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
Derek POV I found out the moment he smirked back at me from the crowd. I was meant to announce our new hotel opening in a few months. Instead, I left the podium as an engaged man. I should never have followed along with the madness. "You wouldn't be the first rich man to have a mistress. It would be best to learn to handle your private business more discreetly. Just think about getting married to Madison—the kind of influence it would bring to you. Maybe I'd finally be able to respect you as a businessman. After that, you can sleep with whomever you want. Women like her know better than ever to expect men like you to be loyal." He smirked. I laughed sarcastically. "Good thing I've never needed your permission to do anything. Even more so when it comes to my business," I answered. He sighed theatrically. I knew his next words were about to be worse. "Do you intend on being this weak and pathetic for the rest of your life? Think about all the things you could achieve. Do you think y
Derek POV The things he is willing to do make me sick to my stomach, and I'm finally done. He deserves everything coming to him. I was glad that the trial with Maddison's mother went smoothly. Turns out, there is nothing Maddison loves more than her reputation and money, and for that, she is willing to let her mother rot and make herself the victim.I was finally done with the cooking and dished our food in the dining room.I slipped my hand into my pocket, ensuring the ring was safely secured.Clara voiced her approval. I'd made a Pad Thai dish for her, knowing it was her favourite. I finally influenced her. "If my mom calls, please tell her I'm not pregnant." She stated this in the middle of her dinner.I nearly choked on my food as my eyes widened."Are you pregnant?" I questioned, puzzled. "Of course yes. She came over the other day and found a pregnancy test in my bathroom." She explained."Oh," I noted, amazed. "That explains why she's been texting me a lot more often." I am
Derek’s POVI must have looked at my watch about five times in the same minute. Why was I nervous? I've made far more risky decisions, and none have ever made my heart beat this fast. The house had already been set, our dinner table was perfect, and the garden was just as I had instructed. Clara would be arriving any moment from now, and I was almost done cooking. Everything was perfect, so why was I this nervous?I wiped the sweat off my brow. Vincent was right; my idea was stupid. What was I thinking about planning a proposal here? Surely, I could have thought of a better idea.I needed to calm down. Hopefully, she had another busy night, and she wouldn't show up.Maybe I should turn off my lights and pretend I wasn't home. But she'd walk in. That's what I get for giving her an extra key.Since we've both been tied up with work, we have dinner almost every evening. It made sense that we'd both have the keys to each other's apartments after she moved out of her mother's.I needed to
Derek POV About a month ago, my mother decided that the best way to end her obsession was to start a new one. She went and got herself a replacement kid. I don't know who in their right mind decided that it was okay for her to adopt a ten-year-old kid. I'd be fine with all this, except the kid hates me. I've done nothing wrong to him. Maybe I'm a bit biassed, but it only took one visit to know there was no longer any space for me in that house."You should be happy about this," Vincent laughed. "Your mother will finally get to fix all the mistakes she made with you. It happened to me, too." He laughed.The secretary walked in to announce that an old friend of ours, Dexter, had arrived. We were working on a new business venture, and we had been waiting for him to start our meeting officially.Dexter walked into my office as laid back as usual. He had barely changed much since I'd last met him. He had a few classes in college together.We exchanged greetings as Dexter settled himself i
Derek's POVSOME MONTH LATERI swivelled in my chair, fiddling with my pen as I tried to develop ideas. When I needed my brain the most, I couldn't think of anything. I've never felt this anxious about anything before."Are you certain that's a good idea?" I inquired of Vincent, who sat across from me.He had visited my office to discuss our new business deal. We just happened to have moved on to the next item on the agenda.He looked at me in disbelief, as if there was only one obvious answer. "Yes, which woman wouldn't want you to take her to Paris and propose to her in front of the Eiffel Tower?" He answered sarcastically. He threw his hands in the air in disbelief.As incredible as his idea sounded, that didn't sound like something Clara would want. She wasn't that sort of girl.I leaned into my chair and stared at the ceiling. I always thought the proposal would be the hardest part, but I guess so was how to propose."If you think that is too cliché, you can go on a private islan
