I walked out of his office hurriedly and shut the door quietly behind me. I made my way to a secluded part of the restroom and checked to make sure no one was there before I pulled out my phone.
My hand was shaking as I paced around the restroom and my chest tightened with disbelief. This couldn’t be real. It had to be some cosmic joke, I was both disheveled and horny at the same time and it was so crazy.
I pushed my thoughts away and looked for Jay’s number before dialing it, waiting for him to pick up the damn phone.
“This is not the time to be unavailable, Jay,” I muttered under my breathe while looking at the door nervously and praying no one would come in. I could hear people talking but it was faraway and I realized no one was close enough and I let out a sigh of relief.
Finally, the line clicked. “Emma?” Jay’s groggy voice was a balm and an irritant all at once.
“Amanda,” I corrected instinctively. He still had that bad habit of calling me by my former name and I wasn’t going to risk someone overhearing us.
“Right, Amanda,” he said mockingly and I felt like biting his head but that was not the time to be arguing about it, I had bigger problems at hand. “What’s wrong?. Have you screwed up? It’s not even been 30 minutes.”
“I’m in trouble, Jay. Big trouble.”
“Okay…” he drawled, clearly unimpressed. “What kind of trouble?”
I took a deep breath, leaning against the cold tiles. “Remember that night? The night I told you I wanted to forget?”
There was a pause. Then a groan. “Oh no. You didn’t.”
“I didn’t mean to!” My voice was a hissed whisper. “It just… happened. And now he’s my boss.”
“Your boss?” Jay sounded incredulous. “You mean the boss? The guy you had hot, mind blowing and unspeakable sex with last week?”
“Yes,” I hissed again, panic flaring anew. “Damien Caldwell. The Damien Caldwell I sold my company to years ago.”
Jay laughed. Actually laughed. “Emma, this sounds too good to be true. This is gold.”
“It’s not funny!” I yelled but quickly lowered my voice when it echoed through the restroom. “I have no idea on what to do, Jay.”
“It’s pretty simple,” he started and I was confused by what he meant but he continued, clearing up my confusion. “Use the situation to your advantage.”
The way he said it was funny because he made it sound like it was easy as just choosing a meal to eat.
“Use it to my-“ I stopped myself, fuming. “Jay, he is trouble. The kind I’ve been staying away from, protecting myself from for years. I hate the way he made me feel, the way I because so… I don’t want to have to deal with him. I can’t let him have that type of power over me again.”
“Calm down, Emma. You’re just overthinking it,” he said trying ti reassure me but I just couldn’t calm down. “If he remembers you and that night or tries to talk about it, act like you don’t care and change the subject.”
“He remembers me and it way more complicated than you’re thinking not,” I replied him, frustration evident in my voice. “I don’t know if I can do this. And he- he’s so…”
“Hot?” Jay interjected, a teasing edge in his voice.
“Intimidating,” I corrected, though heat crept up my neck. “He’s the kind of man who takes what he wants. And I won’t let him think I’m just another thing to claim.”
There was a beat of silence before Jay spoke again, his tone more serious this time. “Then don’t. Stand your ground. You’re Amanda now, remember? You’re untouchable.”
I nodded and I realized he couldn’t see me so I spoke up. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right. Now stop freaking out and go do whatever it is assistants do. File papers or fetch coffee or something.”
“Thank you for nothing,” I said to him dryly and said my goodbyes before ending the call. I took a deep breathe, trying to steady myself and let out all my frustration out. I shook my hands, straightened my clothes and walked out of the bathroom. Jay was right. I wasn’t the same person I was years ago. I wasn’t going to let something so small distract me from my mission.
Immediately I walked out of the restroom, I saw a woman shouting at a man that looked like he was a staff at the company. He had the same id card hanging from his neck just like everyone else. Even if it was none of my business, I wasn’t going to standby and watch someone who thought she was higher than others come in here and act like she wants
“I don’t care if you’re busy!” The woman yelled. “When I ask you to do something, you do it immediately I ask you to. I don’t care if someone else asked you to before me.”
The man she was yelling at stared at her blankly but I could tell her words were getting to him. The scene was enough to anger me. Without thinking, I walked to where they were both standing.
“Okay, that’s enough,” I said, stepping in between them.
The woman looked taken aback by my interruption and she stared me down, looking at me with disgust. “Excuse you? Who the hell do you think you are and what right do you have to be taking to me without me summoning you.”
“You want to know who I am right? I am someone who doesn’t appreciate bullying in the workplace no matter who you are,” I replied her in a calm yet firm voice. “Andrew here clearly apologized to you and yet you were still shouting at him. If you have any issues with him, you’re to report to HR not disgrace him.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at me and a dark expression crossed her face. “And who are you to tell me how to act or talk to people?”
