All Chapters of Tainted by the CEO’s Greed - Illicit affair with my boss: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Ivy’s POV The first thing that came to mind once I was in the confines of my room was to call my friends.Maybe they could tell me what to do. I hadn’t spoken to them in a while, and my whole life had been on the rocks.It was late, and Mabel would probably cuss me out for calling at this hour, but Addy would still be up.I took the risk and connected them both in a group call. The phone rang in my hand as I paced the small space of my bedroom.“Did you perhaps leave a kidney with me that you urgently need, calling at such ungodly hours?” came Mabel’s groggy voice once she connected.I found myself biting back a snort.Addy chuckled; beneath the sound were muffled voices in the background. She was probably still at the office.“Hi,” I said shyly. “I’m sorry, guys.”Addy sounded like she was rummaging through something. “Ivy, I know it has to be important for you to call at this time, but I have to ask—is it really really important?”“It is…”“Is it really?” Mabel grumbled, but I coul

Ivy’s POVI couldn't sleep at all. I battled sleep and the tugging pull low in my belly, and I couldn't get him out of my head.Why did I do that? I almost kissed him. I almost wanted to kiss him. And he… he didn't even care about the consequences at all.My work alarm rang. It was 6:40. I seriously did not want to get up. I did not want to face the man just outside my door, not after I'd almost crossed the line yesterday.I grumbled and stood, quietly stripping to wrap a towel around myself.The problem came when I realized I had to face him. The bathroom was outside my bedroom, and if I wanted to get ready, I'd have to walk past him.I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves, trying to convince myself I could ignore him. He was probably still asleep. Hopefully gone, in fact. I could only hope.I got to my bedroom door and quietly pressed my ear against it, listening for any movement. Nothing. Not a creak, not a shift of fabric, not even the soft scrape of bare feet on the floor.I

Tristan’s POVIvy was stubborn. I’d never met anyone as stubborn as her. She was resilient, I’d give her that. It was a trust not many people had.Eve after confessing to liking me, wanting me just as I does she still resisted me and held tight at that moral compass.A knock came at my door. “Come in,” I answered. I glanced up, half expecting someone else but when the door opened, Finley stepped in. “Sir, your meeting with the board of trustees is in an hour. We need to leave soon.”Shit. I’d completely forgotten.I shut down the computer, stood, and pulled on my jacket.“Prepare the car. We’re leaving now.”“Yes, sir.”I reached the front of the building and was about to get into the car when I saw Laura walking toward me.A frown pulled at my face before I could stop it. “Why are you here?”Finley cleared his throat and stepped back.Her smile slipped for a second, then she came closer. “I don’t believe I need a reason to visit my fiancé.”“I’m at work.”“You’re not the only one who

Ivy’s POV “Do I really?”“Between the two of us, you know where I stand.” His head dropped slightly as if offended that I brought it up. “It is a strictly contractual arrangement that I have to honor.”I tilted my head up, locking eyes with him, deliberately challenging. I shrugged, “That’s fine.” I cocked my head and poked a finger against his chest, feeling the solid resistance of muscle. “So why are you so hot and bothered about my own personal life, Mr. Vale?”He stayed silent. His expression remained carefully blank, the same cold gaze that he had shown only hours ago. But his eyes told a different story, dark, intense, tracing every movement of my lips. A muscle tucked in his jaw, he turned his head away from mine.I kept going, prodding, because I wanted to hear it. His gaze returned to mine. “We have established that it’s contractual, I’m also contractually your employee. So what is the difference?”My voice stayed steady, but my pulse was hammering against the base of my t

Tristan’s POVI couldn’t go home. Not tonight.I dismissed my driver, drove straight out of the estate, and wandered the city for a while. The weight of everything settled over me so completely that I didn’t even notice I’d parked in front of the Fiero VIP lounge until I was already there.Lucas and I came here a lot. The last time I went to a bar was when I’d met Ivy. Ivy.The name stuck in my throat. I replayed our conversation from earlier as I made my way into the lounge. I passed my keys to the valet.“Mr. Vale.” The manager, Bastion, greeted me at the entrance. “We haven’t received you in a while.”“Work has been busy,” I replied simply. He nodded enthusiastically, ushering me toward my personal booth. “We will have your regular bottles ready. Anything else?”I settled into the leather seat, my gaze wandering over the rest of the room downstairs. “Nothing else, just hurry with the drinks. And I don’t want any disturbance. Close off the area.”“Of course sir. The staff will be