Chapter 5 5

Derek's instincts kicked in, and he sprinted after Sierra, calling out her name. "Sierra, wait! Please, just listen to me!" But Sierra didn't slow down. She rushed to her car, tears blurring her vision, and yanked open the door.

Derek was mere feet behind her, but Sierra managed to slide into the driver's seat and slam the door shut before he could reach her. She fumbled for the keys, her hands shaking, and started the engine. With a screech of tires, she sped out of the parking lot, leaving Derek standing alone, helpless.

Derek watched as Sierra's car disappeared into the distance, feeling a mix of panic, guilt, and desperation. He knew he had to make things right, but he didn't know where to start. With a heavy heart, he trudged back to his office, the weight of his deceit bearing down on him.

As he entered the office, Claudia was still standing there, a look of concern on her face. "Derek, what just happened?" she asked, but Derek barely registered her presence.

He collapsed into his chair, his mind reeling with the consequences of his actions. He knew he had lost Sierra's trust, and possibly even her love. The thought of it was suffocating him.

With a groan, Derek buried his face in his hands, the sound of Sierra's tires still echoing in his mind. He knew he had a long, difficult road ahead of him to regain her trust, but he was determined to try. Little did he know, it might already be too late.

Claudia approached Derek, her voice soft and soothing. "Hey, Derek, I'm so sorry this happened. But maybe, in a way, it's a good thing Sierra found out like this."

Derek looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and puffy. "What do you mean? This is a disaster."

Claudia placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Think about it, Derek. If Sierra found out about us in a more subtle way, she might have tried to work through it, to salvage the relationship. But now, she's seen the truth with her own eyes. She'll be angry, hurt, and she'll want out."

Derek's expression was skeptical, but Claudia continued. "This way, Sierra will likely be the one to initiate the divorce. And that makes things easier for you, doesn't it?"

Derek's eyes narrowed, considering Claudia's words. He had been so caught up in the guilt and panic that he hadn't thought about the potential benefits of the situation.

Claudia's voice was like a balm to his soul. "You deserve to be happy, Derek. And if Sierra can't give you that, then maybe it's time to move on. We can explore what we have, without the guilt and secrecy."

Derek's gaze locked onto Claudia's, and for a moment, he thought felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the push he needed to leave his unhappy marriage behind and start anew. With Claudia by his side, he felt a sense of comfort and security that he hadn't felt in a long time.

But has Claudia's words sank in, Derek felt a pang of guilt wash over him. He had been so caught up in his own desires and frustrations that he hadn't stopped to consider the consequences of his actions. Now, he was faced with the reality that his infidelity would lead to the demise of his marriage.

The thought of divorcing Sierra, the mother of his unborn child, was daunting. He knew it would cause her immense pain and suffering, and the weight of that responsibility was crushing him.

Derek's mind raced with memories of his time with Sierra, the good times and the bad. He remembered the day they met, their first date, their wedding day. He thought about the promises he made to her, the vows he broke.

Guilt and shame washed over him as he realized that he was the one who would be causing the divorce. It was his actions, his selfish desires, that would lead to the destruction of their family.

He looked at Claudia, who was still standing beside him, her eyes filled with concern. He felt a surge of anger towards her, towards himself, towards the situation. He didn't want to be in this position, he didn't want to hurt Sierra, but he didn't know how to escape the consequences of his own actions.

Derek's head sank into his hands, and he felt a wave of despair wash over him. He knew he had to face the music, to confront the damage he had done. But for now, he just sat there, frozen in guilt and regret.

"Please Claudia just leave for now," Derek said with frowns

"Seriously? We knew this was going to happen. Why are you so grumpy?" Claudia asked but Derek didn't say a word.

"Call me when you need me." Claudia left his office in annoyance but Derek wasn't even ready to deal with her right now.

Derek picked up his phone and placed a call to his PA.

"Hey, Rachel," Derek said, his voice strained, "do I have anything else on my schedule for the day?"

Rachel's cheerful voice was a stark contrast to Derek's somber mood. "Well, you had a meeting with marketing at 2 PM, but I can reschedule it for tomorrow if you'd like."

Derek rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Yeah, that's fine. Cancel it. I need to get out of here for a bit."

"Okay, got it. I'll take care of it. Everything okay, Derek?" Rachel asked, her tone laced with concern.

Derek sighed, not wanting to get into it with his assistant. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just need to take care of some personal stuff. I'll be back in the office tomorrow."

"Alright, take care of yourself, Derek. If you need anything, just let me know," Rachel said before hanging up.

Derek set his phone down and stood up, feeling like he was walking through quicksand. He needed to get out of the office, clear his head, and figure out how to navigate this mess he'd created. He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door, unsure of where he was going, but knowing he needed to get away.