Clara's POVYes, my eyes did not deceive me because that man was indeed James. He rushed over to us and we stared at each other for a while before he finally said."Please get into my car."I was silent for a while. I couldn't believe that it would be my ex-husband who showed up when I needed help the most. The craziest part was when he asked me to get into his car."I get that you might not be happy about being in the car with me, but it’s already dark and raining now. Make sure to think about your daughter's health as well, rainwater isn't good for a kid." James said.Everything else he said faded away as my focus was on his final sentence. At that moment Layla sneezed, and without a second thought, I brushed aside all my doubts.I was just about to head over to his car, which was parked a few meters away when I felt something draped over my head. I looked up and saw James was already taking off his suit, leaving the white tailored shirt that fit his body just right."This is not un
James' POVClara seems taken aback; she probably questions how I still recall such a small detail about her after all this time. Honestly, I have no idea what the answer is. I had no idea that my subconscious was holding onto some memories of my ex-wife from our time together.Even though I'm not a fan of chocolate, I really don't want to let her down. I picked up the cup and took a sip. The chocolate's quality is top-notch and the sweetness is perfectly balanced. "What do you think of the tastes?" She asked. "It's good," I say. It didn't take long for me to finish it in a few gulp. I set the empty black cup on the tray.Clara picked hers up and brought her cup to her lips and I just can't help but watch her. When she walked to me with a tray holding two cups earlier, I felt a strange sensation within me. It was the usual scene I witnessed every day when she was still my wife, but why does it feel so different and special now?Her invitation to stop by for a bit gave me a rush of
Lily's POVThe next morning."Lily, why didn't you tell me sooner that you've been living with Clara all this time? Wait, you didn't even mention that she's still alive?" Mom called out as I walked into the kitchen.I just brought breakfast to Dad's room. Waking up in my parents' house again, hearing their voices fill the morning was a comforting feeling. I suppose I didn't fully understand that I still wanted them to be there with me all the time. I pushed myself to handle everything on my own and didn't realize just how much I missed them. Mom was baking cookies since she had a hundred orders to fill. And today, I will spend my day helping her. Just like I used to in high school, I always wanted to help her, but she always told me not to. She said that I would just ruin it if I got my hands on the dough."Don't you remember that Clara chose to keep herself away from all of us these whole years? So why would I share her secret with others when she trusted me with it? I really don'
Lily's POV"I'll be there shortly after this. Just hold on a while." Clara said over the phone. She called me right when I was about to text her that she didn’t need to come by and see Dad today.Dad's condition has gotten better this morning, and I'm hopeful that in the next few days, he'll be back to being healthy again.“Clara, you don’t have to. Dad is doing well, and I'll be back at the apartment in two days." I said.I watched the people walking by through the glass wall of the supermarket. A whirlwind of thoughts is spinning in my head. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the time I spent with my parents, living with them as I did years ago. But you need to understand what concerns me. The mysterious message I received about ten minutes ago has to be from that person.And now, he knows where I lived. He knows where my parents live.If I stay with my parents any longer, it could put them at risk. I don't to be the reason that my parents are in danger. I realize that I have to g
Lily's POV“Really? Oh, don’t hesitate then, come on in.” Mom said to Stevan, much to my surprise.Stevan gave a respectful nod to my mom before following her into the building. I stood in my place for a moment, feeling a bit stunned. My mom is always welcoming to all my friends, but she tends to be a little protective when it comes to my guy friends. Since high school, she’s only allowed me to be friends with guys whose families she already knows, and I have no clue why.When I opened the door, I saw Stevan and Mom chatting in the living room. They seem to know each other well already. "Lily, could you please brew some coffee for Stevan?" My mom asked."Sure." I nodded and headed to the kitchen. Once I arranged the groceries in the refrigerator and was done brewing the coffee, I headed back to the living room with a cup of coffee and two cups of tea. Setting the tray on the table, I took a seat next to Mom."Lily you always share about your friends with me so why have you never me
