Chapter Two: The Man in the Meeting Room

Claire ran.

She didn’t stop until the hotel was a blur behind her. Her lungs burned and her legs ached, but she kept going until she spotted a cab. She flagged it down, climbed in, and gave the driver her address in a shaky voice.

By the time she got home it was 6:30. She still had a few hours before work.

Claire went straight to the bathroom and filled the tub with warm, bubbly water. She sank into it until the water reached her chin and closed her eyes. For a moment she just sat there, trying to breathe.

Then the memories came back in pieces.

The hallway. The kiss. The hotel room. His hands. The way he had said another woman’s name while he was inside her.

She had been a virgin.

And she had given that to a complete stranger.

Claire pressed her hands over her face. *Who is Serena? Why did he think I was her? Who even is he?*

The questions circled without answers.

After a while she forced herself out of the bath. She dried off, pulled on a robe, and started getting ready for work. She chose a simple navy blouse and black trousers, then stood in front of the mirror and began drying her hair. Her natural red hair fell in damp waves past her shoulders. She took her time curling it into soft waves, the way she always wore it.

Her phone buzzed on the counter. Twenty missed calls from Sophie.

Claire groaned. “Oh my gosh. I completely forgot about Sophie.”

She dialled the number. Sophie picked up on the first ring.

“Claire? Where have you been? I’ve been calling you since you disappeared from the club last night. What happened? Are you okay?”

“Sophie, calm down. I’m fine,” Claire said quickly. “I actually need to tell you something. Can you come over after work?”

“No problem. I’ll be there. I need to get ready for work now. Bye, Claire.”

“Bye.”

Claire ended the call and finished her hair. She was putting on a light coat of mascara when her phone rang again.

She sighed when she saw the name. “Hi, Mum.”

“Claire. Your father and I are going on a trip with our friends. We need money. Wire two hundred dollars to my account.”

Claire closed her eyes. “Mum, I don’t have that kind of money to spend on something like this. You can go another time.”

Her mother’s voice sharpened. “Are you telling me no? After everything your father and I have done for you? We raised you. We fed you. And now you’re too stingy to send us on one trip? What kind of daughter are you? You clearly don’t care about this family.”

Claire’s grip tightened on the phone. “You have no right to say that. I handle your rent. I pay Stacey’s school fees. I’m still paying off Dad’s debts. I don’t complain. All I ask is that you understand priorities. I work hard for this money. I can’t keep watching you throw it away.”

“Claire, don’t you dare—”

Claire ended the call before her mother could finish. She stood still for a moment, staring at her reflection, then let out a long breath.

“Better get to work,” she muttered. “The new boss is coming in today.”

She took the bus. Outside the window, expensive cars slid past. Some of the drivers were women. That used to be her dream—success, independence, and one day marrying the love of her life. Claire leaned her head against the glass.

Love was off the list now. If she couldn’t have that, she might as well make as much money as she could.

The elevator carried her to the fourth floor. Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked toward her desk, long red waves falling over her shoulders. She carried two coffees.

Mia looked up as she approached. “Oh, Claire, you’re finally here. Good morning.”

“Hey, Mia. Good morning.” Claire set one of the cups on her colleague’s desk. “I got you a coffee. Have you had any yet?”

Mia’s face lit up. “No, I haven’t. Thanks, Claire. Don’t worry—I’ll buy you lunch tomorrow, okay?”

Claire managed a small smile. “Sure. Looking forward to it.”

She settled at her desk and opened her emails. One from a supplier confirmed a new delivery date for a large order of tools. Claire checked it against the company’s records, noticed the change, and called the supplier to confirm. Once she had the updated information, she adjusted the records and sent a quick message to the colleague who needed to know.

Around her, the office slowly filled. Phones started ringing. Keyboards clicked. People discussed their tasks in low voices.

At 10:30 Claire was still organising documents when Mia leaned over from the next desk.

“Hey, Claire. You alright? You’ve been quiet today.”

Claire hesitated, then gave a tight, awkward smile and played with her pen. “I was actually meaning to tell you. My boyfriend broke up with me yesterday. After I caught him in bed with another woman.”

Mia’s eyes widened. “What? He cheated on you and then dumped you?”

“Shush,” Claire whispered, glancing around. “People will hear you.”

“I’m sorry,” Mia said more quietly. “But how could you let him dump you? He cheated. You were supposed to dump him.”

Claire sighed. “I couldn’t do it. Deep down I was hoping he would beg for forgiveness.”

Mia frowned. “And if he had? Would you have forgiven him? No way, Claire. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s a scumbag.”

“I guess that’s how much I loved him,” Claire said softly.

Mia’s expression brightened a little. “Well, I know something that might cheer you up. Our new boss. I heard he’s young and really handsome. I’m excited to see him.”

The operations manager appeared in the doorway. “Operations Assistants Ms. Ellis and Ms. Jones. Join me in the meeting room. We have a meeting with our new CEO.”

Mia stood up quickly. “Looks like he’s here. Let’s go, Claire.”

Claire gathered the documents she needed and followed. She entered the meeting room last.

And then she saw him.

He sat at the head of the table in a perfectly tailored dark suit, black hair neatly styled, posture straight as he read through a file. The same man from the hotel. The same man who had called her Serena.

Claire’s hands went numb. The documents slipped from her fingers and scattered across the floor.

The sound made him look up.

His eyes—cold, grey, and sharp—met hers.

Claire’s heart slammed against her ribs. She looked away at once, face burning, mind racing.

*I’m so screwed.*