Claire leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, eyes sharp as a hawk as she looked across the desk. Her intense gaze settled on the woman sitting opposite her. After a moment’s pause, Claire finally broke the silence.
“You’re hired,” she said flatly.
The woman’s face broke into a wide, relieved smile. “Thank you, Ms. Peterson,” she said, her voice steady but polite.
Claire gave a curt nod, her eyes still scanning her with an evaluating look. This woman seemed sharp, smart, and perhaps most importantly, capable of dealing with the unpredictable mess that was Lisa. That last part was critical.
“Don’t disappoint me,” Claire warned, her voice laced with an edge.
The woman straightened, looking Claire in the eye. “I won’t, Ms. Peterson.”
With that, she stood up, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door, her heels clicking confidently on the office floor. Matthew, who had been standing nearby, raised his eyebrows as he watched her go. Once the door closed, he turned to Claire.
“So… you’re sure about this one?” he asked.
Claire gave him a small, knowing smirk. “I trust your pick, Matthew. After all, you were the one who did the interview.”
Matthew rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s got the look, and I think she can handle herself around Lisa,” he said, still sounding a little unsure.
“Good,” Claire said firmly. “I have enough on my plate right now with this ‘secret admirer’ trying to mess with my life, but I can’t forget about Lisa. If she can’t be put behind bars, at least we can make her suffer. She’s a loose end, and I don’t leave those hanging.”
Matthew gave her a sideways glance, intrigued. “You really thought this all out, huh?”
Claire tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. “Oh, this is just the beginning, Matthew. Wait until it all unfolds.”
The next day, Winnie pulled her hair back into a tight bun and adjusted her glasses, straightening her crisp suit jacket before she entered the psychological ward. The building loomed above her, its sterile, gray exterior somehow fitting the job she was about to do. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves under control.
After all, this wasn’t exactly the usual acting gig she’d been used to. But Claire Peterson’s offer had been too good to pass up—both the pay and the promise of protection had convinced her.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Claire right before she went inside, “Remember, stay calm and act professional. Lisa is quick to pick up on anything suspicious.”
Winnie replied with a quick thumbs-up emoji and slipped the phone into her bag, her heart racing. Claire hadn’t told her much about why she needed her to do this, but she knew it involved someone named Lisa Thompson, and from the sounds of it, Lisa needed to be taught a very specific lesson.
At the check-in desk, Winnie handed over the fake ID and documents Claire had given her. She watched the officer behind the counter as he checked her details. As he glanced from her ID to the screen, Winnie felt a prickle of anxiety.
This wasn’t a small-time gig; she was about to impersonate a doctor in a psychological ward. But she forced herself to stay calm, keep her gaze steady, and maintain a neutral expression.
After a long, nerve-wracking pause, the officer handed back her things, nodding. “Follow Officer Toby,” he said, motioning to the uniformed man nearby. “He’ll take you to see Ms. Thompson.”
Winnie nodded, clutching her bag a little tighter. “Thank you.”
As she walked with Officer Toby down the long, sterile hallways, her mind raced. What was Lisa even like? She knew Claire didn’t care for her, but what had this woman done to make Claire go to these lengths?
“So, how long have you been with the hospital?” Officer Toby asked casually as they walked.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: New beginning: Billionaire love story (Claire and Alex)
What's with the loose spelling gotta try n figure out the sentence....