"This server is called 'GOD’s mind'," Lucas led her into his workspace and showed her three computer screens displaying some information she didn't understand, filled with code and photos of several people.Clara found Beatrice sitting calmly there, looking at them casually as if the woman knew what had just happened, but she didn't want to say anything about it.Clara needed almost 30 minutes of sitting silently in Lucas's room without saying anything after the argument, the wound on Lucas's hand, and his surprising confession. Well, it wasn't just Lucas who did something surprising. She did the same by allowing herself to lose control over everything.Lucas didn't interrupt what she was doing. Right after Jamie provided the medicine and fixed the bandage on his hand, he followed Clara, who chose to lock herself inside the room. He sat beside her and held her hand tightly—showing her that he was there by her side, and that she didn't need to hide anything.Throughout her 23 years of l
"How did you do it?” Clara looked up to find Lucas walking towards her after he closed the bedroom door. Jamie and Beatrice were no longer in the apartment. Jamie had gone back to his own apartment, while Beatrice had returned to Canada with the repaired 'GOD's Mind' server that Clara had fixed. "Didn't I tell you I learned it from my father?" She shrugged. "Are you serious?" Lucas squinted in disbelief. "You weren't just fixing a virus-infected computer, Cla. "This is the ElWagner server, and I'm sure there's no other server with security as good as theirs." Clara nodded in agreement, "The server does have strong security. That's why it took me almost half an hour to fix it." "Damn," Lucas cursed and sat down beside her, "so, how long would it take you to fix a regular computer?" "I don't know, maybe just ten minutes," she raised her eyebrow, giving some playfully smirking, "maybe you should have asked for my help from the start, so you wouldn't have spent hours trying to fix it
"God, damn it! Quickly mute your phone, Cla!" Lucas grumbled in annoyance early in the morning when he heard a loud sound from beside him, while Clara seemed panicked to silence her phone. "I'm sorry," Clara murmured softly, then threw her phone onto the nightstand after successfully turning it off. This incident was almost the same as when He first slept with her a few months ago. Her phone rang, and he grumbled irritably. Now he was also bothered by Clara's phone ringing, but he held back his annoyance for a longer time when he saw Clara's tired and sleepy face. "Come in," He opened his arms and pulled Clara closer into his embrace. Clara didn't resist as she usually would, and that surprised Him. He immediately held her tightly, closing his eyes and he entered into the peacefulness of his sleep. Oh damn. He had wanted this for the past few weeks—to sleep with Clara in his arms. He never knew he needed all of this. He spent two weeks sleeping in Clara's room while they were in
"Wow!" Anthony exclaimed happily as the elevator doors opened, revealing Lucas' apartment's main hallway facing the living area. Clara held Anthony's hand as they walked out of the elevator while Lucas followed behind with their shopping bags filling both of his hands. Lucas looked ridiculous with all the bags in both of his hands. Clara even swore that many people were staring at Lucas as they walked through the apartment lobby as if they all knew that Lucas had never done something silly like that before, and now... he was doing it with a woman and an 8-year-old boy. Of course, everyone in the apartment building didn't know each other. Clara even doubted if they knew Lucas and all his habits. Maybe they were just coincidentally looking at Lucas, and... Clara felt odd about those gazes. "You can play around, but don't make a mess, okay?" She gently patted Anthony's head. She knew that Anthony would be happy to be in Lucas' beautiful and... luxurious apartment. In fact, Anthony li
Clara woke up in a slightly shocked state. How could she not be? She opened her eyes and found herself comfortably sleeping in Lucas's embrace, even though she remembered Anthony sleeping with them, and that boy should be in the middle. She briefly thought that Lucas had moved Anthony somewhere or shifted him aside so they could sleep closer. However, when she exclaimed in surprise and forcefully got out herself from Lucas's hug—he woke up, looking just as surprised as she did. They stared at each other for a few moments, and then she heard Lucas close his eyes and exhale deeply. "The Timothy family sure has the habit of surprising sleep," he complained when he noticed Anthony sleeping at the head of the bed. His legs were sticking out in the opposite direction of Clara and Lucas—his face was towards the head of the bed, and his legs slightly reached out towards Lucas. Lucas lifted Anthony gently and placed him in the correct position before pulling the blanket and lying back down
Anthony couldn't cheer with pure joy on his face when he found Puppy—the dog he discovered in Arizona—now in his home. Elena was the first to receive the dog from a man Lucas called his guard. Puppy should have arrived several weeks ago. However, some vaccinations get delayed to be done, causing delivery delays. Lucas also sent Puppy to a dog training center for two weeks to ensure that Puppy was a friendly and safe small dog to play with children. He did a few other things that Clara thought weren't really necessary. But yeah, Lucas still went ahead with those excessive things. Clara didn't know what she needed to prepare to take care of a dog. So, before coming home, they bought dog food and things they might need, like vitamins, a bed, and special sand for Puppy's waste disposal. She refused Lucas' idea to buy toys for Anthony or ice cream, but of course, she couldn't refuse to buy a few things for Puppy, considering she had agreed to adopt that dog and needed to provide for all