I didn’t mind her harsh tone, I liked her dead in the eye and replied her. “I’m the CEO’s assistant.”
She went silent, her body becoming tense and the weight of my words hung in the air. The woman stared at me, her confidence faltering.
“Oh,” she said finally, her tone low as she sobered up at me. “I didn’t realize…”
“Well, now you do,” I said, crossing my arms. “So I suggest you think twice before speaking to anyone like that again.”
The woman muttered something under her breath, shooting me a glare before turning on her heel and stalking away.
I turned to look at the man, offering him a reassuring smile. “You okay?”He nodded quickly, looking at me like relieved like I had just saved his life.“My name is Andrew,” he introduced himself and I gave him a curt.“Amanda.”“Thank you for handling Becca for me,” he had said, his deep, smooth voice wrapping around me like a warm scarf. “She’s… difficult, but you managed her well.”I had nodded, keeping my face neutral. “It was nothing.”But then he’d smiled, the kind of smile that made my stomach flutter despite the walls I’d built around myself. “Still, I appreciate it. Let me make it up to you. How about coffee?”For a brief moment, I’d hesitated. Accepting coffee with Andrew when I had only just met him wasn’t logical but saying no would have seemed rude- or worse, defensive.But he wasn’t Damien. He wasn’t older and sexy…Shit, was i comparing men to Damien now?Seeing as Andrew waited for a really, I pushed the stupid thoughts away.I had forced a smile and agreed. “Sure. Coff
“Please, I’d like to be excused,” I said but I didn’t wait for either of them to answer before I ran out of the office.My hands were trembling as I made my way to the bathroom, my heart was racing and I was feeling suffocated.Ryan was Damien’s son which meant that I had slept with my ex’s father.Fuck!While he deserved that and more, I realized how bad this was for me. I instantly wanted a shower. I hated everything Ryan related.I suddenly started feeling cold and everything around me just seemed to come to an halt. I leaned against the cold sink and held unto it tightly.How could I have been so stupid?I closed my eyes and let the memories of the night I met Damien resurface. I should’ve never gone to him, I should’ve ignored the stupid thing that kept pulling me to him- I didn’t and now here I was, in a complicated situation.He was Ryan’s father.The thought made me nervous and I felt like I was losing my mind. If someone as manipulative, cruel and dangerous as Ryan was raised
“No,” I replied him, my voice was firm even though I was feeling the opposite. “Nothing about you affects me.”A slow, knowing smile spread across his face, as if he could see right through me. “Good,” he said simply, stepping back.We walked out of the conference room. I was still startled but I took deep breaths to calm myself. I kept my body still and tried to ignore how much my body reacted to him.We got into the elevator and I was desperate to get away from him. But as the doors closed, Damien reached out and stopped them, his hand resting on the panel.“Amanda,” he called my name with a husky voice. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that night.”I forgot how to breathe and my heart starting racing as I turned to look at him. “Damien, I-“He silenced me by walking closer to me and gripping me by my throat, I burned at the feel of his hand against my bare skin. “I want you…” he started before running his other hand through my hair. “I want you to look into my eyes and te
My body still hummed with the memory of Damien’s hands on me, his lips claiming mine, the possessiveness in his every movement but all I could feel was shake and disgust at myself. I immediately got a hold of myself, smoothened my cloth and exited the elevator even though my knees were still shaken and I could still hear his voice. I tried not to think of it all through the day while I got tasks done.I hated him. I hated how he made me feel, made me lose control and the way I fell apart just by him looking at me. Most of all, I hated myself for letting him have his way with me. Again. I was stronger than that, more in control. But around him, I became someone I didn’t recognize, someone weak and submissive. I let out a sigh and packed my things as I exited the office. When I got back to my apartment, I had nothing to distract me so the memories came flooding back into my mind. I couldn’t sleep and everything I tried to close my eyes, I felt the touch of Damien on my body, his tongue
“We need to talk,” I spoke up, my voice was curt and sharp even if his eyes on me had disoriented me. He leaned back into his chair, cocked an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. “By all means, Amanda. What’s so urgent?”I shut the door behind me and walked further into his office. I took a deep breath to steady myself before I looked at him dead in the eyes. “There was a camera in the elevator,” I told him, my voice blunt and words straight to the point. “It needs to be deleted.”His expression changed into one of amusement and he sat up before tilting his head slightly. “Why?”“Why?” I repeated, incredulous. “You know why. That footage- it’s…” I paused, searching for the right word. “Inappropriate.”A smirk made its way to his lips. “Inappropriate? I’d say it was more… passionate.”I balled my hands into fists as heat rose to my face. “Dam… Mr Caldwell, this isn’t funny and I am fucking serious. That footage can’t exist, it must be deleted.”He stood up from his seat, walk
