Chapter 6 New Home

Claire

Monday morning, I strode into the company building of Glam, a reputable fashion house in all of California.

I worked at the design department as a fashion assistant for three years now hoping for a promotion.

I hesitated to enter the company knowing I would certainly see Nolan, he was the manager of HR in the company.

Now I know why he always insisted we keep our relationship a secret from the rest of our colleagues. He claimed it would make everyone think he was favoring me since I was his girlfriend, even though I'd never received any special favors from him in the company, I didn't want people to judge our professional work by our personal relationship hence I agreed to it. Turns out he was hiding our relationship for another reason entirely, I was just the other woman.

Grinding my teeth in determination I stepped into the company without any second thoughts deciding to ignore his existence even if I happened to meet him.

"Claire, how did your weekend go? Saturday was your birthday right?" Anika, a female colleague asked when we met inside the elevator.

"It went great." I said snuffing out the conversation. Girls in this company needed one thing or the other to gather about someone so it would come handy at the gossip table when they would be dishing out things about others they weren't even fully certain about.

Anika was an avid member of that gossip table so I liked to avoid talking to her often.

When we reached the thirteenth floor at the design department, I made my way towards my office immediately.

The hair on the back of my neck stood in alert immediately I entered the design department, eyes were trained on me staring at me weirdly. I stopped to look around but that didn't make them look away.

"She's here. How could she even come into the office after that?"

"I would hide away from the world forever, girls are shameless these days."

The ladies at the design department didn't even make an effort to hide the fact that they were gossiping about me.

I frowned at their words.

What the hell were they talking about?

Ignoring them I headed straight into Zara's office.

When I pushed the office door open, understanding dawned on me.

A familiar figure sat opposite Zara inside the office, laughing in a fawning way I was already familiar with.

Nolan.

Zara, a beautiful woman in her early thirties sat elegantly behind the desk. Though I was used to her constantly having a frown on her face due to stress, the frown today was harsh and unwelcoming.

"Good morning Zara." I greeted, walking into the office ignoring Nolan's existence.

"Claire, I've been waiting for you." Zara said in her usual stern tone. "Have a seat."

I took my seat on the chair facing her, Nolan was right beside me, I could hear him let out a snort.

"Zara, you're the head of design department. I expect you to put this company's reputation first before anything else. People with a devious character should not be welcomed in this company." Nolan said in a highly arrogant voice.

"Don't worry Nolan, you and I go way back. You know that I have high principles and I would never condone any unwelcome people in this company."

"Ahem." I cleared my throat wondering what I had to do with this weird conversation currently going on between them.

When Zara's eyes turned to me, her frown seemed to deepen and her eyes were unbearably judgemental.

I knew something was wrong, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect what she would say next.

"Claire Santos, you're fired!"

"What?" The walls seemed to close in on me.

This was my dream job.

I worked hard to study fashion so that I could one day work here at Glam. I busted my ass here everyday working overly stressful hours, meeting deadlines, and assisting arrogantly pompous designers in this company hoping I would work my way up to a higher position someday, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would get fired.

"But, I don't understand. Why am I suddenly fired?"

Zara's gaze darted towards Nolan for a few seconds and when I faced him, he had a tiny smirk on his face. Realization dawned on me.

All this was his doing.

"You have the nerve to ask me why? You tried to seduce the HR manager because you were desperate for a promotion. Nolan is already happily engaged to a beautiful fiancee, did you think you could get to climb your ambitious ladder to success by fucking your way up?" Zara sighed in disappointment.

"I had high hopes for you Claire, but you blew your chances. You have two hours to pack your stuff and leave Glam's premises or else I'll have security throw you out!"

Fury burned in my chest and I glared at Nolan who was smiling smugly and smoothing his suit.

"Zara, this isn't the way to go about dealing judgement. He made an accusation, you heard his side of the story, and you already delivered your verdict without hearing my side of the story? How is this fair?"

"What do you mean your side of the story? What other nonsense do I have to listen to when I already have evidence right here?" Zara spat with disdain dripping in her eyes.

She turned her computer to face me and on the screen, it showed an image of Nolan's office. He wasn't alone in the office, it was a very familiar scene because I was there.

My breath caught in my throat and I could feel my face burn red.

The so called evidence he showed was a CCTV footage of a week ago, I'd gone into his office and I had kissed him when he'd said a few sweet words to me. But the CCTV footage didn't have any audio, hence it looked to any viewer as if I was making a move on him.

I'd even given him a massage while he was trying to stop me, at that time he'd been telling me that someone could walk in and see us then our relationship would be out in the open and we would be misunderstood in the office, but from the footage it looked like he was rejecting my advances.

I closed my eyes to control the anger burning inside me.

"That footage is a misunderstanding Zara, if you would only let me explain..."

