Chapter 5

**Aurora**

It's Monday again, and I was back to being a receptionist.

Standing in front of the mirror, I quickly accessed my look. A button down cream coloured linen shirt tucked in black fitted trousers. Simple. Just the way I liked it.

My brown hair was in a tight bun, because I hate when it gets in my way while working.

Unfortunately, there's one thing that has refused to leave my mind, and it was the mind blowing sex I had with a total stranger the previous weekend.

Memories of that night, already etched into the fabric of my brain resurfaced, and I closed my eyes, letting out a soft sigh. It felt like I was in a time loop, back to that night when it happened.

My breath hitched in my throat as I opened my eyes, staring at my reflection in the vanity mirror. My eyes were dilated, my face was flushed, and my chest rapidly rose and fell as I tried to catch my breath.

It's crazy how the thought of sex with someone could affect me like this.

Jason wasn't even this close.

I badly wanted to stay back and continue from where we stopped, but I only booked for two nights.

I'm not about to embarrass myself by letting hotel staff throw me out.

A part of me wished I risked it and stayed.

“God, Aurora. Snap out of it,” I whispered to myself.

It was just a one night thing. I'm probably never going to see the guy again anyway.

A small framed picture on the vanity table caught my eye as I turned to leave.

It was a picture of Jason and I, holding hands and screaming on a beach last year. Letting out a loud hiss, I grabbed the picture and threw it into the trash on my way out. I hailed down a cab, heading straight to the office.

***

The moment I walked in, I could tell something wasn't right. Colleagues were scurrying up and about nervously.

I assumed someone important came around, recalling the black limousine I passed by while coming in.

Shortly after I settled at my table, an envelope landed on my desk. I looked up. It was Sasha. I arched an eyebrow.

I couldn't help but notice she seemed more excited than usual. She also had on more make-up than usual.

Her red chiffon shirt, which was tucked nicely into a brown above-the-knee pencilled skirt, had more than a few buttons undone. I could almost swear that her boobs would spill if she bends well enough.

“It’s your punishment,” she said, a smug smile plastered on her makeup-covered face.

My brows dipped in suspicion. “What?”

She perched comfortably on my desk. “The boss heard about your little stunt over the weekend.”

“Which stunt?”

“The one where you publicly humiliated me whilst falsely claiming to book a hotel trip. Jason told me what really happened.”

I folded my arms, apalled. “Yeah? And what's did he tell you?”

“You begged him to let you go on the trip with him, and when he refused, you decided to steal the receipts and go by yourself.”

I scoffed loudly. “You know that's not true.”

She's a boyfriend-snatching bitch, but she's not dumb. “And what part of this has anything to do with the boss?”

“Well, when he heard about it, he decided no one of his staff could get away with lies.”

Shaking my head, I grabbed the envelope, opening to read the contents. Slowly, my eyes went wide.

“What the hell is this?”

“He’s decided to cut your pay in half. Also, a two week suspension, effective immediately.”

“What?” I shrieked, my stomach dropping.

“Yeah.” Sasha sighed dramatically. “Poor you. You probably blew all your cash at the hotel, and now you’ve got nothing.”

Some staffs were already casting glances at our direction due to the noise.

“What did you do?”

While I wasn't the best of the staffs, I never did anything that could get me in trouble, so there's no way he'd just agree to this. Unless…

I took another look at Sasha's outfit.

When we were still friends, she'd always tell me how the boss, an elderly man in his late fifties, asked her out numerous times, promising to double her pay. Putting two and two together…

“Did you sleep with him?”

Her eyes widened, but she immediately masked her expression. “Careful. Wrongful accusations will only make things worse for you.”

So she did sleep with him. Irritated as I was, I needed her help if I wanted to solve this.

“Sasha, please don’t do this,” I begged.

I needed that money for Mom’s treatment, and I was barely able to afford it. A half salary is the last thing I need right now.

“Well, I could consider pleading on your behalf… if you apologize for that stunt you pulled at the hotel.”

She still wasn’t giving up?

“You took my boyfriend, and you want me to apologise for my own hotel trip?”

“We both know that Jason was never yours. She answered. “And, if you don't, then kiss your job bye-bye. You know I can make him sack you if I want.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

I can't believe I never saw this side of her.

“Fine. I’m sorry for what I did.”

“Nope.” She brought out her phone, holding it up to my face. “You're saying it live, so everyone knows what a lying bitch you are.”

Honestly, I didn't care what a few people online thought. Anyone who believes her lies needs therapy. This would all die off soon anyway.

“Sasha, I'm sorry for humiliating you,” I calmly said to the camera. “You deserve to go on that trip with Jason, and I'm sorry for lying.”

She took back the phone, smiling with satisfaction. “Good.”

Now that that's out of the way, “What about my suspension?” I asked carefully.

She chuckled, tossing her hair back. “You actually thought I’d do that? Please. You deserve it.”

I should have known she'd say this.

I headed straight to the boss's office.

“I won't do that if I were you.” Sasha called after me, but I didn't care.

He should sack me for all I care.

I shoved his door open with a bang.

His eyes widened as he took me in.

“Aurora, what are you–?" he started, but I cut him off.

“With all due respect, sir, you should be ashamed of yourself. You signed a suspension letter without waiting to hear my side of the story? What kind of boss does that?”

He blinked, startled, but I didn’t stop. The words tumbled out, hot and sharp.

“If you want to go around cheating on your wife with your employees, that's none of my business. But don't let someone else get punished unjustly, simply because you want to get in a woman's pants!”

I ended, panting hard as I tried to steady my breath.

Silence stretched in the office, thick and suffocating.

My boss, whose entire face was already red with embarrassment and shock, trembled slightly.

“Are you mad?” He half-yelled.

I guess I probably said way more than I was supposed to.

It was then that I finally acknowledged the other person in the room.

However, when I turned, every single drop of air in my lungs escaped.

“You?” I shrieked.

Mr. Cocky sat on the armchair calmly, looking at me, an unreadable expression on his face.

What the hell is he doing here?

I suddenly wished the ground could open up and swallow me.

“Oh, I really wanted to warn you,” Sasha's nauseating voice came behind me. “The CEO of the Golden Hen corporation is here, in a meeting with the boss.”

“He's…..the CEO?”