Chapter 90: The CEO's Wife

"What are you doing?!" A deep, urgent voice rang out just as Claire Grace felt a pair of strong arms catch her mid-fall. The impact of his words was almost as startling as the firm grip that steadied her and pulled her protectively into a familiar chest. 

——— 

The scent of his cologne—a warm blend of musk and cedar—enveloped her, easing the wild hammering of her heart. Claire let out a shaky breath as she realized she was safe. 

Looking up, she found herself staring into Lucas Zeller's dark eyes, which were filled with equal parts anger and concern. 

"What's taking you so long in the elevator?" Lucas demanded sharply, his voice a cascade of frustration. "It's been twenty minutes, and you're still on the ground floor! Don't you know that with Roy Lin on leave, I have to shoulder twice the workload? I've got a packed schedule today. Can't you move a little faster?" 

Claire blinked at him, stunned by his harsh tone. Her chest tightened as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. How could he humiliate her like this, right in front of everyone? 

"Yes, Mr. Zeller," she replied stiffly, pulling herself from his arms. She took a deep breath and widened her eyes to stop the tears from spilling. 

"Wait." Lucas's voice stopped her just as she turned toward the staircase. "Turn around." 

She froze, her back still to him. "What for?" she asked tersely, her voice laced with defiance. Wasn't he done yelling at her? Did he want to embarrass her further? 

"Didn't you hear me?" Lucas snapped. "Turn around." His frustration was evident, but Claire had no intention of making it easy for him. 

"Mr. Zeller," she said coolly, "if you're in such a hurry, shouldn't you let me get back to work? Or is stopping me your idea of fun?" 

Lucas sighed, pressing his fingers to his temple as if trying to ward off a headache. Then, without warning, he strode forward, grabbed her wrist, and turned to address the trio still lingering in the elevator. His tone was dangerously calm. "Who was it? Whose foot tried to trip her just now?" 

The question sent a shiver through the room. Coco, Lauren, and Shauna froze, their faces going pale. They exchanged uneasy glances, silently daring each other to speak first. 

"We… we were just joking around, Mr. Zeller," Coco stammered, wringing her hands nervously. 

"Joking?" Lucas arched an eyebrow, his face hardening. "If I hadn't caught her, she could have been seriously hurt. And you call that a joke?" 

Coco's words faltered, and sweat began to bead on her brow. "We… we didn't mean any harm," she muttered weakly. 

"Shut up." Lucas's low snarl cut through Shauna's attempt to defend herself. His dark eyes softened slightly as they landed on Claire, who was standing with her head bowed, trying to avoid his gaze. Gently, he tilted her chin up, his thumb brushing against her cheek. His brow furrowed as he noticed the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. 

"Why are you crying?" he asked softly. "Your mouth is for speaking, not crying. I know I was loud earlier, but I wasn't yelling at you." 

Claire sniffled, her voice small. "But you were so harsh… you weren't like this yesterday." 

"That's because you're too easy to bully," Lucas replied, a flicker of irritation in his tone. "Instead of explaining yourself, you just walked off like a scolded child. Do you think staying silent will solve anything? If you don't stand up for yourself, people will just keep walking all over you." 

He turned to face the three women, his expression now icy. "So, were you trying to bully her?" 

"We—" Claire hesitated, but Coco quickly cut her off, casting a desperate glance in her direction. 

"We were just joking, right?" Coco said quickly, trying to steer the narrative. 

"Claire," Lucas said, his voice firm. "Who was it?" 

Before she could respond, Lucas barked, "Coco, step forward!" 

Coco flinched, her wide eyes betraying her fear. Reluctantly, she stepped out of the elevator. 

Lucas's gaze dropped to her feet. "The foot that tried to trip her was wearing white shoes. Care to explain that?" 

Gasps rippled through the gathered employees as everyone's eyes darted to Coco's feet. Her face turned ashen, and she glared at the onlookers before turning back to Lucas. "Yes, it was me," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But it's her fault! She brought this on herself!" 

Claire's jaw dropped. "What? How is any of this my fault?" 

Coco's accusations spilled out in a torrent. "You think we don't know why you're staying at his house? You're trying to seduce him, flaunting your so-called connection because your father is friends with his! And don't even deny it—you told us you're his wife!" 

A murmur of shock swept through the crowd, and Claire felt her face flush with humiliation. She chanced a glance at Lucas, whose expression was now dark with fury. 

"Coco," Lucas said, his voice deceptively calm, "you have a lot of nerve, insulting my wife in front of me." 

The words hit like a thunderclap. Claire stared at him, stunned, as Lucas slipped an arm around her waist and held up her hand next to his, their matching wedding bands gleaming in the light. 

"She is my wife," Lucas announced to the crowd. "Your CEO's wife. We're married, and the only thing missing is a proper wedding ceremony, which I'll announce in due time. And for the record, the company's policy on not attending colleagues' weddings is hereby revoked. Every single one of you is expected to attend." 

He turned back to the trio, his tone icy. "Coco, you're fired. As for the other two, write letters of apology and get her forgiveness. If you can't, you're gone too." 

Claire's heart pounded as she processed his words. His *wife*? He had just publicly claimed her. Her face burned as the crowd erupted into excited whispers, but as Lucas tightened his hold around her, she couldn't help but feel a small flutter of pride beneath her embarrassment.