Married To A Billionaire

Episode Four

I woke up to the sound of loud knocking on my door. My head pounded, my cheeks sticky with dried tears from the night before.

The knocking came again, sharper this time.

“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice hoarse from crying.

There was no response, but the persistent knocking continued. Fear gripped me as I swung my legs off the bed.

It’s her, isn’t it?

My stomach churned at the thought of Vanessa standing there, ready to tear me apart again.

I dragged myself to the door, hesitating as my hand hovered over the knob. The banging grew louder.

“For God’s sake, Claire, open the damn door!” Nathan’s voice boomed from the other side, making me jump.

Quickly, I unlocked the door and cracked it open. His tall, intimidating frame loomed over me, and his cold glare made me shrink back.

“What took you so long?” he barked, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.

“I… I wasn’t sure who it was,” I stammered, keeping my eyes down. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” he snapped. “Get dressed. We’re going out.”

I blinked up at him, confused. “Out? Where—”

“Stop asking questions and just get ready,” he cut in, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ll be waiting.”

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the doorway.

I sighed, closing the door and leaning against it for a moment before dragging myself to the bathroom.

I washed my face, tied my hair into a neat ponytail, and slipped into a simple white dress. I wasn’t much for makeup, so I just added a bit of lip gloss to brighten my appearance.

When I finally stepped out, I found Nathan pacing in the living room, his arms crossed and his jaw tight.

“Finally,” he snapped as soon as he saw me. “What the hell took you so long?”

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes. This man has zero patience.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered instead, keeping my tone polite.

He didn’t respond, just turned on his heel and walked out the door. I followed him, struggling to keep up with his long strides as we made our way to the car.

The ride was silent, tense. I kept my hands folded in my lap, staring out the window. The city blurred past us, but my mind was too preoccupied to take in the sights.

When we finally pulled up to a towering glass building, I felt my stomach drop. The name “CDI Tech” was boldly displayed across the front.

“This is your company,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Nathan didn’t acknowledge my statement. He simply stepped out of the car and began walking toward the entrance. I hesitated for a moment before hurrying to catch up.

As we entered the sleek, modern lobby, I felt small and out of place.

Everyone we passed was impeccably dressed, their confident strides and sharp looks making me feel even more insignificant in my simple white dress.

We were almost to the elevators when someone called out to Nathan.

“Mr. Shaw!”

Nathan stopped and turned, his expression annoyed. A man in a tailored suit hurried over, holding a folder.

Nathan glanced at me briefly. “Take the elevator to the top floor,” he instructed, his voice as cold as ever. “I’ll meet you there.”

I nodded, even though my nerves were starting to get the better of me. “Okay.”

He turned back to the man, already deep in conversation as I walked toward the elevator.

Just as the doors slid open, I was expecting an empty space, but someone stepped out.

Vanessa!

She was dressed in a figure-hugging red dress, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Her hair was styled to perfection, and her makeup was flawless.

The moment her eyes landed on me, a smirk curled at her lips.

“Well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. “If it isn’t the little charity case.”

I stiffened, gripping my hands together tightly. “Vanessa,” I said cautiously, trying to keep my voice neutral.

Her eyes swept over me, lingering on my simple dress and lack of makeup. She let out a soft laugh. “White, huh? Bold choice, considering you look like a mess.”

I said nothing, refusing to rise to her bait.

Her smirk widened. She held a cup of coffee in her hand, and my eyes flicked to it nervously.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Funny,” she said, tilting her head. “I was about to ask you the same thing. You don’t belong here, Claire. Not in this building, not in Nathan’s life.”

I swallowed hard, willing myself to stay calm. “I’m here because he brought me here.”

She let out a sharp laugh, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, sweetheart. You really think that means something? You’re nothing more than a nuisance to him. He’s just too polite to say it outright.”

I clenched my fists, but before I could respond, she took a step closer.

“You know,” she said, holding up her coffee cup, “you really shouldn’t wear white if you can’t keep it clean.”

Before I could process her words, she tilted the cup forward, the dark liquid spilling out and splashing onto my dress.

I gasped, stepping back as the hot coffee soaked into the fabric. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted, my voice trembling with anger.

She feigned innocence, covering her mouth with a hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, her tone anything but apologetic. “It was an accident.”

The people in the lobby had started to notice, their curious gazes burning into me. I felt humiliation rise in my chest like a tidal wave.

Vanessa leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I warned you to stay away from him. Consider this your first lesson.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. I was too stunned, too angry, too humiliated to think straight.

Vanessa straightened, flashing me a triumphant smile before walking away, her heels clicking against the floor.

I stood there, frozen, as whispers and murmurs filled the air around me.

My hands clenched at my sides, my heart pounding in my chest.