Being My Boss’s Desire

CHAPTER 2

IVY

Dressed and ready for work, I made my way to Chloe's room to let her know I was leaving for the day. I knocked softly before opening the door and found her still lounging in bed.

"I'm off to work now," I announced, trying to sound upbeat despite the lingering frustration from the weekend.

Chloe groaned, stifling a yawn as she slowly opened her eyes. "Good luck on your first day."

"Thank you, love," I said, blowing her a quick kiss before I opened the door and stepped out of the house.

My weekend had been a nightmare, largely due to that jerk Ryder. The fact that he had left cash for me, as though it was payment for the s*x, made me furious.

Reaching for the music stereo in my car, I turned on some soothing tunes to help alleviate the growing frustration from my weekend. I needed to shift my mindset and not let those lingering negative feelings affect my first day at work.

Upon arriving at the building, I encountered the first hurdle: I didn't have an access card. The security personnel at the entrance couldn't let me in without it.

However, once I provided my name, they directed me to the reception desk where I was issued a visitor's pass.

Ms. Tessa, the middle-aged woman who had conducted my interview, approached with a warm smile. I could only assume she had received a notification from the front desk about my arrival. "Ms.

Park," she greeted cheerfully, "I didn't expect you to arrive this early."

I was puzzled by Ms. Tessa's comment. It was my first day. "I figured it was the right thing to do," I replied, unsure of what she expected me to say.

"You're right about that, but your boss isn't here yet," she said, gesturing towards the elevator. "I can give you a tour of the office, though."

"To clarify, I'm working in the marketing team, right!" I asked, seeking confirmation.

Ms. Tessa looked at me with a hint of surprise, as though my question was unexpected. "Yes, that's correct. It was clearly stated in your employment letter."

We arrived at the marketing department, and she began introducing me to my new colleagues. She pointed to a closed door. "That's the office of the head of the marketing department. He isn't here yet."

I wondered to myself if he was typically late.

Ms. Tessa seemed to read my thoughts as she responded, "He's not usually late. I'm sure something must have come up." Taking my hand, she guided me to a desk. "This will be your workstation."

"Thank you," I said as I dropped my bag on the desk and began unpacking my belongings on my new desk.

"I'll give you some time to settle in," Ms. Tessa said, turning to leave the room.

An hour later, the door opened, and a young man walked in. He was impeccably dressed in a three-piece suit that highlighted his well-toned physique, suggesting he frequented the gym regularly.

"Listen up, everyone!" he announced, commanding attention. "The CEO wants to have a meeting with the marketing department."

A collective groan swept through the office, but he quickly added with a grin, "It could be about a vacation bonus." His struggle to suppress a smile indicated he wasn't entirely convinced by his own suggestion. "I also want to apologize for arriving late today."

Well, at least he seems like a cool boss, I thought to myself. He glanced in my direction and offered a warm smile. "You must be the new girl"

I stood up and smiled back. "Hello, sir. I'm Ivy Park."

"Welcome to the marketing team at HOMIES," He said with a friendly smile. "We're glad to have you on board. If you run into any problems or need assistance, don't hesitate to come to my office."

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"I'm George Wembler, by the way," he added. With that, he finished his introductions and walked into his office, closing the door behind him.

***********

Around eleven in the morning, we were informed that we needed to head to a conference room for a meeting. A murmur of discontent spread through the office as everyone made their way to the elevators.

"Why is everyone so unhappy about this meeting?" I asked a colleague who had a penchant for bright colors.

"Because we're probably going to be either scolded or handed high targets that will be tough to achieve," she responded with a resigned sigh. "The company doesn't give out bonuses in meetings; that's always done through email."

We entered one of the elevators, while those who couldn't fit had to take the other one.

"Besides," she continued, "he's always grumpy and angry."

"Who? The CEO?"

She nodded. "Mr. Collins is always in a bad mood. His irritability and grumpiness have only worsened since the incident with his wife." She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "They had this huge fight, and—"

"Listening to Sam's gossip on your first day isn't going to do you any favors, a female voice interjected sharply from beside me.

Feeling embarrassed that I had let the conversation go on for so long, I took a step away from the colorful lady, who seemed to shrink back at the reprimand.

The elevator doors opened, and we walked into the conference room. Everyone took their seats, and I followed suit.

George Wembler, who had joined us, sat down next to me. "You might want to review the file in front of you," he advised, "it contains a summary of our sales for the past six months."

Nodding, I picked up the file and began flipping through the pages. As I reviewed the sales figures, it became increasingly clear why this meeting was being held. The marketing department clearly needed to rethink its strategies.

I heard the door open but didn't bother looking up; my focus was entirely on the file in front of me. The more I examined the sales report, the more evident it became that significant changes were needed.

Then I heard a voice, sharp and critical, cut through the room. "The more I looked at the sales report, the more I hoped your team would wake up from whatever slumber you've fallen into."

That voice... it sounded strikingly familiar. I lifted my head slowly, and my eyes met with the cold, calculating blue eyes of Ryder. They were a stark contrast to the goofy, playful eyes I had seen at the club.

The transformation was so dramatic that it was almost as if he were a completely different person. I felt a cold sweat break out across my forehead, my heart pounding in my chest.

Did I just have s*x with my boss's boss? The realization hit me and my fingers trembled with fear. Pulling them away from the table, I leaned over to George. "Is that Mr. Collins, the CEO?"

He nodded.

The confirmation only deepened my sense of dread.

Not only had I slept with someone in a position of authority over me, but he was also a married man. My heart sank even further.

It made sense now why he left me cash—he must be accustomed to paying for s*x and assumed that was what I was about. The thought was humiliating and degrading.

As I sunk lower into my seat, I wished desperately for the floor to open up and swallow me. I watched him as he spoke to the rest of the team, his gaze moving methodically around the table.

When his eyes landed on mine, he faltered. His words seemed to catch in his throat.

The intensity of his stare conveyed that he remembered me and the night we shared. It was clear that the passion of that night wasn't forgotten.