Claire
I feel forlorn over Liam.
The world has come crashing down around me and I find it hard to breathe.
I slept fitfully through the night in waves of tears and bad dreams.
I'm heartbroken over the coming loss of my company and I'm heartbroken over him.
I keep chastising myself for not being able to see this coming, for letting me be vulnerable like this. But then I remember how he was with me. The gentle yet hard way he made love to me, the sweet kisses, and the undeniable connection between us.
Was it all a lie? Could Liam have been that good at deceiving? Or was I just too eager to believe him?
My thoughts vacillate back-and-forth between wanting to think what we had was real and knowing he's the scum of the earth.
Charlotte's checked in on me several times but besides that, I haven't talked to anybody. I don't plan on leaving my apartment for the next couple days. I just need to be alone and try to mend my heart. Something tells me it's gonna be a very long process.
It's midmorning and I'm about to make my fourth espresso. I need caffeine to jolt me back to reality. I have to figure out a game plan for my career. And I have to help my employees find new jobs.
The logistics of closing my company are overwhelming. I don't plan on getting a lot done for my apartment but nothing's gonna get me to leave. I need to recover first.
My phone rings and I think it's Charlotte once again but it's coming from an unknown number. I answer reluctantly.
"Hello?"
"Hi Claire, this is Sarah from Velvet Luxe. I'm one of the executives who reviewed your campaign. I just wanted to personally congratulate you on the good news."
"Good news? Has something happened?" I say.
"Oh, you haven't heard yet? Then I'll let Liam be the one to tell you. But I just want to say that were so sorry for the misunderstanding. Please be in touch with me later."
"Um, okay. Thanks, I guess."
I hang up with her and wonder about what happened. What could she be referring to? Maybe this has to do with Liam's plan? Maybe I'll somehow still be part of the campaign in a small way?
I don't know but my mind is reeling. I feel like a broken shell of emotions. I feel like I've been through a storm and though the waters are now peaceful, gloom has set in everywhere.
As much as I want to be optimistic about it, I can’t focus on what Sarah said. Thoughts are randomly bouncing around my head.
Will I ever be happy again? Will I ever be able to forget about Liam?
Despite his betrayal, I find it hard to instantly stop caring about him. What we had was special and even if it was all a lie, it's hard for me to forget because I was real for me.
I curl up on my window seat with my warm cup of espresso and think about him.
Fall is transitioning into winter and I think about all the cold, lonely days ahead of me.
There's a knock at the door and I figure it's Charlotte. She really won't leave me alone. She can tell that I'm so heart broken, I just need to be alone for a while.
I go to answer it and don't even care that I'm in my pajama pants. I don't need to show off for her. It might make her more worried, but I can’t be bothered now with getting dressed.
I open the door expecting to see her but instead, Liam is standing before me.
His large body takes up most of the doorframe and I find myself thinking how handsome he is. At the same time, I remember to put on my most unaffected face so that he doesn't know just how much I’m hurt.
"What are you doing here?" I say with only a hint of sullenness in my voice.
"I'm here to win you back," he says.
"You can't be serious. You set me up, Liam. I fell for your stupid plan and now you have everything."
"Can I please come in so we can talk?" he asks.
What's the harm? The damage is done. I might as well hear what he has to say. I step back so he can come into my little place.
He walks in and makes himself quite at home, sitting on the couch before I have a chance to offer it. He's still so full of arrogance but now I find myself thinking that it's endearing. And I realize how much I miss it.
"Claire, I wanted to come by to deliver the good news. I got you back the Velvet Luxe contract. I told them it was all Evan's fault, that he was deranged, and he set you up."
"You did?" I'm astonished. "This woman named Sarah called. She's one of the executives. She was congratulating me and talking about something that I didn't understand. I guess it must've been that."
"It didn't take much to convince them," he says. "Once I told them the truth, everything fell into place. I'm sorry Claire. For a while, I was in on Evan's plan. But then, as I got to know you better, I realized that you're this creative spirit. I started to see things in a different way. I started to see you in a different way, though just a bit too late."
His words pierce my heart and I don't know what to say. I'm literally left speechless.
He continues.
"You have to believe me that I didn't want Evan to do any of that. He took his plan too far. He's lost his mind a little. I fired him, but I know that won’t change what happened. I just want to apologize for how much it hurt you. I should never have thought to take over your company in the first place. But I promise you that what we have is real, and I wasn't faking any of it."
I look at him and want to jump into his arms, but I know it's too soon. I have my own apology to make. I want to come clean too.
"Liam, if what you say is true, then I think I owe you an apology also. I spied on you. One morning after we slept together in your penthouse, I logged into your computer and I looked at your folder full of ideas for the campaign. I feel awful about doing it, but you see, I was desperate to save my company. I would've done anything.
“Once I found what I was looking for, I came to recognize that my talent is enough. I realized too late that I don't need to spy or do anything deceitful to win. My campaign was based solely on my own ideas. I hope you know that."
He seems relieved but still intense at the same time. I wonder what he's thinking and if I’ll be forgiven.
After a few seconds, he stands and takes me in his arms.
"Claire, I’d forgive you for anything. I’ll go to the ends of the earth for you. Somehow, someway, you’ve stolen my heart."
His words bring tears to my eyes as I ascertain that happiness is within my grasp once again. Happiness for me is having him in my life.
He holds me tightly and then leans down to plant the most tender of kisses on my trembling lips.
Just I'm getting ready for things to go further and to feel that glorious cock inside of me at last, he pulls me towards the front door and opens it. He beckons me into the hallway and as I step out I see dozens of black and white boxes marked Velvet Luxe.
"What is this?"
"Instead of a dozen roses, I decided to buy you some Velvet Luxe lingerie. And now I want to see you in it,” his tone takes a turn and becomes a little bit darker.
I look at all the boxes and I can surmise that there's at least $50,000 worth of lingerie here. He's hit on my secret dream. I've been eyeing their stuff for a while now with envy.
"I expect you to model each and every piece for me. Is that okay with you, Claire?"
How can I ever deny him a thing? I've fallen...hard.
He opens one of the boxes and pulls out a slinky, black little number.
"Let's start with this one," he says as he drags me back into my bedroom.