Tainted by my CEO’s Greed - Illicit affair with my boss

Prologue

“I believe we need to exercise caution before proceeding with this project.” I explained, pointing the board pen over the projector screen. “I understand that this is belated since we had done screening before now but after going over their portfolio and their statistics.”

I took a deep breath. “It is filled with discrepancies and red flags.” I clicked the button to the next page. “These figures are not very clear. I highly recommend halting this project or ending it altogether.”

Choruses of murmurs filled the room at once. The meeting room was filled with questions about whether or not this was worth the risk.

The chatter continued for a few minutes before his voice cut through it. “And why do you think we should listen to you?”

My gaze cut straight to his, at the same time the room fell silent. The air stilled as his voice sounded through the room commanding the attention of everyone at once.

The rest of the room fell silent, waiting. Steel-grey orbs stare right at me with a cold glint. “Why should we follow your advice, which has come belatedly considering you and your team were in charge of this project even before it got on my desk.”

My heart thumped with his every word. In this room he called the shots but him calling me out right here grated at my nerves. “I think..”

“I don’t need you to think. I don’t pay you to think. I need clear results, hypotheses, theories. I need proof and irrefutable facts as to why we can’t go ahead with this project.” He boomed.

I tried to explain. “I’ve been trying to explain. Their finances are not clear. We might fall into a greater loss if we don’t cut our losses now.”

My boss kept his eyes on me from across the room. “And what makes you think we should go with your advice?” he said. “How exactly are you going to get us back the funds we’ve already sunk into acquiring this project?”

“I believe money lost at the starting stage is better than money lost at the end stage, when the project turns out not to be feasible,” I finally snapped, unable to hold my tongue.

The boardroom went dead quiet. They were probably wondering what the hell had come over me to lash out that way. And to the CEO at that.

I flinched when I realized what I’d just done.

F*ck! I’m so done.

The air in the room sizzled with thick, suffocating tension, everyone peering subtly to the boss wondering what his reaction would be but he didn’t flinch, he didn’t even seem to care. In fact, the CEO in question just smirked. Then he stood, and walked out.

“Meeting adjourned,” he announced, the door clicked shut behind him.

The rest of the room sat there, stunned for a brief moment. Then the chatter and not so obvious stares started.

Gabby hurried towards me at the front. “Girl. What happened just now? Why did you do that? Why would you talk to him like that?”

“But I’m right, though,” I said, taking the chance to pack up my files and laptop, not wanting to take accountability. I was embarrassed enough. “This project is a dead end. Better to cut it now than wait for it to fail and take us down with it.”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah. You’re right. But I think you could’ve explained it better or more. At the end of the day, this is a company, you care about your salary and they only care about profit.”

“Yeah. I know.” I groaned, leaning on the pulpit. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m just a little off today.” She sighed. “I’ll apologize later.”

“You’d better,” gabby muttered. “Unless you want to lose your job. Did you see his face? That smirk was worse than getting yelled at, honestly.”

“You think?”

“Girl, yes.” She sassed back like it was obvious.

I groaned loudly. “Fine. I’ll talk to him later. I’ll write up a full proposal, an explanation, laying out my reasoning properly.”

“Better late than never,” gabby chirped, turning leave.

“Thanks for looking out for me.”

“No problem. I’m heading out.” She gestured towards the door. “I’ll catch you later, okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Let me just tidy up the meeting room, and I’ll be back at my desk soon.”

“Alright. Bye girl.”

Gabby left, along with the rest of the employees leaving me and my thoughts. I cleared the desk, straightened the chairs, and switched off the projector, then sank back against the table with a sigh.

What did I just do?

I shook it off, pulled myself together, gathered the last of her things off the table and headed for the lobby. I’d better get another cup of coffee in before I bite my next victim. And I definitely needed the serotonin boost so I could face him again.

My heels clicked down the hallway. Just as I reached the corner toward the coffee station, I heard a door swing open behind me. Before I could even turn, a hand closed around my arm and dragged me into the stairwell.

I yelped, scared and shook, only to be pressed flush against the shut doors. I came face to face with the one person I’d been avoiding.

“Tristan! Have you lost your mind?”

“Not yet, but I’m about to.”

His hand slid down my waist, pulling me flush against him. I shivered slightly at the contact, my body betraying my will. His hardened d*ck pressed against my suddenly aching core.

“Stop this Right now Tristan.” I sneered, pushing at his chest, contrary to how badly I wanted him closer. His heartbeat was erratic against my palm. “We are at the office. You can’t.. we can’t do this here. We shouldn’t even be doing this at all!”

“You should have thought about that before running that smartsss mouth in the boardroom earlier.” His eyes were darkened with lust, trailing over my lips. He smirked, “What? Trying to be rebellious, poison ivy?”

“Stop calling me that.”

His hands trailed down the sides of my skirt. “But you are poison, you have burrowed deep into my mind and my soul. You are mine until you ruin me totally. And even then I’d beg for one more touch.”

My breath hitched. This was always the thing with him. I could hate him with my whole being one minute, then the next I’m on my knees in front of him.

He always knew what to say to keep me in this illicit affair.

So when his lips grazed my collarbone, trailed up my neck, I didn’t resist. I didn’t push him off. I welcomed it, bared my neck to him instead.

Then, one sharp inhale later, he lifted his head and crashed his mouth against mine. I allowed it without much resistance.

And so it began. Again.

Minutes later, I’m sneaking out from the corner of the stairwell, wiping the sides of my mouth clean, smoothening my skirt and buttoning the buttons he’d undone.

I took a sharp sweep of the floor around me to make sure no one saw me.

A quick glance at my reflection in the glass, a hand through my hair to smooth it down. I looked normal now. I hope.

I don't bother looking back at him. He could sort himself out.

Once I got to the elevator, it opened up to an empty space and I couldn’t be more grateful. I needed the space to think.

Walking right in, I slouched right at the corner with a heavy sigh.

Well, that was my life now. An affair with my boss, in broad daylight, because we were both suckers for something forbidden and off limits.

Did I forget to mention that he was engaged?

Right. I should probably back up a few weeks.

About a month ago.

Ivy’s POV

I cradled my cheek as the earlier memory pulled into me. “Girls, I think I’m done with men for a while,” I declared over the pulsing beat of the club, taking a shot of whiskey and wincing at the potency. “They s*ck so bad!”

“Oh, baby!” Addy cooed before sliding over to my side. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me into her, her hand smoothing over my cheek like I was something fragile. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

Opposite me, Mabel clutched her glass with a hold so tight I feared it would break. “I still think we need to cut his brakes. How could he?” she gritted out.

I chuckled at the intensity in her gaze, knowing she couldn’t hurt a fly.

“Honestly, I’m game,” Addy added from beside me, her voice rumbling against my head.

“Guys, I just want to forget men exist and leave that place behind. I’m glad I left. It would have never worked out.” I sighed. “I never want to be in