FALLING FOR MY ONE NIGHT STAND BOSS

CHAPTER ONE Kaia Morgan started running as soon as she got off the bus. Every step she took matched the panic pounding in her chest as her heels clanked against the sidewalk. She hurried to the townhouse she and her fiancé, Jaxon Tai, shared. Why this day of all days? She had spent the previous evening working on some files that her boss required for a significant meeting. However, she had neglected to return them to her work bag after her dispute with Jaxon. Flipping through drawers and folders during lunch, she had almost gone crazy trying to find them before realizing she had left them at home. "Where are the documents, Kaia?" She had hurried from the office, and Levi's voice still echoed in her mind. "I have them! I will return before the meeting commences." Levi yelled something unintelligible, prompting her to yell back over her shoulder as she ran out the door. She knew she would be dining out when she returned. For now, though, her main goal was to retrieve the files and return before anyone else noticed. Yes, she could have taken a cab. However, she and Jaxon were saving for a house, and weddings weren't inexpensive. They lived only fifteen minutes away, so she would not waste twenty dollars on a ride. She jogged the final block. Lunch could wait, but her boss would not. Another thought pushed in as she got closer to the townhouse. The wedding. They had yet to choose a date. Every time Jaxon mentioned it, she managed to divert the conversation. Being busy at work wasn't the only factor. There was more to it. Her family refused to come. Neither her father nor her brother agreed to come. Not her brother. She certainly doesn't have any arrogant cousins. Jaxon never understood why she had severed ties with them. Although he knew their wealth, he was unaware of the full context. Kaia had witnessed the effects of wealth on her family. She observed how wealth turned everyone into puppets, enabling her father to control them. The day she left, she changed her last name. No regrets. Her father would have married her off like a business deal if she had stayed. Raising children and feigning ignorance of extramarital affairs would have been her duties. This was precisely what her mother had done. Her father had antiquated ideas about women. "Remain at home, look lovely, and keep quiet." Such is a woman's nature. Jaxon believed that his real estate business could benefit from family ties. He valued connections. However, Kaia? She didn't want her past to have any influence over her future. The man in question was not her father. To keep her in line, the man would ruin her life. Perhaps things would have been different if her mother were still living. She would have attended the wedding, and she would have comprehended. Now, though? Only she, her domineering father, her aloof brother Ethan, and a few family members who only called when they needed something were there. She was curious about the health of her sister-in-law, Mereana. Mereana had checked herself into another clinic when she last heard from them. Dealing with Ethan's infidelity had brought her to her lowest point. Kaia had always wondered why she stayed with him. Kaia fumbled with her keys and opened the front door. There was silence in the townhouse until she heard a soft sound coming from the upper floor. She called, "Jaxon?" but hesitated. Coming as a response was a moan. She furrowed her brows. Was he ill? She started up the stairs after dropping her bag close to the entrance. A sharp cry stopped her cold halfway up. She stopped. No. Her legs were heavy. Her stomach turned over. Her heart pleaded with her to turn around, but her body continued to move. A woman's hot pink high heels were just outside the bedroom door. Furthermore, what was positioned on top of the shoe? Jaxon's tie. It was the same one she had seen him tie around his neck in the morning. She took a step forward, her hand brushing the wall for balance. She had to look, even though she didn't want to. She had to see it for herself. If not, he would later distort the facts and deny everything. She opened the bedroom door. Enough. The scenario was like a slap to her. Jaxon’s nude. Jaxon lies flat on his back. A blonde, her bones sharp and her breasts fake, straddled him. He took hold of her waist. Together, they moved as if no one else were there. Kaia's body became immobile. Her chest ached. She was having trouble breathing. What the devil? She forgot her phone was still in her hand as she brought it to her mouth, trembling. It struck her face, and she showed no concern. Her thumb moved by itself. The camera tilted upwards. She took several photos. Why? Perhaps because she had previously visited this place, she felt at ease. This scene is not part of the story. However, this betrayal is significant. She was sixteen years old when she discovered her father with his secretary. He had his pants down, and she was pressed up against the mahogany desk when I walked into his office to ask for money for art supplies. She didn't only see what she saw. She was gaslighted. Not now. After stuffing the phone into her back pocket, Kaia just stood there. Still and empty. Now what should I do? Leave? Yell? Weep? Her pride kept her afloat when everything inside her wanted to fall apart. Jaxon was still oblivious to her. Eyes rolled back, too busy groaning. She loved him, my god. She firmly believed in her love for him. No. Not affection. It was merely a fantasy she had about him. The kind where you visualize the home, the dog, and the comfortable bedtime. It's all phony. The agony tore at her. Her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her fists. That sting grounded her. Then, suddenly— "Jaxon, are you serious?" Both heads turned abruptly. The woman covered herself and hid under the cover.