Chapter 6

After noticing someone who looked like his girlfriend disappear into the corridor with another man, Julian hesitated, the sounds of the party muffling as his focus narrowed. Was it her? It couldn’t be, right? But that laugh, it sounded like her. And that figure? Definitely her. But what was she doing with that man? Concerning enough the man she was with seemed like he was Julian’s boss. Although he hadn’t seen their faces so he couldn’t confirm that it was them.

Curious, Julian's feet moved before his mind could catch up, and he started moving towards the corridor, ignoring the Gabe and Sharon who were nearby with mocking looks.

As he made his way down the dim corridor, every step felt heavier and he contemplated if he should follow his gut feeling and follow where those two people went or not? He wasn’t sure it really was his girlfriend he had seen with another man. The last thing he needed was to look even more out of place, following shadows and assumptions down a hallway.

Deciding to confirm he followed the way they went . After walking on the opulent corridor, he turned a corner, and there it was the bathroom door. The door was slightly opened, and he could hear voices coming from it, it was that of two people. The muffled voices behind it grew clearer with each step Julian took.

As he got closer and the voices got even more clearer, Julian recognized one of them, her voice. It was unmistakable, and it twisted something deep inside him. The other voice belonged to a man and it carried with it a tone far too familiar for his liking. ‘Is that… Brandon?’ he wondered to himself, his stomach churning. Brandon was the name of his boss. Josh had been around Brandon for a long time so he could easily recognize his voice from anywhere. It was a voice that usually filled him with fear.

But what was Brandon doing in there with Claire, his girlfriend? Julian was curious to see what was going on. Hisstomach twisted as Gabe’s mocking words echoed in his mind could he have been right about her? There had been rumours at his work of Claire having a relationship with Brandon her boss. Although Julian always dismissed the rumors because he strongly believed they were all lies, Claire would never do such a thing. They were dating and she seemed to be very in love with him, just like he was.

However at this moment Julian was doubting everything. The fact that she was in the bathroom with Brandon was suspicious. What could she possibly be doing there withhim?

A wave of dread washed over Julian as he hesitated, torn between wanting to know the truth and fearing what he might find. His hand shook as he slightly pushed the door open, just a little, enough to peer inside.

What he saw inside made his eyes widen in shock.

There, in the dim light, Claire stood against the counter, her body pressed close to Brandon’s. Her hands were wrapped around his shoulders as he leaned into her, his face buried in her neck. His hand sliding across her body in a way that spoke of an intimacy Julian hadn’t been prepared to witness. Brandon's fingers tugged her bra strap, slipping it down her shoulder.

Claire let out a soft, playful giggle, stopping his hand. “Not here," she whispered, barely containing her laughter. "What if someone walks in?”

“Don't worry babe," Brandon murmured, his voice low and possessive, his hand resting on her waist. "Who would even dare to interrupt.” as he finished that sentence, Brandon's lips found hers and kissed her intensy. It was a long and lingering kiss that left no room for doubt. Julian’s heart shattered as he watched, frozen in disbelief. Claire leaned into the kiss, her fingers running through Brandon’s hair as if they’d done this a hundred times before.

Julian had no words, all he felt was shock at the moment. Was this a dream? What was he seeing right now? Was that really his girlfriend being romantic with his boss? He didn't want to believe it, wishing that all this was just a bad dream, however he was seeing it with his own eyes so it was really happening.

When they finally broke the kiss Brandon let out a low chuckle, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "So, why are you still with that loser, Julian?" he asked with a smirk. "You deserve someone better than a guy who can’t even dress for a party, let alone keep up with you.

Claire shrugged, her expression shifting into something Julian had never seen before dismissive, even amused. "Don't Worry, I only got with him because of his looks." she said with a smirk. "But maybe not for long, cause you're more handsome than him."

Brandon's smirk widened, grabbing Claire's chin and kissing her. “And richer too.” He said arrogantly.

Meanwhile, standing outside and witnessing the betrayal from his girlfriendm jukians heart hammered painfully in his chest, and he could barely breathe. The scene before him felt surreal, like he was watching a nightmare unfold. He wanted to look away, to shut the door and leave, but he couldn’t. He was rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the betrayal unfolding in front of his eyes.

Claire’s soft laughter echoed in his ears, each giggle felt like a dagger piercing his heart. They hadn’t even noticed the door inch open, hadn’t realized they were being watched.

Julian stood there, his entire world was shattering, the gift crumpling in his hand as the cruel reality of the situation settled in. He was now realizing that he nothing to her. Just a joke. And as he watched them, he felt his heart break into pieces he wasn’t sure he could ever put back together.

Having had enough Julian decided that he should confront her.