Clara's POV"Mommy, Grandma Jena is so nice and her cookies are the best," Layla said as I slipped on her shoes before we headed to Uncle Thomas' apartment."Yes, she always makes very good cookies," I answered, smiling. Seeing my daughter happy always brings me joy as well."Did she also bake you since you were little?"I nodded my head once more. She doesn't have to know the truth. I'm grateful that Auntie Jena treats my daughter well; it brings me peace of mind, and I don't want to ruin it. After I helped Layla get ready, I headed to my bedroom to pick up my clutch and phone.I had mentioned to Lily that, I was getting a bit late but I would still find time to visit Uncle again today. I'll swing by to grab a few for them things before heading there. As I walked into the living room, Layla jumped up from the couch and dashed over to me. "Let's go, mommy!" She grabbed my hand, seeming impatient to meet my uncle and aunt again.Once I double-checked that the stove and faucet were o
Clara's POVLater in the evening.I feel exhausted and depleted as I step into the grand living room of my inherited house. Lily is going to be with Uncle Thomas and Auntie Jena for the next few days and I realized that being alone in the apartment in Layla would feel really lonely. Also, Layla said that she would love to see the rose garden again. So I tell Arlo to drive us here instead."Welcome back, ma'am." Sarah, the house assistant, smiled brightly. M She assisted me with my bag as we entered the house together. "Where have you been all this time? It's been ages since your last visit here.""I stayed with my cousin for a while. Are you missing me?" Sarah nodded. I sank into the sofa in the living room. Layla was already in the garden; she hurried there as soon as we got there."I'll get dinner ready for you while you take a break or enjoy a nice bath first. You seem so worn out, ma'am." Sarah said, offering a warm smile of understanding."Alright Sarah, Thanks. Sorry, I can't h
Keith's POV"Thank you for giving me a ride, Keith," Selena said to me, with a sweet smile on her face. A smile that hasn't changed at all even though years have passed."Never mind, Selena."She has an audition for a movie role today, and my mom suggested I drive her there and pick her up afterward. The audition could run late into the night, and it's not safe for a woman to be driving alone at that time.Selena who has been my friend since we were kids, is now making her mark in the entertainment industry. About two years ago, she began pursuing her acting career, as she had previously been known as a commercial star. She said that as she chose this path she could reach her dream of becoming famous and recognized by many.I parked my car right in front of the building where she was set to audition today. "We have arrived."Selena gazed out the window for a while. I noticed that a lot of people who are also going to do this audition starting to arrive. Most of them were stunning wo
James' POV"Zoe left on the same day Mr. Keith departed the city, sir." Dain gives his report. "What?" I blurted it out, could barely wrap my head around the fact that Zoe was gone as well. For a moment, I could only remain quiet. I didn't need any more proof to see that they were working together. Keith is taking Layla out of the city, and Zoe is involved. I hold my phone so firmly. I had never thought that my brother could do something like this. Since the first moment I first saw Keith and Layla, I felt that he genuinely cared for her. I never thought that he would stoop so low and take a step like this."It happened right after the last time when she crossed paths with Mrs. Clara at the restaurant," Dain said.I didn't respond. I came to understand that Zoe's actions were influenced by more than just her last encounter with Clara at the restaurant. I recall our final argument on the day of our divorce when she mentioned that she thought Clara and Layla were the reasons for our
Clara's POVI’ve never felt anything like this before. When my body feels like it doesn't truly belong to me. As I opened my eyes, I could see everything, yet felt completely drained. Suddenly, I felt a hand on me and turned to see Diana smiling next to the bed.My IV pole was next to her. I realize that I ended up in the hospital. “Hey, just stay put for a moment. The doctor advised you to stay on your bed." She mentioned. "Water," I murmured faintly.Luckily, Diana got what I was saying and quickly went to the table to fill a glass with water. She returned and passed me the glass. She also assisted me in getting into a comfortable position to avoid choking while drinking.I finished the water in an instant. Diana took the empty glass from me and put it back on the table."How are you feeling?" She asked.I paused for a moment. My body feels ache with pain. But it’s nothing like when I think back to why I came here in the first place. "Where's Layla? She should be here by now."
