Mikael's Mansion Manhattan, New York, US. 7 AM “We found her location,” Lionel said calmly while showing the location point on his iPad. "She's in her apartment?" Mikael raised his eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? Hernandez couldn't have let her in there, could he?” “Yes, he did,” Lionel nodded his head, “looks like this is a trap. I feel as if he allowed Claire to stay there to lure us and—” Josephine knocked on the door and interrupted their conversation. Mikael and Lionel turned their heads together. After their conversation a while ago, Josephine didn't really know what Mikael was doing. Her son had gone with Lionel—just as had happened years ago when Mikael went to Italy with Lionel. In the past, she couldn't do anything but cry and watch Mikael leave. However, now she did not want to repeat the same mistake. She didn't want to let Mikael get away from her... “Can I… come in?” She spoke doubtfully. Lionel turned his head to Mikael. Then when he saw Mikael not giving any r
Manhattan, New York, US. 3 AMMikael knew that since he was a child—since his and Michael's birth, his parents didn't really acknowledge their existence.Only one—they only had one child. And he doesn't know if it's Michael or him.This is because John has a dark past that limits their family—making them unable to live like a normal family.Michael was born with a heart defect which made him weaker than Mikael. He was often sick, was often in the hospital, and he couldn't live life like any other child—unlike Mikael, who was a little luckier because he was born with a healthy heart and body.He doesn't know if he should call it luck or bad luck.Michael's weak health made Josephine and John make a big decision—a decision he could never understand. However, that's exactly what happened.In the past, people only knew Mikael as the son of Josephine and John. There was no Michael in any of their family photos, in fact, Michael was never introduced to business life and the corporate partie
Manhattan, New York, US. 9 PMHours had passed. Claire had finished her second glass of strawberry juice, but Josephine still didn't come to where they promised to meet.The sky is getting dark. Night came without being able to stop by Claire—bringing cold air that felt like piercing her bones.Today… everything feels heavy.She still couldn't believe that after everything that had happened, she could still stand on her feet—withstanding all the devastation in her heart and decided to meet Josephine amidst the disappointment that shackled her. She suppressed herself—forced herself to go to Josephine so she could hear all of her explanations. Because even after everything that had happened, she still hoped that all of this was just a misunderstanding—just a mistake that they could work out after they met and talked together.She still hoped that… John and Josephine were not like what Anderson had told them about. She still hoped that it was all… fake. That reality in the past wasn't as
Manhattan, New York, US. 11 PMMikael Williams stepped down the hall of the hospital.His heart skipped a beat when he remembered Josephine's phone call a while ago. Worry, panic, and fear mixed in his mind—making him feel crazy after he found out what happened through Lionel's explanation.Josephine had an accident.She had a car accident.And without waiting any longer, Mikael immediately ran to the hospital to make sure how Josephine was."On the left, Mr. Mike," Orlando directed him down a long hallway where several doctors and nurses were milling about—still busy with their work even though it was the middle of the night.There was no nighttime in the hospital—everyone worked hours. Nothing stops even though sometimes, some time stops for people who have lost the time of their life.His steps stopped when he stood in front of his mother's door.Even though he hesitated a bit, in the end, Mikael pushed open the door and walked quickly inside.Just as he entered, John and Josephine
Anderson’s MansionManhattan, New York, US. 7 AMClaire hugged her cramped stomach—it felt stiff, as if something was gripping her tightly. She had felt nauseous, so she ran to the bathroom just as she woke up, but she couldn't throw up, and that just made her feel even more tormented.It felt like something was wrapped around her stomach and made her uncomfortable.She remembered that a few days ago, she had felt nauseous. That was so bad. However, she is not sick. She was just nauseous because… because of someone's presence.Claire took a deep breath…Her hands clenched tightly over the edge of the sink as her stomach churned again. She let the water keep flowing, but she did nothing. Even for a moment, she wished she could spit something out.Unfortunately, last night she only swallowed a few pieces of meat. And this morning, she hadn't eaten anything, so it was impossible for her to throw up something. Nothing was coming out of her stomach, making her feel even more uncomfortable—
Michael's ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 1 Year Ago"One day, we will grow old and see our grandchildren running in the yard." Michael looked down and kissed Claire's head, “Maybe you won't have brown hair anymore, but white. However, that won't change anything,” Michael said with a smile.Claire blushed when she heard Michael's words. She hid her face in his chest while her lips smiled into Michael's arm.Her heart swells every time she gets the chance to spend time with Michael—enjoying their time amidst the never-ending bustle.The weekend was the day that Claire had been waiting for one week. Because on Saturday, she would spend the whole day with Michael, then in the afternoon, they would go back to the Williams mansion and stay there."To make that happen, you must first own a house," Claire muttered under her breath.Michael chuckled briefly. “Would you be willing to live with me if I already have a house?”Claire turned her head away from Michael and narrowed her eyes at h
