The CEO’s Desire

Jealous carla

Rayna tried to see everything from a clearer perspective, deliberately forgetting that her current boss had offered her a drink at the club. She wanted to work with a clear head.

Rayna arrived at the office before sunrise. The sky was still a soft gray when she stepped into the building. Her footsteps echoed through the quiet lobby, the usual buzz of the day not yet alive. She rode the elevator alone, the folder clutched tightly in her hand like it was made of glass.

When the doors opened on the executive floor, the lights were dim, the space almost eerie in its stillness.

Only one office had a light on.

Jayden’s.

She approached slowly. The door was half open, so she knocked gently.

“Come in,” his voice called from inside.

Jayden was at his desk, sleeves rolled up, and the tie slightly loosened. He looked less polished than usual—more human. Still sharp, still intimidating, but there was a weight to his expression, like something was pressing on his mind.

He looked up and met her gaze.

“You’re early,” he said.

“So are you,” she replied softly, holding up the envelope. “I finished the report.”

He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. “Let’s take a look.”

Rayna handed over the folder and sat, watching him scan the pages with quiet focus. His eyes moved quickly but carefully, his expression unreadable.

She noticed it again—something subtle in his movements. Like he was distracted. Like his mind wasn’t fully here.

The CEO did things that didn’t make sense to her.

Calling her in at 7 a.m. just for a printed report. Asking questions he already knew the answers to. Zoning out mid-sentence, only to snap back with that cold, CEO composure.

Sometimes, she felt like he was balancing two lives—one she saw, and one she couldn’t.

Finally, he set the papers down and leaned back.

“This is… impressive,” he said, almost to himself.

Rayna exhaled, the tension she’d been holding in her shoulders slowly releasing. “Thank you.”

“You took initiative here,” he said, tapping the last page. “You didn’t just summarize the data—you made projections I hadn’t even considered. That’s rare.”

She blinked, unsure how to respond.

“I want you to continue with this,” he said. “More data is coming in next week. When it does, I want you to take the lead on the analysis.”

Rayna sat up straighter. “Wait… you mean like, officially?”

Jayden nodded. “Officially. You’ll still report to your team lead, but this segment? It’s yours.”

Before she could speak, a knock interrupted them. Carla peeked in, eyes flickering between them.

“Sorry,” she said with a sugary smile. “I was just looking for the Q1 reports Mr. Smith requested yesterday.”

“They’re on my assistant’s desk,” Jayden said, barely glancing her way. “Anything else?”

Carla hesitated, clearly hoping for something more, then gave a tight smile. “No. That’s all.”

As soon as the door closed, Jayden turned back to Rayna as she wondered why Carla was there so early

After Rayna was done with her meeting with Jayden she left the office while feeling the weight of Jayden’s stare on her back

—

Back at her desk, most of her colleagues were already around and Rayna could already feel the stares.

Whispers fluttered like static across the room as people noticed her returning from the executive floor again.

Carla, of course, made her move fast.

She walked over, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Rayna like she was trying to see through her.

“You and Mr. Smith seem to be getting cozy,” she said with a fake laugh.

Rayna didn’t look up. “It’s just work.”

“Sure,” Carla said. “Must be nice. Some of us have been waiting for a chance like that since we got here.”

Rayna finally met her eyes. “Then maybe focus on your work instead of mine.”

Carla’s smile vanished for a second—just a flicker—but it was there.

She turned on her heel and walked away.

Rayna sighed and shook her head. It wasn’t like she had asked for any of this. She just wanted to do her job and go home.

But it was clear now—Carla was going to be a disturbance.

—

That evening, Rayna got home just before dark.

She unlocked the door quietly, expecting to find her sister curled up on the couch like usual. But the apartment was too still.

“Freya?” she called out.

A faint groan came from the bathroom.

Rayna rushed over.

Freya was hunched over the sink, pale and weak, wiping her mouth with shaking hands.

Rayna dropped to her knees beside her. “Hey, hey. Breathe. I’ve got you.”

Freya gave a faint nod, but her eyes looked glassy.

It wasn’t the first time.

Freya had been sick for almost two years now—on and off, good days and bad. They still didn’t have a name for it, only symptoms, doctors’ guesses, and mounting bills.

Their parents had died when Rayna was sixteen—killed in a car crash that left their lives upside down. Since then, it had just been the two of them. Rayna had promised herself she’d take care of Freya no matter what—just as Freya had taken care of her.

But seeing her like this—again—felt like getting the air knocked out of her.

“Let’s get you to bed. We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow,” she whispered.

Later, after helping Freya sip water and settle under the covers, Rayna sat in the dark living room, staring at the ceiling.

Work was growing more complicated. The people there, the whispers, Jayden’s odd behavior—it all felt like pressure building.

And now this.

She wiped her face quickly and reached for her phone.

—

Meanwhile, across the city, Jayden stood by the large windows in his penthouse office, the skyline glowing behind him.

A man sat across the room, dressed in black with a tired face and a folder in his lap.

Jayden didn’t look away from the view. “Any updates?” he asked quietly.

The man opened the folder. “Nothing definite. Still the same leads. But…”

Jayden turned slightly. “But?”

The man hesitated. “We just need more time. More leads. This case is one of a kind. No traces, no clues… almost as if it happened naturally.”

Jayden’s jaw tightened. “It didn’t.”

“We’re still digging, Mr. Smith. And if you find anything that may help, please let me know,” the man said.

Jayden walked over slowly. “Will do.”

The man nodded and rose to leave.

Jayden stared down at the picture in his hand, brows furrowed.

There was more going on here. It couldn’t have happened naturally.

He was sure of that.