Williams' MansionManhattan, New York, US. 1 Year Ago…Claire stepped into a room that had always been closed—locked as if that room was a secret place that no one could enter. At least, that has been happening for the last two years since she returned from the UK.She turned her head when she saw the door of the room was opened by the maid—Michael's old room before his room moved to the first floor, right beside her room."You are going to clean this room?" She asked the maid.“Oh, Miss,” The maid jumped in surprise.“I'm sorry,” Claire smiled regretfully, “I was just… curious and wanted to go inside. Do you mind if I help?”"No, Miss!" The maid shook her head quickly, "You may come in. However, I think you don't need to help us clean up this room.”Another maid who was there shook her head as if she agreed with her friend.Claire frowned and smiled briefly, "Don't be shy with me!" She said with a laugh.She walked through the room—remembering several things from her childhood that s
Chapter 73 Some ConversationMikael's MansionYonkers, New York, US. 10 AM"Where is Claire?" Josephine's panicked voice broke the silence in the main room of Mikael's mansion.He turned to find Josephine running towards him with a tear-stained face, John and Christian walking behind her."Where's Claire, Mikael?" Josephine clasped his hands tightly. Her face showed great concern—something that warmed Mikael's heart after all the bad things that had happened to him."In her room," Mikael took a deep breath. It was their room… but Mikael didn't call it theirs anymore. "Take my Mom to her, Lionel." Mikael turned to Lionel.Lionel nodded slowly, and then he walked to accompany Josephine.Josephine looked at him doubtfully. She remained silent in front of him and held his hand tightly."Go, Mom," he muttered under his breath.Josephine lowered her head, then said softly, "Are you okay, Mike?"Mikael nodded, "I'm fine. Go, meet her. I'm sure she needs you.""And how about you?"How about h
Mikael's MansionYonkers, New York, US. 10 AM“Yes, I'm sure. You didn't kill him, Claire. You just… killed me.”It had been hours since her last conversation with Mikael, but Claire still couldn't take her mind off him.Right after she saw Mikael walking away from her with unsteady steps, Claire started crying again because of the guilt that had taken over her heart.Her guilt grew bigger when she saw how Mikael had sacrificed many things—even when he was angry and hated her.At the lowest moment of her life, Mikael still came and saved her. However, where was she when he was falling from his world? Where was she when Mikael was destroyed alone?"You have to eat even though I know you don't want to eat, Dear." Josephine walked into her room carrying a tray of various kinds of food.Claire quickly wiped away her tears when she saw Josephine walking towards her.Since yesterday, only Josephine had come to this room—her and Mikael's room when they first came to this mansion. But now, th
Mikael's Mansion Yonkers, New York, US. 1 AM Mikael couldn't count how long he sat by the fireplace on the rooftop of his mansion when the night wind blew and made him shiver with cold. This time, it was the first time he had allowed this mansion to be occupied by many people—John, Josephine, Claire, and even Lionel and Christian were also in this mansion. Mikael is not used to the presence of many people around him, so he prefers to find a place where he can be alone—contemplate alone and avoid the people around him. "You'll get sick if you sit there without a blanket, Mike." Like the nights when Mikael would ignore everything to sit contemplating the cold night breeze, Josephine always came with him as if she knew what he needed. Thinking alone was comforting, but Josephine's presence always made him feel better. "You'll get sick too if you sit there without a blanket, Mom." Mikael has spent dozens of years of his life running away from Josephine—ignoring every phone call, t
Mikael's MansionYonkers, New York, US. 9 AM"You don't have to go now, dear,"Claire turned her head and gave a short smile. "That's okay, Mom."It felt like she had lost hope for everything. However, her heart still hopes for one thing… for something that is still uncertain.“If you want, I will accompany you, Claire. Wherever you want… it's no big deal to me.”Once again, Claire tried to smile at John even though now she felt there was no smile she could give them.After all that had happened, how could she smile?She really wanted to cry. However, she knew that her crying would not fix anything.“I'm just going to the UK…” Claire turned her head and continued, “It'll be the same as when I was in the dormitory. Let's just think that I'm there to go back to my dorm, Dad."“I was hoping that I would just drop you off at your dorm this time. However,” Josephine lowered her head, “it is heavier than I imagined.”"Mom," Claire took a deep breath, "I made a mistake, and I have to go and
Mikael's MansionYonkers, New York, US. 2 PM"She's gone," Lionel put a glass of wine beside Mikael and then took a sip from his glass of wine.Mikael turned. He had glanced at the wine brought by Lionel, but he was not interested in drinking wine, so he ignored the glass."Let her go."“Her plane flew to Canada an hour ago. However, your parents think that she is going to the UK, and they have everything ready there.”Mikael smiled briefly.Claire didn't want anyone to know where she had gone. However, Lionel already knew everything before Mikael could ask him to find out.And Mikael shouldn't have asked Lionel to find out…However, yeah… it's only been a few hours, but Mikael already misses her."Should I block her debit and credit cards?"Mikael took a deep breath.Claire was not an uneducated woman who would starve even without wealth and the 'Williams' last name. She has a diploma, and she is able to find work.Mikael shouldn't have worried about her.He should have stopped carin
Las Vegas, Nevada, US. 2 Months later…Mikael places his chips in a box with a number on the table, along with several people who choose to place their chips in another box—against Mikael's choice. He was at a famous casino in the United States, and he had been playing there for hours without feeling tired or bored.The sound of slot machines and roulette in every corner of the room sounded loud, and shouted to each other. Various expressions of visitors show their luck at the gambling table. There was a smug smile that was clearly visible when they won. Some looked pale when they found that all the assets at stake had to be lost at the gambling table. Some looked ambitious because they had lost and chose to take higher bets to try their luck.The casino room was filled with people of all ages, thus disguising Mikael's presence so as not to stand out from the guards standing around every corner of the room—making sure Mikael was kept safe in that place.Mikael didn't know how many tim
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 7 Months LaterClaire never thought that she would be able to get through everything. Yet, here she was—lying in a hospital bed while an obstetrician was doing some check-up she couldn't understand.Today… was the day she had been waiting for since she first found out about her pregnancy."Are you starting to feel contractions again?" The female doctor named Jessica turned her head as she heard Claire grimacing in pain.She nodded—unable to talk as a wave of pain came in and made her stomach feel tight.Birth contractions.Claire still couldn't believe that she could go through all this alone—even she was about to give birth alone."Are you okay?" She heard Nancy's voice standing not far from her.Well, she wasn't really alone.Nancy was with her.“Wait, you can't push before I give instructions. Do you understand?"Claire nodded her head again. She didn't know what to do, but she tried to control herself and repeated Jessica's words in her head so she wouldn
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