Chapter 32
Ellen’s POV
My head throbbed.
The light coming through the window felt like it was intentionally punishing me. I groaned, rubbing my eyes and turning over, the sheets cool against my skin. My arm hit something soft. Then I realized it wasn’t a pillow.
It was fabric. A shin. A man’s shirt.
Karl’s.
My heart jumped and I sat up fast,
The room spun
for a second before settling. My eyes scanned the space like I was expecting him to still be there, but it was empty. The bed beside me was untouched. He hadn’t slept here.
What the hell happened last night!
I looked down at myself. The shirt was loose, barely reaching my thighs, the collar slipping off one shoulder. My legs were bare. My feet, bare. My theeks burned as fragments of last night flickered through my brain.
The drinking, the laughing, the flirting, the kiss
Oh no.
My hand flew up to my mouth as everything slammed into me at once. The way I clung to him, the way I begged, the way I stripped…
I almost screamed into the pillow.
I buried my face into the sheets and groaned. “Oh my God, Ellen, what did you do?
I forced myself to stand. My legs felt weak, my stomach was already queasy, and my head was still pounding. I picked up my phone and checked the time: Way too late for a proper meltdown
I stepped out of the room, tiptoeing like I could somehow sneak past my own humiliation.
The moment I hit the stairs, I heard him.
Ken!
Karl
Of course.
I paused at the landing and peered down. Kent was already dressed in his usual black, stalling like a soldier by the front door, arms folded, face
unradable
I took one more step down) and then las eyes flicked up and mei mine.
Dradjan, no change in expressioni, not even a twitch of surprise at seeing me in Karl Lever’s shirt and nothing else.
My stomach flipped agam
I cleared my throat, chatching the railing gliter “Uh morning.
“Morning,” he replied.
I tried to play it coul, stepping down slowly, even though the shis did absolutely nothing to hide the fact that I had no pants on.
sume Karl already left for work?” I asked, fidgeting with the hem of the shit.
“Ye. He said to tell you I’ll be driving you in when you’re trady
My eyes widened. “Wait. I still have to gor
Kent didn’t blink “You must not miss it for anything. You’re an employee, and you need to act like one.” He said it so matter–of–factly, I could almost hear Karl’s voor in bus
3.04 PM
Chapter 32
My lips parted. “Those were his words?”
Kent gave a small nod. “Exactly”
I sighed, dragging my hand through my hair, I couldn’t believe this was my life now. Hungover, half–naked in my boss–slash–fake–husband’s shirt, and still expected to clock in like nothing happened.
“I’ll go get changed,” I muttered…
“Good,” he said, already checking his watch.
Iturned quickly, practically sprinting up the stairs again, heart pounding in my chest not because I was late but because couldn’t believe I had to face Karl again…
Istepped into the building like 1 wasn’t dying inside.
Kent held the door open for me, then disappeared down the hallway like he couldn’t wait to put space between us. I tightened my grip on the tablet in my arms and forced myself to keep walking.
The office was sleek, polished, glass panels and dark accents everywhere. Everyone moved with a purpose. People in pressed shirts and high heels barely looked up as they passed me.
My desk, or whatever space Karl had assigned me, was separated from his office by a frosted glass divider. Not a door, not even a wall. Just a partition, low enough that I could see the edge of his desk through the clear top pant,
He was already there. Of course.
Jacket off shirt crisp and sleeves rolled up, a pen moving smoothly between his fingers while he reviewed something on his screen.
He didn’t look up not even when I sat down..
I quietly pulled my chair closer and tapped on the tablet, pretending I wasn’t still hungover, pretending my eyes weren’t sore and my brain wasn’t foggy, i blinked a few times to chase the dull ache in my skull away and tried to remember everything I was supposed to do this morning.
I waited for him to call out to me, nothing, just the sound of him typing
I let out a slow breath and rested my elbow on the desk, pressing the side of my face against my palm, I couldn’t believe what I’d done last night. Drunk or not, what the hell was I thinking?
It’s fine, I told myself. It’s okay. People do stupid things when they’re drunk, It wasn’t a big deal. It happens all the time.
But even as I tried to believe that, my stomach twisted.
No. No one strips in front of their cold billionaire husband and begs him to sleep with them. No one throws themselves at a man who keeps reminding them that this is just a contract. No one whines and pouts like a desperate idik,
I dropped my head to the desk for a second and let out a muilled groun
What is wrong with me
I was mid regret spiral when the loud crash jolted me upright.
A sharp lang echoed from somewhere outside the office floor. Papers shifted on my desk. Someone down the hallway gasped.
I sat up straight, bean skipping
Through the frosted glass. I saw Karl pause to his head slowly turning toward the sound. He stood.
Before I could process what was happening, the doors flew open again.
Wollan stormed i tall and sharp–boned, with long, dark hair that flowed behind her like it belonged in a perfume commercial She wore heels that clicked like gumbots and a listed cream coat over a dress that looked designer. Her presence turned heads instantly.
Two security guards trailed behind hier, clearly trying to slow her down, but fading miserably. She shoved one of them with her elbow and kept walking straight into the office like she owned the place.
I pushed out of any cubicle, my heart suddenly picking up
2/3
Chapter 32
“Excuse me,” I said, stepping
into her path.
She didn’t even slow down.
I’m sorry, you can’t go in there, I added, more firmly this time.
She turned her head, one sharp glare cutting straight through me. “Get out of my way
My jaw clenched. I stood taller.
“You can’t just walk in without an appointment,” I said, lifting my hand slightly like it would do something, “you can’t…
But my words cut off the moment I heard his voice behind me.
“Gypsy.”
I turned, slowly.
Karl was standing a few steps away, frozen, his face completely drained of color. His eyes were locked on her, and for the first time since I’d known him he looked… shaken.
My mind scrambled, trying to remember where I’d heard that name.
And then the woman’s voice sliced through the air like a blade.
“Is this how far you’ll go just to see me? You made my father’s company go under just so you could buy it? Just so that you could meet with me again.”
3/3
AD
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