Claire had served Louis his coffee hours ago, and now she was back at her desk, focused on finishing her work for the day. But her concentration shattered the moment she spotted Priscilla swaying down the hallway. Claire's eyes tracked her, taking in the disheveled hair, smudged lipstick, and the way her blouse hung open just enough to reveal the lace of her bra.
Her skirt was dangerously high, almost obscene. Drunk, sexy, and entirely too comfortable.
Claire's stomach twisted as an uneasy thought crossed her mind—was Priscilla planning to seduce him? The idea hit Claire like a slap, making her heart ache in ways she didn't understand. Why did she care so much?
Minutes passed, dragging on painfully. Five, ten, then twenty. Priscilla was still in there, and Claire was running out of excuses to linger at her desk.
She tried to distract herself, rearranging papers and tapping out meaningless emails, but nothing could drown out the nagging thoughts swirling in her head.
As she started packing up to leave, she heard it—a low, sultry moan echoing faintly through the walls. Claire's heart stopped, and her hands still.
"Oh... Louis..."
The unmistakable sound of Priscilla's voice, breathy and filled with desire, shot through Claire's like ice water.
She froze, her breath hitching as heat bloomed beneath her skin, a mix of anger, jealousy, and something she didn't want to admit.
More moans followed, louder, desperate, and the soft thud of something—someone—hitting the desk. Claire's chest tightened as she strained to hear, her imagination running wild with the images she didn't want to see.
"Oh God, Louis, right there—"
Claire's heart shattered at the sound of Louis's low growl, deep and primal, followed by a string of muffled words she couldn't quite make out.
Her face flushed, and her thighs clenched involuntarily, her own body betraying her at the worst possible moment. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the shameful arousal away.
Now was not the time for this—Louis was in there, probably tangled up with Priscilla, and Claire was falling apart just outside the door.
She glanced up, feeling exposed, and caught Stephanie's sympathetic gaze from her desk. Stephanie's eyes were filled with pity, and she mouthed, "Just breathe," but Claire could barely muster the strength.
She blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears from spilling, but it was useless. Her chest ached, and her mind screamed at her to stop listening, but she couldn't tear herself away.
The moans grew louder, more frantic, and Claire's resolve snapped. She couldn't take it anymore.
Grabbing a random stack of papers as an excuse, she marched toward Louis's office, each step fueled by the twisted need to see for herself, to confirm what her ears were already telling her.
Maybe it was self-sabotage, but Claire needed to hurt, to feel the full sting of betrayal. She needed to see Louis's face, to know if he was as lost in Priscilla as his growls suggested.
Hand trembling, Claire pushed open the door slightly, her heart thundering as she peeked inside, bracing for the sight that would break her.
"Claire," Louis's voice broke the tension, his eyes wide as he caught sight of her standing frozen in the doorway, looking like she'd seen a ghost. Chloe's heart hammered in her chest as she stared back at him, tears blurring her vision. She quickly wiped them away, trying to compose herself.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you were busy," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I just came to check if you were okay."
"What's your problem, slut?!" Priscilla snapped, turning her venomous glare toward Chloe. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something? Or don't you know how to knock? Are you that dumb, bitch?" Priscilla folded her arms over her plump chest, a smug smirk playing on her lips. Chloe's blood boiled—Priscilla was the real bitch here, not her.
"Priscilla, enough!" Louis roared, his voice thunderous and his gaze sharp with fury as he stepped toward her. "How dare you speak to her like that in my presence!"
Priscilla's smirk faltered, and her eyes widened in surprise at his outburst.
"She is my PA, and she has every right to be here," Louis continued, his voice laced with authority and anger. "In fact, she has more of a right to be here than you! So don't you dare speak to her like that again, or I swear, I won't hesitate to put you in your place!"
Priscilla opened her mouth to respond, but Louis's fierce glare silenced her instantly. Chloe watched as Priscilla's bravado crumbled, and for the first time, she saw a flicker of insecurity flash across her face. Louis turned back to Chloe, his expression softening, concern evident in his eyes.
"Claire, are you okay?" he asked gently, his voice a stark contrast to the rage he had just unleashed. Chloe nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, but the pain was still there, lodged deep within her chest.
She wanted to say something, anything, but the words got lost somewhere between her shattered heart and the knot in her stomach. Instead, she just stood there, her emotions a tangled mess, trying to hold herself together while everything else fell apart.
"So, let me guess—is she your mistress, Louis?" Priscilla yelled as she continued, her voice dripping with fury and jealousy. She glared at Claire with a piercing intensity, her finger trembling as she pointed. "Have you been fucking her tight p*ssy? Tell me the truth!"
"So you've been opening your legs for my husband, you cunt!" Priscilla screamed, her voice seething with venom. In an instant, she rushed toward Claire, her fingers clawing into Claire's hair, yanking hard.
