His Perfect Temptation

Second Chances

I sat at my desk, staring at the folder in front of me. Maliya's resume and interview notes were neatly organized, but my mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts.

Alfredo's words kept echoing in my mind. "Hire her, and see how long she'll keep up the charade." But was that really a good idea?

On one hand, I was curious. I wanted to know why Maliya had pretended not to recognize me during the interview. Was she just playing games, or was there something more to it?

On the other hand, hiring her could be a recipe for disaster. What if she was just looking for a way to get close to me again? What if she is trying to play me?

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. Why did I always have to make things so complicated?

As I sat there, I couldn't help but think about the interview. Maliya had looked so poised and confident, her bright brown eyes and that smile... Gosh it's beyond description

I remembered the way she had walked into the room, her long, brown hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. She had been dressed in a sleek black suit, her curves accentuated in all the right places.

And then there was the way she had answered my questions, it was like she had been prepared, and she had impressed me the best she could.

But it was the little things that had really caught my attention. The way she had hesitated when I asked her for her full name. The way she had avoided eye contact when I asked her about her previous work experience.

It was almost as if she was hiding something. But what?

I sighed, feeling frustrated. I didn't know what to make of Maliya, or what her true intentions were. But I did know one thing - I wanted to find out.

I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers together. Alfredo was right. I had to hire her. If only to satisfy my curiosity.

I picked up the phone, dialing HR. "Hello, Maria? Yeah, it's Ignacio. I want to offer Maliya Gomez the job."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Sir, are you sure? We had some other strong candidates-"

I cut her off. "Yes, I'm sure. Send her the offer letter and let her know she starts on Monday."

I truly hope I wasn't about to make a great mistake.

Monday morning arrived, and I was sitting at my desk, sipping my coffee and going over some reports. When Maria, knocked on the door and poked her head in.

"Good morning, Ignacio. Maliya Gomez is here for her first day."

I couldn't help by feel a flutter in my chest. "Send her in."

Maria nodded and disappeared, leaving me to wonder what the day would bring.

A few minutes later, Maliya walked in, looking stunning in a fitted white blouse and a pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek bun, and her green eyes sparkled as she smiled.

"Good morning, Mr. Ramirez," she said nervously.

I stood up, trying to play it cool. "Good morning, Maliya. Welcome to the team."

We shook hands, and I couldn't help but notice the spark of electricity that ran through my body as our skin touched.

I gestured to the chair in front of my desk. "Please, sit down. We'll go over the details of your job and what's expected of you."

Maliya nodded as she sat down, her eyes never leaving mine. I could feel the tension between us building, and I knew that this was going to be a very interesting day.

As we went over the details of her job, I couldn't help but steal glances at her. She was even more beautiful than I remembered, and I found myself wondering what she would look like without that sleek bun and those conservative clothes.

I pushed the thoughts aside, trying to focus on the task at hand. But it was no use. I was already hooked.

I could sense that Maliya was feeling it too. The way she looked at me, the way she smiled... it was all so familiar, and yet so different.

"You're going to be our new company secretary, and you'll also be working as my part-time assistant."

Maliya's eyes lit up, and she smiled. "That sounds great, Mr. Ramirez Thank you for the opportunity."

I waved my hand. "Please, call me Ignacio. We're not too formal around here."

Maliya ended the hand sake as I asked, "So, where are you from originally?"

Maliya's smile faltered for a moment, and she hesitated before answering. "I'm from a small town in the countryside."

I was surprised to hear this "Really? Which town?" I asked

Maliya's eyes seemed to cloud over, then she shrugged. "Just a small place. You wouldn't know it."

I sensed a hint of discomfort as she spoke so I let it slide. "Okay, no problem. So, what brought you to the city?"

Maliya's smile returned, and she launched into a story about how she had moved to the city.

As we talked, I found myself feeling more and more at ease around her. She was easy to talk to, and she had a quick wit and a sharp sense of humor.

After a few minutes, Maria knocked on the door and poked her head in. "Ignacio, I'm here to take Maliya to her workstation and show her around the office."

I nodded, standing up. "Great, thanks, Maria. I'll see you around the office."

As Maria left with Maliya to show her to her office, I couldn't help but feel a bit of annoyance. I had decided to double her workload, just to see how she would handle it. I was determined to keep her on her toes.

I picked up the phone a few minutes later I dialed Maria's phone "Maria, I need you to add some extra tasks to Maliya's workload. I want her to finish your report, the marketing proposal, and the sales analysis by the end of the week."

"Ignacio, are you sure? That's a lot of work for someone who's just starting." Maria's voice was hesitant on the other end of the line.

"Just do it, Maria. I want to see how she handles the pressure."I cut her off. "

As I hung up the phone, I noticed a few documents on the floor near the door. I got up to pick them up and realized they were Maliya's. She must have dropped them as she was leaving.

As I scanned the documents, my eyes landed on a small clip holding together a few papers. And that's when I saw it. A marriage certificate. With Maliya's name on it.

Wait, what? She's married?