Chapter 9 - Comeback

Claire

'Thirty seconds to make you want me Blue.' His whisper repeated in my head as I walked back to my room In a daze.

If he only knew the amount of heat his presence had awakened in my body.

I could feel the dampness between my legs. My desire for him was far more than the single night I'd been drugged.

My phone suddenly buzzed on my bed, checking the text that arrived, a smile lit up my face.

I hadn't heard from my brother in a while, though he always informed me whenever he wouldn't be available, he'd always send texts to check on me from time to time.

~How is my little sunshine doing? I've missed you. I only have three months till I wrap up my volunteer service to a camp of survivors from the war and I'll be back in LA. I can't wait to see my little sister. Take good care of yourself. Love, Your Big Brother.~

I smiled at his text feeling happy and relieved to have heard from him again.

We'd lost our Dad when I was five years old, though the memories of what happened are foggy to me now, my brother has been there for me ever since I could remember. Years later when I'd turned fifteen, our Mom passed away too, it had been a very difficult time for Rodrigo and I but his support beside me had always made me strong.

At the age of eighteen, my brother left me with my aunt to pursue his medical career, we barely saw each other after that, but the fact that his text promised we would finally be together again made my heart soar.

When our Dad died we'd lost everything, I remembered us living a poor life but Rodrigo worked hard and paid for my studies, he achieved his dreams and became a medical doctor which led to him having to travel to many countries sometimes even placed in danger, but he always came back to me.

I wanted to make my dreams come true for him, to work hard so he would be proud of me and all his hard work for me wouldn't go in vain.

With determination in my eyes I willed myself to get past this.

In three months I would be out of this deal from Vincent Morano, by then my brother would be back and my life would go back to normal again.

If I'd only known, that my life would never be the same again.

***

I woke up bright and early the next morning and washed up to go to work.

The walk in closet was full of so many fabulous clothes, so far out of my normal style of jeans and plain shirts. I opted for a white Dior dress adorned with pearls.

This would be my comeback, I had to go in style.

When I reached outside after getting ready for work, a bodyguard whose name I'd come to know to be Johnny opened the door to a white colored Rolls Royce.

"Thank you Johnny."

I was about to get into the car when I felt eyes staring at me from behind, when I turned, the huge guy with the body of a wrestler scowled at me. It was evident he didn't like me for some reason.

Ignoring the evident dislike from him I entered the car and Johnny drove me to work.

"OMG! Big news! Zara has been fired, a new head of design will be coming in today. I bet it's someone famous." While in the car I scrolled through Glam's employee forum. Someone made a post already.

I smirked wondering how they would react when I arrived as the new head of design department.

Throughout my time working as her assistant, Zara had done all she could to make my life miserable. I'd endured hoping that my hard work and dedication would earn me a promotion someday but in the end I'd been working like a slave without any progress.

Walking into Glam building, I raised my chin confidently. I could hear the gasps around me.

"What the hell is she doing here? Wasn't she fired?"

Immediately I exited the elevator, a gang of three stood within the entrance of the design department.

"What the hell brought you here whore? Looking for another guy to seduce?" Beatrice shot at me the moment she saw me.

"Wait, that's the new dress from Dior. How could she afford that, it costs thousands of dollars." Amanda whispered into Beatrice's ear, I noticed how her eyes trailed the dress before she scoffed disdainfully.

"That dress isn't Dior. It must be one of those cheap knockoffs they sell. You never seize to make me laugh Claire, did you buy a fake dress to come here to impress us?"

"I don't have the time to exchange words with you Beatrice, but I certainly won't condone that kind of tone from you. This is no way to talk to your head of department is it?"

All three girls went still in shock, they exchanged glances then suddenly laughed.

"You? Our new head of department?" Amanda was the one who spoke.

"Girls, her delusions have grown. It seems she's creating imaginations in her head to fool herself." Beatrice said folding her arms, "Amanda, get my phone. I have a friend working at a psychiatric hospital, as good citizens, we can just watch a crazy person roam free."

I smiled and walked past them, why should I bother wasting my time with them.

"Stop there, the only place you're going today is the hospital for crazy people like you."

Beatrice began to make a call.

"Hmph, Mr. Devin already told us that a new head of department was arriving today hired exclusively by the CEO himself. I wonder why she thought she could come here to lie to us."

"Hello Dean, can you please help me? We have an emergency at Glam company here uptown, a crazy ex employee barged In showing signs of losing her mind, she's beginning to display some acts of violence, if you could send some of your staff to come get her, I really think she needs help."

