Falling for my CEO boss

The warm water from the shower was still clinging to her skin as she quickly dressed, the towel barely staying in place as she yanked her clothes on. She didn't have time to think about the details,she just needed to get out the door.

"Maya! Don't forget to eat something," her mom called from downstairs.

She glanced at the clock, cursing under her breath.

"Coming, Mom!" she shouted, grabbing her phone and shoving it in her bag.

She rushed downstairs, pulling her blazer on as she went. Her mom stood by the kitchen counter, holding a plate of pancakes. "Just a bite, please?"

"I'm good, Mom. Besides, I'm not that hungry," Maya said, grabbing her purse off the hook. "I'll grab something later."

"You'll be starving before you even get there. Last night you went to bed without eating too," her mom warned, eyeing her like she was about to make a huge mistake.

"I'll survive," Maya smiled, tying her hair up into a quick ponytail.

Her dad peeked over his newspaper. "You sure you're ready for this? You look like you're about to run a marathon."

"I've got this," Maya replied, straightening her blazer.

She kissed her mom's cheek, then rushed out the door, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves

-------

The building wasn't anything special. The outside was plain, just faded white walls and a small sign by the entrance. Nothing like the shiny offices she had dreamed about. But it didn't matter. A job was a job, and this could be her first step forward.

She walked through the glass doors, checking the floor number again. Her heels clicked softly against the old tile floor as she headed to the elevator, pressing the worn-out silver button.

Inside, there were a few other girls, all dressed smartly like her. A couple of them were whispering in the corner. Maya didn't mean to listen, but the elevator was quiet, and their voices carried.

"I heard the manager did it again last week," one of them said.

"Yeah, same story. Girl walks in, and he tells her she's gotta 'prove she wants it bad enough.'"

Maya's brow furrowed. Another girl rolled her eyes, arms folded.

"Gross. I don't get how they just let him stay. Everyone knows."

"He's one of the higher-ups.A whole manger, what did you expect?They sweep it under the rug."

Maya stared straight ahead, her stomach twisting. She told herself it was probably just rumors. Every office had gossip, right? People exaggerated things. Besides, she wasn't here for nonsense. She was here to land a job and get her life on track.

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. Fifth floor.

She stepped out with the others, smoothing her hair as she walked down the narrow hallway. A receptionist greeted her with a practiced smile and handed her a clipboard.

"Just fill this out and have a seat. Mr. Grant will see you shortly."

Maya thanked her, took the clipboard, and sat down on the edge of a leather chair. Her palms were slightly sweaty, but she kept her expression calm. This was her chance. She wasn't going to let nerves ruin it.

Minutes passed. One by one, the other girls were called in and came out with different looks some blank, some tight-lipped, one with a face that looked like she was holding back tears.

Still, Maya kept her cool. Maybe they were just disappointed. Not everyone could get the job.

Finally, the receptionist called her name. "Maya Brooks?"

She stood up, straightened her blazer again, and followed the woman down a hallway to an office at the end. The door opened, and a man in a gray suit with slicked-back hair looked up from behind a large desk.

"Have a seat," he said with a smooth voice and a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Thank you," Maya said politely, sitting across from him

He picked up her résumé, skimmed it for barely a second, then set it down like it didn't matter. He stood and slowly walked around the desk.

Maya's heart picked up. She tried not to react, thinking maybe he just wanted to talk more casually.

But then he stopped beside her chair.

She flinched when he placed a hand on her shoulder. His thumb gently rubbed along the fabric of her blazer, then slid lower, like he was smoothing something out ,but he didn't stop. His fingers grazed her upper arm, lingering just a little too long.

Her whole body stiffened..

. "You're a pretty girl, Maya."

She blinked. "Uh... thank you?"

"You know, a lot of people want this position. I'm sure you've heard that."

She nodded, suddenly unsure where this was going.

"But let me be honest with you." He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping. "Around here, looks matter. And loyalty. The kind of loyalty that goes beyond....paper qualifications."

Maya felt her stomach drop.

He smiled again, this time slower. "I can give you this job today. Right now. But I need to know how far you're willing to go to show you really want it."

For a second, she just stared at him, stunned.

"Excuse me?" she asked quietly, her voice tight.

"Don't play dumb, sweetheart," he said, leaning back like he'd done this a hundred times. "It's simple. You spend a little time with me after this meeting, and you walk out of here with an offer."

Her face flushed,not with embarrassment, but rage. She stood up, shaking. "You're disgusting."

He raised a brow like she was overreacting. "Don't be dramatic. You're not the first girl to get this kind of offer."

Maya didn't even respond. She turned and stormed out of the office, past the receptionist, past the elevator. She didn't want to wait for it. She took the stairs, practically running down all five flights, her heart pounding in her ears.

Outside, the sun felt too bright. Her hands were shaking.

She walked down the street, eyes stinging, and finally sat on a bench near a bus stop. Her vision blurred with tears. She reached for her phone with trembling fingers and called the one person who always made her feel okay ,Jayden.

It rang. And rang. Then went to voicemail.

She stared at the screen. No call back. No text. Nothing.

"Pick up," she whispered, hitting redial.

Still nothing.

Something inside her felt off. The tears stopped. Instead, something colder settled in her chest.

She stood up, turned around, and started walking.

Jayden's place was only ten minutes away. Maybe he was just asleep. Maybe his phone was on silent.

But as she got closer, a sound hit her.

"She heard moaning from inside. It was so loud and very unmistakable that she froze outside the window, her body trembling.

"No. No. No." She whispered under her breath, her eyes wide with shock and horror...

The window was cracked open just enough for the sound to slip out.

Her stomach twisted, and she ran to the front door, pushed it open he never locked it when he was home and marched straight to the room without knocking or pausing

She opened the door, and what she saw hit her harder than anything else that had happened that day.

Jayden. Naked. On top of someone.

Her best friend, Joana.

They both froze, eyes wide.

Maya stood in the doorway, her voice stuck in her throat.

Jayden started to speak, but she turned and walked out, the world around her spinning. Her heart wasn't just broken,it felt like it had been shattered, then set on fire