Clara's POV I should have known this moment would come. "Now," Marcus demanded as I remained frozen on the spot.I listened to his orders, making my way to Derek's penthouse.Luke opened the door. He pointed out that Derek was in his office. He looked at me pitifully as I continued walking.His door to his office had been left open. I observed him working behind his desk before deciding to walk in.His head shot up as he saw me walking in.He motioned for me to close the door, which I did.He left his seat, keeping his gaze on me the entire time."You wanted to see me," I said, breaking the silence.He hesitated and then placed in front of me.He finally stopped, pointing a finger. "I thought you must have been dead. That someone had run you over with a bus or that someone had shipped you off to Dubai. Why were you ignoring my messages?" Derek asked, crossing his arms.I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off. "Don't say you were late for work because I know you clocked in befor
Clara's POVWhat were those two up to?The room fell silent, awkwardness growing in the room.I guess this was my cue to leave. They had something they didn't want me to hear.I said my goodbyes before returning to my post.Although Marcus hadn't asked, I made up a dump excuse of what Derek had asked me to do, just in case Marcus started to get suspicious.Today, there wasn't much work for me, at least nothing strenuous. I felt a bit bored.Hours passed, and my lunch break was fast approaching.My phone rang in my pocket. I wasn't about to make the mistake of ignoring it again.Layla's name appeared on my screen. I needed to change this because Derek may see it one day and ruin our plans.I hid in a corner to answer the call. At this stage, all our calls might as well be labelled classified."Hello," I whispered into the phone."Hi," she answered almost immediately. "I have a plan. If things turn out as planned, we can finally get Madison out of our lives," she announced.I would like
Clara's POV Exhausted, with my lunch break nearly over, I returned to the living room. I sat on the couch and peered around the room, trying to find hiding places.But something felt wrong, right beneath the couch cushions. It felt a bit uneven and slightly uncomfortable with a small bump.I'd know this because hotel guests have made the weirdest claims. We always had to double-check everything.Could she be hiding things here? No one expected it.I jumped off the couch to examine it.The seating cushions on the couch were loose, and sure enough, there was a phone under it, along with a folder. Who else would keep these items under here unless they had something to hide?I hurried to search through the folder's contents, but as luck would have it, the doorknob was turning. Someone had arrived.As much as I wanted to expose Madison, I needed to ensure I wouldn't be seen.I couldn't take anything because she'd know. With the recent security measures, they'd see my face clearly on the s
Clara's POV "Madison, you are not a child anymore. I think you can see where I'm getting to." Her mother answered.Madison didn't answer. She was just as confused as I was."Do you think I didn't have any competition along the way? Your father was one of the biggest oil giants at the time. Although he traded it in for a construction company, he still had a lot of influence. You didn't think it was easy to snag a man like him, did you?" She paused dramatically. "At the time, he had this little distraction whom he was constantly running after. He told me he was going to leave me. So, one night, I called him over for a truce. I told him he couldn't refuse. Let's say I drugged him and lied to him that I was pregnant a few weeks later." She continued. "No way, Mother," Madison laughed, a hint of admiration in her voice."It worked. I managed to trap him, and I gave him an ultimatum to forget all about that little hussy. I told him I'd kill myself and the baby if he refused. Being the kin
Derek POV I hesitated, taking a deep breath and deciding whether to knock on Madison's door.I lifted my fisted hand to knock, and right then, the door flew open.Madison stood in front of me as she leaned on the door.Her bright red lipstick matched the bright red mini-dress she was wearing, leaving very little to the imagination.She smiled as I tried to reflect on how I had convinced myself to do this."For you," I said, handing her the white roses my left hand had clung to.She happily accepted the gesture, drawing the flowers closer to her nose as she took in the scent."You should come in," she whispered, standing away from the door.I scanned the room. The blinds in the whole suite had been closed, blocking the outside view of the skyscrapers. The natural light from outside was replaced by dim lights lighting up the house.I decided to move over to the living room area, which was just an extension of this room."A total gentleman and as punctual as always." I heard Madison say
Derek's POV Fortunately, I was able to save her from her disaster. "You don't have to lie to me, and I know exactly what you've been up to," I said casually. "I'd offer it to you to drink yourself, but I'd appreciate it a lot more if you left this hotel while sober and still awake." She stared at me, perplexed. She looked away. "I-I have no idea what you are talking about." she stuttered as she tried pushing out of her chair. I placed a tight grip on her hand, pinning it to the table. For the first time, I saw Madison truly horrified, and this time, she didn't hide her horror. "Sit down," I demanded. Her hand trembled under my grip as she reluctantly obeyed. I released my hand from hers. "If you like and if this makes you uncomfortable, we can move to the business part of this conversation," I suggested. "Like how you planned the robbery," I said. Tracking down the culprit was a lot easier, considering my contacts. The formal 'assistant' or 'friend' wasn't too difficult to
Derek POV Because I wanted to boast, I followed her to her bedroom and watched her throw her clothes into her suitcases.She paused, staring at me, terrified. "The least you can do is send one of your stupid employees to help me," Madison yelled.I leaned into the door frame. "Why would I do that? You didn't need help while plotting, so why should anyone help you now?" I asked.It was a couple of minutes as I watched her struggle with all her clothes. I would have loved it if she was out of here sooner, but I was enjoying it."I know why you are doing this. It's because of that whore. I'll make sure that I deal with her." Madison spat vehemently.She tried to manoeuvre her suitcases but nearly tripped in the process."Don't you dare get anywhere near her? If you even as much as breathe at her the wrong way, you'll be in an orange jumpsuit faster than you know it. No one would be able to save you." I threatened."She is worthless and poor. Sooner or later, you'll find that she'll betr
Derek's POVHe placed a folder on my desk."Just one question: if you're a mid-fifties woman with no job and nothing to do, what would you be up to?" I asked. I twirled in my chair.He raised his eyebrows. "Don't tell me you suspect your mother now." He chuckled."No," I answered. "Suspension would mean that I'm unsure. I'm sure that she is up to something.""If you are saying this, it's because you are thinking of something." He spoke. He pulled out a chair and sat down, staring at me amusingly.I folded my hands, placing both of them on my desk. "I need you to watch her," I said.His eyes widened. Several expressions swept across his face as he processed my words. "Are you crazy?" He finally whispered. "Your mother is the most suspicious person by nature. Do you know what she could do to me? I'd rather not get on her wrong side." He said, alarmed.He looked around the room suspiciously, almost as if he was expecting there to be some secret security cameras hidden in the room."You a