“Where were your clothes, anyway? Weren’t you cold?” I asked as we stepped into the elevator.I was bundled head‑to‑toe, but he stood beside me in nothing but board shorts and a towel slung over one shoulder.What. A. Tease.“I’m the hottest man on earth,” he purred, winking.Right—no wonder I was sweating like hell.Ever since we had left the pool, I had felt his eyes soaking me in. Suspicious? Oh, please, no.The elevator dinged. Two women stepped in. Their gazes glued themselves to Johnny, and they giggled when he flashed a smile.“There’s a party on the rooftop—everyone’s invited,” the blonde chirped, while the brunette blatantly simped over my half‑naked boss. I shrank into the corner.“Sounds fun,” he said.The doors slid open on my floor, and I slipped out like a breeze, bee‑lining for my room. I didn’t even check whether Johnny followed.The jerk had oceans of time for women; he would forget a plain Jane like me in a heartbeat.Man‑whore.I scoffed and shoved my door open—only
I groaned as the buzzing beside the bed yanked me out of sleep.Fumbling around, I found a phone—not mine."Galactic Dic group chat?" I mumbled, blinking and rubbing my eyes. I had to squint at the screen like a grandma.This is definitely not my phone.The latest message, from someone named Captain Extortion, said: "Yo, 'Panty Collector' missed rooftop drinks last night. Who's the lucky girl, Johnny?"—followed by a flood of crying GIFs.Wait... what?I tossed the phone onto the bed just as Johnny been puked out by the bathroom, robe around his waist, towel in his hair.Our eyes met.He grinned, smug and annoyingly satisfied. He looked so proud—dripping with that post-sex confidence. I could already tell he was dying to mock me about finally sleeping with his secretary.Guess I’m getting fired."Sleeping Beauty’s up," he said.I yanked the blanket to my chin, holding it like a shield as he walked over.His scent—fancy hotel shampoo and something expensive—went from my nose then straig
"Your new parcel just arrived," I announced, depositing the box on his table with a grunt. "Your lube, condoms, and heaven knows what else." The usual smugness on his face was absent today. His eyes—colder than the depths of the sea but hotter than the sun—were throwing glares at the hard copy report from the finance department. "Problem?" I asked casually, as if I didn't work for him and was just talking to an idiot friend of mine. "I didn’t get my fill last night, got a speeding ticket this morning, and then this..." He tossed the red folder onto his unorganized table and passed his glare to me, as if I were the one who caused all his headaches. "That motherfucking cocksucker thought stealing all my ideas and endorsing my products would take him a step ahead of me," he added, pointing at his chest. Lifting my eyebrows, I already knew what was making his million bubbles of ego burst. In his world of bachelor life and business, there was one daredevil who dared to oppose
"Yuck!" I exclaimed, gargling for the tenth time. But no matter how many times I brushed my teeth, wiped my lips, and washed my mouth, the warmth of his lips against mine still lingered. And it made my stomach churn! The way his touch still burned my skin gave me goosebumps. And it sickened me because the more I forced myself to hate the feeling, the more I liked it. "This is all your fault, Cassidy. If you weren’t so easily deceived by money, you wouldn’t have to suffer," I scolded myself, staring into the mirror. "Look at yourself. You look like a damn rainbow—like your old self, stupid." The first few weeks were fine. I believed I could get through this easily. But weeks turned into months, months turned into a year, and now, I've been tormented for almost two years! Johnny is an insanely attractive man—no one has the guts to deny it, not even me. Physically ideal, but behaviorally flawed. This prolonged misery taught me a lot of things about that bastard. He never misse
"Money… no money… money…" I gasped when I picked the last petal until the stem was empty. "No money?" I muttered, slapping my palm against my forehead. I knew that whenever Johnny asked for a favor, it would bring me trouble. And if he threw out bait with his "I'll pay you" sentence, I wasn't just screwed—I was about to be broke. Tamara had just witnessed a horrifying sight—her son trying to get into the pants of the one person she trusted… me. I’d seen the look on her face, and it made me feel guilty. "Guess I'm not the right choice after all," I grumbled under my breath, tossing the skinny stem I’d murdered somewhere and shifting in my seat, feeling how my butt was starting to go numb from sitting and waiting on the bench for half an hour. Tamara had left me a message after I left Johnny’s place—aka Hell’s annex to Earth—asking me to meet her at the park. So here I was, about an hour earlier than the same time because all my energy to work my ass off in his forsaken compa
My vision spun while my heart played a hard rock inside my chest. I felt like puking everything I ate today, and my knees were seconds away from giving up on me. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I croaked, gripping the doorknob for dear life because if I didn’t, I’d be kissing the floor. How did he know? Did Tamara tell him? No, that’s impossible—unless he figured it out himself. Is he spying on me? No way. He wouldn’t waste a second of his precious time on me. He’d rather be chasing some round, bouncy ass instead of keeping tabs on me. Maybe he’s got eyes and ears everywhere. Or maybe it’s his mother. Typical billionaire power move. But I doubt it—he’s not that smart, in my opinion. He scoffed, leaning in so close he sucked all the air from my lungs. My eyes widened. My senses shut down. “You were masturbating before I knocked on your door,” he whispered, then laughed in my face like a teenage boy who never mentally outgrew puberty. Is this how he talks to women a
Forcefully swallowing the lump in my throat, I felt it drag its way down to my already churning stomach as I stared at myself in the mirror.I'm looking at the woman I always wanted to be: flawless, expensive, living in luxury. And tonight, I am that woman.A deep red dress—hell, a revenge dress—is barely holding me together. It’s long, but it’s hanging so low, both front and back, that it’s more like I’m not wearing anything at all. Perfect for the plan. Perfect to show off my tattoo.I traced my fingers down my bare neck, trailed it over the hollow of my chest, exposed and teasing.Tonight, I’m a tease."I believe this will complete your look," Tamara’s voice whispered behind me, and before I could protest, she draped a necklace around my neck—a ruby pendant, heavy and suffocating, adorned the emptiness around my neck.She stepped back, eyes full of pride as she examined me in the mirror."You look more fabulous than I imagined. You’ll have Johnny’s attention in no time, I’m sure."
