All Chapters of BEHIND OFFICE DOORS: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

The hall buzzed with excitement as Maggie and Laura joined the guests in clapping, their applause blending into the metrical echoes bouncing off the grand walls. There was a sense of anticipation, and as if called by the collective energy of the crowd, Fred Walker also appeared. From the top of the staircase, he possessed an air of confidence as he stood in a most princely yet inviting pose. His sizable frame, which adorned itself in an imposing black suit cut to perfection, drew the onlooker's attention. Below all of this was a well-pressed white shirt laid across broad shoulders and the whole ensemble complemented by a flashy golden belt. His presence was intoxicating, like a fine glass of wine, smooth, rich, and insolvable to ignore. Stretching out his hands, he waved to the crowd with a confident smile. “Welcome, everyone”. “The love is massive, I can feel it”. “Thank you for gracing this wonderful event with your presence.” His voice, deep and sweet, carried through the room,

Through half-closed curtains in Laura's room, sunlight streamed vividly the next morning. Fred rather sat at the bedside, his elbows on his knees, gazing at the things quite lost. The dull, throbbing pain hammered behind his eyes, and he felt his body stiff and strained from a bed so different from his. He blinked a few times, eyes floating over to Laura, still fast asleep beside him. His mind was a haze, fragments of the previous night slipped through his fingers like sand. But he could not remember how he had ended up here. He knew he had been drunk, very drunk, but to what length his mind was a disembodied thing penetrating a mass of emotions, the stings of alcohol, and then nothing. He swallowed hard, his dry throat protesting as he attempted to make sense of things. Turning to Laura again, he followed her body with his eyes, watching for the soft rise and fall of her breathing. Peaceful she may have seemed, but there was something exhausting in her face. He was sure that she mu

Fred's voice broke through the terrible silence in the room. "So! The big news for the year!" He broke out into a light, casual laugh, his heart bubbling with deeper emotions. Moving his head towards Jerry, he said, "Jerry, Laura is my childhood friend. She's the little girl I had my first crush on."Jerry's head snapped toward Fred; suddenly, his eyes narrowed with fierce anger. "What?!" His voice dripped with disbelief and jealousy. "Relax, man; let me finish," said Fred, holding up a hand, his face firm. Jerry's eyes flicked toward Laura, and his breath quickened. He wanted to believe this was some joke on Fred's part, but Laura's expression said far more: it was trapped, uncomfortable, as if she might want to escape. The tension thickened in the air.Fred forged on, apparently still unaware of Jerry's response. "Yesterday was my company's anniversary”. “I had invited you so that you could come, but you didn't." “Well, never mind..." He said with a sigh while rubbing his neck. “I

After a long drive, Fred's car arrived at a noisy stop. So much screeching stopped the car, on which he had loosened his hold of the steering wheel. And with his hand motions, he turned, as he smiled at Laura in a calm way. "I'm sorry it's so far”. “You're okay?" He asked, peering carefully at her countenance as with concern he saw deep-set weariness that had crept into it. Laura returned his smile while reaching out her hand to his, lightly gripping it. "I'm fine”. “Are we... there yet?" she inquired, stretching her neck to sight more brightly down the window. The string of bright streetlights seemed to make the atmosphere more interesting."Yes, we are”. “Hang on," Fred assured her as he walked down, and hurried to the passenger side to open the door for Laura. He stretched forth his hand and offered to help her get down. "You are so charming," Laura whispered as she reached for his hand, raised her foot, and stepped down. Fred playfully shrugged, and she giggled. "Come, let’s go

Her memories enveloped her mind, still moments of stolen intimacy, with the warmth of his touch barely sliding off her skin. They made a pool of emotions rush through her, almost stealing her breath away while anticipation was mounting inside her. But water splashing in the bathroom jolted her from the bliss of memories. Seconds later, Fred stepped out, water droplets glistening down from his wet hair onto the floor as he passed his hand through the strands and shook them dry, his eyes glistening on her. His lips danced with a small smile as he advanced toward the bed, still bare of clothing. With the utmost tenderness, he knelt down and placed both his hands on her legs while saying, "Come here, beautiful" with a voice that sounded steady but was thrown in with tenderness.Laura hesitated for a moment but let him pull her closer. Known warmth trickled through her and chilled her deep heart. She inhaled strongly, as if the atmosphere were electrified by the pulsating moment. Fred's