Clara's POV I leaned on the door and peeked through to stare at Derek's motionless body. My eyes were quickly whelmed in tears. I never wanted things to end this way.Without thinking, I pushed open the door and walked in.I collapsed into his chest, held onto him tightly, and sobbed."Please wake up and get back to me; I'll do anything. I love you." I whispered. I held onto him even tighter.I wish I'd said this when he wasn't fighting for his life. There were so many things I would have loved to have done differently, but now I can't take any of it back.I suddenly froze as I felt a hand patting my head.I looked up.I blinked at Derek, who was staring back at me. For the first time, I saw clearly. Derek wasn't covered in bandages or had wounds all over his face, as I expected."It's okay, I'm alright." He answered.I wiped away the tears, my vision becoming clearer. "You are not hurt?" I asked, finally realising what had happened."No, but I will be if you continue squeezing me li
Clara's POVDAYS LATERIt took a few days before the doctors could clear me out and send me home. I was being discharged today, and I had decided it would be the start of my new life.Derek hasn't come over as much, at least not to see me. It meant he was starting to get it. This way, we'd both be able to move on eventually.I was packing the few items Mom had brought to make me more comfortable when I heard a knock on my door. Layla peeked through the door before walking in.She has been responsible for ensuring a fresh batch of flowers in my room every day. She visited me a few times. I was glad she never pushed anything between Derek and me. Without me explaining, she said she understood.Today, there was something different about her. She didn't look like she was dressed for the runway, nor did she carry around her fancy handbag. She was wearing flat shoes. I noticed her eyes were red."I'm so sorry I haven't visited you much in the last few days. How are you, sweetheart?" she ask
Clara’s POV I was relieved when the nurse announced I'd have a visitor until I saw who it was.The sound of the walking stick should have been enough to know who it was. I could have used the time to pretend I was dead or, better still, leave the room,m but I was foolishly hopeful.Derek's grandfather walked into my room with his usual sinister look and a mightier-than-thou attitude.He looked over at me and smirked. "You don't look too bad. I guess everyone exaggerated how bad you were." He commented. If my hand weren't connected to an IV, I'd be the one leaving this room. He was here for a peace offering."Why are you here?" I asked."Don't worry," he replied, raising his hand. "I won't be here for too long. I wanted to be here in person to ensure my message was clear. I hope you liked my flowers." He smiled. "It's funny how I've tried to make sure you and I don't end up as a family, yet here we are." He chuckled. "You've cost me a lot lately, you and all your recent drama." He pau
Clara's POV I understood him, too. I made many bad decisions that I thought were good at the time, and he reacted that way because of it. I should have never done any of what I did, either. I know and understand that lies can never be good.But I wish things were different."You should leave," I finally replied. My mouth became dry, perhaps because I knew I was about to tell one final lie."Of course, you need some rest. I'll see you in the morning." He concluded. He smiled weakly and leaned in to kiss me on my forehead."You shouldn't come back," I added as he pulled away.He stared at me with confusion, but he dismissed whatever he was thinking as his face lightened up. "Of course, I'll be here," he answered.I shook my head at him. "You shouldn't come back to see me, not today or ever. We should end this. Everything that did or didn't happen, all of it." I explained."You should get some rest. We are not thinking right now; so many things have already happened on the same day," he
Clara's POVI woke up to a beeping sound and bright lights around me.All the anxiety rushed in. It took me a while to calm down and realise I was no longer tied up there. I was safe. I still couldn't close my eyes and not reimagine everything. I wish I could forget everything. About a month ago, I never imagined my life would turn out this way.The sedatives were wearing off when my family came rushing into my room.Mom and Katy were the first to strangle me with their hugs and kisses. Soon enough, my room was covered in flowers and soon balloons got well.It was a relief to see everyone again. I thought I never would.We spoke for hours and even cried. You never know how to appreciate these small moments until they can be taken away.I was glad to hear that the woman had finally been arrested. I hope she is locked away somewhere she can never hurt anyone again. Although everything seemed to settle, I couldn't help but think the real storm would soon follow.A nurse stopped by multip