Lucas couldn't believe what was happening. Just like the poison he had received from Carlos' bullet, his life had long died due to a poison he could never see in reality. The grudges, anger, and hatred he had since he learned about his life—about himself, who was not actually a biological child of the Axton family—had poisoned his heart. The poison had entangled him—keeping him away from all the happiness he once had.However, just like the antidote Clara had provided after she pulled out the poisoned bullet from his arm, he also received an antidote for every poison in his heart. The way it worked was almost the same—causing pain as the poison bullet was removed, then without him realizing, the poison had gone, and he returned to his old self.Clara's arrival wasn't something he had planned. She entered his life in a surprising way—bringing much-unexpected pain that he had never initially anticipated. Yet, after each of those pains, Clara worked like an antidote that transformed his
It had been more than two weeks since she started working at a private bank near Lucas's apartment. She was fortunate to secure a job shortly after her graduation and was content with her work, even though it meant spending less time with Anthony.Lucas had offered her a job at his company, which she promptly declined. She knew that Lucas might have been interested in her computer skills, that’s why he made the offer. However, she chose to refuse it because she didn’t want to get any special thing there—even though it probably wouldn't have happened.Lucas was very interested in her computer skills, so she told him about her father's fascination with computer technology. Her father had developed his own personal software a few months before his death, but the software was never completed because Clara had sold all of her father's computers shortly after their parent's deaths. She didn't have the money to survive, and the only thing she could do was sell the household belongings.That
Clara walked in, passing dozens of people who looked at her in awe—admiring her beauty, her wide smile, and her eyes that shone as she welcomed her new day—a new beginning for the life she was about to have.Far ahead, she saw Lucas smiling at her—only at her.The piano sounds playing "River Flows In You" accompanied each step Clara took, each step filled with happiness in the smiles around her, witnessing her embracing eternal happiness, now standing proudly in front of her—waiting for her to come to always holding her hand.Her white floor-length gown and the bouquet of flowers in her right hand signified her seriousness about every step she was taking.Louis walked beside her, holding her hand and escorting her to the altar.Her father should have been walking beside her, but... they were happy in heaven. And... Clara had Louis—someone who had always been there in every step of her life. So, it was Louis who escorted her to the aisle towards Lucas.Elena stepped forward—becoming a
Lucas sighed long and leaned back, closing his eyes, seeming reluctant to look at Clara. He even released her hand, allowing her to gaze at the starry night outside the helicopter window.Minutes passed, and Lucas remained seated in silence—not saying anything.Clara reached for his hand, placed her fingers in his lap, and turned her head to look intently at Lucas. "Can you teach me how to read your mind?"Lucas opened his eyes, "why do you want to read my mind?"Clara shrugged, "So I know what you're thinking without asking you. Just like you've always done with me.""My thoughts are too dark for you to understand, Cla." Lucas shook his head. "You shouldn't have entered all of this—entered my world and all the dark things that you shouldn't have to stay on.""Then where should I stay?""Definitely not in the dark world I have." Lucas quickly retorted, "I tried to make you stay in a better place and protect you from all dangers, not bring you to this meeting, Cla."Clara let out a lon
Lucas departed for Canada exactly on the day the secret meeting of ElWagner was scheduled. He didn't say anything to her, but Clara knew everything, and perhaps Lucas knew that she already knew.The journey from New York to Canada—to the headquarters of ElWagner—didn't take long, only about a 4-hour trip. Lucas left during the day, and he would arrive there in the evening while the meeting was set to take place in the middle of the night.Clara... still couldn't believe what she was doing. She had come to Canada—secretly following Lucas with the help of Beatrice and Cheryl, who had been waiting for her at a hotel near the headquarters. She kept her arrival a secret from Lucas, but of course, she couldn't hide it from Elena and Laura. She had told them her purpose for coming to Canada and when she would return to the United States tomorrow morning. They agreed to support her after learning about her complex problems. Even Louis offered to accompany her, but she refused because she didn
