Trapped in His World

The phone wouldn't stop vibrating on the table.

ETHAN.

My husband's name lit up the screen.

I stared at it until my hand started shaking.

Alexander slowly sits, stares at me,as he sips his wine.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Ethan asked. His voice was flat.

Before I could answer, I heard him. That little voice that ruins all my bad decisions.

"Mummy..."

My heart dropped to my stomach.

"Leo?"

"I miss you, Mummy. Daddy ordered pizza. With extra cheese, like you like."

And just like that, I couldn't breathe.

"I'm coming, baby," I whispered. My voice cracked. "Mummy's coming home right now, okay?"

"Really?"

"Yes, baby. I'm coming."

"Okay, Mummy. I love you."

"I love you too, so much."

The call ended. The screen went black.

I was still clutching it like someone might take it from me. Like someone might take him from me.

I couldn't sit for one more second.

I grabbed my purse, my hands clumsy. "I... I have to go. I have to go home."

Alexander didn't move. He didn't look shocked, or angry.

He just slowly leaned back in his chair, picked up his phone, and looked at me. That calm, unreadable look that makes me feel completely naked

Then, quietly:

"Then go."

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

I practically ran to the elevator and hit the button like it could save me.

The doors opened. I stepped inside.

Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back.

I looked back.

He was still there. One hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone, watching me. He knows exactly how this ends. he knows I'll be back.

The doors closed.

And that's when I finally broke. The tears came so fast I couldn't wipe them away.

The truth is, I don't know what I want.

A part of me wants to be a good wife. To run home, smell Leo's hair, eat that stupid extra cheese pizza and pretend I never left the house tonight.

And the other part? The ugly, honest part?

That part wanted Alexander to stand up, slam that elevator door open, pin me against that mirrored wall and not let me go home at all.And I think I just blew my chances of having that moment with him.

I cried the whole drive home.

I pulled into our driveway, wiped my mascara in the rearview mirror, and practiced smiling.

The front door flew open before I could even knock.

"Mummy!"

Leo came running, pizza sauce on his chin.

And all I could think about was Alexander's face in that elevator mirror.

Brrrrng. Brrrrng.

My alarm.

I groaned and turned it off.

What's the point of waking up early when I know I'm getting fired today?

I walked out on CEO Alexander Sterling last night.

No. No, no, no. I'm done. I'm so done.

Getting ready for work was sluggish. Everything felt heavy.

I came downstairs. Leo was eating breakfast with his daddy. I kissed them both goodbye and headed to work.

The whole drive, I kept playing out how my dismissal would go. Would he do it in front of everyone? Would security walk me out?

I walked into my office and sat down,I have barely settled in,

Immediately, my telephone rang.

"My office. Now."

Alexander. Firm. Cold.

Oh... kill me now.

I adjusted my skirt, took a deep breath, and walked to his office, full of hope and fear of the unknown.

I knocked.

"Come in."

He was standing by the window, back to me, hands in his pockets. The city behind him. He didn't turn around right away.

On his desk were two folders.

"Close the door, Ryan," he said.

I closed it. My heart was beating so loud I was sure he could hear it.

He finally turned. His eyes dropped to my lips for half a second, then back to my eyes.

"You're not fired."

I exhaled so fast I got dizzy. "Oh my God, thank—"

"You're being transferred."

I froze.

"Effective immediately, you will no longer be working on this floor."

He leaned against the desk, arms crossed, looking down at me.

"You'll be working from my penthouse as my personal assistant. 24/7 availability. Starting tomorrow.

Except if you prefer being Fired..the ball is in your court Ryan.

Let's see how you will keep up with being a good wife."

His voice dropped. Lower. Slower.

"How you will resist the thought of just you and me in a penthouse. All by ourselves."

He stepped closer. He took my hand — not rough, but like he knew I wouldn't pull away.

His fingers trailed lightly from my hand, up my wrist, to the side of my neck. He didn't grab. He just rested them there, his thumb barely brushing my pulse. He could feel how fast it was beating.

"All the bad things I could do to you, Ryan," he whispered, his mouth so close to mine I could feel his breath. "And all the things you'd beg me to do."

My breath caught. My whole body was frozen.

He stared at my lips for a second too long, smirked like he knew exactly what he was doing to me, then — just like that — he let go and went back to his chair. Cold. Serious. Like nothing happened.

He straightened his cuffs.

"You can go back to your office."

The security will help with your transfer to the penthouse.