Chapter 58: Drunkenness (Part 1)

Standing in the doorway, Lucas Zeller was utterly speechless, his mind barely processing the scandalous scene before him. He couldn't help but reflect on the original reason he'd poured himself some red wine—it was simply because he was feeling conflicted and restless. On one hand, he was irritated; on the other, strangely pleased. The irritation stemmed from his recent realization: not only did he not dislike Claire, but he might actually like her. After some serious internal debate, he finally admitted it to himself—yes, he had feelings for her.

As for the part that pleased him, that was also tied to Claire. To his surprise, rumors had spread at the company that she had a secret crush on him. Secret crush? Was that how it was? From the very first moment she laid eyes on him, her unhidden admiration was clear as day. But did she really leak this "secret" herself, or was there some company gossip channel that could read her mind? Gossip channel? That phrase rang a bell—hadn't Claire mentioned something about it before? Wait, he was getting off track... Back to the jaw-dropping scene unfolding in front of him.

When Lucas had entered the bedroom, he immediately felt like he'd stepped on something. Looking down, he found a small white jacket on the floor. Frowning, he picked it up, but then noticed a matching skirt a few steps ahead. His gaze followed the trail of discarded clothes, and the sight left him utterly dumbfounded.

What the—? Was he hallucinating? Because it really seemed like those scattered items on the floor were... a strapless top and a camisole?

Nope, he wasn't imagining things. The unmistakable sound of soft humming, mixed with the rush of water, floated from the bathroom.

Wait, the bathroom? The shower was running?

Lucas's brows knitted together in frustration, his dark eyes shooting a furious glance toward the bathroom door, which was wide open. Anger flared instantly.

For crying out loud! How many times was he going to have to lecture this woman? The last time, she'd at least closed the bathroom door halfway. This time, it was completely open! Didn't she have any sense of safety? What if this had been a hotel or someone else's house? The thought of what could happen made Lucas's blood boil, and he stormed toward the bathroom. He needed to warn her—immediately—that leaving the door wide open while showering was incredibly dangerous.

"Claire! You idiot! Why aren't you closing the door when you're taking a shower?" Lucas burst into the bathroom just as he yelled the words. At the exact same moment, Claire, who had been standing under the showerhead with her eyes closed, turned around at the sound of his voice.

Both of them froze.

Lucas's dark eyes were locked onto her, his gaze tracing the outline of her body, which was now bathed in steam. His heated stare lingered on every inch of her—from her damp hair, down her smooth neck, and further down, taking in the sight of her body fully exposed under the misty veil of the shower.

Though this wasn't the first time he'd seen her naked—he'd caught a glimpse during the last bathroom incident—this time was different. The first time had been brief, and she'd quickly covered herself. But now, there was no rush, no attempt to hide. She just stood there, staring at him, allowing his gaze to roam freely over her creamy, porcelain-like skin, as if inviting him to take in every detail of her body without hesitation.

It was in this moment, with perfect clarity, that Lucas realized something: Claire's body was far more alluring and tempting than he had ever imagined. The kind of body that could drive any man wild with desire.

Claire, for her part, stared blankly at Lucas, her head still fuzzy from the wine. Her brain felt foggy, unable to catch up with the situation. She knew she should scream, do something to preserve her dignity as a woman. Or, at the very least, cover herself as she had the last time this happened. But what was she supposed to cover? If she covered the top, the bottom would still be exposed. Maybe she should cover his eyes? But his scorching gaze felt like it was setting her entire body on fire, burning more intensely with each passing second.

Just as she thought time had frozen completely, Lucas suddenly spun around, not saying a single word.