Really? You too? What– don't I have a say in this?”“You don’t have a say in this, Clarissa. We're going to have dinner with this family and get to meet them,” my father said, his tone cold and final.God how co
last updateTerakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-01
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