Tempted By My Boss Book 3
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Tania Shava
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Hailey's life takes a dramatic turn when she unexpectedly reunites with her past love, Valerian, while navigating her complex marriage to Alex. As she steps into a powerful new role at her former company, old flames and unresolved emotions resurface, challenging her to confront her past and redefine her future. With a backdrop of professional ambition and personal turmoil, Hailey must decide where her heart truly lies.
Chapter 1
Book 3
HAILEY
Alex had reached his limit. He scooped me up in his arms, and suddenly I was straddling him. He carried me into the shower, and I couldn’t help but laugh as he set me down to shed the last of his clothes.
Once we were both bare, Alex lifted me up again. I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning in to press my lips against his. The water was hot, but Alex’s body against mine made me feel even hotter.
When I pulled away, he trailed kisses down my neck and onto my breasts. Alex shifted me slightly, and I aided him by lifting my hips. He slid into me effortlessly.
A moan escaped my lips, quickly followed by a yelp as Alex began to move. His pace quickened, driving me closer and closer to the edge until I was consumed by my climax.
Alex’s grunt echoed in the small space, signaling that he too had found his release. He gently set me down, and I found my legs were too weak to support me.
After the shower, I retreated to our room and slipped into a shirt and shorts. I felt at ease.
“I’m going to go reserve us a table for breakfast downstairs,” I announced, rising from the bed.
“Great, see you in a bit,” Alex responded.
I made my way to the elevator and descended to the bustling breakfast area. There were plenty of people around, but I managed to snag a table with a view of the ocean. I hoped Alex would be able to spot me from there.
A few minutes later, Alex emerged. He was clad in beach shorts and an unbuttoned T-shirt. His blond hair was tousled, and his eyes mirrored the color of the ocean.
He stood out in the crowd, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. I caught my breath, wondering if I would ever grow accustomed to how stunning my husband was.
After a moment of being lost in my thoughts, I noticed Alex scanning the room for me. When his gaze met mine, he broke into a smile.
I took a moment to really look at him as he made his way over to me. He took a seat across from me.
“I love the way you look at me,” Alex murmured.
I laughed as I noticed a blush creeping onto Alex’s face. “Are you blushing right now?”
“Only you make me feel this way, Hailey.”
“Hailey!”
“Hailey!”
I was jolted back to reality. How long had I been lost in my daydream? Why did this always happen at the most inconvenient times?
I was often left feeling disoriented, struggling to distinguish between reality and my dreams. If this continued, I might as well sleep my life away.
I had thought that hard work would be the solution to my nightmares, regrets, and torments. But the harder I worked, the deeper I sank into despair and hopelessness.
Being alone in my room was even worse. The only company I had was the thoughts that haunted me relentlessly. Even watching TV didn’t help. A single scene could trigger me.
It wasn’t just the TV that set me off. It was everything. The smallest details, laughter, words, everything.
What could I do to escape it all?
VALERIAN
Valerian was sitting in his home office, clutching his chest. He’d been trying to suppress it, but had he really seen Hailey?
Why did he still feel this way after all these years?
He shook his head in disbelief. She was married now, completely out of his reach.
Valerian had tried everything to move on from Hailey, but nothing seemed to work. The sting of her choosing Alex over him still felt as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.
He reached for his whiskey glass and poured himself a drink. He didn’t care about the lack of ice, he just needed something to numb the pain.
The whiskey burned his throat, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. He had done everything he could think of: he had become wealthier, more feared, and adored by countless women.
Beautiful women that he could have, but didn’t want. Because they weren’t Hailey. That was his problem; every woman he tried to be with just wasn’t Hailey.
Was he obsessed with Hailey? He knew that wasn’t it. Deep down, he knew that Hailey was the first woman he had truly loved. He loved everything about her.
But it always hurt when he realized that he wasn’t enough for her. That’s why she had ended up with Alex. She had seen something in Alex that he lacked.
Whatever it was that he lacked, it had cost him Hailey forever. Why hadn’t he taken the time to understand her more? He had thought she would always be his, but that had changed in a day.
The day he had fallen ill and the last time she had left him. She had seemed to truly love him, so what had changed? What had made her give him up? Wasn’t he worth fighting for?
Or was it all a delusion? Did he want to believe that she loved him when she didn’t? Had he pushed her away?
Here he was, sitting alone on a Friday night, thinking about his ex-lover. Did she have children now? The thought of it tore him apart. He wondered what their children would have looked like.
What was the point of all this? None of it would happen. Valerian sighed. Why hadn’t she chosen him?
Why had she rushed to marry Alex? Why hadn’t she taken more time to think? Why hadn’t she stayed engaged?
Did she really want to be his wife that badly? Had she ever thought about being his wife?
Valerian’s tears had dried up, he couldn’t cry anymore. He had planned to propose to her the day she left. If only he had been a day earlier, maybe she would have said yes.
This was a sign. If they were meant to be, he wouldn’t have been a day late. So, did that mean she wasn’t meant for him? Was it already written in the stars?
Another thought that haunted him was when Hailey had decided to leave him. Was it the day he waited for her at her apartment? The day she had dinner with Alex? Had she already decided to leave him then? He was planning a future with her, and she was planning to leave.
Valerian gulped down more whiskey. The thought of living the rest of his life without Hailey was unbearable, both physically and emotionally.
He took out his phone and looked at their pictures from Paris. This was the only way he could remember her. It was hard to remember her face, but her smile was still there.
What was she doing now? His mind wandered again. Why did they say she was a maintenance lady? What had happened? Had she and Alex fallen on hard times? He had promised himself that he would let her go, but here he was, still hung up on her because he had caught a glimpse of her.
Should he look for her? Would she be angry if he did? If she needed him, she would have reached out.
Valerian stood up, still feeling sober. He had become so used to drinking that it would take a lot more to get him drunk.
He couldn’t sit around doing nothing while his mind was driving him mad. He needed answers, and he needed them as soon as possible.
He dialed, held the phone to his ear, and waited.
“Valerian?”
“Matt.”
