Chapter 1

Camilla's POV

The elevator doors opened and I took one step forward but immediately stopped dead in my tracks at the scene unfolding before me

I let out an inaudible gasp as I continued to watch with widening eyes.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

**TWO HOURS EARLIER**

I was seated at my desk in the moderately sized room that served as the head office for AXIA COSMETICS which was a small and relatively unknown cosmetic company in the country.

Peering at my phone's lit up screen, I smiled as I clicked on the post I uploaded on social media to wish my boyfriend of two years now - Ryan - a happy birthday.

My smile continued to widen as I read and reread the brief but touching message I had posted along with a picture of Ryan and I together, smiling lovingly at each other instead of the camera

We looked so happy, so in love, so perfect

Which was exactly the way we were in real life and I knew that everyone who looked at the picture would be able to feel our love from it.

I barely registered the sound of quiet footsteps approaching me from behind until I heard the person speak

"Gosh you're so in love with Ryan. Look at you staring at that picture and smiling like a fool" a female voice said from behind me and I flinched slightly before swerving around in my office chair a little to meet the pale blue eyes of Diana - a friend and co-worker.

She smiled as she shook her head at me, the action causing her perfectly cut short black hair to bounce from side to side

I returned her smile "Yes, I love him so much. What's so wrong with that, huh?"

She shrugged "Nothing's wrong with that but if I'm being honest; I really don't get what you see in him. I mean, sure, he's pretty good-looking and all but he honestly didn't impress me that much when I met him"

I chuckled softly "Well that's because you've only met him once. I'm one hundred percent sure you'll like him better if you meet him again"

She waved her hand dismissively with a small smile on her face "No thanks, just wish him a happy birthday for me. By the way, how are you two celebrating? I'm sure you've got something special planned"

I smiled giddily up at her "I actually do have something planned, he just doesn't know about it yet cause I plan to surprise him"

One of her brows arched slightly in mild curiosity "Oh really?"

I nodded excitedly before swerving back around to face my desk. I dug my hand into my purse and pulled out the two courtside tickets for a basketball game that I had managed to score before swerving back to face Diana while holding them up

Her eyes widened as she gasped "Are those basketball courtside tickets?!"

I giggled as I nodded "Yes!"

She snatched them from me in awe "How did you manage to get this? They cost a fortune!"

I snorted "Of course they do, I would have to sell my kidney in order to afford even one of those tickets"

"So just how did you get them?"

I smirked as I took the tickets back from her "I got them from my roommate who got it from her boyfriend, who got it from his boss that hangs around celebrities and athletes"

Diana let out a breathy laugh "Wow, what a connection"

I chuckled "I know right?"

Diana opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the sound of the door to the head manager's office AKA our boss, opening

She and I both turned to the door just as he popped his head out and his eyes zeroed in on me.

I gritted my teeth to hold back a groan

Just what could he possibly want this time?

"Camie" he called and my stomach twisted sickeningly at his use of the nickname that I only preferred close friends and loved ones calling me by

I still shot to my feet however "Yes, Mr Monroe?"

"Step into my office, I need to talk to you" he uttered before disappearing back inside

"Shit" I swore under my breath

"Since when does that slime ball call you 'Camie'?" Diana asked in a whisper as I placed the tickets into my bag and slipped my feet back into the uncomfortable high heels that I normally kept stashed away under my desk when I wasn't walking in order to give my feet a break

I sighed as I rolled my eyes "Since now, I guess"

I brushed past her as she too walked back over to her desk and sat down

I marched up to the door of the head manager's office and pushed it open before stepping into the fully air-conditioned space

He was seated behind his desk and had been flipping through some papers but he looked up immediately I walked in.

I clenched my hands into fists as I saw the way his dark brown eyes raked over me hungrily, lingering more on my hips and the small cleavage left exposed by the fitted, black office dress I had on

This was what I hated about Jack Monroe

This was what made me hate working directly under him as the sales manager.

My position as the sales manager and his as the head manager meant that the two of us always had frequent closed door meetings alone in order to have discussions about the company and strategize on how to boost sales

Though I had always managed to set up the meetings during work hours when my coworkers where around so I could scream if he dared try anything; Jack would always find ways to make my skin crawl and my stomach churn with disgust, either from the way he looked at me or from the way he would always try to make unnecessary body contact with me

I often asked myself why he disgusted me so much and made my skin crawl

Was it the fact that he was ten years older than me or because he was my boss?

It was probably both because he wasn't exactly ugly

I was sure some women would even find his dark brown eyes, sandy blonde hair and lean-muscled body attractive

But I just wasn't one of those women and it was getting harder to refrain myself from slapping him across the face every time he looked at me inappropriately or tried to touch me

I couldn't do that because I would definitely get fired and I needed this job to survive

So I unclenched my fists, cleared my throat, squared my shoulders and asked as politely as I could; "You wanted to see me?"