James' POVI gazed at the monitor next to Clara's bed and her peacefully closed eyes in turn. I wish for a miracle that would make her wake up. It’s been a day and night since Clara passed out, and I can’t help but worry about when she’ll wake up. Our daughter is still missing, and I don't think I will be able to keep my sanity if something bad happens to Clara too.I pressed my face into my palm, while my other hand clutched Clara's delicate hand firmly. I wish I could pass my strength on to her. 'Clara, you might never forgive me, but please open your eyes.' Suddenly a voice called out from behind me. "Excuse me, I'm going to do a routine check-up, sir." I looked back and saw a nurse standing.With a slow motion, I released Clara's hand and then rose to my feet, giving some space for the nurse to check on Clara. I looked over at the door just as Diana came in, I made my way over to her.She stared at Clara who was lying unconscious and then back at me."She hasn't slept or eaten
Clara's POV"Please you have to take a rest too"I quickly got up from the sofa; what Diana just said was hardly audible to me. How could she possibly tell me to calm down in a moment like this when my daughter was just missing? Layla has gone. My daughter is no longer here!I attempted to reach out to the police number where we filed the report once more. However, there's been no answer. I held back my frustration and attempted to call once more. Yet, the outcome remained unchanged.“They’re not helpful. They ought to have wrapped up the investigation!" We submitted the report yesterday afternoon, so they should have reached out to me with the results by now. I still haven't received the results at all.A fear that I had been most afraid of gradually started to drown me. I realized that reporting on someone as powerful as James would be a challenging task, to say the least. And deep down, I realized that my efforts were going to be pointless.Suddenly what Lily once said to me came
James' POVWhen I got to Clara's place, Diana and her boyfriend were already present. She was attempting to soothe Clara, who had burst into tears while her boyfriend was talking to someone on his phone. I heard him mentioning a CCTV recording or something like that.Seeing Clara crying like this broke my heart. Hearing from her that Layla didn't make it to Diana's place threw me off. I went up to her even though deep down I knew she would turn me down. I was right because as soon as she spotted me, Clara stood up straight, her eyes burning with fury."Get out of here!" She threw her hand to push me back. Although I haven't said anything at all. “Please. I need to find out what happened too. I'm confused by all of this." I made an effort to negotiate.In our earlier phone conversation, Clara mentioned that Layla didn't arrive at Diana's place. She claimed I took Layla somewhere else, but that's not true. I really took my daughter to Diana's apartment, the address Clara sent me. I fo
Diana's POVA little while ago."Are we ready to go?" Kevin, my boyfriend, asked me. He’s been here for three hours now, helping me get everything ready for today’s fun activity. Today, we're heading out with Layla for a picnic date. And I'm so excited.I’m so excited just thinking about it. We're just waiting on one more thing now—Layla still hasn't shown up. Mrs. Clara mentioned she would be dropped off around 9. "Hold on, Layla still isn't here." "Seriously? It's odd. Have you thought about giving her mom a call?" Kevin made a suggestion.I glanced at my watch which time was showing one in the afternoon. "Wait, you're right."I looked up Mrs. Clara's number on my contact and called it, but an automated response came on, it's clear that her cellphone was off. I gave it another shot, but the outcome was still the same."No answer?" Kevin asked."Looks like she's tied up right now. She has a ton of orders today, so she probably won't have a chance to check her phone. Or maybe, she
James' POVI got home from work right as night fell, but surprisingly, I didn't feel as worn out as I normally do. Today, Clara is letting me have some time with my daughter. Even though it's only a car ride of less than 30 minutes, it means a lot to me.I can't shake the feeling that Layla isn't afraid of me like I worry she might be. It gave me a sense of relief. I found myself reaching for Dain's number and dialing it without even thinking. This excitement has me restless; I can't sit still without needing to do something.“Good night, Sir. How's your plan coming along? Is everything alright?" Dain asked. He's the one person I share this with. "Yes. There's just one thing. Clara turned me down when I invited her to lunch and suggested I could pick her up. But she trusts me enough to drive Layla to Diana's place, which is pretty great, right?"Shit. I come off as silly when I'm craving validation this much."Yes yes. That's very great.""Just be honest with me, Dain! I didn't pa
Clara's POVOnce I finished helping Layla to get ready, we headed to the down floor, and to my surprise, James was waiting for us. He's leaned back against his Bentley, hands tucked into his pockets. I paused for a moment. All of a sudden, I was hit with a wave of doubt. Am I seriously going to let my daughter spend the day with this man?"Uncle James," Layla ran straight towards him before I could say anything, catching me off guard. I noticed I wasn't the only one taken aback; James' eyes widened for a brief moment before he quickly masked his surprise with a neutral expression. It's quite weird to see him struggle to control his face in front of someone."H-hey," James even stuttered.Letting out a sigh, I walked over to them."My mommy said you're taking me to Auntie Diana's house today," Layla said with a smile. "Yes! Did she say that to you?" James seems a little taken aback. He looked at me, his face lit up with a joy I had never witnessed before. “Yes, she did!”"That's gr
James' POV"Zoe hurt Clara when she crossed paths with her?" I'm starting to feel my anger rise. "Yes, sir. She still sees Mrs.Clara as her competition. Explained Dain.I'm feeling frustrated. I’ve already made it clear to Zoe that our relationship is done, and she’s accepted that. Even though she's feeling down, she's expressing that she will learn to accept it. But what did I just hear? She continues to meddle in the lives of those connected to me."I'm going to meet her to give her a warning," I whisper. "I wouldn't recommend that, Sir. We know that Mrs. Zoe is likely to become even more upset, and she may seek out another way to hurt Mrs. Clara." Dain said.I slipped into silence. His suggestion makes sense; how could I not consider it? How can I make sure Clara stays safe? Do I need to hire bodyguards? She's going to be upset and won't agree.Fuck. This is frustrating. Why can't we just share a house? So I can ensure my safety is taken care of."Appreciate the update, Dain. K