Julian’s POV.I wasn’t expecting to see her there, not at this hour, and definitely not standing by the corner like she’d been waiting for me. Kristina’s mother. Mrs. Henderson. Dressed in a rich cream coat, her arms folded like she had every right to be here like this was some kind of meeting she scheduled. I slowed my pace when I noticed her, hoping I was mistaken. But the way she stepped forward told me I wasn’t. "Julian," she calmly called, like she wasn’t the least bit ashamed or out of place. I didn’t answer at first. Just kept walking. I wasn’t in the mood for this, whatever this was supposed to be. “I know Clarence came to see you,” she said suddenly. “You two were in your office yesterday, weren’t you?” That stopped me. My eyes narrowed before I could help it. “How do you know that? How did she know Clarence and also knew her name?” She smiled as though she was proud of what she’d done. “Let’s just say I’m looking out for my daughter. Nothing wrong with that, is t
Julian’s POV. I wasn’t expecting to see her there, not at this hour, and definitely not standing by the corner like she’d been waiting for me. Kristina’s mother. Mrs. Henderson. Dressed in a rich cream coat, her arms folded like she had every right to be here like this was some kind of meeting she scheduled. I slowed my pace when I noticed her, hoping I was mistaken. But the way she stepped forward told me I wasn’t. "Julian," she calmly called, like she wasn’t the least bit ashamed or out of place. I didn’t answer at first. Just kept walking. I wasn’t in the mood for this, whatever this was supposed to be. “I know Clarence came to see you,” she said suddenly. “You two were in your office yesterday, weren’t you?” That stopped me. My eyes narrowed before I could help it. “How do you know that? How did she know Clarence and also knew her name?” She smiled as though she was proud of what she’d done. “Let’s just say I’m looking out for my daughter. Nothing wrong with that, is
Clarence’s POV. The shattering of glass by a waitress, who apologized profusely, jolted me back to reality. It was Christmas Eve, and I sat in a corner of the hall, watching my husband beam with pride as he greeted guests at his second company's launch. A dull ache bloomed in my chest like a bruise spreading its tender fingers. My heart felt heavy, weighed down by the memories that lingered in every corner of my mind as I recalled his cold behavior and the hurtful words he'd spoken the night before which was opposite to what he showed to everyone else. "I only married you for your family's influence," he had said. "The moment I get what I want, you're out of my life. Who wants a cripple for a wife? You can't even take control in bed. You're as good as dead." A tear slid down my cheek, which I quickly wiped away before anyone noticed. Gina, my step-sister, had always been his first choice - perfect, able-bodied, and everything I wasn't. But when he discovered she wouldn
Clarence’s POV. An hour later, I bit my lips in pain as I listened to the moans of my sister and husband coming from the secluded VIP bathroom in our estate. A domestic servant had helped me out of the house after finding me banging on the door of the living room. I begged them to bring me to this part of the estate, suspecting my husband was meeting my step-sister there and my suspicion turned out to be correct. The sound of his pleasure-filled cries brought back memories of my worst nights with him. He never touched me and was always repulsed by my disability. Instead, he'd masturbate, fearing that touching me would worsen the stiffness in my legs. "More, Damon, keep it coming, harder. Argh, I have missed you so much. What made me run away from you all these years? I love you," my sister Gina cried out in pleasure as their bodies continued to collide in a stronger rhythm - they weren't stopping anytime soon. "No one has made me feel the way you always do, Gina. I don't wa
Clarence’s POV. "Hello! Mrs. Ferdinand. Hello." I heard Dr. Mike said, which brought me back to my senses, and I picked up the phone to continue our conversation. "Is everything okay? You had immediately gone silent after I confirmed that Dr. Julian would be handling your case. Is everything okay? Don't you want him?" he asked, and I swallowed. "Yes, I don't. Is there no other doctor that can handle my surgery?" I asked hesitantly, unsure of how I would face the only man who had loved me dearly. "Sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Ferdinand. There isn't.” He replied almost immediately. “It took a tough time getting to even access his schedule and beg for you to be fixed into it. He is a very busy man whose five-year schedule has all been already fixed.” “His agreement with going out of his way to squeeze you in was something unexpected and should be a blessing; you should be grateful," Dr. Mike let out, and my worry could only intensify. If only he understood what was going on
Clarence’s POV. "Damon, you are joking. Aren't you?" I laughed nervously, trying not to accept those words that came out of his lips. "Do I look like I will ever joke with you?" he asked in irritation, sending shivers down my spine. "Why, Damon? It's been just three years since we got married. I had been nothing but good to you, and you have been the one who kept on hurting me, and I forgave you for everything. Why do you want a divorce?" I questioned him, trying to put the pieces together. But then I remembered Gina and my heart ached. She must be the one who instigated this. She was back, and getting Damon to divorce me was what she had always wanted. She knew that according to the principles of my family, if my marriage with Damon ended, I would lose everything including my position as the heiress and be tossed aside because none of us was allowed to fail in our marriage, in order not to taint the perfect, successful marriages of my family's history. "No, I can't accept t
