Don't make me wait

Claire's POV

My heart thudded so hard, each beat faster than the last. I gulped in, urging and willing myself to think, not to pay attention but how exactly was that possible?

The last thing I would have been unable to fathom would have been this happening, and right at the first day of work, was the universe playing some odd tricks on me? Or was this how the rich play around? With people's lives like they were worth just cash to them?

My finger dug into my palm, rage coursing through me as I waited to smack the iPad across his face, let him know how much of a fool he was, but somehow I stood, waiting for what was going to be his response.

“Well?” Mr. Owen waited, his eyes lit with anticipation like he knew Jerald wouldn't be able to reject that.

A million dollars, that was what my worth was to him, what he saw me as, I should be happy, should be glad that at least I wasn't a meagre sum in thousands.

Jerald let out a cackle, before looking at me.

“My secretary?”

“Did I say something wrong?”

He shook his head, biting into his lips. “Is that how much your daughter is worth to you as well?”

“You shouldn't say that.” Mr. Owen grunted, letting out a chuckle which laid on his lips.

“The last thing you should do is bring my daughter into this, do you even know what I am capable of?”

“That is the reason why I am doing this. You should have known what I do to people who don't stay true to the contract we have in the first place.” He shrugged, grasping the handle of a knife which laid on the table as he brought down its edges, running it on the table, the noise permeating the air.

“Stop that.” He pleaded, both hands against his ears, but Jerald continued, leaving dents on the table which I was so sure would amount to hundreds of dollars.

“Please stop.” Mr. Owen begged, as he kept running the sharp edges of the knife on the table before it clanged against the table.

“This should serve as a warning to you, the last thing you should think about is placing any of my employees as a front in our contract, it was a mistake and I will take it as such which will also amount to me not going ahead with the contract. Leave.”

Mr. Owen's eyes derailed as he turned to me before getting up.

“Treat your misophonia while at it or it wouldn't be the last time this is happening.”

Chills ran down my arms, a complete contrast to the feelings I was supposed to be having. I should be running for my life, deciding not to work anymore but not when he had done it for me, protected me.

“ I'm sorry.” I apologized, my head averted to the ground. If he had known this would be the outcome, he would have made me stay back.

“ It's fine.”

“ It's not.” My stomach growled, his eyes roved over me pathetically before he gestured at the chair in front of him.

“ You should sit, and have something.”

“ I am fine.”

“ If you are going to talk, then do so when you're filled up, conserve your energy and speak afterwards.”

“Fine.” I placed the iPad down on the table, my eyes staring at the damage that had been done.

“A French toast with juice should be fine.” My voice came out in a whisper.

“I didn't expect anything else from you. You made the right choice.” He snapped his finger, leaving me glaring when I blurted out;

“Your hand,” my eyes widened like saucers as I slipped a hand across wanting to hold his when he held me back. “ You are injured.”

“And so?” His response came out cold.

“ It needs to be treated, and if it isn't, it might be contaminated. You have to make sure that..”

“An employee. My employee, that is what you are, you aren't the first, and you aren't going to be the last either.”

“Has anyone told you how rude you are? All I was doing was showing that I care.”

“Which pretty much isn't needed at the moment, thank you. Your food should be here in a minute, you should eat and then…”

“Claire…?” A voice whispered.

My hands fiddled the skirt I had on, not knowing how to face him.

“Claire, I have been trying so hard to reach you, you don't have to believe what happened last night, I mean that wasn't me, I would never hurt you.”

I scoffed, trying so hard not to believe that he saw me as a fool.

“I saw you.”

“That wasn't me. I would never…”

“Wales, what are you doing here?”

“Jerald?” Wales's eyes sparkled as he turned to my boss. “Big bro, what are you doing here? I never imagined you would be here in thousands of years.”

“Well, I came in here for a business meeting and…”

“This is Claire, my gf, the one I told you about. I can see you've already met, but how?”

Small world, small fucking world because how was it that I never got to know Jerald was his brother?

“Ex-gf” I corrected.

“ Come on Claire,” he bellowed when I stood up.

“I am at work, Wales, and this isn't the right time to do this. I don't want to talk about this right now. I will be waiting for you right outside, Jerald, after you are done catching up.” My tone came out gruff.

I wasn't going to lean into the guilt I felt because he had possibly done worse but all of these that had happened seemed so soon, and I needed to process it all.

My steps quickened, and I could make out Jerald who had placed a hand on Wales who had tried to approach me and although I would have loved to know what it was that he had said, I pushed that off as well, waiting for when he would step out.

The car clicked, and I got in before he could, my eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

“And here I was thinking you will be the only one who cheated, well, that makes for two of you. I guess.”

“You don't know anything about our relationship, just because you turned out to be my ex-bf’s brother doesn't mean I have to accord you the respect that I would have, our relationship is over and…”

“Are you going to lie that you don't recall? Last night?” he stared at me, his lips curled into a smile as he asked.

“Or are you still going to pretend that you don't recall a thing? You actually want me to believe that you came to work in my firm because it is some kind of dream of yours? Like you don't want to sue me for taking advantage of you?”

My mouth fell wide open, lips parted as my palm turned sweaty. “What…what…are you talking about?”

“The fraternity party, are you going to act like you don't recall what we did? In my car? Like we didn't fuck? Like I didn't have you moaning and screaming while your nails dug into my fucking back? Talking about how no one else has made you feel that way before?”

My heart panted as I took in gasps of air, flicking my head to the side, my eyes parted as they flooded in, his eyes had been the only thing I had taken note of, his eyes.

“No,” I blurted out, my hands fiddling with the locks as I tried to push it open.

“No? Are you still going to lie to yourself?”

“Let. Me. Out.” I screamed, pushing the door when he did.

“Report to work tomorrow at nine. Don't make me wait.” His words hit me when I had a hand on the open door, before shutting it in his face.