One Reckless Night With Mr. CEO

The sickening sound of his name, a breathless moan from another woman, was the first thing that shattered my world. I had pushed the door open, a grin on my face, ready to surprise Austin. My team had finished the work trip early, and all I could think about was being home, in bed, with my man. But the surprise was all mine. My suitcase dropped with a muffled thud, yet neither of them heard it. There he was, Austin, my boyfriend of three years, his back rigid, thrusting with such passion that I had never felt from him. And beneath him, screaming and moaning in my place, was Clarissa. My best friend for over ten years. The air stopped flowing. Every nerve ending in my body froze, locking me in a silent horror movie. I wasn't a confrontational person. I didn't scream or react loudly- I just stood there, a spectator to the demolition of my life. They were too drunk in their ecstasy to notice me. My vision blurred with immediate scalding tears, and I did the only thing I cou

You said no?!" Sana yelled, practically shaking me out of my chair that evening. We had met up at a downtown bar and I had just finished recounting the morning's events to her. I frowned, swirling the ice in my glass. "I don't want to be married. Was that not obvious?" I insisted. What we had that night was never supposed to escalate to a marriage contract. Before Owen left my apartment, he laid out the deal. He needed a temporary wife for business reasons. A year long façade to secure a massive deal and satisfy a demanding family. "Why don't you just pick one of your wealthy friends? Won't I look like a gold digger?" I asked him. "Ms. Hayes, the media can easily be manipulated. Everyone loves a good story." He stated coolly. "You will be duly compensated after one year when we get a divorce. And during that time period, I'll ensure you're properly taken care of." His terms were simple at least. But I didn't think about it for more than a few seconds. "I can't do it.

The scent of thousands of freshly cut roses clashed with the cool night air on the rooftop. I adjusted the oval-cut diamond in its velvet box, feeling the weight of this lie. If we were going to be a believable couple, we had to play the part well. And as the initiator, I had to give it my best so she could follow through accordingly. When Tessa called me earlier that day and asked for a wedding ceremony. I quickly thought that the next best thing was to plan a proposal. Something cliché and romantic that would sell it to the public eye that I was a man in love. An intentional man as they would like to speculate. My personal assistant had done well. An exclusive rooftop to overlook the busy city, a massive diamond ring, and a colossal lit-up sign screaming ' Will you marry me?' But to be fair, none of this would have been possible on such short notice if I couldn’t afford it. The doors to the terrace opened and my eyes fell on Tessa. She was perfect. Almost as

Despite her coldness, I couldn't stop starring at The Evelyn Carter.She was beautiful, the real personification of old money. Severe, impeccably dressed and her hazel green eyes possessed a gaze that could dissect diamond. It was obvious Owen got his looks from her."Owen darling, she greeted him, her voice cool and crisp. She offered him a cheek, then another, completely ignoring me until he lightly placed a hand on my shoulder."Mother, this is Tessa. Tessa, my mother, Evelyn."Owen introduced us, his voice firm, leaving no room for her to try to dismiss me.Evelyn finally turned her attention to me, her sharp eyes carefully scanning my dress, my hair, and landing critically on the diamond ring on my finger. "A pleasure, Ms Hayes. Though your entry into our family was pretty...rapid. Wouldn't you say?""Sometimes the best things in life happen fast, Mrs Carter," I replied, forcing what I thought to be a polite smile.Without a comeback, she led us into a formal dining room where

I watched Tessa's face drain of colour the moment she spotted Juliette.Good, let the fear sharpen her resolve. She needed to understand the ruthlessness of the world I was dragging her into.My internal monologue was a series of very sharp and continuing calculations. The merger was reaching a critical point and even a subtle sign of instability in my personal life could cause very serious damages. I made Tessa my shield, and she was performing her role perfectly so far. Defiant, yes, but publicly possessive. Everything was going according to plan.She suited the glamourous life. I had selected the midnight-blue gown she wore because it made her pale skin stand out even more. It hugged her curves perfectly.She looked beautiful standing there even in shock.Her chestnut brown hair was packed into a perfect bun by a stylist I picked myself too, her light brown orbs held a slight resentment, I wasn't sure if it was for me or my ex-fiancée that had positioned herself few inches away fr