Chapter 8
FELIX
I watched from a distance as if I were an outsider looking in.
My wife appeared happy, her cheeks flushed rosy, the overhead lights beaming off her blonde crown, like she had a halo. And that mischievous, playful smile… was stretched wide for him.
Vicious jealousy cut through me as my eyes narrowed on Curtis, who nudged into Stella’s shoulder as they entered the elevator.
They had a lunch meeting booked in, as told by the schedule I’d managed to hack.
In a strange sequence of events, Stella had poached my mistress as her assistant, which had me constantly on edge.
I’d hardly seen Heather around the office since she’d switched roles. However, that didn’t stop her from messaging me at all hours, her tone flipping from begging to being outright fucking crazy. I ignored and blocked every attempt, yet she always managed to find a way.
A constant anxiety writhed beneath my skin, the fear of her opening that big mouth persistently pushing me closer to a psychotic break.
I hated myself. I mean, how could I not?
With Stella thrust back into my orbit so abruptly, I had no choice but to acknowledge the hard truths. I was still insanely attracted to my wife and respected her above all others.
So where did it all go wrong?
The truth of it was, I was conned into reliving an old memory and got lost in the fantasy. Some of the happiest moments of my life were the struggling years as we created Stella Financial Management.
Long days and sleepless nights, stressful negotiations and failed ventures. My wife was there through it all, fighting alongside me.
And once we had gained a modicum of success and bought our office space, we celebrated our hard work by christening every hard surface available.
We were insatiable for one another. Whenever she wore that power suit or the tailored slitted skirts, I had no choice but to steal her away and break down that professional facade by making her come on my tongue, fingers or cock.
Then, time got between us, and I gained a new secretary. My wife was busy being a mum, and Heather was present and agreeable. I realised all too late that my initial attraction was because she had certain features akin to a young Stella.
I was addicted to the revived excitement, the thrill of spontaneity with the risk of getting caught. I had made the conscious decision to fuck around and find out… Well, now that it was upon me, I did not want to find out.
Since Stella was at home with the kids, I had forgotten her significance and stupidly believed I deserved more. And due to my sheer selfishness, I had initiated my future downfall. Which I was willing to prevent at all costs.
I had to lay the groundwork, dump everything and put my family first.
Barely a week had passed since Stella had returned to the company, and I was starkly reminded of why I never should have made the comparison to begin with. Every evening since, I had tentatively entered her office and tried to convince my wife to come home with me.
She insisted on staying, stating that it was her turn to work hard and prove herself. Now I was pushed out the door, encouraged to spend quality time with the boys while she worked endless hours to compensate for my absence.
I had unintentionally set a gruelling precedent, and I didn’t fully realise it until our roles reversed.
I held no power to complain or contest her actions since I had been doing the same for months.
Eli and Phoenix? Well, that was a whole other disaster in and of itself.
My oldest didn’t spare me a glance, let alone a word, his headphones drowning out my voice. And his game console had his sole attention.
Our two-year-old, on the other hand, cried for his mummy.
Phoenix was so used to having Stella all to himself that, when his daddy took over bedtime, his little cries filled the house.
He got so worked up the first night that I thought he’d make himself sick.
Stella refused to pick up her phone, so I had no choice but to enlist Dylan, my father-in-law, for help.
I was ashamed, but at least my boy wasn’t distressed, curling into his grandfather like he was his own personal teddy bear.
Bitterness and self-loathing—my constant companions—dug deeper.
I hadn’t realised how far I had fallen. But I was starting to get an idea.
I was wandering through the hallways, my mind a mess, when I turned the corner and ran straight into Alicia.
“Oh, sorry—” Her words cut off as she processed who was in front of her. Despite my best efforts, our newly appointed executive financial advisor had managed to escape me—until then.
Before she could leave, I blurted, “Alicia, can we talk? Please.”
Since the company wasn’t burning down around me, I could only assume she hadn’t told anyone what she’d witnessed the week before.
Alicia’s head tilted, all feline grace with the underlying sharp claws ready to cut me all the way up. She gave a minute nod in acknowledgement before turning for her office.
When we were safely shut inside, I jumped straight to it. “First, I want to apologise. I’m truly sorry for what you witnessed. I actually have you to thank, since nothing progressed from what you saw. Nothing happened, and will never happen—”
Alicia rolled her eyes. “Nothing happened? I caught you on the cusp of fucking your secretary.”
Her blunt statement made me flinch, her gaze piercing my flesh with unrelenting fortitude.
Fuck. “Your i-interruption set everything straight f-for me,” I stuttered. “It didn’t progress any further, and I’ll never cross that line again.”
“Again? How long has this workplace affair been going on?”
I swallowed. Get your shit together, Felix! Before I could come up with an adequate response, Alicia pushed on.
“Look, Felix, I don’t want to hear your flimsy excuses and apologies, especially when there’s someone who truly deserves them.
I know what I saw, and you’re not going to gaslight me into thinking otherwise.
” She held up a palm to cut off whatever I was going to say.
“You don’t have to fret. I’m not going to implode your life by spreading your dirty secrets. ”
Relief was short-lived as her tone grew harsh.
“But know this. I no longer value you as a boss or employer, therefore, I do not consider you as such. From now on, I will stay in my own lane, and you stay far away from mine. You can expect the same level of professionalism and calibre of work, but you cannot garner my respect. After seeing you unzipping your pants for a woman who is not your wife… I have no more respect left to give. Good day, Bossman,” she said, dismissing me with a superior swish of her hand.
I followed her command, shuffling out of her space like I’d been tortured to the point of near death. She had read me my rights, and I had no choice but to obey.
Alicia was one key who had the ability to unravel my entire world, but she had promised not to say a word. I had accomplished what I sought to do… So why does my gut roil and flare in opposition?
Racing to the toilets, I upended the contents of my stomach, utterly sick of myself.