Clarence’s POV. The voice of the flight attendant faded into my ears as I blurted out everything happening in the background. The memory of what Damon did just to force me to accept the divorce still haunted me. I had never imagined that Damon could be that evil. How could he treat me like I wasn't a human? He was ready to end my life if I didn't accept to sign the divorce so I would be out of his way. After I had agreed to sign the divorce papers, which I did in his presence, I felt goosebumps fill my skin on realizing I had lived three years of my life with a man who can comfortably kill me without remorse. That evening, while I prepared to move out the next day, Gina showed up looking stunning. It was the first time I had seen her since our eyes met at the launch, and she was grinning from ear to ear, commanding the domestic staff to do her bidding. She even had the guts to tell me boldly to my face that, "Whatever is hers, come to her no matter how long it takes." But
Clarence’s POV. I didn’t realize how tense I was until the other doctor tapped lightly on the table, pulling me back to the present. For a second, I thought I was imagining things. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. But when he stepped further into the room, his gaze settling on me, I knew it was real. I stared at him, too stunned to speak. He looked the same, yet different—just older and sharper now. The boy I once knew had been replaced by a man whose presence effortlessly filled the room. His features were calm and completely unreadable—but there was something in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite place. “Are you okay, Ms. Clarence?” the younger doctor asked. I nodded rapidly, forcing myself to pull it together. “This is Dr. Julian Blackwood. He’ll be in charge of your surgery,” he introduced. “I’ll leave you both to talk.” He turned to go. I wanted to reach out, to stop him, to ask him not to leave me alone in this room. But whatever this was, I had
Julian’s POV. I wasn’t expecting to see her there, not at this hour, and definitely not standing by the corner like she’d been waiting for me. Kristina’s mother. Mrs. Henderson. Dressed in a rich cream coat, her arms folded like she had every right to be here like this was some kind of meeting she scheduled. I slowed my pace when I noticed her, hoping I was mistaken. But the way she stepped forward told me I wasn’t. "Julian," she calmly called, like she wasn’t the least bit ashamed or out of place. I didn’t answer at first. Just kept walking. I wasn’t in the mood for this, whatever this was supposed to be. “I know Clarence came to see you,” she said suddenly. “You two were in your office yesterday, weren’t you?” That stopped me. My eyes narrowed before I could help it. “How do you know that? How did she know Clarence and also knew her name?” She smiled as though she was proud of what she’d done. “Let’s just say I’m looking out for my daughter. Nothing wrong with that, is
Julian’s POV.I wasn’t expecting to see her there, not at this hour, and definitely not standing by the corner like she’d been waiting for me. Kristina’s mother. Mrs. Henderson. Dressed in a rich cream coat, her arms folded like she had every right to be here like this was some kind of meeting she scheduled. I slowed my pace when I noticed her, hoping I was mistaken. But the way she stepped forward told me I wasn’t. "Julian," she calmly called, like she wasn’t the least bit ashamed or out of place. I didn’t answer at first. Just kept walking. I wasn’t in the mood for this, whatever this was supposed to be. “I know Clarence came to see you,” she said suddenly. “You two were in your office yesterday, weren’t you?” That stopped me. My eyes narrowed before I could help it. “How do you know that? How did she know Clarence and also knew her name?” She smiled as though she was proud of what she’d done. “Let’s just say I’m looking out for my daughter. Nothing wrong with that, is t
Julian’s POV.I wasn’t expecting anyone. Not at this hour, not today, not after the mess I was already trying to keep under control. So when I was heading back home to keep my head cool and saw Clarence standing there, it felt like my breath had been yanked right out of me.She looked tired—no makeup, no guards, just herself. Still as composed as always, but I could tell something was eating at her.“What are you doing here?” I asked, blinking twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. “You came all the way from London to New York?”“I had a feeling something wasn’t right, you have been absent from work without informing or contacting anyone,” she said quietly, her face searching mine. “And I needed to see for myself.”“You didn’t have to,” I replied. I meant it. She didn’t owe me this. Not after everything.“But I did,” she said, brushing past that. “And it wasn’t just that. There’s something wrong at the company.”I stepped closer immediately. “Something is wrong? What happened?” “
