I Slept With My Boss Then Married Him

Elizabeth Cox glanced nervously at her phone as it rang again. The caller ID—"Kataleya the Rogue"—flashed across the screen, making her feel like a rabbit caught in headlights. "What should I do? Kataleya and the others must be suspicious by now," she worried to herself. Normally, she was composed. This was a situation she'd never seen coming, and it left her completely thrown.

Her usually serene, pretty face was clouded with worry. Maximilian Carter reached over and plucked the phone from her hand.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth's face furrowed with concern, her fingers tightening around the phone on instinct.

"I'll handle it," Maximilian said, reaching for it again. Elizabeth hesitated, but faced with his steady, confident calm, she slowly let go—reluctantly.

"Just don't say anything you'll regret," she pleaded, watching him with anxious anticipation as he answered the call.

"Hello, this is Maximilian Carter. I found this phone last night. My assistant will return it later. As for her..." He let his gaze linger on Elizabeth's innocent, lovely face.

Elizabeth nearly froze. Her eyes went wide, and she held her breath as she watched him, terrified that one wrong word could wreck everything.

Especially when Maximilian seemed to hesitate. Her whole body tensed, mirroring her spiraling anxiety.

Desperate for him to keep going, Elizabeth silently urged him on with her eyes. Just say it!

Maximilian clearly caught the discomfort and awkwardness rolling off her. He paused on purpose, wanting to tease her a little. When he saw that pitiful expression on her face, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "I don't know," he finally added.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath. She had narrowly dodged a bullet.

"I'll return the phone to your colleague shortly," Maximilian said, placing her phone next to his.

"Okay, but when should I go downstairs? Will anyone notice?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes full of apprehension as she looked at him.

Guilt churned in her stomach. She had always found romantic entanglements awkward, and the idea of being with her boss made her want to disappear into thin air.

Maximilian's dark eyes were like the ocean under moonlight—steady and calm, a stark contrast to Elizabeth's worried, anxious energy. "Everyone is at the restaurant now. Stay here and leave a bit later."

"All right," Elizabeth nodded, sitting obediently on the bed, her gaze fixed on her nervously twisting fingers.

Maximilian dressed in front of her without any attempt to hide himself, his model-like physique and sharply defined features moving with calm elegance.

Elizabeth couldn't help but sneak a glance, her heart fluttering inexplicably. Kataleya's imagination hadn't been far from the truth—Maximilian's composed exterior masked a passionate intensity.

"I'll take responsibility for this," Maximilian said suddenly as he buttoned his shirt.

Caught up in her thoughts, Elizabeth was startled by his words. She looked up, eyes wide. The next moment, she shook her head hard. "No, no, it's not necessary. We're both adults, and it was mutual. You don't need to take responsibility."

She was just a recent graduate with an ordinary job, while he was an influential figure with unimaginable wealth. She couldn't even dream of reaching such heights.

To drive the point home, Elizabeth repeated "no" several times, her face set in clear resistance. Maximilian frowned slightly, as if he were a tyrant pressuring an innocent girl.

"I'm serious," he insisted.

"So am I!" Elizabeth declared, her voice firm. "I just hope this stays between us. I don't want anyone else to know. That's my only request."

Avoiding his intense gaze, Elizabeth fixed her eyes on her feet, feeling overwhelmed by him.

Maximilian studied her for a moment before conceding, "All right. I'll head down then."

"Okay," Elizabeth nodded, silently begging him to leave quickly.

With a final glance, Maximilian took both phones and left the room.

"Phew..." Elizabeth let out a long breath.

Alone in the room, she flopped onto the bed, rolled over, and punched the soft comforter. "Elizabeth, you must be out of your mind. Of all the handsome men in the world, why did you sleep with Maximilian Carter?" she scolded herself.

After wallowing for a while, Elizabeth figured enough time had passed. Her colleagues were probably all downstairs by now. She washed her face, put on a mask, and cautiously opened the door a crack.

Seeing no one in the hallway, she quickly slipped out and gently closed the door behind her.

Instead of taking the elevator, she opted for the stairs.

Astrid Gonzalez stood by the stairwell door, frowning as she noted the room Elizabeth had just exited. It was... the CEO's room?

...

Elizabeth descended a few flights of stairs before arriving at her own room, where she used her key card to quickly pack her belongings.

After placing her luggage on the bus, Elizabeth made her way to the dining hall.

As a top-tier global enterprise, Carter Group was a powerhouse with a stronghold at the top of the business world, attracting talented people from all over. Among the many brilliant women, Elizabeth stood out the most.

Her presence was like a breath of fresh air—gentle and soothing, yet carrying an unspoken grace and coolness.

As soon as she appeared, sharp-eyed Kataleya spotted her and waved energetically. "Elizabeth, over here!"

Elizabeth followed the voice and waved back. Suddenly, she felt an intense gaze and turned, accidentally locking eyes with Maximilian. His striking profile was sharply defined, and his dark eyes seemed to hold the memory of their shared night.

Wasn't he supposed to have gone down first? Why was he still at the restaurant entrance?

"Elizabeth, darling, are you still hungover? Why are you walking so funny?" Kataleya teased as she jogged over and linked arms with Elizabeth.

"I twisted my ankle wearing heels last night," Elizabeth explained, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Having indulged too much last night—and again this morning—her legs still felt weak.

"Tsk, tsk. Seeing you like this, all shy and delicate, did you perhaps get wild with our handsome CEO last night? Your walk suggests you had quite the adventure," Kataleya joked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Elizabeth nearly dropped to her knees in front of her friend—Kataleya had a knack for teasing, especially when it came to romance.

Elizabeth's cheeks flushed crimson as she pleaded, "There are people around. Please, stop it!"

Seeing Elizabeth so flustered, Kataleya found even more reason to tease. "Unless... you got drunk and just happened to bump into our dashing CEO?"

Elizabeth's face burned even hotter. Kataleya, ever the jokester, kept hitting the nail on the head with her guesses.

"But still, it didn't happen," Elizabeth protested weakly. "You've been reading too many trashy romance novels."

Kataleya observed Elizabeth, noting her guilty yet stubborn demeanor, and laughed. She raised her eyes and saw Maximilian approaching, surrounded by senior executives.

"You don't admit it? I'll ask Mr. Carter myself," Kataleya said, waving cheerfully at the oncoming Maximilian. "Mr. Carter!"

Panic surged through Elizabeth as the rest of her colleagues turned to watch. The man who looked like he belonged on a pedestal moved gracefully toward them, his presence commanding attention.

If Kataleya mentioned anything in front of Maximilian, Elizabeth worried he might decide to let the cat out of the bag!

She was so screwed.