Chapter Seven: The Party

Ruby’s POV

I ran out of his office faster than I expected. My legs felt weak, and my heart was still racing. I couldn’t believe it. The man I had messed around with that night wasn’t just some random guy. He was Zane Blackwood. A very powerful man. My boss.

Gosh, I was doomed.

I walked back to my seat, still shaking from the way he had touched me. What a shameless man. My body still felt the ghost of his hands, and I hated how easily he had affected me.

Sarah must have noticed the strange look on my face because she quickly walked over to my desk.

“So… how was it?” she asked with a curious smile.

Should I tell her? Should I say that I accidentally slept with our CEO because I thought he was a male model?

No. I couldn’t. I was still new here. I had a reputation to protect. I didn’t want anyone thinking I slept my way into this job.

Sarah waved her hand in front of my face. “Are you okay? You zoned out,” she said, looking a little worried.

She took both of my hands and gave me a soft look. “It’s your first day. Even if the boss was strict with you, just relax. You still have your job.”

I forced a small smile.  

No, Sarah. It wasn’t about him being strict. It was about how shameless he was… and how my body had reacted to him.

“I’m okay,” I lied.

“Alright then. I’m heading back to work. And don’t forget about the party tonight,” she said before walking away.

I suddenly didn’t feel like going anymore. All I wanted was to go home, lock my door, and scream into my pillow until my head felt clearer. But I had already told her I would come. Besides, the party was meant to welcome me into this company… even if it already felt like hell.

When evening came and work finally ended, Sarah didn’t waste any time. She dragged me out almost immediately.

The party was held in a bar not far from the office. The place was lively, with soft music and laughter filling the air. To my surprise, most of my colleagues were actually nice. They welcomed me with smiles and jokes. It was only their boss who was a completely shameless man.

One of the guys handed me a drink. “Drink up, newbie,” he said with a grin.

I nodded and took it. Honestly, I needed something to calm my nerves. I drank it all in one go, and everyone cheered. For a moment, it actually felt fun. I laughed a little. I tried to enjoy myself.

But of course, someone had to come and ruin it.

Zane Blackwood.

I wasn’t the only one shocked to see him. One of my colleagues — Mark, I think — nearly choked on his drink.

“Boss… it’s a surprise to see you here,” he said, clearly nervous.

Everyone knew Zane never attended these kinds of parties.

“Shouldn’t I be here?” Zane asked calmly, but his eyes were fixed straight on me.

I looked away immediately.  

Jerk. Stop staring at me.

“No, boss, I didn’t mean—” Mark tried to explain, but Zane cut him off.

“I came to celebrate with you all… and to welcome our new employee,” he said with a small smile that looked far too dangerous.

Mark just nodded quickly and kept quiet.

To avoid looking at that psychopath’s face, I kept drinking. Cup after cup. The alcohol burned my throat, but I didn’t stop. I needed it to silence the chaos in my head.

After some time, the drinks finally hit me hard. My head felt heavy, and my vision started to blur. I rested my head on the table, no longer able to sit up properly.

Sarah leaned close and whispered awkwardly, “Ruby, control yourself.”

But it was already too late. I was gone. The drinks had been stronger than I thought.

Sarah quickly stood up and tried to compose herself in front of Zane.

“Thank you for joining us today, sir,” she said politely. “I’ll take Ruby home now.”

Before she could even help me up, Zane spoke.

“I’ll take her home.”