Chapter 2 Temptation In The Boardroom

Mikaela looked at her shoes not wanting to see his angry eyes.

"But sir, she started it, she..."

Before she could say a word, Raymond cut her off.

"She nothing, this is a working environment, not your father's house, where you can do as you please."

"One more mistake and you will get fired."

He turned to Jason.

"Make sure her salary is cut by half."

Mikaela's eyes widened, while there was a smile on Nora's face.

"I mean both of them."

With that, he walked away.

Nora's smile immediately died. "Sir she was the one who jumped on me like an animal."

She was trying to explain but Raymond had already walked away.

"You caused all this, you frustrated bitch."

Nora yelled, wanting to pounce on her when Jason's voice stopped her.

"Fight one more time and you wouldn't receive your salary for a month, or you can drop your resignation letter," he said then turned to Mikaela.

"Miss Smith." He walked away and she tailed behind me.

Mikaela's eyes met his, and for a brief moment, she felt a spark of gratitude.

Jason's gaze lingered on hers, and she wondered if he was thinking about their conversation earlier.

Nora, still seething, shot Mikaela a venomous look, but Jason's firm stance had clearly intimidated her.

"This isn't over," Nora muttered under her breath...

"The boss is in a board meeting, wait for him in his office."

He walked into the board room leaving her behind.

Mikaela walked into his office, her eyes widening. She had been to his office earlier today, but she hadn't had the chance to look at it.

"That stingy boss of mine."

She sat on the couch, she couldn't help but notice the way the sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the dust particles dancing in the air.

She felt a sense of calm wash over her, despite the chaos that had erupted earlier. Her eyes wandered to the bookshelf, where she spotted a collection of classic novels.

Stood up to take a closer look, running her fingers over the spines of the books.

One title caught her eye - "Pride and Prejudice". She smiled, remembering how her mother used to read it to her when she was younger.

She noticed a few framed photos on his desk, one of which caught her eye. It was a picture of Raymond with a woman, smiling and happy.

She wondered who the woman was and what their relationship was like.

As she waited, she started to feel a bit bored. She glanced at her watch and noticed she had been waiting for over an hour...

She started to wonder if her boss was going to show up at all.

Just as she was starting to get restless, she heard a phone ring. She looked at the table, and it was the boss' phone and the caller ID was 'TEDDY BEAR'.

She was about to touch the phone when she heard the sound of voices outside the office.

The door opened, and her boss walked in, looking as imposing as ever.

"What are you doing with my phone?"

He asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Teddy bear is calling," immediately she said that, he snatched the phone from her and his expression softened slightly.

He answered the call, and Mikaela couldn't help but wonder who the mysterious "Teddy Bear" was.

As he talked on the phone, Mikaela couldn't help but notice the way his voice softened, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners...

She felt a pang of curiosity - who was this "Teddy Bear" person, and what was their relationship with Raymond.

She leaned forward slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of his expression. Raymond's eyes met hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.

Mikaela felt a flutter in her chest, but she quickly looked away, trying to compose herself.

Her mind started to wander. Thinking about her siblings, Adrian and Adriana, and how they were doing.

She hoped they were having a good day at school.

She heard him say "I will be home soon, love you too."

That must be his girlfriend.

He hung up and turned to her then her phone beeped.

It was a message from Olivia, her bestie.

"Congrats then, when you come home we can celebrate together." Said added a party emoji.

"Can't wait," Mikaela replied.

GOLDEN BELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Adrian and Adriana were sitting with their best friends Frankie and Annabel.

"Their parents are dead and they are so poor."

Klein one of the rich kids said, Why The rest laughed with him.

Adriana was so angry, but Adrian managed to calm her down.

"Let's focus on someone more worthy of our attention... like Jason Evans."

Adrian said, they always bully him and his sister calling them all sorts of names, but they always ignore them.

Adrian tried to calm Adriana down, but she was having none of it. She stood up, her eyes flashing with anger, and Adrian had to grab her arm to stop her from confronting Klein.

"Let's not stoop to their level," he whispered, trying to reason with her.

Adriana took a deep breath and sat back down, her eyes still blazing with fury. Adrian knew that look all too well - it was the same look their mother used to give when she was angry.

He smiled slightly, remembering the way their mother used to handle situations like this.

Adrian knew how to handle situations like this, and he tried to ignore Klein's taunts.

As the scene unfolded, Mikaela's phone beeped, breaking the silence in Raymond's office. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Olivia, her best friend.

"Congrats then, when you come home we can celebrate together."

The message read, accompanied by a party emoji.

Mikaela smiled and replied to the message, feeling a bit more relaxed.

But her peace was short-lived, as Raymond finished his call and turned to her, his eyes piercing.

"Jason will show you to your desk."

"You can go now," he said curtly.

"Jason will show you to your desk."

As she stood up to leave, Raymond's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze intense. "One more thing, Miss Smith," he said, his voice low and mysterious.

"I believe we have a meeting scheduled for tonight, 8 PM, at my penthouse. Be there."

Mikaela's heart skipped a beat as she felt a shiver run down her spine. What kind of meeting could he possibly want with her at his penthouse? She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat.

Suddenly, her phone beeped again, and she saw a message from an unknown number: "Don't go."

Let's dive into the story.

Mikaela's eyes widened as she stared at the message on her phone: "Don't go."

The words sent a shiver down her spine. Who could have sent this, and how did they know about Raymond's meeting? She felt a sense of unease wash over her, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

Raymond's strict demeanor and imposing presence made her wonder if she was in over her head.

Despite her reservations, Mikaela knew she had to attend the meeting. It was her boss's request, and she couldn't afford to disobey.

But the message had planted a seed of doubt in her mind. What if Raymond's intentions weren't as innocent as they seemed?

As she made her way to the penthouse, Mikaela's anxiety grew. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was walking into a trap. The unknown number's warning echoed in her mind, making her question everything.

Upon arrival, Raymond greeted her with a charming smile, but Mikaela's instincts screamed caution. As they stepped into the penthouse, she noticed the lack of staff, the eerie silence, and the way Raymond's eyes seemed to bore into her soul.

"Let's get down to business, Miss Smith," Raymond said, his voice low and husky.

But Mikaela's attention was elsewhere. She spotted a hidden camera in the corner, and her heart sank. This wasn't a meeting – it was a setup.

Suddenly, the unknown number's message made sense. Mikaela realized she might be in grave danger. She tried to play it cool, but her mind was racing.

How could she escape? Who was behind this? And what did they want from her?

As Raymond took a step closer, Mikaela's instincts kicked in. She knew she had to get out of there, fast.

But as she turned to leave, Raymond's grip on her arm tightened.

"You're not going anywhere, Miss Smith," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. Mikaela's world began to spin out of control.

TBC