Chapter 2
FELIX
Two weeks later…
I rubbed the back of my neck, attempting to ease the strained knots in my muscles when her voice cut through my office.
“Need some help with that, Boss?”
My eyes narrowed on Heather, poised prettily in the doorway. Her face was beaming, enthusiastic and eager to please.
“Leave me,” I snapped, unable to hold back the bark. Her expression soured immediately before she retreated and slammed the door.
I grumbled, massaging harder as a never-ending restlessness dug deeper into my bones.
Heather was getting too bold, too fucking dramatic. I didn’t know how to cut the cord without the aftereffects of the fallout.
I had given her a sense of security as soon as I fucked that power into her. She suddenly thought she was invincible.
And in a way, she was.
Due to the nature of our company, we had a strict no fraternisation policy. Of course, I’d put that rule to shit when I stuck my dick inside her.
It began exactly how you’d think.
One late evening. A stressful contract. Some kind words from me. More flirtatious teasing from her. Then, she had my pants around my ankles with her hot mouth sucking me in.
I didn’t entirely process what was happening until I was shooting cum down her impatient throat.
Everything spiralled out of control from there.
In the past six months, our company had grown exponentially, and the stress was starting to eat away at my sanity. When I was especially overtaken with tension and anxiety, she was there. Always available, always waiting.
As much as I had tried to stay away from the temptation of Heather, she was the only outlet I had. And I’d stupidly basked in her frivolous compliments and undivided attention, which had grown stale.
We had both agreed it was nothing. Claimed that our trysts didn’t mean anything other than a physical stress relief. However, Heather had gradually started dropping hints, alluding to more and requesting my time—as if she had a right to demand anything from me.
I was ashamed, broken and caught in a toxic cycle. A cycle that had run its course, the thrill and excitement quickly dwindling in the wake of my reality.
I was a fool to risk it all.
Now, I was stuck with my doe-eyed secretary who had the underlying traits of a stalker. As told by her whispered insinuations and subtle threats, with the faux-innocent smile to match. It made me question ever giving in to her craziness.
I was pulled out of my self-loathing episode by my phone buzzing. I picked up on the second ring.
“Johnson, my man,” Howard said. He was one of our board members who was known for his outspoken, boisterous nature. “You’re still coming today, aren’t you? Remember, you said you wanted to congratulate Alicia yourself. Her presentation is in ten minutes.”
“Shit, I forgot. Thanks for the reminder, Howard. I’ll meet you down there.” I hung up.
Where the fuck is Heather, and what is she doing? This is literally her job. I shouldn’t have been getting direct calls from a board member to reconfirm a prior commitment.
She really is a shit secretary.
Slipping on my suit jacket, I opened my door to find said secretary with her feet up on her desk, scrolling through her phone.
Anger simmered low in my gut. I needed longer than ten minutes to reprimand her on her work ethic. What the fuck did I ever see in this girl?
I stormed past, veering for the elevator.
“Where are we going?” she chirped behind my shoulder.
When I walked into our largest conference room, the place was packed.
My brow furrowed, perusing the crowd of clients and employees, who were celebrating large.
I must have missed the memo because the turnout seemed a lot more significant than for one promotion.
As I sidelined the makeshift stage, Howard stepped up to the podium, giving me a triumphant smile and wink.
Testing the microphone, he leant forward, his voice carrying loudly through the speakers.
“Now, we never thought we’d pull this off, but we actually succeeded!”
Cheers and hoots rang out, but as the noise gradually died down, the roaring in my ears continued. Thump. Thump. Thump.
What’s happening? What’s happening?
“As you’ve probably guessed, Felix, this isn’t just any celebration. This is a welcome-back party for the most valuable asset to this company. I think I speak for everyone when I say we’ve missed her charm, expertise and counsel. Let’s give it up for Felix’s better half, his wife, Stella!”
The room erupted into raucous applause as surprise and delight shone from my face, whilst my insides exploded with utter terror.
What do I do? What do I do?
My wife of nearly a decade rose on stage, and when her blue eyes searched, found and locked with mine, I suddenly knew what I had been missing.
I’d stupidly conned myself into thinking I could separate my two lives. Compartmentalise my home life from my work one. But I suddenly saw how reckless that thought process had been.
My two worlds were on a collision course, and all I could do was paste on a generic smile as my heart screamed for relief.
My wife was my home, my soulmate, my absolution. And I had momentarily given that up for a cheap knock-off who held no substance.
Fuck, I’m going to be sick.
Stella gave a wide, friendly grin and began her speech. I had no idea what she was saying, completely transfixed.
Gods, she is beautiful. Not the kind that passed with age or time. But the classic kind, where her beauty and attractiveness were only enhanced by her charismatic personality.
To know her was to crave her.
Women wanted to be her, and men wanted to be me.
I was the luckiest moron to ever walk the earth, and I was on the verge of losing it all.
How did I lose sight of that? How did I ever think I could search for happiness outside of us? I am nothing without her.
Conscience and fear clashed together inside me to create an internal storm of catastrophic proportions.
When was the last time I looked into my wife’s eyes? Truly stared into their depths to see my love safely secured within? I can’t remember.
Entirely too late, everything just clicked into place, each puzzle piece resounding in its damnation.
I missed my family. I missed my boys. I missed my wife. I missed her so fucking much.
I’m going to save us. I’ll do anything to save us.