All Chapters of Tainted by the CEO’s Greed - Illicit affair with my boss: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

"What the hell is he doing here?"Those were the first words that escaped my lips.My eyes widened as I stared across the diner. Tristan sat a few tables away, posture rigid, eyes locked on me like I was the only person in the room.His gaze pressed against me like I owed him something he wouldn't hesitate to collect."What?" Noah's voice cut through the questions burning in my mind.I turned to him, reluctantly looking away from Tristan, though I could still feel his glare. "Nothing." I smiled, even though it wasn't quite believable, not with my shaky hands.I tried to convince myself I was imagining things. That he wasn't here and I was merely hallucinating. Maybe he was a werewolf and the mark he'd left on me had me seeing him, haunted by his face.That could happen. Right?It couldn't, I quickly determined. I met his gaze again, slowly and subtly this time. A waiter was speaking to him. I watched his mouth move, eyes locked on mine, before he gestured toward my table, and all my d

Tristan’s POV“I’m not sure I heard you properly,” she echoed, one carved brow raised, lips parted, face open with confusion.“You did. I’m not repeating myself.”“Why would I go with you to a gala?” Her voice rose. “That’s why you dragged me out of my date? So I could be your plus-one? Is this a joke?”“Lower your voice, Ivy. I’m still your boss.”“I don’t care. Like I said—fire me for all I care.”Something like pride bloomed in my chest as she kept yelling at me. I shouldn’t let her get used to disrespecting me like this… but I really didn’t care enough to correct her.I was so fucked. “You done?” I asked instead, voice low enough to pass a message.She didn’t get said message, though. Like the spitfire she was, she snarled then continued.“No! Actually, I’m just getting started. You can’t just do things like this for the heck of it. I was having a really nice time once in the past week. And you came and ruined it to take me somewhere. I don't want to go on a bloody weekend when

Ivy’s POVI was shaking, anger coursing through my body with every word that snarled from his lips.Only a few minutes earlier, I’d been glancing around the room, waiting for Tristan to finish speaking with his clients, when I caught sight of a familiar figure across the hall.The last person I expected to see again. His face pulled at something deep in my chest, tightening it until it was almost hard to breathe.“Shit.” I averted my gaze instantly, whipping my head to the side so my hair would fall forward and hide my face.For a second I thought I’d gotten away with it—that he hadn’t seen me. But luck hadn’t been on my side lately. I felt him before I saw him.A shadow fell across the table. My stomach twisted. Then his voice came, and his hand touched my arm. I recoiled, jerking away before looking up.There he stood. Gregory Knight. My ex boyfriend, chest and ex boss. The one who had made me quit my job, one who got me slapped and humiliated.I didn’t realize how deeply that emba

Tristan’s POVIvy wasn’t avoiding me anymore. What she was doing was way worse. Monday came and through the week as her last words after that gala continued to echo in my head, I let myself believe that all she said that night was just in the heat of the moment.That she was simply emotional from God knows what encounter with that strange man she called, Gate? Gray? I remembered it started with a G and ended with my fist tightened trying not to punch that smug smirk off his face.I still couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out who he was to her or what he’d meant when he said she would ruin my life. Ivy had seemed visibly affected by him. At first I thought it was just a messy breakup with an ex.I remembered the night we met at the bar, the way she’d mentioned something about an ex, but the details had filtered out. Whatever this was ran deeper than a simple breakup. She’d been damn near hyperventilating when he left. In time I’d find out who he was. I had other matters to worry a

Ivy’s POV “Mr. Vale… what are you—”“Tristan.” He mumbled it, the word soft and a little slightly slurred.I frowned. “Uh?”“Tristan.” He lifted his head, eyes glassy but stubborn. “You need to call me Tristan, Ivy.”“Mr.V—” He shook his head, almost losing his balance, mouth set in a small, petulant pout.I heaved out a breath, “Okay. Tristan. Why are you here? Are you drunk?”“I’m not… I’m not…” A hiccup interrupted him. He scowled at it, then tried again. “I’m not drunk.”A beat of silence. Then, almost under his breath, “I just… I just wanted to see you.”My heart raced as I watched him brace himself against the doorframe. “Why?”He blinked at me, slow and unfocused, but his eyes still managed to roam over my body. I suddenly realized just how exposed I was, clad in nothing but a faded, long, stretched out, vintage T-shirt I’d inherited from my dad.“Hmm?” he mumbled, his gaze lingering on my chest. My breasts were bare beneath the thin fabric, and a wave of self-consciousness w