CHAPTER 7: The Week From Hell

I didn't sleep that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that professional photo. Alexander Sterling. CEO. Billionaire. The man whose bed I'd shared three nights ago.

By morning, I'd convinced myself I had options.

Option one: Quit. Just send an email to my boss saying I'd changed my mind about the merger position. Find another job. Never see Alexander Sterling again.

Except I couldn't afford to quit. I had exactly $2,347 in my bank account after paying for that hotel room and my credit card bills. And jobs in marketing weren't exactly growing on trees.

Option two: Show up Monday and pretend we'd never met. He was a CEO. He probably met hundreds of people. Maybe he wouldn't even remember me.

Even as I thought it, I knew it was bullshit. You didn't forget a night like that. I certainly hadn't.

Option three: Email him. Explain the situation. Clear the air before Monday so it wouldn't be awkward.

But I didn't have his email. And even if I did, what would I say? "Hi, remember me? The woman you slept with? Yeah, I'm going to be your employee now. Awkward!"

No. There was only one real option: show up, be professional, and pray he'd be professional too.

"You're spiraling," Sarah said, appearing in the doorway with two mugs of coffee. "I can literally see the anxiety radiating off you."

"I slept with my future boss, Sarah. How am I supposed to not spiral?"

She settled onto the bed next to me, handing over one of the mugs. "First of all, you didn't know he was your boss when you slept with him. Second, you're both adults. Third—and hear me out on this—maybe it's not the disaster you think it is."

"How? How is this not a disaster?"

"Well." She sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "He's single, right? The internet said he's a widower."

"That makes it worse! He lost his wife and I'm just some random hookup who—"

"Stop." Sarah held up a hand. "You're spiraling again. Let's break this down logically. What's the worst that can happen on Monday?"

I considered. "He fires me before I even start?"

"Can he do that? Legally?"

"Probably not. But he's a billionaire. He can do whatever he wants."

"Okay, what else?"

"He tells everyone we slept together. I become the office joke. The gold digger who tried to sleep her way to the top."

"Would he do that?"

I thought about Alex—Alexander—and how he'd been that night. Gentle. Respectful. Asking consent at every step.

"No," I admitted. "I don't think he would."

"So worst case, it's awkward. You both pretend it never happened and you do your job. Best case—"

"There is no best case, Sarah."

"Best case, he's just as affected by that night as you are and you get a second chance."

My heart did a stupid flip at the thought. "I don't want a second chance."

"Liar."

"I don't! It was one night. It was perfect because it was one night. Trying to make it into something more would ruin it."

Sarah gave me a look that said she didn't believe a word of it. "If you say so."

The rest of Sunday was spent stress-eating ice cream and obsessively googling "Alexander Sterling."

The internet had a lot to say about him.

Forty-five years old. Widower. His wife Sophia had died two years ago from cancer. No dating rumors since then. One son, James Sterling, who worked as a VP at Sterling Corporation.

There were dozens of photos—at charity galas, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, board meetings. In all of them, he looked polished and professional and completely different from the man who'd kissed me breathless in a hotel suite.

"Stop stalking him," Sarah called from the living room where she was watching reality TV.

"I'm researching!"

"You've been staring at the same photo for ten minutes."

I closed my laptop guiltily. She was right. This wasn't helping.

Monday would come whether I was ready or not. I just had to survive until then.

---

Monday morning arrived with all the subtlety of a freight train.

I changed my outfit four times. Too casual. Too formal. Too "I'm trying too hard." Finally, I settled on a black pencil skirt and a cream blouse. Professional. Confident. Not at all like someone who was internally screaming.

"You look great," Sarah said, handing me a travel mug of coffee. "Stop fidgeting with your hair."

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can. You're Bella Martinez. You're smart and talented and you didn't claw your way through college working three jobs to let some awkward situation stop you now."

She was right. I'd survived worse than this. My parents dying. Putting myself through school. Three years with James. I could survive one meeting with a man I'd slept with.

Even if that man was now technically my boss.

The Sterling Corporation headquarters was in Midtown—a gleaming tower of glass and steel that looked exactly like the kind of building a billionaire would own. 

I stood on the sidewalk, staring up at it. Somewhere in there, Alexander Sterling was probably in his office. Maybe he was thinking about me. Maybe he'd already forgotten.

I didn't know which option was worse.

"You coming in or what?"

I turned to find a woman about my age, blonde hair pulled into a neat bun, looking at me expectantly.

"Sorry, yes. Just—taking it in."

"First day?" She smiled. "I'm Claire. Marketing department."

"Bella. Also marketing. Sort of. I'm from Martinez Marketing. The merger?"

"Oh, right! We've been expecting you guys. Come on, I'll show you where the conference room is."

The lobby was as impressive as the exterior. Marble floors. Modern art on the walls. A receptionist who looked like she could model for Vogue.

We took the elevator to the 15th floor. Marketing department. Not the executive level where Alexander's office would be. That was good. Maybe I could avoid him entirely.