This wasn't part of the plan.What I had to do was simple: make him want to know about me, make him chase me, starve him, then leave him.Then what the fuck is this?"Hmm..." I moaned like there was something painful in me. Like there was indeed hurting. I'm leaking down there, and he's the reason why.When he asked for fun, I gave him my consent. Now here we are, in the parking lot of the building, making more than just a mystery—but also a crime.But the care I had washed away the moment his lips found mine. I thought it would be magical and the peak of heaven, but no, it was something darker, full of greed, and far from being in paradise.A sinful desire, he is.His lips were burning my skin. Every graze left a mark that caused a shiver down my spine, skin crawled, and my toes curled.I've never felt mmself so alive like this. Or was it just because I haven't been touched for a long time now? And this hits different.I gasped when his hand cupped my wet mound and pressed it, massag
I groaned as the buzzing beside the bed yanked me out of sleep.Fumbling around, I found a phone—not mine."Galactic Dic group chat?" I mumbled, blinking and rubbing my eyes. I had to squint at the screen like a grandma.This is definitely not my phone.The latest message, from someone named Captain Extortion, said: "Yo, 'Panty Collector' missed rooftop drinks last night. Who's the lucky girl, Johnny?"—followed by a flood of crying GIFs.Wait... what?I tossed the phone onto the bed just as Johnny been puked out by the bathroom, robe around his waist, towel in his hair.Our eyes met.He grinned, smug and annoyingly satisfied. He looked so proud—dripping with that post-sex confidence. I could already tell he was dying to mock me about finally sleeping with his secretary.Guess I’m getting fired."Sleeping Beauty’s up," he said.I yanked the blanket to my chin, holding it like a shield as he walked over.His scent—fancy hotel shampoo and something expensive—went from my nose then straig
“Where were your clothes, anyway? Weren’t you cold?” I asked as we stepped into the elevator.I was bundled head‑to‑toe, but he stood beside me in nothing but board shorts and a towel slung over one shoulder.What. A. Tease.“I’m the hottest man on earth,” he purred, winking.Right—no wonder I was sweating like hell.Ever since we had left the pool, I had felt his eyes soaking me in. Suspicious? Oh, please, no.The elevator dinged. Two women stepped in. Their gazes glued themselves to Johnny, and they giggled when he flashed a smile.“There’s a party on the rooftop—everyone’s invited,” the blonde chirped, while the brunette blatantly simped over my half‑naked boss. I shrank into the corner.“Sounds fun,” he said.The doors slid open on my floor, and I slipped out like a breeze, bee‑lining for my room. I didn’t even check whether Johnny followed.The jerk had oceans of time for women; he would forget a plain Jane like me in a heartbeat.Man‑whore.I scoffed and shoved my door open—only
"Almost forty grand, and that was called mercy," I scoffed with sarcastic delight, struggling to hold all the shopping bags in my hands. I shuffled my way toward the hotel veranda and headed straight to my suite.Johnny loves spending money—and I thank him for giving me a decent place to stay. Though honestly, I'd accept anything, as long as I don’t have to share it with him."Thank you for the blessing, Mr. Johnny Miles."I ended my night with a long, happy sigh.It’s not every day I get to buy whatever I want. I didn’t even have to touch the allowance Tamara gave me, and all my wants? Solved.After stripping off all my clothes, I hopped in the shower, then slipped into a robe. I was about to begin my nightly ritual when my phone buzzed.Of course. Johnny.That man just doesn’t know how to make a call."Why would he?" I muttered, smirking. "If he’s trying to give Mrs. Walker crutches." I snorted as I flopped down on the edge of the bed. "She won’t be a ‘walker’ by tomorrow." I let ou
"Hey, Cassy babe. Which one do you think suits me best?" He lifted two identical ties in front of me, looking overdressed with all his buttons done.I came by his hotel room to remind him of what he had to do today, but I think everything I said just went in one ear and out the other.Without glancing at them, I pointed at the one on the right with my pen."Did you hear what I just told you?" I asked, arching an eyebrow while he chose the one on the left, making me scoff.Why did he even bother asking?"The dinner meeting with Mrs. Walker will start in a few moments. Her secretary gave me a copy of her proposal and—surprise—you didn’t bother touching it," I muttered, picking up the folder from the table. "I read the whole thing, just like you asked.""Uh-huh?" he mumbled, tone completely disinterested."Would you like me to express what I think about it?" I insisted, finally lifting my eyes to look at him—only to find him fumbling with his tie."Tell me something about Mrs. Walker," h
