Joan Belle's heart was racing. Again and again, she pursed her lips while sometimes taking deep breaths.
"This is it, Joan. No turning back," she muttered to herself, seeing the buildings past her line of sight.
Following Lina's advice, Joan rushed to the Hale Industries office, wanting to finally let out all her feelings to Christopher.
Lina was right. She repeatedly reminded herself.
She had loved Christopher for so long, but she never really told him. Even if she was being obvious, she could at least confess to him and get an answer.
Yes or No! That was all she had to find out.
It was Lina's driver who brought her to Hale Industries and the second she arrived; she asked to speak to their new CEO.
Being a family friend of the Hales has its advantages. Joan was immediately directed to the CEO's office.
Christopher's assistant was not there, but one other secretary recognized Joan and allowed her to wait inside the CEO office.
The secretary said, "Miss Belle, Mr. Hale is just in a meeting right now with his assistant and some clients. Please wait inside his office. Surely, you have been inside the former president's office. You can find yourself comfortable there."
"Yes, I have. Thank you. I'll wait for him inside then," said Joan.
Her family had previously visited Gabriel Hale many times in the past. She was familiar with the company's CEO office already.
The president's private office was a good two-hundred square foot office. It had a comfortable sitting area before finding the huge desk where the new CEO was meant to take his throne.
Walking closer to his desk, Joan smiled at the plaque, seeing the name of Christopher Hale. She knew this had always been his dream.
She suddenly felt the need to use the restroom and recalling how there was one in the CEO office, she found herself inside in no time.
After taking a leak, she reapplied her make-up. She smiled brightly at the mirror and said, "Joan Belle, you are a confident, beautiful woman. Many men desire you, but you only deserve Christopher Hale."
Letting out a sigh, she said, "Good luck to me, attempt number 213."
Joan Belle was ready to tell him everything. She was prepared, now more than ever. She braced herself as she held on to the door nob, but as she opened the door, she heard a woman's voice.
"I'm so glad I came just in time after your meeting," said the woman. "Doors locked."
Joan focused on the voice, and she realized it was Shantal Lin. She softly cursed, "Shit. Just my luck."
It did not take long for her to hear kisses and moaning. It easily resonated throughout the office space, and that small opening by the bathroom door was enough for her to grasp what they were doing.
"Shantal, I have work to do," Joan heard Christopher said.
"Could you really say no to me?" The singer's reply.
Joan could not make out the rest of their conversation. It would seem to her that they were whispering to each other.
Her heart was throbbing even more, nervous, at the same time, incredibly in pain.
She gulped, thinking of cutting off the two, but she absolutely did not want to see Shantal's face!
The next thing she heard was a moan. "Aaahhh! Yeah, I love it, Chris! Eat my breasts!"
"Fuck, your breasts are so soft."
"Make love to me, Chris. I want to feel you inside me in your office - Aaahhh!"
What followed was the unzipping of someone's pants, accompanied by more moans and gasping. It was evident to her what they were doing and by the erotic cries that escaped their lips, it was obvious that they were enjoying themselves.
"Ah, yeah! Fuck me hard!"
"Mmmmm... I love it! It feels so good!"
"Scchhhh... Aaaahhhhh... Damn, Baby, you feel so good!" She heard Christopher call the singer "Baby." That practically crushed her heart altogether.
While she hoped it would end soon, apparently, her nightmare had only begun as her one true love was still at it, pounding on the singer for the second time.
She heard everything there was to be heard; from the petting moans, licking, slurping sounds to the orgasmic cry of pleasure upon reaching conclusion.
Sure, she had seen porn before. All thanks to Lina, but she did not think she would heart it firsthand.
Sliding down from the back of the restroom door, Joan Belle merely cried softly.
'Do men always think of sex?' She asked herself.
Her best friend, Lina, told her it was the case, even for her boyfriend of two years.
For most boys, attraction and desire came first. Love only follows. These were the words that Lina told her before, but she earnestly hoped that it would not be the same for Christopher.
This was why she tried so hard for him to acknowledge her as an achieved woman. She wanted Christopher to be proud of her and that one day he would realize she was the best woman for him.
But all that thought, that idealism was broken down hearing Christopher give in to the desires of his flesh.
Minutes passed, and the lovemaking sounds seemed to have died down.
She heard Shantal say, "Baby, that was so good. Do you want to see me again tonight?"
"Yes, sure."
"Oh, shoot! My manager is calling!" Shantal said. "Baby, I have to go! I think my manager landed me another contract! I need to be there in half an hour!"
"Let me help you fix yourself."
It was clear to Joan that the two were in a panic, getting dressed.
Joan then heard Shantal walking towards the restroom. She cursed softly, "Fuck, I'm done for."
There was no other way around it. She couldn't possibly jump off the restroom window. When Shantal opened the door, she screamed, "Oh, my God!"
With her head down, Joan exited the restroom and said, "I'm sorry. I did not know how to cut off your activity. I just - never mind. I'm sorry for intruding. One of the secretaries let me in earlier and I used your comfort room."
The entire time, Joan had her head down. She could not dare to look at Christopher. She did not see how she would react.
As soon as she made her way into the middle of the office, she practically scrammed. With tears in her eyes, she hastily left the CEO's office and found herself in the elevators.
"Joan! Joan!" She heard Christopher ran after her, but she could not let him see her tears. She did not want to!
The first elevator that opened for her, she got inside and quickly closed the lift. She did not look back, nor did she see if Christopher made it just before the doors closed.
"Where should I go? Where should I go?" She kept asking herself. "To Lina? No. Clearly, that was where she would go first."
She scrolled on her phone and the next name she saw on her contacts was Cole Adams.