CHAPTER 3
1472 Words
Richard was drawn to her helplessness and beauty and felt the need to save her at that moment. He had to compose and maintain behaviour.
He was the almighty Billionaire Richard Reins after all!
“You must be Claire, the lady who volunteered for the job offer” said Richard as he stood in front of Claire without any formal introduction.
Who is this proud man standing in front of me with such a condescending appearance?” Thought Claire in that instance as she locked eyes with Billionaire Richard Reins.
“He must be the almighty Billionaire!” she thought. Alas! She heaved a sigh of relief and jumped out of the chair to greet Richard respectfully.
“Good afternoon sir, yes you're right sir; I am the lady, Claire” she blurted out and extended to stretch out her hand for a handshake.
“Who is this lady, that even with my status and authority doesn't show intimidation or a menacing behaviour towards me; unlike everyone he has encountered in his life to work for him.” pondered Richard excitably in his mind.
“Rather she exudes sheer confidence in simplicity!”
“I will test her” Richard said in his mind and his eyes lit up in excitement because he knew not the adventure he would go through with her, “Claire!”.
But he knew it wouldn't be like any regular girl he's been with!
Richard then went forward outrightly ignoring Claire's handshake and told her in a commanding tone “Follow me”.
“Sit down”, Richard told Claire as they entered his office.
“Why do you want this job?” Richard began.
“Do you know what it takes to meet my expectations?”
“Are you aware of the rules guiding this job offer?”
“You'll be answerable to no one but me once you've accepted this job, and will therefore only adhere to my terms”
“Does this all sit well with you?” announced Richard in an authoritative tone at one without waiting for an answer and kept a piercing gaze at Claire all the while he was speaking.
Claire in a heartbeat, unshaken by the way Richard appeared to convey his message to her said
“Yes! So far the pay is what you stipulated in your advertisement”
At the same time while replying to Richard, she returned the gaze at him and they both locked eyes.
Neither of them flinched or turned their gaze away from each other.
Claire's facial expression was innocent and carefree, she didn't seem to be moved by the condescending behaviour of Richard.
This made Richard hot and he said in his mind
“I’ll test her more both at home to make life not too pleasant for her and see when she'll break character”. He grinned.
"I'll have my receptionist find you something to eat Claire, I guess you must be hungry"
"Oh yes, thank you sir" Claire felt fulfilled that at least very soon her stomach wouldn't have to growl in hunger again.
"Alright, you'll have to wait for me. We'll both go home together" Richard said. "Okay, sir.." Claire replied.
******
Jaw-dropping astonishment was written all over Claire's face as she stepped into Richard's mansion.
It was the first time she'd ever been to a building that fancy.
She walked and looked around as if she entered heaven's paradise.
“OMG! So this is where I'm going to be living from now on?” muttered Claire in amazement. Her eyes lit up in joy.
Unknown to her this was just as the proverb says “goat in sheep's clothing”.
Her life was about to take a huge turn.
How could she know tho?
When Richard had paid her six months upfront salary to settle the bulk payment of her mother's hospital bills.
Her mother was currently in the best cardiac hospital in the world in Turkey receiving premium treatment.
Due to this, she begins to see Richard as Godsent and her white knight who comes to save her in distress.
“Now you're stuck with me for six months, girl,” said Richard in his mind.
“You can't run after a week or two like the others”.
“I saw something in you and I must suck you dry before I throw you out of my life”.
“You thought I was helping you by offering you six months upfront?”
“I'm always helping myself fool” With all this in his mind, he let out a sinister laughter.
Claire, who was busy admiring her so-called angel and white knight’s mansion, didn't notice the wicked cackle just let out by Richard who was at her front leading her into the mansion.
Thump!
The book on the cushioned table in the guest parlour downstairs fell to the ground after being hit by Claire's leg accidentally whilst looking around and walking at the same time.
In a split second, before she could say sorry and pick the book up; she felt a huge pain in her cheeks.
Taahh! A slap landed on Claire's face.
“Are you blind?”
“Can't you see where you're walking?”
“Or didn't your sick mom teach you how to walk?” blurted Richard in anger.
Now Richard expects to get a reaction out of Claire…
Claire stares at him deadpanned and detached. Her face portrayed feelings of hurt, shock and betrayal all at once. She couldn't phantom what just happened.
She wasn't in love with him but her heart shattered into a thousand pieces that moment and she stared at him still standing on that spot saying nothing.
Not in pain from the slap, but in pain the slap was coming from her angel and white knight.
“The ground should swallow me this instant, I can't withstand this” the thought popped into her head at that moment.
“Are you also deaf and dumb?” Richard blurted out again after the long pause and noticed no reaction from Claire.
He started to feel guilty for her and was shocked at that.
“I don't normally feel empathy towards people but I am currently feeling for this lady at my front.”
“What is happening to me?” popped into Richard's head when he wanted to utter another offensive word and continue using brute force on Claire.
He just saw himself turn and leave that arena out of his mansion in shame, leaving Claire still standing on the spot where he slapped her.
****
“How time flies,” Richard said to himself as he came back to the mansion the next day. “Last night was fun” said Richard and smiled to himself in accomplishment.
Creakkk!
The door to Richard's living room was opened by no other person than him as he walked into his parlour.
“AHH! Guess what?”
Claire was still standing in that same position! Where she was last evening when Richard slapped her.
Both astonishment and emotions flooded Richard's heart at that moment and he began to regret his action last night by slapping her.
He then did what he hadn't done in a long while.
Richard walked towards where Claire was still standing dejectedly and swooped her off her feet.
Claire at first didn't react to Richard carrying her in his arms like a baby.
Claire didn't know when she began to scream in both fear for her life and small pleasure as Richard started swinging both himself and her round and round and round till they were moving like a rollercoaster.
Imagine, Richard had created a rollercoaster of emotions in his living room for Claire. What a sweet psychopath he is.
Thump! With sounds of laughter!
They both landed on the floor in unison.
Eyes still turning them both from the effect of the turn, Richard began saying.
“Claire I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I have had this problem of anger ever since I grew up to see my dad beating up my mom daily then”.
“I haven't told anyone this about my life apart from you Claire. I value you so much, so I'm letting you see my vulnerabilities said Richard in a sweet tone. His goal was to win Claire back over that moment, and there's one thing Richard hated so much in this life… “Failure!”
“How do you expect me to believe you?” came out from a weak, staggering voice.
Those were the first words Claire had spoken since Richard slapped her.
She then slumped and fainted right there due to lack of strength which didn't give Richard time to answer her last question.
- Writer
