Married To A Billionaire

Episode Five

Nathan’s POV

My office felt colder than ever, its polished floors and glass walls doing nothing to soften the sharpness in my voice.

Claire stood frozen, staring at the floor, her hands trembling at her sides. She looked pathetic, but I wasn’t in the mood for sympathy.

“What the hell were you thinking, Claire?!” My voice boomed across the office as I slammed my hand against the desk.

She flinched at the sound, her shoulders jerking slightly.

“I didn’t do anything wrong! You should stop casting blame on me always,” she whispered, her voice barely steady. “It wasn’t me who—”

“Don’t you dare make excuses!” I snapped, my gaze narrowing as my patience wore thin.

“You walk into my office looking like a complete disaster, and you’re telling me you didn’t do anything wrong? Does this place look like a joke to you, Claire? Or should I start regretting my actions of bringing you here?”

She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could say another word, Vanessa’s voice interrupted smoothly.

“Nathan, please, calm down,” she said, her tone saccharine.

I turned to her, watching as she sat elegantly on the couch, her legs crossed, sipping from a crystal glass. Unlike Claire, who looked like she belonged nowhere near a place like this, Vanessa was composed—collected.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean to make such a spectacle,” Vanessa continued, tilting her head in mock concern. “Poor thing. I perfectly understand she isn’t used to such luxury. It’s possible she was overwhelmed by the company and had to pour the coffee on herself without realizing it.”

Claire’s head snapped toward Vanessa, her expression darkening. “Oh please! Stop pretending like you care! It disgusts me!”

Vanessa widened her eyes, her body language portraying innocence, “What are you talking about, Claire?” She turned to me.

“I was only trying to help her,” Vanessa continued smoothly. “I even offered her my coffee because she looked like she needed a pick-me-up. It’s not my fault she couldn’t even hold it properly and spilled it all over herself.”

“That’s a lie!” Claire snapped, her voice shaking with fury.

I clenched my jaw. “Do you think this is some kind of game? Does all of this make you happy, huh?”

“It’s not a game!” she shouted, tears welling in her eyes. “She’s lying, Nathan!”

“Enough!” I barked, my patience finally snapping. “I don’t have time for your childish tantrums.”

“But—”

“Do you know how embarrassing this is for me?” I continued, my voice turning sharp.

“You’re supposed to be a part of this family. How do you expect me to introduce you to anyone? Here you are, proving to everyone how utterly incompetent you are!”

Claire’s chest rose and fell unevenly, her entire body trembling.

“Why won’t you listen to me?” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“I’ve heard enough,” I said coldly, crossing my arms. “If you can’t even handle a simple thing like this, then what use are you?”

Her lips quivered, and for a second, I thought she was going to break completely.

Then, she did.

“I’m the one who married into the Shaw family, dragged into this life, and now you’re treating me like garbage! I’ve had enough!”

My jaw tightened. “Careful, Claire.”

“No!” she screamed, tears flowing freely now. “I’m done! I can’t take this anymore!”

Vanessa sighed dramatically, clearly entertained by the scene unfolding before her. “Well, someone’s feeling dramatic today.”

Claire spun around, fists clenched. “I’m leaving,” she declared, her voice raw. “I don’t care what happens anymore.”

“Claire!” I called after her, but she didn’t stop.

She yanked the office door open and stormed out, her presence disappearing down the hall.

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples as the door slammed shut behind her.

Vanessa let out a soft chuckle. “She really is sensitive, isn’t she?”

I shot her a sharp look, not in the mood for her amusement. “Enough, Vanessa.”

She raised her hands in mock surrender. “I’m just saying, Nathan. You knew what you were getting into when you brought her home.”

I ignored her, forcing myself to push the frustration away. Claire would cool off and come back.

Claire’s POV

I burst out of Nathan’s office, my vision blurred by unshed tears. My heart pounded violently against my chest, the pain of his words hitting me harder than I wanted to admit.

I didn’t know where I was going—I just knew I had to get out.

Nathan didn’t care. He never cared. No matter what I said, he would always choose to believe Vanessa over me.

My breathing came in ragged gasps as I rushed past the rows of workers. Their eyes flicked toward me, whispers trailing in my wake.

“Isn’t that the lady who stained her dress with coffee?”

“What’s going on?”

“She looks like she’s been crying.”

I clenched my fists, biting my lip to stop the sob threatening to escape.

I pushed through the glass doors, stepping outside. The air hit me like a wave, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me.

Everything felt suffocating.

I broke into a run, my shoes slapping against the pavement, my mind spiraling with thoughts I couldn’t control.

Why did I let this happen?

Why did I think things could be different?

Nathan was never going to see me as anything more than an inconvenience.

The world around me blurred as I ran blindly down the street. I didn’t notice the intersection ahead.

Didn’t see the car speeding toward me.

“Hey! Watch out!” someone shouted.

The sound of screeching tires pierced the air.

I barely had time to react before everything went black.

Pain.

That was the first thing I felt. A sharp, blinding pain radiating through my body, pinning me down like an unbearable weight.

My breath came in shallow gasps. My fingers twitched weakly against the cold pavement.

My white dress was no longer white.

A figure emerged above me—a man in a black hoodie. His presence sent a shiver through me, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t run.

He crouched beside me, his gloved fingers brushing against my arm lightly.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low and mocking. “Having a good time?”

I wanted to speak, but my lips wouldn’t move. My body was shutting down.

The man hesitated for a moment before standing abruptly.

“No…” I whispered weakly, my voice barely audible.

He didn’t respond.

He turned and walked away.

I watched helplessly as his car sped off, leaving me behind, broken and bleeding on the pavement.

The world around me dimmed, the sounds fading into a dull hum.

My last thought before the darkness swallowed me whole was simple:

Why does everything hurt so much?