TEMPTATION AND TURMOIL

DAMIEN'S POV

I closed the door to my room with a start, letting out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. I had managed to keep my cool all the while I was talking to Elena, but internally, I was losing my shit, my thoughts running about 100 miles per hour. She drives me crazy and pushes my buttons, that's for sure. But no other woman has made me jittery in my entire life. Only she could make me curse in anger, yet make me want to go all out for her. 

It was a miracle that I refused to buy her company shares back with my money, because if she asked, I'd give in to her demands within a heartbeat. 

What's it with this woman?

I didn't know what came over me, telling her to work for me. Maybe because I don't want her to run away.

And her body.

God damn. I didn't mean to look, and I knew I sounded like a creep just thinking about it. But one look at her and I was transfixed. Blown out of my mind. I know I told her that her body was even less desirable than the strippers at the club, but I was hiding the true fact about what the view was doing to my mind. 

It'd be the only thing invading my thoughts now and for many days to come. She looked delectable, and the water dripping from her loose strands of wet hair onto her body did so many things to my senses. I had to hide the hard-on that was slowly building up by turning around. Even right no,w I could feel myself harden just from the thought of it. Elena would be the death of me. She doesn't have an inkling of how much effect she has on me.

Not that I was about to tell her that.

She and I were just too different, and the circumstance that brought us together was an ill-fated one. We could never be togethe,r and I have to make sure it stays that way. Nothing good can come out of being with Elena. I entered the shower and turned it on, letting the cold jets of water wash the thoughts of Elena's naked body out of my system.

My alarm clock buzzed, and I yawned, getting out of bed feeling groggy. I couldn't sleep well because a certain someone was invading my headspace, filling my thoughts last night. I groaned, pissed at myself. Not only could I not get her out of my head since last night, my body didn't seem to cooperate either, getting a hard on almost all through the night.

Darn you.

After a quick run on the treadmill, I was in a slightly better frame of mind to tackle the day. I showered and headed downstairs for to fix breakfast. I was frying some omelette while the bread warmed in the toaster when she walked in, dressed to the nines. She looked stunning and I gulped visibly, struggling to take my eyes off her.

Working today will be extremely challenging.

"What are you wearing?" I asked, keeping a straight face and trying to hide the red in my cheeks.

She looked down at her outfit and back at me, looking clueless as if to say, What's wrong with it?

Oh boy, she has no idea what that outfit is doing to my mind.

I coughed not so subtly, looking away. "Go change, I can't have my employee looking at you funny," I said.

She scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with my outfit, Vance. So it's either you're jealous the men in your office would go crazy over me or you just hate to see me look good," she retorted. Vance? What's she on about this time?

"Jealous?" I pushed. "Not in a million years. I don't care what you throw on your body, princess. But you are my wife, and I won't have you embarrass me in my own company."

She gave me the stink eye, but didn't say anything else as she harrumphed, turning on her heels and walking back to her room. I let out a breath, then almost jumped in alarm as my gaze fell on the pan. The omelets were burnt, I was lucky that the smoke didn't rise high enough to trigger the smoke detector. Now I'd have to make a fresh batch.

She returned soon after in another outfit. I swallowed a groan as the look did nothing to make me feel better. "Better?" she snapped and cleared my throat, nodding as I turned back to the new batch of omelettes I was making.

"Much better," I mumbled, tossing her a plate. She eyed it for a while, like I'd poisoned it, before she relented and dug it. We ate for a while in silence, uncomfortable on my part, although I couldn't tell her.

Alfred walked in with something in his hand. "Hey, Alfred," she chirped at Alfred, who smiled curtly.

"Mr Vance, an invitation came in for you," he said, handing me an invitation letter. Carter Cosmetics, the gold-embossed invitation read on the cover. I flipped it open.

The whole Carter Cosmetics family are thrilled to invite you to celebrate with us

On her 51st anniversary

17th May, 2025

RSVP: Lilian Kit

01-635-7341

"What's that?" Elena asked. I didn't say anything; I just handed her the invitation. She was quiet for a while, perusing the letter. A smirk formed on her lips.

"This is perfect, even better since it's just a week away," she breathed, smiling deviously. I began to wonder what clogs were forming in her head, what she was thinking with a look so sly on her face.

"What are you planning?"

"Well, it's a start to separating both of them. And finding the next clues to the actual proof. Even better, start getting shareholders on our side while we secretly buy out Carter Cosmetics."

I smiled, finally understanding. "I think I like that idea very much."