LOGINIt was one of the first times I was going home without any worries, or weight in my chest. Something inside me felt peaceful.Ever since the investor leak, every morning had started with suspicion and every night had ended with frustration.But now that the truth was out and Klaire had been cleared and the company was recovering.I found myself smiling.Grandmother had been right. “A true leader doesn’t only build companies. He builds people.”At the time, I’d dismissed it as another one of her lectures. Now…I understood exactly what she meant.I’d believed a CEO had to be untouchable, demanding…cold and unforgiving. I had simply made everyone afraid of disappointing me.Including myself. I walked into the apartment and loosened the cuffs of my shirt. And after a few minutes when I have allowed myself a good bath and eaten the take out Hale got for me, I lay flat on the bed. Not sure of what to think, I wandered aimlessly on my phone. Getting to Elise’s text message and the last emo
~Klaire~I had been smiling at absolutely nothing for the past ten minutes. I buried my face in my hands. The words echoed in my head again. "Since she became my wife."Was it the disbelief of Mr. Vilmorre doing this? Or the way he said it? Or even the idea he could ever help me in such a situation?I groaned softly. "What is wrong with me?"Mr. Vilmorre had said it so naturally. So confidently. Like it wasn't the craziest thing anyone had ever said. And then... "You should probably stop looking so surprised every time I call you my wife."I could still hear the amusement in his voice."This is embarrassing." My cheeks flushed and I dropped my forehead onto my desk.He was impossible. Yet...I couldn't stop smiling.Then the smile slowly faded from my face. My thoughts drifted somewhere else.Dad. If Father truly believed I was involved with Aleksander Vilmorre... He wouldn't let this go.I knew him, better than anyone. He would never accept that his daughter was with someone whose sta
She let out an exasperated groan, rubbing her forehead. Why did she look so bothered about me doing the exact thing she did that night? I wasn’t as star struck as she was.“I have officially ruined my life.” She muttered.“No.”I answered quietly. “I just bought yourself some peace.”She looked at me. “You don’t understand. Once is disbelief, twice is on purpose and now he can spread that information…to everybody”I nodded toward the door Kingston had disappeared through. “I don’t think he’ll bother you again for a while.”Then, unable to resist adding one last remark, I said,“Although…If we’re going to continue pretending…You should probably stop looking so surprised every time I call you my wife.”She grabbed the file in her hands and lightly smacked my arm with it. “You’re impossible.”I actually laughed.A real laugh.Klaire eventually looked away first. “I should get back to work.”“You should.”She took two steps toward the door before stopping. Turning back, she pointed a fing
I flipped through the quarterly projections Hale had left on my desk and frowned. There was something satisfying about routine."Our operating cost is still too high."Hale nodded from across the office. "I've already asked Finance to review it.""They should've reviewed it before it reached my table.""They're revising it."I shut the file. "I don't want revisions. I want competence."Hale merely sighed. It had become his daily job to survive my moods.The intercom buzzed and Hale picked it."My apologies for interrupting, Mr. Vilmorre." It was the receptionist. "We have visitors.""He is busy.""They insist it's regarding a business proposal."I rubbed the bridge of my nose, while signaling to Hale what the call was about. Who?" There was a brief pause."...Kingston Group." Hale’s expression darkened. "What?""The CEO of Kingston Group is here."I exchanged a look with Hale. "What does he want?""He requested a private meeting with you."I leaned back in my chair. After everything
It had barely been three days since I resumed work. And work flowed smoothly. No complains, no workload.Just the right amount of work. Exactly the way I liked it.I stepped out of the elevator with a stack of documents tucked under my arm, heading toward the Strategy Department. Someone called my name. “Klaire.”I stopped. I hadn’t heard that voice in weeks.Slowly, I turned around. “Elise.” She stood a few feet away, dressed elegantly as always. There was no smile on her face. Only a strange expression I couldn’t quite understand.“I’ve been looking for you.”I offered a small smile. “It’s been a while.”“It has.”I tried to lighten the mood. “I thought you were avoiding me.”“I was.” Her blunt answer caught me off guard.“Oh…”She crossed her arms. “I just wanted to ask you something.”“What is it?”“What’s going on between you and Aleksander?”“…What?”“You heard me.”I couldn’t help laughing. Maybe because this was coming from Elise. Or because everyone was ridiculous to think tha
I had forgotten how much I loved this place.The moment I stepped back into my office, everything felt… right. Even my coffee mug was exactly where I’d left it.I smiled to myself. It just felt good to be promoted the right way. “I’m home.”A knock interrupted my thoughts. The door slowly opened. One person. Then another.Within seconds, almost everyone from my department had squeezed into my office.“Klaire!”“We missed you!”“I almost resigned!”“You left us with Mr. Vilmorre!” Everyone burst into laughter.I covered my mouth. “Stop exaggerating.”“I’m serious.” One of the junior strategists dramatically placed a hand on his chest. “He nearly made me cry.”“He rejected my proposal before I even finished presenting it.”“He told me the title alone gave him a headache.”I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. “He actually said that?”“He did!” Everyone began talking over one another.“I swear he became worse after you left.”“No.”“He became impossible.”“We even started making bets.”“Bets
The door to my office opened without a knock. Only one person in the company was annoying enough to do that.Hale. He entered carrying coffee and entirely too much enthusiasm this afternoon. "I heard. But I want to know if it's true." I didn't bother looking up from the report in my hands. Hale
“Klaire?” Immediately the elevator stopped, Elise’s voice resounded through the quiet hallway. My eyes widened. But before I could react, Mr. Vilmorre moved.Very fast.One second I was standing in the hallway, The next I was pulled into a corner beside the office wall. My back hit the surface soft
His smile immediately faded as Mr Hale said those words and he retracted his hand from mine.His expression was rather confusing. Was he angry? Did he not have a good relationship with his grandmother?"Grandmother?" He repeated flatly, stepping forward and completely blocking view.Before Mr Hale
“Mrs Claire Kingston, this way please,” the tall suited man called for me. I sucked in a deep breath, murmuring a quick prayer before walking in. After crying myself to sleep yesterday, Elise had offered to help me retrieve my important documents from my cloud. I don't know how she did it but th