The conference room was already half-full when we arrived. My colleagues from Martinez Marketing—people I'd worked with for three years—and several Sterling Corp employees.

"Bella!" My boss, Richard Chen, waved me over. "Glad you could make it. We're just waiting for a few more people and then we'll get started."

I took a seat near the middle of the table. Not too prominent. Not too hidden. Just another employee ready to discuss marketing strategies and departmental integration.

I could do this.

The door opened. More Sterling employees filed in. The room was getting crowded. Someone made a joke about ordering coffee. Someone else laughed.

Normal. This was all completely normal.

"Alright everyone, let's get started." Richard stood at the head of the table. "First, I want to thank Alexander Sterling for this opportunity. Sterling Corporation's acquisition of Martinez Marketing is going to open up incredible possibilities for all of us."

Polite applause. I joined in mechanically, my heart starting to pound.

"Mr. Sterling should be joining us shortly," Richard continued. "In the meantime, let me introduce you to James Sterling, VP of Marketing, who'll be overseeing our integration."

Wait. James?

The door opened again.

And there he was. My ex-boyfriend. James Sterling. Walking into the conference room with that familiar swagger, that self-satisfied smile.

"Thanks, Richard," James said, taking a position at the front of the room. "I'm excited to welcome the Martinez team to Sterling Corporation. We've got big plans for—"

His eyes scanned the room and landed on me.

I watched his expression change. Surprise. Then something uglier. A smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Well, well," he said. "Bella Martinez. I didn't realize you'd be joining us."

Every head in the room turned to look at me.

My mouth went dry. "James."

"You two know each other?" Claire asked, looking between us.

"Oh yes," James said, that false smile still plastered on his face. "Bella and I are... old friends. Very old friends."

The emphasis on "very" made my skin crawl. He was doing this on purpose. Making it weird. Making sure everyone knew we had history.

"Small world," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt.

"Isn't it?" James moved closer, leaning against the table near where I sat. "How have you been, Bella? It's been what—a few days?"

"A week."

"Right. A week. Seems longer." He addressed the room again. "Bella and I dated for three years. Just ended recently. But I'm sure we can keep things professional. Right, Bella?"

Oh my God. He was doing this. Actually doing this. Making sure everyone knew about our relationship, probably hoping I'd quit before I even started.

"Absolutely professional," I said through gritted teeth.

"Great!" Richard looked uncomfortable but determined to move past the awkwardness. "Well, now that that's out in the open, let's move on to—"

The conference room door opened one more time.

And Alexander Sterling walked in.

Time stopped.

He looked exactly like his photos—charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, that same commanding presence. But seeing him in person again, after everything, hit differently.

His eyes swept the room, professional and detached, until they landed on me.

I watched recognition flash across his face. Shock. Disbelief. And something else I couldn't quite read.

Our eyes locked.

The room around us seemed to fade. For one suspended moment, it was just us. Just me and the man who'd held me while I slept and made me feel things I'd never felt before.

"Dad!" James's voice shattered the moment. "Glad you could make it."

Dad.

The word hit me like a physical blow.

Dad?

Alexander Sterling was James's father?

No. No no no no no.

This couldn't be happening. This was—this was—

My vision swam. The room tilted.

I'd slept with James's father.

I'd slept with my ex-boyfriend's father.

The man I'd spent one perfect night with—the man who'd made me feel safe and valued and alive—was the father of the man who'd cheated on me.

"Are you okay?" Claire whispered beside me. "You look pale."

I couldn't answer. Couldn't breathe. Could only stare at Alexander—Alex—as the full horror of the situation crashed over me.

His expression was carefully controlled now. Professional. Giving nothing away. But I'd seen the shock in his eyes. The same shock I was feeling.

He hadn't known either.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Richard said, oblivious to the emotional carnage unfolding in his conference room. "Alexander Sterling, CEO of Sterling Corporation."

Alexander stepped forward, his gaze sweeping the room, carefully avoiding me now.

"Thank you all for being here," he said, his voice exactly as I remembered it—deep and commanding. "This merger represents an exciting new chapter for both our companies. I look forward to working with all of you."

His eyes flicked to me for just a second. Less than a second.

But it was enough.

I saw the conflict there. The same panic I was feeling. The same "what have we done?"

"Mr. Sterling," James said, clearly enjoying this. There was something in his voice. Something that made me wonder—did he know? Had he somehow figured it out? "Why don't you tell us about the reporting structure? Since Bella here will be reporting directly to me."

I would what?

"Actually," Alexander said, his voice cutting through James's smug tone like a knife. "There's been a change to the org structure. All Martinez Marketing personnel will report directly to Department Heads, not to you, James."

James's smile faltered. "But we discussed—"

"We'll discuss it later. Privately." Alexander's tone left no room for argument. He turned to the room. "Now, let's talk about integration timelines."

The meeting continued. People talked about synergies and market positioning and brand alignment. I heard none of it.

All I could think was: I slept with my ex-boyfriend's father.

And now I had to work for both of them.

This wasn't just a disaster.

This was a catastrophe.