His Perfect Temptation

Am I dreaming again?

Maliya’s pov

“Liya, you’re gonna be late, girl.” Camilla’s voice cut through my dreams at almost the same time as my alarm came on, springing me from my bed.

Yet another dream, the same dream. One that two parts of me battled over.

Sometimes I would not want to wake up, other times I wished it never happened.

But there's no need for regrets. I obviously would never see him again, so he might as well, quit haunting me in my dreams.

Urghh I grumbled, taking off the blankets.

Today had to be perfect. I'm finally taking charge of my life after the mess Ferd had made.

Scratch that, after the mess I had put myself into.

I've never worked a day in my life, I genuinely have no idea how I'm gonna pull this interview off but I'm willing to try at least.

I can't go back and face my father as a failure. That would only prove him right.

Or just like Camilla would say, “You treasure your ego too much” Yes, I care more about my ego than anything else.

Well, my ego and something else, finding her. I'm still here because I'm clinging to the second hope that I would find her.

So today and every other day of my new life here better be good. I sighed and finally got off the bed.

The fresh smell of pastries caressed my nostrils as I got down the stairs after a long hour of staring into the mirror and making sure I looked just perfect for the job and not like my problems.

“Hmm. You look sane.”

Oh boy, here we go. My not-very-sugar-coated best friend is here with the reminder that I've been a mess.

But I can't blame her, she's right.

“Yeah, I know. I put in a lot of effort.” I said as I munched on the croissant she’d just brought out of the oven.

The hotness waking me further like that was the rude awakening I needed.

Can't believe I'm actually doing this, I thought to myself.

“Yes, girl. They would have no other choice than to hire you right away. I mean you could have gotten the job immediately if only you…”

“No no no, Cam. We’ve talked about this. Father thinks I can't survive without him, how do I prove him wrong if I can't even get something as easy as this done?”

“Okay, but you know you can't be doing this for him right?” If looks could kill I'm sure I would have dropped dead by now judging by the frown of disapproval on Camilla’s face as she stared at me.

“Uhm. I'm just gonna, I...I’m just gonna go….” I said, avoiding her eyes and pointing towards the door.

“Oh come on, Liya. I told you….”

“Urghh. You know what? I think I'm gonna be really late….” I could do anything just to avoid this very conversation with her. “Oh s**t! I'm so late, look at the time.”

“Are you serious? The interview isn't until an hour thirty minutes and the ride to your office is only thirty minutes.”

Wow, Liya. Is there ever any information you can keep to yourself? Now what lie is going to save you from this?

Vaya! Oh boy!

I made a puppy face just so she could get off my back and genuinely think I'm being entirely honest.

Before she could change my mind by saying something else, I had already reached the front door.

“But what about breakfast!? You barely even ate anything.” I heard her call out behind me but I merely shrugged, even though my rumbling stomach wanted me to stay back so badly, I knew the guilt and the confrontation I honestly did not need wouldn't let me stay back.

It's only for a while. After all, it's just a damn job, I can pull it off just fine.

But I got to the office and all of that confidence immediately washed away.

It wasn't the intimidation, hell, Maliya Alvarez can never feel intimated by anyone or in any environment.

It was the strange feeling that crept in slowly, reminding me that I might just mess this up.

I needed this job so badly, I wanted to prove to everyone especially my father that I could actually amount to something.

But was this all really for only my father though?

I had no other assets cause the asshole I called my husband took it all away, I was homeless because he pawned our home too, and I can only afford to get a job with the degree I had managed to acquire.

I only just have to be on my best behavior.

“Maliya Gomez.”

I heard the name the first time but ignored it, well not intentionally, I just wasn't sure who they were calling.

But then she called it the second time, with a thick Italian accent, this time louder, which wasn't necessary cause I was the only person seated there, and that's when it hit me.

Oh s**t, I didn't drop the bastard’s name and I used it for this job!

Oh Liya, what the hell, girl?

“The boss will see you now.”

I walked into the office but met a space devoid of humans.

What kind of boss leaves their office just when a potential employee walks in?

I was beginning to grow impatient, I didn't leave home so early without eating breakfast only to be kept waiting.

And I wonder what kind of jobless boss would prefer to go through the hurdles of interviewing herself?

Thirty minutes later she still wasn't there. It had to be a she because only a woman takes her time this way.

I decided to indulge myself by looking around the office, I noticed the wall had paintings, interesting ones.

Hmm. A lover of art I see.

Before my initial thought of gender, I was beginning to feel like I was wrong.

The aura in the office gave all signs of masculinity.

The paintings, the art, the setup.

Or maybe she's just not the feminine energy type of woman.

That might just be the case cause the pink iPad and pink pen were enough to know it's a lady’s domain.

Then I looked at the desk for a picture to at least, put a face to the not-so-feminine vibe I was getting in this space, but I found nothing.

Just when I was about to settle into a seat I heard the door gently open and I turned to find a man walk in.

There was everything so familiar about him.

Everything was like the man that had haunted my dreams for weeks, as my eyes got a full view of his face.

The world seemed to move in slow motion, as if time was holding its breath as well because tell me why my heart skipped a hundred beats as I watched him walk behind the desk.

Oh, dear heavens!

I gasped in disbelief, there’s no way it was him standing right in front of me.

Oh God, it can’t be, it just can’t be.

That wasn't the biggest shock I got, the band that was wrapped in his finger did nothing to still my racing heart.