CLARA’S POV Many years ago. I moved through Elite Mall in scrubs and an apron, mopping floors, wiping glass windows, hauling trash—anything that needed cleaning. The work was exhausting, my lower back aching with every movement, but I whistled a tune to distract myself from the pain. This was just one of the many side hustles I juggled to make ends meet and help my family. It drained me, stole my time, and pulled me away from my academics, but I did it anyway. Because I had to. My father couldn’t afford a lot of things. An extra job like this went a long way to help my parents. I was already grateful that they had the little money to put a roof over my head. This was the least I could do. As I dragged the mop across the floor, my gaze landed on a mannequin in the far corner. A beautiful dress clung to its frame, shimmering under the store lights. I stopped, staring at it for far too long, picturing how it would look on me. I’d seen that dress before, on my classmates, e
Clara’s POV I stood at the lobby with a glass of wine held loosely between my fingers, staring at Serena as she exited the building with her baggage. A mixed feeling of triumph and something else settling warm and cozy in my chest. For some reason, her arrival had sort of caused and sparked up things between Edward and I. Things that had only existed in my wild imagination, in the last. I burn for you… his words from that passionate night replayed in my head, causing a familiar stir in my chest. My gaze followed the car as it drove out of the gates, observing Serena who sat with a sullen expression at the back seat, and after a while, I shifted my gaze to Edward and a few of his men that stood to the side, watching the car leave too with peeved expressions, his fingers jammed into his pockets. To my surprise, he hadn’t let the dawn crack properly before going to the guest wing of the house and asking Serena to leave, as he was not interested in her father’s business pr
Nate’s POV I sat behind my desk, smirking as I perused the report from my latest visit to the orphanage. The smirk expanded further, my insides jumping around in a dance of victory as I saw from the report that my plans had actually worked out just perfect. The photos of me visiting those children had sold off like valued stocks, scattered across the news in praise of my good heart. I scoffed, shaking my head at just how good I’d been at acting. The way I even looked in the pictures…like I gave a damn about these children. Whereas I gaze zero. I hummed a happy tone, flipping through the pages of the report. The major thing was that I wasn’t losing investors anymore, and hopefully, I could launch my new mobile design soon. A knock sounded on the door, then, and a second later, Michael stepped into the office. “Sir, there’s a visitor out there insisting to see you without a prior appointment,” he announced, his hands crossed behind his back. An unscheduled visitor? Who
Nate’s POV I stepped into the familiar comfort of my home, Serena following closely behind me. “Welcome to my home,” I said to her, throwing my coat against the armrest of the plush sofa, and Serena smiled stiffly, looking around the house. “Thank you,” she murmured in response, and just then, Isla came flying down the stairs, her boobs dancing in the transparent robe she had on. “Nate!” She started to call, a bubbly excitement staining her features, but as her eyes rested on the sophisticated woman standing next to me, she faltered visibly, the excitement dying down. I watched with a frown, not missing the resemblance in the look, as the same one that had been on Clara’s face the first day I brought Isla home. “You’re home,” she said, eyeing Serena cautiously as she slowed to a halt in front of me. I nodded, moving past her. “This is Serena,” I introduced, nodding over at her, “and she’ll be staying over for a few days,” I added with a note of finality, turning around
Nate’s POV Many years ago. I sat behind my desk in my office, going over some files, when a knock sounded on the door. A second later, my secretary, Veronica, breezed in carrying a mug of coffee on a small tray. “Your coffee, sir,” she said, dropping it on the desk, and I nodded. “Thanks,” I muttered, “you can leave now.” As she walked away, her hips swaying from side to side, my eyes followed the jiggly movements, mesmerized by the beauty of it. My groin hardened the longer I looked, my dick starting to crawl around in my pants, and when she was almost at the door, I gave into the temptation and called out to her. “Veronica.” She turned, her brows cocked. “Sir?” “Why don’t you come a little closer?” I asked, beckoning on her with a finger, and although a fleeting look of surprise crossed her features, she came towards the desk slowly. “Come over here,” I pressed, directing her to move around the desk to where I sat, and after she obeyed a little reluctantly, I n
