Chapter 10
Lunchtime.
"Hey, did you check the group chat?" Celeste sat down across from Lorraine, holding her lunch tray.
"Nope, too lazy to bother." Lorraine looked totally unfazed, and Celeste couldn't help but admire her cool.
"I wish I could be half as chill as you." She started digging into her food, chatting away, "Heard the draft on your desk was accidentally left there by Jordan Brooks - you know, that new intern who called in sick the other day? Probably clueless and put it in the wrong place."
"Mhm."
She could tell most people had already backed off since walking in. The look in their eyes had changed - no more nosy gawking - but no one dared get too close either. Lorraine's sharp tongue wasn't exactly a secret.
"So, did you get chewed out by Mr. Seymour today? You looked super spaced out when you came out," Celeste prattled on.
"Getting chewed out by him? Nothing new. He's got that ice-cold face anyway," Lorraine mumbled.
Celeste lowered her voice, "But he doesn't usually yell at people, does he?"
"Yeah? Sounds like you've fallen for his pretty face. Don't be so shallow, it's unsafe," Lorraine snorted.
Just as she put down her fork and looked up, she spotted Tristan walking in with a lunch tray.
Without missing a beat, she kicked Celeste under the table, signaling her to zip it, then forced a polite smile. "Good afternoon, Mr. Seymour."
Lorraine acted like nothing had happened that morning.
Celeste jumped in surprise and buried her head in her food.
"Mhm," Tristan hummed without even glancing their way and sat by the window, diving straight into work talk with Alexander.
"You think he heard anything we said just now?" Celeste whispered, worried.
"Doubt it. A bit of harmless boss trash talk won't kill us," Lorraine shrugged it off.
After finally surviving the workday, Lorraine swapped her work clothes for a fiery red dress, her makeup flawless and bold.
She drove straight to Dylan's workplace and made sure to park her car right up front - completely visible.
As the crowd clocked off and trickled out of the office building, heads started turning her way. The sudden appearance of a gorgeous woman definitely wasn't going unnoticed.
Lorraine chuckled softly - that was exactly the reaction she wanted.
Then Dylan came strolling out, acting all pleased with himself, completely clueless about the trap he was walking into.
The second he saw her, he froze. He hadn't expected someone usually so low-key with looks to show up looking like she'd stepped out of a dream - totally drop-dead gorgeous.
"Dylan."
Lorraine suddenly acted super affectionate, walking over to him and wrapping an arm around his waist like she did that every day.
Dylan was momentarily stunned, like his brain glitched. This wasn't how Lorraine normally behaved. She always kept her affection subtle - maybe held hands, kissed his forehead. But this kind of PDA? First time ever.
'So damn gross.' Lorraine smiled sweetly on the outside, but in her head she was cursing him out. Hugging him made her want to puke.
But for guys like that - no morals, no shame - the only way to win was to play dirtier than them.
Dylan looked down at the woman clinging to him with that doting smile of his.
Meanwhile, Lorraine could feel all the curious stares coming from people nearby.
"Let's go. Time for dinner." She flashed another fake smile and grabbed his hand, all clingy.
"Sure," Dylan said like he was spoiling a kid, opening the passenger door for her, helping buckle her seatbelt, then hopping behind the wheel.
Lorraine subtly wiped her hand with a tissue as soon as he turned away, brushing off any lingering contact with him.
"I booked us a table at Gilded Table, cool?" Being a spoiled rich kid, Dylan often went there. The place had ridiculously high prices - a single meal could cost thousands.
Lorraine used to be a bit frugal, but tonight? Nah, she figured there's no point holding back. Eat what you want, drink what you like - why make yourself suffer?
"Sure," she said with a bright smile.
Gilded Table.
Lorraine ordered dishes she wouldn't normally even think about: Hollington steak, escargots... even went as far as popping open a bottle of '82 Lafite.
Whatever had the highest price tag, she picked it. Tonight, she was determined to eat like a queen - if she didn't need help walking out, it wouldn't count!
Dylan didn't seem to mind. As long as she was happy, he smiled along.
Maybe he did love her - really, deeply. But Lorraine couldn't stand the thought anymore. Just the idea of his betrayal made her stomach turn. The nicer he acted, the more ridiculous he felt to her.
Before the appetizers even showed up, as expected, Dylan's phone rang.
"Lorraine, I need to grab this call." He glanced at the screen, then flipped his phone over before she could see it, all nervous and guilty.
"Sure," she said with a flirtatious smile that made his ears flush red.
As soon as he walked off, she dropped the act like a hot potato. But just as she did, her gaze met a very familiar one.
Tristan.
You've got to be kidding me!
Lorraine's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked away, hands shaking as she sipped some water. What the hell? She hadn't even done anything wrong. Why was she feeling so nervous?
She glanced toward him again - Tristan was still watching her. Then, she noticed the woman sitting across from him. A stunner.
Wait a second... Tristan, out dining with a woman? That's a first.
Clearly noticing where Tristan's eyes were going, the woman followed his gaze. When their eyes met, Lorraine immediately looked down, utterly mortified.
"I didn't do anything..." she muttered under her breath.
"Tristan, what are you staring at?" The woman's voice was soft and syrupy-sweet, and even across a table, Lorraine could pick up the flirty undertones.
"Nothing..." he finally tore his eyes away from Lorraine and clinked glasses with his dinner date.
That phone call was most likely from Dylan's dad. After what happened outside his office earlier, rumor had surely gotten around. The Tuckers must be putting pressure on him now.
Lorraine leaned on one hand, eyes fixed on the beautiful night view of the city outside.
Ding-
A message from Samantha: [I'm pregnant!]
Lorraine's hands started to tremble, eyes going bloodshot. So soon? Already? Were the families rushing the engagement now too? No wonder Dylan didn't want her hearing that call - it wasn't from his dad, it was probably Samantha all along.
Lorraine shot up without hesitation and headed to the restroom.
Honestly, she'd already imagined this scenario a thousand times in her head. For a second there, she really felt the urge to rip that fake, two-faced look right off Dylan.
The bitterness in her mouth spread, freezing her whole body, turning pain into numbness. Her nails dug so deep into her palms, she was dangling right over the edge of breaking.
What a pair of cheating scumbags.
Lorraine composed herself and walked out of the restroom.
"Hey." Tristan was leaning against the corner, head slightly lowered. His dark, smoldering eyes reflected the curve of her face, and without realizing, he pressed his lips into a thin line.
She jumped - his figure standing in the dim corridor really gave her a fright.
"Still breathing, huh? You sure you don't need a hand finishing this off?" His voice reeked of alcohol.
"No need. I want to be the one to finish him off myself."
"Alright then." Tristan pushed off the wall and staggered off.
Only then did Lorraine let out a silent breath.
Later, Alexander had to admit - he and his boss had witnessed the whole drama unfold. It ended up becoming their latest source of gossip over dinner breaks.
Who would've thought Mr. All-Work-No-Play had such a taste for office tea?
Lorraine felt like she was turning into the joke of the century, caught live by two guys, and there was nothing she could do about it. Sometimes, she really wanted to punch Alexander just to shut him up.
