Chapter 36

HAILEY

The next morning, Hailey woke up feeling refreshed and fever-free. She got ready and headed to work.

Once there, she dove into her tasks. Valerian was nowhere to be seen all day, until a message from him popped up on her phone.

Valerian

I’m not coming in today, I got your fever.

A chuckle escaped her lips.

Hailey

I will come after work to nurse you.

Valerian

Well then I look forward to it.

She grinned at his reply, tossed her phone aside, and continued with her work. When it was time to leave, she stopped by a place that served chicken soup and ordered two portions to go.

Arriving at his house, she rang the doorbell.

“Come in.”

She stepped inside to find Valerian on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. He looked terrible.

She presented the chicken soup.

“Yum, I’m starving,” he said.

His voice was so husky it made her laugh. It was a sickly kind of sexy.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing.” She decided to keep it to herself.

“That’s not fair, Hailey. I have a right to know.”

“Okay, your voice sounds extra sexy.”

He chuckled. “Want to join me here?”

“No, I don’t want to catch your fever. We’d be stuck in a never-ending cycle of sickness.”

“Good point.”

After they finished eating, she cleaned up and joined him on the couch. He was clearly drowsy from the medication. “Let me help you to bed.”

“I’d like that.” He shot her a devilish grin.

“Wow, you really are sick.”

He just laughed. She helped him up and into bed, making sure he was comfortable. “Goodnight.” She blew him a kiss, which he pretended to catch.

Back at her apartment, she fell into a deep sleep.

The next day at work dragged on. She couldn’t help but worry about Valerian.

She glanced at the clock—only thirty minutes left.

“Hailey, they’re asking for you in the front office,” Maggie informed her.

She made her way to the front office, where she found Charlize waiting.

“You bitch!” Charlize screamed at her.

A crowd began to gather, curious about the commotion.

“Hailey, I’m going to destroy you. You think sleeping with Valerian makes you special?”

Hailey was taken aback—she felt like crawling into a hole.

“You’re nothing but a whore who slept her way to the top.”

“That’s not true. I graduated from Harvard, remember?”

“Sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re fucking your boss for special treatment. You think I don’t know about Paris and all your little dates?”

Hailey looked around at the onlookers. Was this really happening?

“Guess what, Hailey? I’m the one who trashed your apartment. And I can do much worse.”

“So, you’re the one who sent someone?”

Charlize laughed mockingly. “Yes, darling. It was me. You can’t beat me.”

Hailey laughed softly. “I already have, Charlize.”

“What did you say?”

“You heard me. You’re so threatened by a nineteen-year-old that you’re resorting to this. If I was just a fling to him, you wouldn’t be so worried.”

Charlize lunged at her, attempting to slap her, but Hailey blocked her hand.

“Let go of me, you bitch!”

Hailey released her. She returned to her desk, packed up her things, and left.