THE CEO'S PARAMOUR

26.

Peyton.

"Are you ready?" Kol asks as I couldn't sit still on my seat, today was the day we finally got to work together, it would also be the day we came out to the world as a couple which in any sense was nerve-wracking.

I didn't know how to feel about this new change in my social life but I only knew I was ready for it, Xalvic Corp was where we both worked and now the entire building would know of my relationship with Kol, though I didn't care about their opinions or judgment it still put me on edge.

"I'm ready but are you, I know we've talked about you coming out and us being seen together, I'm just wondering if you're having cold feet in a sense." I exclaimed and he frowned. "Peyton stop worrying so much, we talked about this, agreed and there is no going back, I won't allow it." He spoke sternly making those butterflies in my stomach flutter, he always had me losing composure when he became dominant.

"Yes Sir." I mumbled and he seemed satisfied with my response. "Now shall we my love, we can't keep stalling anymore." He teased and I rolled my eyes. Kol got out of the car first and walked to my side, the door opened and he offered me his hand. "Trying to earn brownie points with being a gentleman." I chortled. "I don't need brownie points with how irresistible I am and you know it." He boasted and I sighed knowing I was stroking his ego.

The valet came and took the keys from Kol, I wondered when the company had gotten a valet service, Doc had always wanted one. Kol and I held hands as we walked inside Xalvic, it was different than the last time I had been there six months ago, and it wasn't because of the christmas decorations either.

"See nothing to worry about." Kol comforted as his arm rested around my waist like always, everyone was now turning to look at us, the envy, the happiness, the scrutiny, and the judgment rained down on us but one thing that wouldn't waver was my pride, I held my head high and walked with the man I loved, I didn't care about anything else anyway.

"Okay, I think I actually survived that." I mumbled with a sigh and Kol chuckled. "I knew you had it in you mi amour." He asserted placing a kiss on my lips which immediately turned heated, we were in the private elevator no one to bother us as Kol elicited loud moans from me, that is until the elevator stopped at the design lab floor and the doors flew open.

"Oh no." I panted trying to hide in Kol's sculptured abs. "It's alright, get to work." He ordered and I straightened out my clothes which were uncomfortably constricting at that moment. "Good luck Mr. Tempest." I encouraged passing by Kol, he slapped my ass before I could completely walk out of the elevator, as I turned to glare at him he winked with a smirk and the door closed.

All my friends and the irrelevants stood with shocked expressions on the faces, I felt awkward with their stares until I had enough. "What?" I asked and awkward coughs were emitted before everyone went back to work.

I walked to my design table but before I could sit down Doc yanked me from the table and dragged me to what seemed like a lounge on the floor where the storage closet used to be, Shawn and Hilda were behind him and they locked the door.

"Hey guys, how was Thanksgiving?" I exclaimed with a smile trying not to melt under their burning gaze. "First, yay I'm glad to have you back, I missed you—we missed you!" Doc cheered and I sighed in relief. "Now, tell us, what the hell happened, how did that happen, when did it happen, why did it happen?" I was bombarded with questions and I froze not knowing which to answer.

"Doc you knew everything so I'm not telling you." I responded and Murdock raised his hands in surrender. "You knew about this, why didn't you tell us?" Hilda accused and I swallowed nervously. "I told him not to, I didn't know if it was a fling or a long term thing so I told him not to tell you." I defended my friend and Shawn turned to me.

"Your creep game is on point, how did I not notice, how did Hilda or any one of those in that room not notice, you were definitely riding CEO cock, I'm proud of you." Shawn remarked and I felt more amused than proud of his assessment. "Thank you, Shawn." I asserted and he gave me a thumbs up.

"Are you guys serious, you just ruined a marriage, he was married, and you came in between that!" Hilda accused again before I could reply Doc stepped up. "No he didn't, they weren't together when he got his divorce, Kol was the one who made his choice and Peyton did not have anything to do with it." He asserted making Hilda glare at him.

"But I just want to be the voice of reason, do you really think you could be happy with him knowing he once loved someone else, this was a marriage whether it was great or not, it was still a marriage and you ruined a home." She spat out harshly and I felt angry over her assertion.

"Hilda I wasn't the cause of their break up, I had nothing to do with it, their relationship was already doomed from the beginning, so even if I hadn't had a hand in it, the result would still have been the same, so please stop trying to act as if you're better than me." I replied shocking her, usually, she and I had no arguments so having one now was stunning.

"Why do you have such a bad notion on their relationship anyway, it's not like it's your marriage that crumbled, or is there some reason you just can't be happy that the most miserable person in this circle has love going for him again." Shawn interjected and both Doc and I turned to look at Hilda.

"My father left my mother for a gay man, I grew up in a split home because of that, it why I feel like what Peyton did was wrong, he was a man with a wife and a planned future, even if you had no hand in it, he's no longer with her but you." She confessed baffling me and my two other friends.

"Don't you think I know that, I live every day with it and I'm working on getting rid of that guilt everyday, and I'm sorry for what your father did but stop projecting your family drama onto my life and relationship and just be happy for me." I snapped making her scoff. "Be happy for you really Peyton, do you even love him or are you af—." Before she could finish I slapped her.

"How dare you, I've been your friend for almost three years and here you are judging me for something that doesn't even affect your life, how dare you think I would love Kol for his money, I could've done that with his father we all know that, but I didn't, I love him, so don't you dare accuse me of being a gold digger." I responded harshly as she held on to her bruised cheek.

"I can't be friends with a homewrecker, or any of the people who actually support this excuse for a human being, marriage is a sacred thing and you hold no regard for it and I refuse to be friends with people who won't acknowledge that but care for their own selfish agenda." She spat as she turned to leave.

"You're fired then." I exclaimed as she got to the door. "Yo—you—you can't do that." She defended. "Yes I can and I just did, I don't think it would be wise to have animosity in the design lab, therefore, you're fired, you can't stand to be around us then this should be perfect for you." I asserted and she left the lounge room without a word.

I slumped down on the seat trying to breathe normally. "Oh honey, you should've expected this from the start, not everyone is going to stick around." Doc comforted and I chuckled bitterly. "But we'll be here for you, say does Kol have cousins or brothers." Shawn inquired and I laughed again. "Already hunting?" I chortled. "Yep."

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LMJ