EDWARD’S POV I hesitated in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie as I debated whether to check on Clara before leaving for the business meeting. I glanced at my watch, my brows furrowing at the time. 7:15 A.M I wasn’t even sure she was up yet. Would going to her room make me seem too clingy? Maybe. I could just send my regards through Jaxon. I turned to leave, ready to find Jaxon and give him instructions, but I hesitated again, remembering I wouldn’t see her all day. The meeting might stretch into tomorrow, meaning she’d be alone for twenty-four hours. Could I really go that long without seeing her? I sighed, adjusting my suit, frustration settling into my bones. Agitation, confusion, desire—I couldn’t believe these were my thoughts before a business meeting. Clara had seeped into every part of me, consuming my senses completely. Before we signed the contract, I told myself I wouldn’t overwhelm her, that I’d keep my distance. Because if I gave in to how I truly fel
CLARA’S POV I stared at the list in my hands, disbelief settling deep in my chest. It contained the names of possible suspects behind the last attack on me—the shootout that had claimed the lives of my driver and bodyguard. “You really did it, huh?” I said, glancing up at Lydia. She sat across from me on the garden terrace, her hands folded on her thighs, with a satisfied smile. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied bowing slightly. Shaking my head, I couldn’t hide my admiration. “I thought you’d take some time off because of what happened and how traumatic it was. But instead, you put this together? How did you manage it so quickly?” She shrugged. “I only used a few minutes of my leisure time, Luna Clara. It wasn’t a big deal.” I gave her a pointed look, knowing better. Lydia wasn’t the type to rest when there was work to be done. She had likely lost sleep over this, refusing to stop until she had every possible lead. But I chose not to press her on it. “I’m really impressed.” I
EDWARD’S POV As the car rounded the next corner, bringing us closer to the Estate, my gaze flicked to the small bags beside me. A satisfied smile tugged at my lips as I rubbed my forehead. I’d spared no expense in choosing gifts for Clara. I couldn’t wait to give them to her, all of them, including the ones stacked in the trunk. Would she love them? And if she did, would she smile the way I hoped she would? I had wanted to see her reaction when her favorite flowers I ordered for the garden arrived, but they had been delivered while I was at work. She had called to ask why I’d bought them, and I couldn’t tell if she was impressed or not from her voice. I could have said they were for her, and I got them because she loved to spend time in the garden pavilion. But I felt it was too much, considering she was still healing from her divorce back then and had her walls up. But now, she was finally over that jerk. Other thoughts crept in as I glanced at the bags beside me agai
Clara’s POV I slowly regained my consciousness, my eyelids quivering as I struggled to peel my eyes open. I was numb all over, weak to my bones. Sharp rays of sunlight hit my eyes as they peeled open, and I tried to move, getting away from the sharp rays. That was when I realized I couldn’t move. Looking down, I saw that my hands and feet were tied, and slowly, it all came back to me. The gas leakage at the ball, the choking, the coughing. The strange man. And now, I was here. In this strange place. Dread filling my chest now, I glanced around fearfully, trying to figure out where I was. But the environs were unfamiliar, or was it the grogginess, still? My heart was pounding so fast now, at the prospect of being in potential danger. My baby… Oh, no, no. I started to struggle against the ropes tied around my ankles and wrists, trying to get free, trying to get away from this dreadful place, but my efforts proved futile. Just then, the door to my right pushed open, and
Edward’s POV I whirled around, my heart shattering into thousand tiny splinters. “What did you say?” I ground out, my jaw ticking terribly. “T-the Luna,” Jacob stuttered, keeping his head bent. “She’s missing.” Oh, no, no. This had to be a joke. Was this a surprise Clara had prepared? I could barely contain the blinding rage that coursed through my veins, setting me on a dangerous brink, and grunting, I rammed my feet into the table in my office with so much rage that it went flying against the chair in the corner, breaking in two. Jaxon and the few guards that stood around scooted to the side, avoiding being hit by my destructive anger, their faces twisted into sad expressions that somehow pissed me off even more. This was not the time to be sad. No. “Tell me,” I pointed at the guards, my fingers trembling, “where is my wife?” No one said a word in response to my question, instead scooting further backwards, a mixture of fear and sadness clouding their features.
