After Betrayed, I Married My Boss

“Claire, wait!” Jeremi quickly grabbed Claire’s arm as she ran away from her house the moment she spotted her ex-fiancé.

“Let me go!” Claire harshly brushed Jeremi’s hand off. They arrived at a quiet park not far from her residence.

“Claire, I’m sorry. That night... it just happened. I made a mistake, I was under the influence of alcohol, Claire,” Jeremi tried to persuade Claire, attempting to explain everything.

“Yeah, and that 'mistake' of yours has had far-reaching consequences, Yud!” Claire wiped away her tears. Her body trembled violently as she fought with all her strength to keep from hitting the man before her.

“I know. This was completely unexpected. Even though I used protection—” Jeremi stopped abruptly, realizing what he had just blurted out.

Claire turned her face away, wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks. “You can hide the fire, but you can’t hide the smoke, Yud. Whether you were drunk or not, you somehow still remembered to use protection!” Claire snapped, utterly furious at the man standing in front of her.

“We were supposed to get married in two months, Jer. How could you do this and get Anna pregnant? Where on earth were your brains?!” Claire demanded, unable to contain her rage any longer.

“How could you be so cruel to me? Could you really not control yourself? Anna is my cousin!” Claire shouted, causing the man before her to hang his head in shame.

This time, Jeremi had no excuses left and couldn't find a single argument to defend himself.

“What was lacking in me? Our relationship was always peaceful without any major issues. Did I not understand you enough? Did I not give you enough care and attention, Jeremi? Please answer me, don't just stand there silently! How could you be this heartless to me, Jer?!” Claire screamed, breaking down in tears once more.

Jeremi suddenly fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around Claire’s legs in desperation. “Forgive me, Claire. I know I made a terrible mistake. I was out of my mind,” Jeremi pleaded.

Claire took a deep breath and let it out harshly. Her heart bled with agony—the man she had known for years had the audacity to do something so treacherous with her own younger cousin.

Claire stepped backward until Jeremi’s grip slipped away. “From this moment on, we are over. Just marry Anna and take responsibility for your actions,” Claire wept again. She pulled off her engagement ring and dropped it right in front of Jeremi.

“Go. I’ve accepted it. And I never want to see you again. Now let’s go our separate ways. You go your way and do whatever you want. And I’ll go mine with my own goals,” Claire said with a calmer, cold voice.

“I have only one last message for you: make sure I am the last woman you shatter this completely.”

After saying those words, Claire turned and walked away, leaving Jeremi kneeling where he was.

Claire left the park and walked along the sidewalk. She didn't know where she was going; she had no home to return to.

Suddenly, a loud crackle of thunder boomed across the sky. Claire stopped in her tracks and looked up at the dark clouds.

Raindrops began to fall on her face, gradually turning into a heavy downpour that drenched her entire body and clothes. Claire didn't budge from her spot, simply letting the cold rain soak through her.

Standing there with her face tilted upward and her eyes closed, she suddenly froze when she felt the rain stop falling on her face. Opening her eyes, her gaze met the sharp, intense eyes of a man holding a black umbrella over her head.

“Mr. Damian?” Claire called out, quite shocked to see her boss standing right in front of her.

“Are you a kindergartener?” Damian asked in his usual flat tone. “Standing out in the rain by the roadside.”

Claire scoffed under her breath. “What business is it of yours, Sir? Just leave me alone,” Claire snapped, feeling both embarrassed and irritated. Of all the times to run into Damian, it had to be during an emotional breakdown like this.

“Get in the car,” Damian instructed.

“No thanks. I can go home on my own,” Claire replied.

“Oh? Would you prefer I assign you to catalog all the files in the storage room?” Damian asked, making Claire frown in confusion.

“You can’t even differentiate between working hours and off-hours,” Claire muttered, attempting to walk past him. But Damian grabbed her wrist, making her glare at him sharply.

“What is it, Sir? I want to go home,” Claire demanded, trying to shake off his grip.

“Get into the car. I need to talk to you,” Damian emphasized firmly.

“Sir, can we please discuss work matters tomorrow?”

“Get in!” Damian ordered, refusing to take no for an answer.

Hearing Damian’s stern tone, Claire burst into loud, uncontrollable wails instead, covering her face with both hands. Damian was thrown into complete disarray.

“Clair, why are you crying now? I only asked you to get in the car. What’s so hard about that?” Damian asked, totally bewildered on how to soothe her.

Honestly, Damian felt awkward and embarrassed—they were on a main road, and passing vehicles were slowing down to stare at them as if they were a couple having a heated lovers' spat.

“Don’t cry here, Claire. Come on, get in,” Damian pleaded, clueless on how to comfort a weeping woman.

“What did I do wrong? Why are you yelling at me? Sob... Why are all of you so heartless to me... Do you have any idea how much this hurts?” Claire sobbed uncontrollably.

Unable to think clearly anymore and seeing several onlookers pulling out their phones to record them, Damian scooped Claire up over his shoulder like a sack of rice without another word.

“Let me go!”

“Quiet, Claire. Do you want us to get dragged to the police station on kidnapping charges?” Damian asked sternly after placing her into the passenger seat.

“Nobody forced you to be so pushy!” Claire snapped back.

“Put on your seatbelt, Claire.”

“Sir, my name is Claire! My parents gave me a perfectly good name. Why do you keep calling me 'Claire'? It sounds like a boy’s name,” Claire complained, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Stop complaining. I can call you whatever I want. Besides, I’m not your father, so stop calling me Sir,” Damian countered, prompting Claire to glare at him.

Annoyed, Claire clicked her seatbelt into place.

“I know what happened between you and Jeremi,” Damian stated casually, taking Claire by complete surprise.

“How do you know Jeremi?” Claire asked in utter confusion.

“I’m not your elder or father, Claire. Didn’t you hear me?” Damian retorted, making Claire scoff under her breath.

“How do you know Jeremi?” Claire rephrased, feeling somewhat awkward.

“He’s my cousin,” Damian revealed, leaving Claire thoroughly shocked.

“Y-your cousin?” Claire stammered, stunned beyond belief.

“Yes. So you’re the woman he dumped for someone else?” Damian asked in a flat tone.

“You seem awfully pleased about it,” Claire sarcastically remarked, turning her head toward the window.

Damian let out a soft chuckle, which instantly drew Claire’s eyes back to him. This was the very first time she had ever heard her super cold and fierce boss laugh.

“Why are you looking at me like I’m a ghost?” Damian asked, amused by her expression.

“Just surprised. I thought you got possessed by a ghost under that big tree earlier,” Claire retorted randomly.

“Hey! Watch your mouth,” Damian scolded gently.

“Well, I don't have a filter,” Claire shot back, leaving Damian silent for a moment.

“I know about you and Jeremi. How does it feel to be betrayed by your fiancé and your own cousin?”

She turned to look at Damian with a sharp, piercing glare. “You seem to take great joy in my suffering.”

Damian chuckled softly. “You’re far too naive, Claire. That’s why people take advantage of you and betray you so easily.”

Claire remained quiet until Damian spoke again. “I have an interesting offer for you. Want to give it a shot?”

Claire fell silent for a long moment, unable to believe what her notoriously short-tempered boss was suggesting.

“What’s wrong? Do you doubt me?” he asked, looking straight into her eyes.

“Marry me, and I’ll help you get revenge on them. I’ll make the man who betrayed you regret ever hurting you,” Damian stated plainly. “In exchange, you must help me bear an heir.”

Thump!

“W-what?!”