His eyes reluctantly moved from my chest to meet mine "Yes, I just finished reading the monthly sales report you put together and I loved it. We're doing way better than the last two months"

I forced a smile "Yes we are and I'm glad you like the report, Mr Monroe"

He nodded severally as he gave me a quick once over "Yes, the report was very well put together and written. Good work, Camie"

'Stop calling me that, dammit!' I screamed in my head but kept the fake smile plastered on my face and even bowed slightly

"Thanks, Mr Monroe" I said and was about to turn around and walk out when an idea popped into my head

"Um.... since you liked the report, can I ask for a favor?" I uttered and both his brows arched in surprise, his lips slowly spread in a smirk before he licked them

What a fucking pervert

Just what the hell was he thinking that I'd ask for?

That I'd ask him to let me give him a blow job or what?

"Yes you can. Anything you want, it's yours" he uttered and I offered him a saccharine smile

"I'd like you to grant me permission to leave early. Today is my boyfriend's birthday and I want to spend time with him"

The excited look on his face vanished immediately and was replaced with a sour one, making me press my lips together to force back the amused snort that was threatening to spill out of me

Jack cleared his throat awkwardly and sat up straighter in his seat, the sour look on his face now morphing into a small, displeased frown

I was sure he was deeply regretting promising that he'd give me anything I wanted

His gaze remained on the small stack of papers on his desk as he said in a low tone; "Permission granted, you may go. But just this once and I want you here in the office tomorrow by 8am"

A giddy, victory smile formed on my face

Yes!

"Thank you, Mr Monroe. I promise I'll be here by 7:30 tomorrow!"

He merely grunted in response and I thanked him again before speed-walking out of his office, resisting the urge to even skip with joy

I flashed Diana a toothy grin as I walked past her desk and she arched a brow at me while mouthing; "What happened in there?"

I shrugged off her question before stopping at my desk. I grabbed my bag and began stuffing all the things I needed inside while humming a tune I had just made up

Diana appeared beside me just as I had put my phone; the last item I wanted, into my bag and slung it over my shoulder

"You're leaving? To where? Did that douchebag Monroe send you out on an errand?" She hissed in a whisper with wide eyes and I chuckled

"No he didn't, I got permission to leave early. So see you later, I'm going to spend time with Ryan" I replied and turned on my heel, marching swiftly out of the office before she could say anything else.

I rode the elevator down to the ground floor before running out of the building that served as a home to many other offices running different practices and businesses

I walked out into the bright afternoon sun and flagged down a taxi before hopping inside and rattling off the address to Ryan's house to the driver.

My excitement continued to grow the closer I got to his house. I couldn't wait to surprise him by showing up to his house this early on a weekday

The car turned onto the street where Ryan's house was located in and I quickly thrust the bill to the driver as I cried; "I'm getting off here!"

The driver pulled over in front of the bakery two buildings away from Ryan's place and I hopped out before making a beeline for the bakery.

I stepped into the sweet smelling air-conditioned space and quickly ordered a cake, had 'Happy Birthday Love' written on it and walked out of the bakery few minutes later carrying the neatly boxed cake

I speed-walked past the two buildings in between Ryan's place and the bakery with the giddy smile never leaving my face.

Ryan's place was a one-bedroom apartment in the same building with a couple other apartments.

Pretty much everyone in NY city lived in apartment buildings, including myself. The government preferred building apartment complexes to single houses because, unlike single houses, they required less land while simultaneously being able to house more people.

I practically flew up the front steps to the building and pushed the double doors open with my back as I kept a firm grip on the box containing Ryan's cake.

I stepped into the lobby and smiled slightly when I spotted Frank - the only doorman I was a little close to and by 'a little close to' I meant exchanging simple greetings of 'good morning, good night and have a great day!'

He was a young guy in his mid-twenties, with golden-blonde hair, green eyes and a very friendly smile. He was standing behind the marble counter that served as the front desk and peering intently at a piece of paper in his hand with a small frown of concentration

"Hi Frank" I greeted to get his attention and he looked up immediately but instead of the friendly smile he always flashed at me; his eyes however widened with shock and a mixture of horror

He quickly stepped out from behind the marble counter and rushed to where i was standing in front of the elevator

"M-Miss Parker, it's such a surprise to see you here by this time of the day!" He stammered slightly and I arched a brow at his strange behaviour before shrugging

"I got off work early and decided to come pay Ryan a visit" I mouthed before balancing the cake box on one arm and reaching out with the other to press the button for the elevator

My finger was just about to touch the button when Frank suddenly grabbed my arm, making me pause

"No, wait!" He squeaked in a tight voice with my arm still in his grip

I scowled at him before yanking my arm out of his grip "What the hell is wrong with you?"

His forehead was now glistening with sweat as he glanced around wildy while biting his lip and looking very anxious

"I'm sorry but you can't go up to see Ryan at the moment" he breathed and my scowl deepened

"Why the hell not?" I demanded and he gulped rather loudly before his lips slowly parted

He was about to reply when the 'ding' of the elevator cut him off and made me turn towards it with a sigh of relief. I was ready to run inside and get away from him and his strange behaviour

The elevator doors opened and I took one step forward but immediately stopped dead in my tracks at the sight before me

There; in the elevator stood Ryan and a woman I vaguely recalled him introducing to me as his co-worker, alone, their bodies pressed up against each other, her arms wrapped around his neck and his wound tightly around her waist, their eyes closed....... and their lips fused together in a deep kiss.

My breath caught in my throat, the cake box slid from my hands and crashed to the floor with a soft thud.