"What explanation would you have to give? Will you come up with a lie to defend yourself?" Nola scoffed before I could get the chance to tell Zara the truth. "Cheap women like you would do anything for money and fame. If it were any other man he would give in to your seduction, but I love my Fiona way too much to even think about cheating on her. If you know what is best for you leave this company now before you're disgraced."

Zara looked at Nolan with admiration in her eyes. "Men like you are indeed rare Nolan, you're so loyal to your woman even in the face of another woman's tempting seduction."

She whipped her head back in my direction and the admiration disappeared from her gaze.

"There's no need for you to make up stories Claire. Leave now or I'll have you thrown out."

I wanted to explain myself so badly but Nolan had the upper hand, he brought the evidence and I had absolutely nothing.

Tears danced in my eyes as I glared at him then stood up.

Without wasting any words on him I turned and walked out of the office.

Immediately I stepped out, I could hear a burst of laughter from a group of girls sitting in their cubicles.

"OMG! The queen of delusions has been thrown down her castle. Who knew you could be such a whore. Seducing the manager of HR to get a promotion." Beatrice, a sassy red hed in heels snickered.

One could say Beatrice and I have been rivals in this department, vying for the same position. I wasn't surprised she looked so happy at my downfall.

"I'm not in the mood for this right now." I muttered, making to walk past her but she stepped in my way again.

"What are you in the mood for? Eating dicks of all the guys in this company just to get a higher position?"

Another burst of laughter resounded from everyone around me, the mocking sounds seeping into my soul stabbing me in the heart.

All I'd done was fall in love with a man who was nothing but a big liar, now I had to watch all my life's work crumble before me.

My career, my reputation. I'd become a laughing stock.

Keeping my tears in I rushed past Beatrice and found my desk stuffing everything I could into a cardboard box.

I hurried to the elevator keeping my head down so no one would see my tears, my weakness. When I exited the company building I accidentally bumped into someone. A rigid body that didn't budge even though I'd crashed against him.

"I'm sorry." My voice sounded tearful but I didn't stay to see the person's reaction even as I felt that person's piercing gaze on me. I dashed out of the company making my way to my car, only when I was inside did I let my tears pour down in heavy torrents.

I spent two days cooped up in my apartment, mourning the loss of my job, but that wasn't the end of my misery.

On a bright sunny morning, I found myself woken up to a pounding knock on my door. When I dragged myself up to check who was there, rowdy people burst into my apartment grabbing whatever they could find and shoving it outside.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Boys, move fast. I want everything out of here in twenty minutes, the new owner will be coming to take over today." The landlord of the apartment shoved me aside and barked orders to the men grabbing all my belongings.

"Mr. Philip, what the hell is going on? My rent is still paid in full and I've never defaulted in payment before, why are you throwing me out?"

The man looked at me like a worm under his shoe.

"Now what do I tell you Claire, your apartment is on the seventh floor, and someone from a wealthy family already bought out all the apartments on this floor. I have to throw everyone out before he gets here. As for your remaining rent, I'll wire it back to you."

"This isn't how things are done Mr. Philip, you can't just sell the apartment when it's legally rented to me."

He looked so annoyed, he suddenly snapped. "Didn't I tell you that this apartment was up for sale and at anytime I could return your rent and throw you out? Why are you complaining now?"

He no longer bothered to even talk to me.

"Hey, carry all those things out now. And take this woman too, she's annoying!"

And just like that, without even getting a chance to put up a fight I was thrown out of my apartment. I stood at the edge of the road watching my things on the floor with a crestfallen face.

I lost my job and also a place to stay.

"My sweet Claire, this should serve as a lesson to you." A familiar voice came from behind me and when I turned around, the face of the person behind me was one I wanted to slap so badly.

Nolan, again.

"You did this?" I seethed.

"Well, Fiona's family is a big deal in LA, they have influence in every corner. It was just like a piece of cake getting a landlord to sell a whole floor in his apartment complex and throw out every tenant. Watching it happen is in fact very entertaining."

"You asshole! Wasn't it enough getting me fired?"

"No it wasn't! You ought to suffer for ruining my plans. I didn't even get to fuck you, and now my fiance doubts me because of you. I managed to convince her though but of course I can't let you just get away with it. From what I know you're an orphan, your only surviving relative is an elder brother living like a waste in Spain. Now that you have no job, and no house, you're ruined!" He said the last words with a disgusting cackle.

Before I opened my mouth to reply, the sound of cars zooming in and parking next to the road where I stood distracted me.

A sleek black Rolls Royce Phantom in the front with an exquisite looking limousine behind it. The two cars made Nolan's white Audi look plain and cheap.

"Who the fuck came here to show off." He muttered, hiding envy in his tone.

A row of men, neatly dressed like a set of bodyguards stepped down from the car.

My mouth dropped open when they approached me. They probably got the wrong person.

"Miss Claire Santos, please come with us. We'll be taking you to your new home."