"Sorry for being an asshole — your boss, John Bailey Miles, CEO of the Miles Shipping Corporation." That was what was written on the card attached to the bouquet.I would've felt bad if it wasn’t for his whole name and title being written below it. I would've felt worse if it were handwritten, but it was printed like a calling card—except it didn’t even have his number.But… he bought me roses. "White" roses.Is the jerk finally trying to graduate from being who he is? I don't think so. He must've just Googled what flowers mean or told one of his "peasants" to do all this for him."At least he apologized," I muttered nasally and slipped the card into my journal. "But he apologized in the most asshole way." I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on my dull workday.I do the same thing every day, and I've already got the gist of it. But today, aside from what Johnny left unattended, I was also blessed with more stress when he locked himself in his office. And yes, it frustrates the heck ou
"Hmm..." I hummed after a sip of caffeine in the morning, my eyes closed.Then I heard a deep chuckle.When I opened my eyes, I found Stefano looking at me in amusement as he took a bite of his breakfast."Sorry, it's just that I get too engrossed in the feeling whenever I drink coffee," I cleared up with a wince, placing the mug down and shrugging."Who doesn't?" he replied and copied the way I sipped my coffee, causing me to laugh at him. "How long have you been working for Mr. Miles, if you don't mind me asking?""It'll be two years next month," I answered, fixing my hairband. "Still new, but for the record, the only one who lasted that long.""Really?""Sir Johnny's been a CEO for three years only, and he changed his secretary more than a hundred times before I came," I explained, owning it as a compliment for myself. "His mother put me on the chair, and I fit right in. Because I have no interest in him. I'm right for the job."He arched his eyebrow. His aura was too bright that I
"I gotta run," I muttered and braced myself, but then the window rolled down, revealing the familiar, inviting face of a cute architect. "Mr. Sinclair?""Hi," he greeted with a wide smile. "Do you need a ride?"My lips turned upside down when he opened the door for me, and I hopped in without hesitation. "You saved my life!" I exclaimed and hugged him.I felt him stiffen from my sudden action but eventually chuckled it off and patted my back twice for comfort."I don't have my wallet with me. I couldn't go back to work, and I thought I was just going to walk back to the building and—ugh! That bastard just left me here," I grumbled as I settled myself back in the passenger seat."Mr. Miles?" he asked, confirming who I was referring to."Who else?" I scoffed. "If there's someone I would put a spell on and curse, it would be him. Johnny Miles.""Okay," Stefano slowly uttered, hinting a small smile on his lips. "Uh... you might wanna—here, let me." He leaned closer to me, reaching for the
Goosebumps? Oh, yes.Blush? It wasn’t the makeup I put on but the heating up of my cheeks as my head echoed what just happened inside the elevator.I felt my tongue go numb the whole helicopter ride until we got into the restaurant.And the reason is sitting right in front of me, halfway done with his steak. Decently and slowly gnawing the meat while those eyes were glued on me.I audibly swallowed and aided my drying throat with a swig of water.What’s he doing? It’s either he’s high, or he’s trying to make me regret that I slapped his “ticket to paradise” to his face.This isn’t fair!“You never asked anyone to eat lunch with you. Not even your own mother,” I broke the thick silence between us as I gripped the utensils in my hands. “Is this you telling me that you’re dying?”A smirk formed on his lips before he sucked in his inner cheek and poured all his attention on me. “Just in the mood to do so,” he simply answered. “Why? Would you rather join that nerd instead of having a roman
Is my tongue out? Almost.Johnny had been sulky and hot-headed all morning until noon, and now he’s letting out steam—on me.I still can't believe he managed to keep his ass inside the office and actually work. It’s a rare event. And somehow, it's making my nose wrinkle. I haven't even taken a breather and my stomach is already crying for food.For the past hour, I’ve gone down and back to my desk more than a dozen times. He’s even asking me to do tasks that aren't mine.“Looks like Sir Johnny’s giving you a workout, huh, Cassidy?” Miss Thessaloniki, the fat redheaded HR manager—aka Miss T—comments while munching on her donut by the shredder.Every minute is snack time for her.I'm still amazed she hasn’t developed type 2 diabetes. She’s been gaining weight every day—I can tell by how the buttons on her blouse are struggling to contain her stomach.Even her stilettos look like they’re begging for help, barely holding her feet in.I’m not fatphobic—it’s just that she’s a total bitch to