Michael's grave Manhattan, New York, US. 11 AM In all her life, Claire had never thought that meeting Josephine would make her feel this scared—worried, panicked, and nervous. The last two weeks, she had locked herself in the Anderson mansion to think about everything that had happened, so she can try to convince herself of the big decision she would make this week. However, today she decided to leave Anderson’s mansion to go to the place she had always thought about—a place she really wanted to go to because the man she loved was there. Michael. Michael's grave. However, as if fate was playing tricks on her, she met Josephine. Even Josephine had heard her secret—something she desperately wanted to hide from everyone. "I beg you not to run away from me, dear." Josephine looked at her with a face full of sadness, "You may be mad at me, but don't run away and make me feel even more tormented." Claire wiped her tears away. All her life, she had known Josephine as a good woman who
Mikael's Mansion Manhattan, New York, US. 1 AM There was a habit that changed in Mikael when he woke up in the morning. Usually, he would lie down in his bed for a while without doing anything, but his habits had changed in the past two weeks since Claire left. Most of the night, he could not sleep. Then during the day, he would be absorbed in his work at the Williams company. This time, he didn't want to ignore that company anymore. He was in charge of everything—his company and business in Italy. Then now, the night was getting late. However, Mikael had no intention of returning to his room and went to sleep after a tiring day. The cold air on the balcony made Mikael exhale deeply. The night wind hit his face and skin, blowing his hair strands and inserting cold air that made him shiver. However, he still did not move from there. His eyes stared straight ahead—noticing the backyard of his mansion, which looked dark because he deliberately turned off all the lights and let the f
Mikael’s Mansion.Yonkers, New York, US. A few months later.Mikael gazed at the sprawling grounds of his mansion, which had begun to bloom with flowers, with butterflies fluttering freely.Claire had started planting flowers in their mansion’s yard two weeks ago, and the blossoms were beginning to bloom in the spring, transforming the once-dreary mansion into something beautiful.Mikael had been away from that building for nearly six years. Even though there were still servants cleaning and maintaining the place every day, it had felt gloomy when they first moved in a few months ago.However, Claire only took a few days to make significant changes to the mansion. Cecilia's laughter echoed in every corner, bringing a new light that Mikael had never imagined before. Claire had begun to do her part—adding magical touches that his mind struggled to comprehend, but his heart could feel.And now, as spring had arrived, everything was starting to grow lushly—especially Mikael's heart, which
Chapter 117 Perfect Family in the MorningMikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 9 AMClaire nearly jumped in surprise when she felt a cold kiss on her neck in the midst of the chilly air. Her hands moved to push the man away—the only person allowed to do such a thing to her.“Mike,” she groaned irritably.“Are you going to keep hiding under the blankets until the afternoon?” Mikael chuckled and continued showering her with cold kisses along her neck and face.Claire opened her eyes and pouted. When she turned her head, she didn’t find Cecilia there and concluded that she had woken up late, meaning Cecilia was already awake.“Get away from me!” she said while pushing Mikael away, even though she knew her refusal was futile.“Do you really want me to go?” Mikael raised his eyebrows.Claire rolled her eyes as she noticed the drastic change in their interactions.She had known Mikael her entire life, but she felt unprepared for all of this. Waking up to see Mikael’s handsome face in
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 1 AMOnce again, Claire woke up with soreness between her thighs, and the memories of what she’d done replayed in her mind. Her eyes weren’t fully open yet, but she knew it was still nighttime—the sun hadn’t risen, unlike a few days ago when she awoke.A large, warm hand wrapped around her waist tightly, keeping her from falling off the sofa in the living room. A thick blanket covered her bare body, and she knew that the man behind her was also still undressed, even though he was awake.She could feel the gentle strokes along her back and steady breaths against her neck. The man hadn’t said a word, but Claire knew he was awake, or at least hadn’t slept since she had immediately closed her eyes after their last... game, however many hours ago.She had been right to worry—she’d lose control again if she let Mikael talk to her at night. And yes, she had lost control once more.There was no denying that she missed every touch from this man. Ther