"Ouch!" Claire cried out, her scalp burning as Priscilla's grip tightened, yanking her head back violently. Claire's vision blurred as she tried to push Priscilla away, but Priscilla's hold was relentless.
"You little whore!" Priscilla spat, her voice shrill and filled with venom. She shoved Claire against the wall, her face twisted in fury. "How dare you open your legs for my husband? You think you're better than me?"
"Priscilla, stop it!" Louis shouted, rushing forward to pull Priscilla away. But Priscilla swung her arm wildly, her nails catching Louis across the cheek, leaving a stinging scratch.
"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, her eyes wide and crazed. "You think you can just replace me with this slut? I'll make you both pay!"
Priscilla turned her attention back to Claire, grabbing a vase from Louis's desk and hurling it across the room. It shattered against the wall, shards flying everywhere. Claire ducked, her heart pounding as she realized just how unhinged Priscilla had become.
"You think you can just sneak around, huh?" Priscilla continued, pacing erratically, her eyes darting between Claire and Louis. "I'll ruin you! I'll tell everyone what a pathetic excuse for a man you are, Louis! And you," she pointed a trembling finger at Claire, "you'll never work in this town again!"
Claire flinched, her back pressed against the wall, feeling trapped. "Priscilla, please, I didn't—"
But Priscilla cut her off, her voice rising to a hysterical pitch. "Shut up! I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. I should've known you were a snake the moment I saw you! You think batting your eyes at him makes you special? You're nothing!"
Louis stepped between them, his voice laced with authority. "That's enough, Priscilla! You're making a fool of yourself. Get out before you make me do something I would regret."
Priscilla laughed, a high, manic sound that sent chills down Claire's spine. "Oh, I'm the fool? You're the one who's going to regret this, Louis. I'll burn everything you love to the ground."
She lunged at Claire again, grabbing a handful of her blouse, ripping it in her crazed frenzy. Claire gasped, stumbling back, but Priscilla was relentless, her face inches from Claire's. "You think you can steal my life? My husband? I'll tear you apart."
"Priscilla, stop! You cheated on me with Derek! Get the fuck out of my life woman! " Louis roared, grabbing her and pulling her back with all his strength. Priscilla struggled against him, kicking and screaming, her nails clawing at his arms.
"You're pathetic, Louis!" Priscilla screamed as he finally managed to drag her toward the door. "You'll never be rid of me! This isn't over!"
Louis forced her out, slamming the door shut, his chest heaving as he locked it behind her. The muffled sounds of Priscilla's furious banging on the other side echoed in the silence.
Claire stood there, trembling, her torn blouse hanging loosely, her heart still racing. She wiped the tears from her eyes, but the sting of Priscilla's words lingered. Louis turned to her, his face lined with anger and regret.
"Claire, I'm so sorry. I should have never let it happen" Louis begged as he tried lifting her up.
Claire pushed herself away from the wall, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "Leave me alone! Don't touch me!" she shouted, her eyes blazing as she struggled to stand. Her blouse was torn, and her hair was a tangled mess.
Louis stepped toward her, his face a mask of desperation and guilt. "Claire, please—"
"No!" Claire cut him off, her voice raw with emotion. "I heard you. I heard everything. You had sex with her, didn't you? I heard your growls, your moans. I heard it all!"
Louis's expression hardened. "Claire, it's none of your business what I do with Priscilla. We didn't have sex, alright? She's just making a scene, trying to provoke you. It's a mess, but it's not what you think."
Claire's eyes widened in disbelief. "So you're saying you weren't involved with her? I heard everything, Louis. How can you explain that?"
Louis sighed, his frustration evident. "I don't owe you an explanation for my personal life. What matters is that Priscilla is out of control, and I'm dealing with it. I'm sorry you had to see this, but don't make assumptions based on what you heard."
"And remember, I am your boss, Claire. You don't have the right to raise your voice at me," Louis said, his tone stern and commanding.
Claire stopped crying and flinched at his raised voice. The words stung, and her tears began to dry as she looked at him, hurt and confusion mixing in her eyes.
Louis noticed Claire flinch as he raised his voice. He took a deep breath and, with a gentle but firm touch, cupped her face in his hands. His eyes softened as he looked at her, and he carefully wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.
He smiled sadly, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. His gaze lingered on her lips, now red and swollen from her crying.
The same lips he had kissed when he was drunk, the same ones that seemed so inviting now. The contrast of her tears made them look even more tempting, and he felt a bit of desire.
"Claire," he said softly, his voice breaking slightly, "I know you're hurt. I'm so sorry for raising my voice at you. Please, just..."
Claire's eyes met his, filled with a mix of anger and sadness. She pulled back slightly, shaking her head. "I can't... I can't do this right now. Claire's emotions boiled over as she spun on her heel and fled from the office.
Her heart pounded in her chest, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. She bolted down the corridor, not caring who saw her or how disheveled she looked.