The other girls snickered into the palms.

"Great, please hurry before she hurts someone." With a smirk, Beatrice ended the call.

"Are you serious? You're going this far Beatrice? You know I used to try being nice to you but you were always mean. I don't have any reason to tolerate you anymore. My purpose here is to work hard and take Glam's fashion to the next level, I will not tolerate any bullying in this department, nor any employee that doesn't take their work seriously."

"Haha. She's acting like a boss? Wait till they take her to the asylum."

I dug into my bag and found my phone making a call to someone whose contact Vincent had given me.

"This is my first day as head of department, and I'm highly disappointed with the employees here. Most of them spend their time sitting and gossiping rather than actually working, a few of them even attacked me and stopped me from entering my office. Mr Devin, I'd like a total wipeout of the department, I'd rather work with serious employees who have a passion for their job."

"God! I can't believe this, she's even pretending to call Mr Devin. Bea, when will the asylum people be here? We can't have her here when the new head of department arrives."

Beatrice narrowed her eyes as she looked at me.

In the next few minutes people in white rushed into the design department.

"I came as quickly as I could. Where is the patient?" A guy in a white lab coat asked.

"Dean, you're finally here. This woman shouldn't be allowed around people, she'll eventually get dangerous. Please take her away and run tests on her to make sure she's okay."

Beatrice pointed at me and the people in white rushed towards me.

"Anyone who dares to touch me, I assure you I'll sue you to court for assault." I'd been meek trying to fit in, I was done being meek.

The people rushing towards me stopped in their tracks hesitantly.

"Don't just stand around, get her out of here!" Beatrice shrieked.

"Get who out of here?" The elevator dinged and Mr Devin strode in with a stern face.

All the employees scrambled to line up obediently.

"Mr Devin." Beatrice seemed to shake nervously.

"What is going on here?"

"Mr Devin, one of our former employees came here and started a commotion, she was acting crazy so I called for help before she can hurt anyone."

I crossed my arms, "You have witnessed what I meant Mr Devin, these employees don't deserve to work for the most important department in the company."

The man frowned and turned to the people in white, "I apologize, but we won't be needing anyone to be taken to the asylum. You may take your leave."

The folks from the hospital exchanged glances and left.

Murmurs filled the office.

"I'm sorry Miss Santos, the whole design department will be wiped out, we'll be hiring employees passionate about the field this time." The man apologized to me in a polite tone. In the past when I'd been an assistant, he would ignore me as if I didn't exist.

"What?" Beatrice's eyes looked as if they were about to pop.

"Everyone out! And don't forget to clean out your desks. Head to HR, get your final pay and never return to Glam again." He spoke authoritatively.

The shocked disbelief that widened the eyes of the girls in the department was hard to ignore.

I'd spent enough time In Glam to know that all the employees did absolutely nothing to move the company forward, no one was getting an unfair judgement. Zara had overlooked them slacking off since most of the employees were either her cousins, friend's sister and other acquaintances, they deliberately slacked off all day long. As the new head I would be starting a fresh and gain recognition in the fashion world.

***

My first work day at the design department was filled with interviewing new employees.

I received a text immediately it clocked five pm.

~I'm outside your company building, come down and go somewhere with me. Vincent~

I felt my heart tremble when I read his text. Eagerly picking up my bag I left work for the day and sure enough, his car was parked outside waiting for me. I didn't know why the thought of being around him excited me.

My heart was racing.

I got into the backseat where Vincent was already seated.

His eyes were closed and his head was rested on the backrest.

"Hi." I greeted softly.

He didn't reply, his handsome face rigid, angry lines drew his brows together.

"Drive Conor." He instructed.

I sat back wondering why he seemed upset. Had I done something wrong?

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped at a bustling casino.

"Come." He got down from the car and walked into the casino without waiting for me.

I followed behind him quietly. Chastising myself for even getting excited when he'd said he'd come to pick me up.

Was it because I'd slept last night remembering how every flick of his rough hands over my skin felt and wishing to feel it again?

I couldn't get too lost in the notion of pretending to be his girlfriend.

It was strictly business between us.

The casino was bright and lively, full with people from the upper class mingling and playing games.

With a majestic indifference in his steps he walked over to a casino table where only a few people sat.

One of them was the girl from the day before, his ex Natalia.

I frowned as he took a seat at the table.

He motioned for me to sit opposite him.

Natalia held a smirk on her alluring face as if she knew something I didn't.

"Sit darling, I reserved the round of this game specifically for you."

Vincent said making me stiffen.

"What?" I didn't know how to play poker.