Chapter 4 – The Ruthless Boss

Jake Johnson

I couldn't believe that the woman who had kept me up at night—restless and unable to sleep properly for nearly a month—didn't want to be with me.

She even wanted to just forget what happened. Was it really that easy? Yet, she had been frantic in her search for me.

It was rare for me to take an interest in a woman. My parents had long been pressuring me to find a wife, but I adamantly refused, especially when they tried to set me up with someone.

The reason was that I suffered from Oligospermia. No one knew about it except my parents. It is a condition where sperm count is lower than normal, increasing the risk of infertility in men.

I was afraid of being judged if women found out I might be infertile; that fear was also what turned me into a woman-hater.

Then, a month ago, my friend Kevin invited me to dinner with his younger sister.

At first, I didn't agree, but Kevin pleaded with me to humor his sister, Belle, since she had just returned from the States. I couldn't say no, especially since Kevin insisted it was just a "friendly date."

That night, Kevin and I had a few drinks at a bar while waiting for Belle. However, I started feeling dizzy, so Kevin got me a room at the hotel next to the bar; he told me to rest and said Belle would just come to the room later. He couldn't figure out why he felt such intense heat that night; when a woman entered the room, he mistook her for Belle, lost all restraint, and ended up sleeping with her.

To his utter surprise, he woke up next to a beautiful woman with sad eyes. He never got her name or even her number, as she left immediately.

Yet, he found no peace after that night; he was powerful, ruthless, and completely off-limits, but he couldn't forget her. When he spotted a woman's photo in a resume file—someone who bore a striking resemblance to her—he was shocked and immediately ordered the HR manager to hire her.

But now, things weren't unfolding as he had expected. Was he not her type? Would a woman actually reject *him*? Actresses, models, and women from all walks of life openly made moves on him.

That was precisely why he never hired female assistants—too many had tried to seduce him in the past.

He remembered the blood on the sheets. She had been a virgin. That alone told him she was a decent woman; he was certain that if she had ever been in a relationship, she wouldn't have given herself away so easily.

Yet, she had given herself to *him*. Well, perhaps it was because she had been drunk. Had he known Giselle was intoxicated that night, he would have forced himself not to touch her.

He also couldn't explain why he had felt such an overwhelming, burning heat that night—a sensation only sex could relieve.

He thought of Belle. I didn't want this situation; if that woman from that night turned out to be the one involved, it would be a huge problem—she might force me to marry her or hold the consequences over my head.

Even though I knew she couldn't get pregnant because of my condition. I glanced at the one-way glass wall; only I could see them. Giselle and Jenna were talking. I couldn't take my eyes off Giselle.

I admit I’m really attracted to her, but if she truly prefers a boss-employee relationship, I’ll let it be for now.

Jenna knocked. "Sir, I’ve finished orienting Giselle."

I nodded. Then I remembered she had filed for leave because a sibling had passed away. "Did you also explain the work she’ll be taking over?" I asked seriously.

"Yes, sir. My one-month leave starts tomorrow," she said.

"Okay."

I looked at the glass wall again. Giselle was busy reading through files. I took a deep breath and turned my attention back to work.

I frowned when the phone rang; people rarely called unless it was important or a serious problem.

"Mr. Johnson, a virus was detected in the files," the IT Department manager said nervously.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you fixing it? I pay you a high salary to ensure the system is secure! How did a virus get in there?" I asked irritably. “Sorry, sir, the virus that entered the system is hard to remove, so it might take a while—”

“So, you really can’t fix it? Then you’re fired!” I shouted. I yelled again, “Jenna!”

Jenna quickly entered, followed by Giselle, who looked puzzled.

“Sir?”

“Joel is fired! Hire a new IT Manager right now! And call the FBI or whoever can help us, because someone hacked the system,” I ordered.

“Alright, sir,” Jenna replied, immediately leaving the office.

I looked up and saw Giselle standing in front of me. “Why?”

“I can refer an IT specialist. I don’t think we need the FBI right away, sir,” she said.

I furrowed my brows. “There’s...”

"Does she have twenty years of expertise? Is she from a reputable university? If yes, bring that person here right now."

Giselle scratched her head. "No, sir; she’s just a fresh graduate, but I know she’s good—trust me."

I looked at her and let out a deep breath. "Who? Your boyfriend?"

"I-I don't have a boyfriend, sir. The person I'm talking about is a woman," she quickly replied.

"Good."

An hour passed, and Giselle returned with a woman who looked like a nerd because of her thick glasses. She was wearing a long skirt, a long-sleeved top, and a jacket on top of that.

"Mr. Johnson, this is Vicky," Giselle said, gesturing toward the woman.

She cleared her throat and stood up straight, speaking in a completely lifeless tone: "My name is Vicky Suarez, I am twenty years old, I live in..."

"Hold it," I interrupted. "I need an IT expert right now. I’m not interested in your background. Jenna, take Vicky to the IT department immediately."

"Right away, sir," Jenna replied. She left with Vicky.

Giselle and I were left alone. She bit her lip—though it would have been better if *I* were the one biting it.

"I'll just go back to my desk," she said hurriedly.

But I quickly stopped her. I stood up and closed the door. I saw her swallow hard and look nervous, which made me want to laugh.

Do I look like a pervert?