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 9 PMSnow once again blanketed the streets of New York, which were adorned with Christmas lights and bustling with pedestrians going about their activities. Some chose to step aside, seeking warmth from the cold, while others continued to stroll, enjoying the frozen snowflakes falling around them.Amid the hustle of New York, Mikael opted to sit in the main room of his apartment with two mugs of hot chocolate—one for him and one for Claire.The cool air from the balcony door, which wasn’t fully closed, made the room feel cold—typical of the chilly end-of-year weather.Mikael had endured many terrible years, but it seemed he would close this one with a sweet gift—Cecilia.“This is the best year-end I’ve ever had,” Mikael smiled.Sometimes, he forgot the last time he had smiled, but in the past few days, he had lost count of how many times he’d smiled because it happened so often.“Good for you,” Claire responded flatly.Sometimes, Mikael wond
Michael’s GraveManhattan, New York, US. 9 AMClaire stepped forward, clutching a bouquet of white roses she had bought just before arriving at... her destination.“Mom,” Cecilia reached for her hand, prompting Claire to turn and offer a brief smile to the little girl.“That’s okay, Cecilia.” Mikael crouched in front of Cecilia and lifted her into his arms when he noticed she felt scared.Claire had never taken Cecilia to a cemetery before, but Cecilia had seen graves on television, and it always piqued her curiosity.Cecilia didn’t have anyone to visit in Canada, so she never went to a cemetery. But now, she was in New York, and… she felt like she had to visit one of the graves she missed the most—Michael’s grave.“Daddy, I’m scared,” Cecilia said quietly, hiding her face against Mikael’s chest.“Aren’t you here with Daddy and Mommy?” Mikael kissed her hair softly, “You don’t need to be scared, right?”“Yes, Daddy.” Cecilia nodded but kept hiding her face, making Mikael chuckle affec
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 11 PMTime passes day by day, and Claire feels unable to stop them. The end of the year is approaching, but she feels she still can’t leave this year behind—a year that has brought her many surprises and… happiness.She is living in Mikael’s apartment.They sleep together in the same room, on the same bed, and under the same blanket. However, nothing happens between them except… sleep, in the literal meaning.It’s not that Claire wants anything else. Honestly, she still can’t believe what she did with Mikael on the nights following the moment she killed Anderson with a gun in her hand.That night, she was completely unhinged and couldn’t think clearly. Everything she discussed with Mikael drove her further into madness, and they ended that madness in an even crazier way. However, she would try to control herself not to do that again… at least until she was truly sure about her decisions and what she wanted to do next.Now, she lives with Mik
Williams MansionManhattan, New York, US. 1 PM“Oh my God,” Josephine Williams gasped, covering her mouth in surprise when she saw Claire standing at the mansion door.“Mom,” Claire gave a brief smile and reached out to hug her.They had met briefly yesterday, but that encounter meant nothing to either Josephine or Claire. At the time, everything was chaotic, and Claire’s only concern had been calming Cecilia, who was crying hysterically out of fear.“My dear,” Josephine sighed as she hugged Claire, “I’ve been waiting for word from you since last night.”“Sorry to make you worry, Mom. I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”“I know you’re fine,” Josephine released the hug and cupped Claire’s face, looking at her closely. “I just needed to hear from you. It’s the only thing that could ease my mind.”Claire smiled and nodded. Years had passed since her childhood, but Josephine still saw her as a little princess she would always worry about. Claire hadn’t understood Josephine’s mind
Mikael’s Mansion Manhattan, New York, US. 10 AM “Do you like these eggs, Cecilia?” “Can I have more?” “You want more?” “I want! I want!” “Sure, Princess! You’ll have mine, and I’ll make another one for you.” Claire blinked as the voices broke through her sleep. She opened her eyes for a few seconds, but the pull of sleep soon coaxed them shut again. Sunlight poured through the large windows at the center of the room, illuminating the sofa that faced the balcony. Despite it being late in the year, the day was bright enough for the midday sun to break through and gently warm Claire’s still-closed eyelids. She stretched, feeling a familiar ache from yesterday morning—the same kind of soreness she used to experience years ago. As much as she wanted to forget what had happened last night, Claire couldn’t deny that when she closed her eyes, all she could think about was the way Mikael had kissed her, letting his hands roam her body—touching her with tenderness and passion. “Daddy,
Mikael’s ApartmentManhattan, New York, US. 4 AMMikael still couldn’t believe what had just happened.Yes, it was hard for him to truly accept that, at this moment, he was lying next to Claire, who was curled up, shivering under his arm. Her eyes were closed while her body, from her waist down to her feet, was covered by the thick blanket he had given her after they had finished their long, wild sex.Claire’s confession had made Mikael lose control. He didn’t know how else to express the madness in his heart but through a kiss, a reflex to Claire’s long confession. However, that kiss had only ignited a fire within him, pulling him back into the burning circle.And the more surprising thing was... Claire accepted his touch.Mikael leaned down to kiss Claire’s shoulder and whatever else his lips could reach—her head, her forehead, and the nape of her neck, which was covered by strands of her red hair.Claire had stopped coloring her hair since Mikael wasn’t sure when. But he remembered