ONE NIGHT, ONE ROOM, AND A BOSS

The ticket crumpled in her palm as she tightened her grip against it. Her eyes were swollen, and she could still feel her head banging with a serious migraine from the alcohol she took last night. She wore a short white dress that highlighted her slender yet curvy body, red Louboutin heels, and a silver chain that adorned her neck. Her long, wavy chestnut hair was let down.Avery settled into her seat as she boarded the plane the next morning. She kept her head down, refusing to let her eyes drift towards the couple who were giggling beside her.It could have been her and Ethan. A hot stream of tears threatened to escape, but she forced it back. She wouldn't do that today, not here.Soon, Avery arrived at her destination at Santorini and headed towards the resort she had booked a room with beforehand. She squinted, lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight.The cold breeze penetrated her skin as the waves crashed against the golden beach sand, the palm trees swaying lazily.

Avery’s eyes fluttered opened the next morning and memories from last night began flooding her mind.She was tightly wrapped in Nathaniel's arms. Avery slipped quietly out of his arms, sitting upright. Her eyes settled on his peaceful face as she carefully scanned through, tracing every perfect line of his features. "Get yourself together, Avery. Just… leave before you regret this," she muttered to herself, getting the blanket out of her body.She tiptoed out of the bed, packing her suitcase as she dressed up. She couldn't bring herself to face him, not after what happened last night. A flush rose up her cheek as the memories came flooding in."Oh, Shit." Avery smacked her head lightly, snapping herself out of her thoughts. She quietly approached the doorstep, and for a moment, she stopped by the door. A part of her still craved what she felt last night. The feelings, the intense gaze, and the butterflies in her belly. It was beyond chemistry. She had never felt this way, even thoug

The next morning, Avery walked into the company in a tailored classic dress. If there was one thing she was exceptionally good at, it was dressing well.She wore a cream silk blouse tucked into a high-waisted black pencil skirt that traced the curve of her hips before falling just below her knees. Her hair was pulled into a sleek, low bun.A gold stud earring glimmered on her ear, and a thin golden wristwatch adorned her wrist.The office elevator buzzed softly as she stepped in, the doors gliding shut as it ascended.Two women stood ahead of her, mid-conversation.Their voices hushed to a whisper the moment they noticed her, but not nearly enough to escape Avery's hearing. "Honestly," one said, leaning forward as she glanced at her reflection in the metal door. "I don't know how he manages to keep a straight face while still sweeping women off their feet. Nathaniel Hale or not, the man is a walking scandal."The other woman laughed quietly. " You mean the rumor? I heard he deals wi

By midweek, the company had made a few internal adjustments. Department leads were each assigned to their own private offices to allow easy workflow.Miss Graham had already moved into her new office that morning, leaving the rest of the team members under the supervision of Chloe, the team lead. She was now in charge of overseeing daily progress, managing reports, and coordinating with the department head.The day began with gossip and Avery had already heard more than enough of it since she got in that morning.She tried not to pay attention, but it didn’t take long to realise the whispers were about Chloe. Rumour had it that she was behind the restructuring, all because of her supposed closeness to Nathaniel.“Whoever made the decision made the right choice. It’s just standard company policy,” Avery murmured, turning her attention back to the project she’d been assigned.The office carried on in their low chatter and whispers until Chloe strutted into the room, silence settling in

The other members began packing up, the sound of shuffling papers and scraping chairs filling the room as they all moved out, leaving both of them behind. Avery kept her smile in place, even as her pulse picked up. Being around Nathaniel was easy enough, but standing in his presence was something else entirely.She stayed where she was, her hands clasped in front of her. “You wanted to review the draft, sir?”Nathaniel looked up from his laptop."Yes." he gestured to the seat opposite him. “Sit.”Avery crossed over and sat, placing the file in front of him and aligning it before pulling her hands back into her lap.Nathaniel opened it, skimming through the files while the silence grew heavier with each passing second.Avery sat still, her fingers pressing lightly together in her lap, her gaze fixed anywhere but on him. A page turned, then another.After what seemed like an eternity, he finally looked up, eyes lifting to meet hers. “About your caption draft … It's sharp and clean. A f