Clarence’s POV.I tapped my phone screen again, staring at Julian’s contact. The call rang a few times before going to voicemail. I sighed, lowering my hand. It had been twenty-four hours since I came back from my first court hearing, and he hadn’t shown up to work, hadn’t answered my calls, hadn’t even contacted anyone. At first, I had told myself he was just busy. Maybe he needed time to think. But as the hours passed, my concern grew. Julian wasn’t the type to disappear, not when something as serious as the Wilson lawsuit was hanging over us. I stepped out of the office, deciding to pick up some coffee on my way home. The evening air was cool, and the streets weren’t as crowded as usual. I was lost in thought, barely paying attention to my surroundings, when I heard someone call my name. “Clarence?” I turned and saw a familiar face. It was none other than Liam, a friend of Julian I used to know from college. His expression shifted from curiosity to recognition as he approac
CHAPTER 69 Julian’s POV. I was completely shocked and still reeling from the shock of the slap that had just landed on my face. Kristina’s father, Mr. Herdson stood before me without any form of remorse for what he had just done. “It’s all because you were never there when she went to find you!” he roared. “You were unreachable, and that’s why my daughter got so crazy. She turned to drink, and before she knew it, she hit someone. It was your fault,” he accused. Every word hit me like a wave. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as his anger mixed with a sort of twisted disappointment. I tried to steady my breathing, struggling to form a response that would both defend myself and release the pressure building inside. “I was never meant to be your daughter's puppet, I didn't ask her to drink before driving,” I finally managed with the same anger he had vented on me. “I can’t keep taking the blame for everything Kristina does. I’m tired of being blamed for her choices, even
Clarence’s POV. I didn't wait for Officer Ray to say anything and rushed out when Mr Smith told me the court was going to begin in thirty minutes and I was late. When I arrived, the court hearing was about to begin and I met him waiting for me outside the courtroom. Together we headed into the courtroom and he offered me a seat. My stepmother and sister were yet to arrive, we had to wait for them. The judge had arrived and was patiently waiting for them too. I couldn't deny I was nervous, this was my first time in court and it wasn't with a stranger but with my family. My hands folded on my lap, my nails pressing into my palm to keep myself steady. There were so many things troubling me and this court hearing added to it. If only they would allow me to have what rightfully belonged to me but even after having everything and kicking out with the excuse of me going against the family tradition, she still wanted what was left of me. “Since both parties have arrived, can we proceed
Clarence’s POV. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sleeves of my blouse, but my hands felt heavy. Every movement required effort.The hospital had finally discharged me, but it wasn’t because I was fully healed. I had insisted on leaving. Staying there any longer, lying in that sterile bed with nothing but my own thoughts, would have driven me mad. There was no time to rest. Not when I had my first court hearing to attend. I had already contacted my mom’s lawyer, forwarding the court summons to him and he told me he was going to represent me as my lawyer making everything easier for me since the company involved him. After I finished dressing for work, I made my way to the office, pushing down the lingering aches in my body, anticipating to see Julian and thank him for coming to my aid and helping me to have bed rest at the hospital which has helped calm my worries. It also helped me catch Gina cheating, a card I would use against her anytime the need arose. I had bar
Julian’s POV. I stood outside the hospital with my phone in hand, staring at the number on the screen. Calling my parents wasn’t something I wanted to do, but they had to know so they could reach out to Kristina's parents. I couldn't bring myself to call them, never. It was something I had never done since I was forced to be in a relationship with Kristina under duress and more threats than my will. With a deep breath, I finally brought myself to press the call button. It didn’t take long before my mother picked up. “Julian, Where are you? What happened to you? I have been calling you but you never picked up. Where is Kristina? Have you seen her?” She questioned worriedly. I closed my eyes for a second, already dreading the conversation, not knowing how to break the news to her knowing it would startle her but I knew I had to. “Kristina got into an accident.” Silence followed on her own end for a second, she took a deep breath and voiced out. “What?” “She was drunk. She go
Julian’s POV. I sat at the bar, staring at the glass in front of me, barely touching it. The dim lights cast long shadows across the counter, and the low murmurs of conversation blended with the soft clinking of glasses with the people around, drinking merrily as if they had never had any problem or need all their lives. It was late, my mother had been calling non-stop including Kristina but I didn’t feel like going home. I had been waiting for a while for Liam, my closest friend from college. I was almost giving up hope when he texted me he was already at the bar. Liam finally walked in, shrugging off his jacket as he approached. He spotted me immediately, his expression shifting from happiness to that of concern as he took the seat beside me. “You look terrible, Julian. Are you okay at all?” He said, waving at the bartender to bring more drinks. I let out a slow breath. “I am not okay at all,” I confessed to him. He was someone I couldn't ever keep any secret from. If I wa