The day was going as expected as always bit I was on front desk duty in front of Damien’s office. I was trying my best to get my work done and not thinking about Damien or the way he had looked this morning when he demanded I sit at the desk. I was focused on the documents in front of me, sorting through them where I heard someone’s footsteps approaching. I looked up and saw it was the woman from the other day- Becca, she was looking as confident as always and had on a very expensive outfit and her cologne screamed luxury too so I knew she was rich. She barely spared me a glance as she disappeared into Damien’s office without knocking.I rolled my eyes. Becca had been circling Damien for weeks now, her flirtation as obvious as her too-tight pencil skirts. Not that it mattered to me. I didn’t care who Damien moved around with- it wasn’t like it bothered me anyways. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. About theory minutes later, Becca walked out of the office looking… well
Before I knew it, Damien had gotten out of his chair and walked to me, closing the distance that was between us in just few steps. He held my hand tightly but not painfully as he held me in place. He pushed me against the wall, his body towering over mine as his dark eyes bored into mine. “Enough,” he growled, his voice a dangerous rumble. “I have had enough of your attitude, Amanda.”My breathe caught in my throat and my brain screamed at me to just apologize and leave but I was too stubborn. I glared at him with my heart racing. “What? Did my words hurt? Or is it just hard to hear the truth?”He clenched his teeth and for a moment, I thought he was going to snap and yell at me. But to my surprise, he leaned in to me, his warm breath fanning over my ear as he spoke. “You don’t want me to touch or fuck you, which is fine. But I would do many things to you to show you that you aren’t meant to talk to me like you just did.” An involuntary shiver ran down my spine as the heat radiating
I was a trembling mess and I was still struggling to steady my breathing and gather myself. The cool surface of Damien’s desk beneath me felt solid, grounding, but my mind was chaos. I had let him have his way with me again, let him see me vulnerable and in a powerless state where all that was in my head was his hands on my body and the way he was pleasuring me.I had shameless been aroused by his words and touched and I had lost control. This wasn’t me, I never lost control, I was never weak like Emma. I was Amanda and I was mad at myself once again.I turned around and tried to loosen the tie that was still tied around my now sore wrist but Damien stopped me, leaned into me and bit gently on my ear. He whispered into my ear and he hot breath against my skin sent shivers all over my body. “Now,” he murmured, his tone dark and intoxicating, “kneel, take my dick out of my pants and suck it like your life depends on it.”I became stiff and every feeling of desire that was once in me vani
AndrewI always knew I loved Anna. A few months had passed since Am- sorry Emma and Anna reunited, they had been spending so much time together and I could help but love how much they were bonding. Emma was back at work and even if people didn’t know she was the Amanda, they still loved her. Work had been going so well and even Damien was different, seeing our boss involved had shocked us all but we loved the change that came with it. Emma was happy and I was happy with Anna too. Our love had waxed stronger and it was practically impossible to separate us. She was more than my girlfriend- she was my world, my peace and everything precious I had in the world. Every time I looked at her, I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the one I wanted to wake up to each morning and the one I wanted to bear my kids and annoy forever. And I was fully ready to take things to the next level. I wanted to marry her.My mind was made up, so immediately I got home after
AnnaI couldn’t stop looking at the woman that was in front of me. She walked closer to me and wrapped her hands around me, pulling me into a hug and that was only when I realized that it was real and I wasn’t dreaming. Emma- my Emma was really standing in front of me.She was alive and well after all these years. I had cried and looked for her every day even after I was told she bribed in the fire, I had refused to give up on my search for her because they provided me with no body.Only after searching years did I stop, and now she was standing right in front of me. She was alive, just like I had believed it, I wrapped my arms around her tightly, tears welling up in my eyes as I hugged her like my life depended on it. “Emma…” I managed to say, pulling away from her and holding her by the shoulders, staring at her intently. Her eyes were glistening with tears and her lips trembled as she tittered my smile. “Let’s go sit,” she said in a soft tone. “I need to explain everything.”I g
AndrewAfter Amanda and I planned out how things would go and how she should meet Anna, she finally left, happier than she had come. I was grateful that she was safe and they things had turn out amazing for her. Immediately Amanda left, Anna had called me and told me how busy she was and that she only had a few minutes for break and she decided to check in on me. I assured her that I understood and I took that as the right opportunity to ask her out on a date, using the excuse of her being stressed out and we could use that time to destress while spending time with each other. She agreed and we ended the call. I immediately called Amanda and told her about what I had planned, she thanked me profusely and I ended the call, going to get ready for the date. After I was done dressing, I got into my car and headed to Anna’s apartment. When I got there, I got down from my car and walked to the door with some flowers I had picked up on my way there. “Okay, you can do this, Andrew,” I sa