"I didn't mean to disturb your daydreaming. But you've been here for a while, and Lucas is starting to get annoyed because you're not coming back,"Clara turned her head and found Louis walking towards her with two glasses of wine. "I'm not drinking," she said."These are for me," he took a sip from both glasses and continued, "I know you don't drink."Clara rolled her eyes as she realized it was just Louis's way of teasing her."I'm very happy about your engagement, Cla," Louis suddenly said.Clara smiled, looking at her hand—admiring the ring Lucas had chosen for her.Lucas always asked about clothes, watches, and even ties to wear because he wasn't skilled in choosing fashion-related things. However, the ring he chose truly amazed Clara—it was beautiful and perfectly fit her finger."He actually asked for my opinion on the ring," Louis glanced at his hand and smiled."Really?" Clara blinked, "So he intentionally proposed to me at his birthday party, and you knew?"Louis chuckled, "
Clara couldn't stop staring at the ring that encircled her ring finger—a beautiful ring with sparkling gemstones and intricate engravings that looked incredibly stunning.The moonlight's reflection in the night sky made her ring appear even more mesmerizing which make Clara couldn't take her eyes off of it.Lucas's birthday party was still ongoing, and everyone was busy chatting with each other—trying to find a moment to congratulate Lucas on his engagement.She thought Lucas would be surprised by the birthday party theme she had chosen, but she was the one who got a surprise because Lucas is proposing her on his own birthday."What a beautiful ring," a woman in a light blue dress approached with a glass of wine in her hand.Clara turned her head and smiled briefly when she realized that the woman was... Rafael's wife."My name is Cheryl, by the way," she said, smiling."I... know," Clara replied with the same smile when she could hear Cheryl’s voice that seemed filled with passion th
"You look stunning in that dress," Lucas commented as he walked into the closet.His habit remained the same—waiting for Clara to get ready and giving her that look as if he was undressing her with his eyes.Oh, God. Any woman who was with him would surely suffer from his mesmerizing gaze. Being with a handsome man with such captivating eyes was a blessing that never came twice in her life."I think my arms look really chubby," she said, lifting her arms to the mirror, then shaking her head as she noticed her belly also seemed plump.One month after giving birth to Chloe, Clara realized that there were many changes in her body. There were stretch marks on her belly that had not completely faded, her arms looked bigger, and her belly hadn't fully gone back to its original size. She felt fine wearing long pants and shirts that could cover her arms and belly, but sleeveless dresses like the one she was wearing now made her... lack confidence."Nothing's wrong with your arms," Lucas walke
Clara couldn't deny that she still hadn't fully accepted the facts about herself—about her family status and her parents' past. However, she also couldn't reject the facts that were right in front of her.Slowly, she had to start accepting it all—making peace with everything about herself, even if she didn't like it all.All the anger she showed at Lucas when he returned home that morning did make her feel a little better, but she wasn't completely better.Rafael and Beatrice had come to her house to give more explanations about what had happened. Clara welcomed them, but she didn't accept any explanations about their clan. And Lucas agreed with her decision to refuse to enter the clan, even though she was an official member of the ElWagner clan due to her status as the daughter of the Wagner family.She hadn't changed her name on her identification card, and she also recently found out that her name couldn't be found on the 'GOD's Mind' server. Not just her name but all her identifyi
Almost an hour had passed since Clara sat in Louis' car with Rafael's provided documents on her lap. However, she hadn't found the courage to open them—to read a document titled 'Clara Clark' on the front page as if she's a fugitive with a long criminal record.Louis sat beside her, remaining patient without saying anything—even though Clara was sure many questions were swirling in his mind.Clara took a deep breath—attempting to gather bravery from within herself... still, she continued to gaze at the document without taking any action."Should I... open it?" She whispered softly after a prolonged silence.Louis looked at her and nodded, "You should, Cla." He held her hand tightly, "You have the right to know, even though your parents have tried to keep all of this hidden.""Why would they hide this?" Clara retorted quickly.Louis shook his head, "I don't know, Cla. If you want to know... you have to open the document and read it."Clara stared at the document in her hands and sighed
Leaving Chloe alone at the mansion always made Clara feel uneasy. She was afraid Chloe might cry, refuse to drink her milk, or not sleep like she did last night. However, taking Chloe to the hospital wasn't a suitable option either, considering she couldn't ensure what would happen there."Are you going to the hospital?" Elena asked when she saw Clara sitting in the kitchen at 5 in the morning."Yes, I'm going there, El," Clara nodded, "I'm waiting for Louis because he's showering, and he won't let me go alone."Elena nodded her head and started taking out food ingredients from the fridge.When Clara returned home last night, Laura and George asked what had happened, and Louis told them everything. They had initially planned to come to the hospital, but Louis forbade them and said that Lucas was sleeping due to the influence of the medication. The plan for this morning was for all of them to go together while Chloe would stay home with Elena and Anthony. However, Laura changed her min