The Billionaire's Stripper

An unexpected gleam in his eyes

Charlotte was left gasping for breath as Lucas's grip tightened by the minute. Both of them stared intensively into each other's eyes, and in a fleeting moment, she sighted an unexpected gleam in his eyes.

The pressure on her neck lessened as he loosened his grip on her, it was as if something familiar had disrupted him.

"Sir! Sir! Your phone," one of the bodyguards called out, handing him the ringing device. Lucas, lost in the cleaner's gaze.

"Sir!" The bodyguard repeated, and Lucas snapped back to reality. He quickly took the phone and answered it before standing up.

“I'll be there soon,” he said on the phone as he walked away.

Everyone was in shock that the boss let Charlotte go without firing her. Her friend Leah rushed to her aid and tried to talk to her, but Charlotte's mind couldn't process her words.

She froze, her hands turning cold and trembling uncontrollably as tension took over her body. She couldn't speak for a few minutes, her lips quivering but no words coming out.

Overwhelmed, she dashed to the restroom in an attempt to escape the situation.

With the tap running, she vigorously washed her hands until they turned red. Gasping for air, her breathing became heavy as she continuously splashed water on her face to snap out of it. The revelation of her boss's identity left her in a daze.

Feeling guilty and ashamed, she couldn't believe her past was catching up with her despite how hard she had worked to move on.

"I can't just leave like this. s**t! I need to save some money. What should I do? s**t!" She pondered in the restroom, frustration evident as she ran her hands through her hair.

"What if he recognizes me? What will I do?" She let out a heavy sigh, tears welling up in her eyes as anxiety washed over her.

Struggling with a decision, she decided to cling onto the tiny shred of hope she had left. She was fully aware that he would not recognize her - she had worn a mask that night. However, she was taken aback by the revelation of her boss' true identity.

Avoiding him was her only choice, as she could not resign and risk being jobless or having no choice than to go back to her previous job.

She heard a knock at the door. "Charlotte, are you alright?" Leah's voice echoed, tapping on the door.

Charlotte quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and opened the door for her.

"Charlotte, why did you run off?" Leah questioned, gently pushing Charlotte's hair behind her ear.

"I'm fine," Charlotte replied, dabbing at her face with a handkerchief.

"You need to see a doctor. This constant dizziness is concerning. You need rest," Leah insisted, helping Charlotte out of the restroom.

***

Furious, Lucas changed his suit immediately as he had an important morning meeting. He was angry about what the cleaner had done to his suit, but he was more bothered by the strange feeling he got when he gazed into her eyes. He couldn't pinpoint what he was feeling.

He thought he was being paranoid due to his frustration over not being able to find the stripper since that night. He had even gone to the club multiple times before his business trip and hired a private investigator, but she seemed to have vanished without a trace.

The club manager had resigned and left the country shortly after that day. And now, everything was just complicated, and his attempts to find her were fruitless.

The memories of her were fleeting and vague, mere remnants of her laughter and the radiance of her smile. That was all that remained of her in his mind.

Once the meeting was over, Lucas returned to his office, but the image of the stripper lingered, haunting him relentlessly. He could not focus on his tasks, instead staring vacantly at his laptop device. After a while, he opened a drawer and retrieved a small jewelry box.

He opened it and brought out a necklace, the necklace was the only thing he had from the stripper. He recalled finding it on the bedside table when she had vanished from the room. Since then, he had kept it close by as a reminder of that magical night.

Lucas was perplexed by this unknown emotion that had stirred within him. It was an enigma that he could not unravel, and the more he searched for the stripper, the more he grew agitated. He was accustomed to getting what he desired, yet this one thing eluded him.

As the workday came to an end, his friends, Simon and Ryan invited him out to a club for some revelry. But even amidst the lively atmosphere Lucas remained distant, his eyes constantly scanning the crowd in the hopes of spotting the stripper.

When his friends noticed his distracted state, they called his attention.

"What's eating you up, bro? You've been off since your trip," Ryan inquired.

"Yes, we've all noticed. Come on, let loose and have some fun. The ladies are dying to be in your bed" Simon chimed in, gesturing towards a group of women at the club.

Lucas took a sip of his wine, trying to come up with an excuse. "I'm fine, really. Just a bit stressed,". He didn't want to admit that he was feeling this way because of a girl; it would make him seem weak to his friends.

But his friends just laughed it off, with Simon saying, "That's why you need to relax and unwind." He then signaled for the women to join their table.

After spending a few moments with the girls, the male waiter serving them drinks accidentally spilled a drink on Lucas, igniting his anger. Despite the waiter's apologies, Lucas commanded his bodyguards to physically harm him.

Lucas was driven by his bitter memories of the cleaner at his workplace who vomited on him, leaving him feeling powerless. This was his way of venting his frustration.

Despite the severe beating from his bodyguards, Lucas was still unsatisfied and decided to take matters into his own hands. He mercilessly punched the waiter, causing him to bleed profusely from his mouth. The waiter begged for mercy, but Lucas showed no mercy.

The incident caught the attention of people at the club and they couldn't help but take out their phones and start recording the chaotic scene.

Lucas' friends attempted to stop him, knowing that the incident was being recorded, but he was consumed by his rage.

As Lucas noticed the camera flashes from a distance, he finally realized the gravity of his actions. He quickly instructed his bodyguards to confiscate the phones of those recording to prevent the situation from spreading to the public.

Despite his friends' attempts to reason with him, Lucas refused to listen and continued with his outburst. He ordered his bodyguards to handle the situation and stormed off the club in a fit of anger.