Andrew “I find it hard to believe you,” Anna finally said, her voice cracking. “If you were able to hide this from me, what more are you hiding from me?”“I’m not hiding anything from you, Anna. I swear it,” I replied her. She didn’t reply but she turned away from me and started pacing around the room. I looked at her silently, waiting for her to say something. I had been so worried about Amanda and I had said what I shouldn’t have and now I had angered her, I prayed silently, hoping that she would forgive me. “Anna, please,” I murmured again. “Just listen to me.”She stopped pacing and turned to face me, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. “Do you swear, Andrew? Swear to me that’s there’s nothing more to you and Amanda expert being friends.”I quickly got up and walked to her, taking her hands and holding on to them firmly, my eyes locking with hers. “I swear by everything I have, Anna. There’s nothing. Amanda is just a friend and that is what she would forever remain.”“Prom
Andrew “I’m sorry okay?”“Apology accepted,” I replied, mirroring her smile. We pulled away from each other and she went to turn on the TV picking movie of her choice like I had asked her to.We sat on the floor, my legs open and her in between them, resting on my chest as we watched the movie. We watched the movie for a while before we started talking about other thing, barely paying any mind to the movie that was playing. “Do you want more cookies?” She asked, picking up the plate and bringing it closer to me. I grinned. “If I eat any more, I won’t fit into my jeans tomorrow.”“Your loss,” she teased, biting into one herself.This was what I loved about Anna- things with her always felt so easy, so natural. But with Amanda, it was the opposite, I still couldn’t wrap my head around how they were related, they were different. Anna sat up before turning and facing me directly, bending her head slightly with a small smile on her face. “So… how’s Amanda? I haven’t seen her around
The air was filled with a suffocating tension as I drove, I held on to the steering wheel tightly, driving through both empty and busy streets trying to get to the location Amanda had sent me as fast as I could. She was sitting beside, silent and nervously staring out the window. I knew how badly she wanted to save Damien, it was weird to me, when she had left the office without a word, he didn’t even look bothered or try to reach out to her. But here she was, trying all her best to save the man that could have possibly killed her father. She didn’t mind, all she wanted was for him to be safe, even if he’d never get back to her. I admired her and how trusting she was because she was going to meet a guy names Jay. I didn’t know why, but the minute she mentioned his name, I started feeling weird about it because something about the man even though I had never met him seemed suspicious. I tried telling her but she brushed it aside and said he had always helped her. I wanted to stop h
After I settled into my apartment, I showered and had a change of clothes then headed to Damien’s house, I wasn’t going waste anymore time or let doubt could my mind. I was going to do this now. I needed to tell him everything. Damien’s house loomed large and imposing as I approached the gates. My heart pounded with each step. Would he even let me in?The guard at the gate must have somehow recognized me and he allowed me through without hesitation. I walked to the front door of the house, my hands shaky and my stomach in knots. Hesitantly I ringed the bell, expecting the maid to come open the door but, instead, it was Damien who came to open the door. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him and for a moment, none of us said anything. “Amanda?” he finally spoke up, his voice soft and filled with surprise and an emotion I couldn’t quite place my hands on. I let out a small sigh. “It’s Emma,” I said softly. “And I came back… for you.”His eyes widened in shock me he moved
Damien’s words kept replying in my head over the weeks that passed. He was right, I had to live my truth if I really wanted to make things right. There was no need in pretending to someone I wasn’t, I had done that for a reason and even if I had been successful with my mission. I was still unhappy and I felt bitter. If living my truth was what would make Damien forgive me or even come back to me, I didn’t mind. But, most of all, I was doing this for myself. I needed to reconnect with my family and give myself the chance to be happy. I booked an appointment with the surgeon that had changed my face years ago and started packing my things for the trip to Miami. A few days later, my trip was booked, my bags were packed and I headed to the airport. The flight there was long but it was worth it, I hated traveling but I had to do this. Immediately, the plane landed, I ordered a ride to the hotel I had booked down and I didn’t bother resting before I headed to the clinic. I alighted
Few days after Jay was arrested and I was saved from almost dying, it was aired on the news. Apparently, Jay was not what he had painted himself to be to me. He was evil and sinister, in fact he had been diagnosed with a mental disorder and was supposed to be treated but he didn’t get help. All he wanted was revenge, just like… me. They had also raided the creepy looking building he had been staying in and they had found the documents that contained all the necessary information to prove that Damien was innocent. Jay had it all this time but still lied that we had to go to the warehouse just because he wanted to get rid of me, he knew Damien was innocent but was blinded by revenge that he wanted him to suffer no matter what. A tear slipped down my face and another and then another. I was now fully crying and I just couldn’t stop myself. My life was messed up, no one in it was good and I feared that the one person that might’ve been the truth would want nothing to do with me. I wa