Clara’s POV The night of the ball was already upon us, and I stood at the front of the hall, my gaze sweeping across it. The security tonight seemed really tight, tighter than ever, and before anyone came into the hall, they were properly scrutinized and checked by the guards at the door. No one without an authentic invitation would be let into the hall, that had been the instruction. And once the ball starts in full session, the doors will be shut. I exhaled, already in good spirits, because it seemed like we’d executed a good plan this time. And everything seemed to be going smoothly so far… Tonight will be good, for a change. I glanced at Edward, who stood beside me in a polished tux, his displeasure still very evident in his face. But I was sure that displeasure would only last a while, as he would be duly impressed with how things turn out tonight. “You look beautiful,” he whispered, still keeping his eyes at the entrance, and I smiled at how observant he was, even wh
Clara’s POV It was a beautiful evening, and the air seemed serene, although there was still a strange aura that hung low, permeating the serenity. It’s been around since all these things have been happening… I was taking a stroll around the Estate with Lydia, trying to get some air, and filter my thoughts, exercise a little also, as my pregnancy require I walked around every now and then, but it wasn’t really working, because this strange aura in the air made me feel uneasy. Edward was barely speaking to me, and although I understood that it was because he was really busy, it still kind of annoyed me. Plus I wasn’t feeling my best these days, all thanks to the pregnancy. I let out a deep sigh, wishing that everything would go back to how it used to be before. Before the pregnancy. Before the attacks. Before all these calamities. “Luna, are you okay?” Lydia’s voice rang out beside me, infiltrating my thoughts, and I turned to look at her. “Hmm?” She pressed on, her brows
Clara’s POV I watched the maids scurrying about in the hall, each attending to the duty that was assigned to them in preparation of the Bluemoon ball that was just around the corner, and as one of the maids approached with a pile of silk clothes in her arms, getting closer, I directed her to dump them on the tiled floor in the corner. “Make sure that these materials are complete,” I instructed the other maid that stood to the side. “Sort them by their colors,” I added. “Yes, Luna,” she replied, curtsying briefly, and quickly going to work, sorting through the pile of silk on the floor. I let out a tired sigh, lightly touching my forehead. I felt weak, but I couldn’t allow myself even a little bit of rest, because if I gave in to this tiredness, who would take care of the preparations for the Bluemoon ball coming up soon? It was part of my responsibility as Luna, and I would see to it to the very end. I was still giving out orders to the maids, making sure everything was in
EDWARD’S POV I sat at the head of the table, my gaze sweeping across the faces of the Alphas gathered around the U-shaped table. Their expressions were tight with anger, distrust clearly visible in their faces as none of them tried to hide it. And I didn’t blame them. Not after what happened at the Fruitful Banquet. I hadn’t offered any explanation since that day. They were nearly killed on my territory. If the substance had been deadlier, we wouldn’t be sitting here. “What’s this meeting about?” one of them asked sharply, without waiting for permission. “Are we finally going to talk about the chaos you dragged us into?” I scoffed quietly, shaking my head. Why dance around the truth when they could just say it outright? I let my eyes slide toward Nathaniel, who sat in silence, arms crossed, unreadable as ever. His calm demeanor rubbed me the wrong way. And the fact that he even showed up surprised me. And irritated me. I tore my gaze away from him before the rage b
EDWARD’S POV I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of the meeting room, gazing outside to ease my mind. My fingers absently moved over my jaw as my mind churned despite my attempts to forget everything. In the faint reflection on the glass, I caught a glimpse of myself and paused. I looked like hell. I looked unkept, my eyes hollow. A sigh escaped my lips. I’d been neglecting my appearance, my health, everything. But how could I not? I felt restless day and night. Every damn minute, I was either pacing or spiraling. Nothing sat right anymore. This entire mess? whatever game was being played, I couldn’t get ahead of it. No matter how hard I tried, I always felt like I was several steps behind. At first, I thought it was just Nathaniel Bennett pulling strings. But now I was sure… someone else was involved. Someone smarter. Someone staying hidden, and easily manipulating things. Whether they were working with Nathaniel or acting alone, I still couldn’t tell. That uncerta
CLARA’S POV I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window early in the morning, rubbing my stomach as I looked out over the estate. Most of the guests were already leaving especially those who’d recovered and I felt a faint feeling of relief watching them go. Very faint. These people likely carried resentment toward us now as they left. For something we hadn’t done and we didn’t even understand ourselves. They probably blamed us for everything that happened during the banquet, forgetting that we were also victims. Their outburst yesterday had really hurt me, considering how I wanted the banquet to be successful, how I looked forward to it as it was my first time. I was celebrating the baby in my womb but they forgot that part, they forgot that I was hurting too. A slow burn of anger rose in my chest. I clenched my fist, trying to push it down. It was pointless, getting worked up over what I couldn’t yet control. I turned slowly, my gaze settling on Edward at the far end of
EDWARD’S POV By the time we left the kitchen, I was completely drainedmentally and physically. My thoughts kept circling back to the brown-haired suspect. Who was he? Why would he do this? Was it personal? Against me? Clara? No matter how I tried to piece it together, nothing made sense. I couldn’t think of his motive, his reason. I just had questions without answers. Jaxon had gone off immediately to search the Estate, determined to find the boy. That left me with a handful of guards escorting me to the hospital wing. We hadn’t gotten far when a strange sound reached my ears. It was faint and distant, sounding like chants. I slowed, listening carefully. At first, I thought it might just be in my head, some lingering stress playing tricks on me. But with every step I took, the chanting grew louder. It sounded like a group of angry people were yelling close to the Estate. I stopped completely, frowning. What the hell was that? I gestured for one of the guards to