Clara's POVI heard the sound when the door swung open and then I was guided onward and onward. As soon as we stepped into the open space, the fragrant scent of nature filled the air around me.“Have we arrived yet? I'm starting to feel impatient." I whispered, bringing my hand to the blindfold that was covering my eyes.The oppressive darkness is becoming increasingly intolerable. I felt so frustrated not being able to see anything at all while my other senses were picking up on the fact that we had arrived in a new place.The coolness of the night air brushed against my skin, and the softness of the grass under my flat shoes made it clear we were now in an outdoor space."Just five more steps," Keith murmured. His breath brushed against the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I was so curious about where he was leading me. But I choose to fully put my trust in him for my safety. He wouldn't take me somewhere dangerous, would he?I counted within myself. And right on t
Clara's POVThe next morning, I woke up with no memory of when we had drifted off the night before. Last night was amazing, times flew by without me even noticing. After dinner, we just chatted about anything and after that, Keith suggested we took a stroll around the villa's garden, and I couldn't say no to that. I'm not gonna pass up the chance to explore this lovely little spot.After taking a moment to scan the room and collect my thoughts, I finally pushed myself up. We spent the night in a room that had a direct view of the pool. When I woke up earlier, the room was already empty; Keith, who was supposed to be sleeping next to me, was gone.I opened the window and saw some housekeeper tidying up the garden. But when I look around the garden trying to find him, he's nowhere to be seen. He might have been in the kitchen or the living room right now. Before heading downstairs, I decided to head to the bathroom for a quick refreshing shower.I headed down the stairs as soon as I hea
Clara's POVFor a moment I remained rooted to my spot, a sense of disappointment gradually settling in my heart. Why didn't Keith let me know what matters he had to solve that made him leave like that? I get that it was urgent and he was in a rush, but the way he acted made me feel pretty insignificant.I quickly shook my head 'Cut it out, Clara. What makes you think that way? It's not a big deal, you need to get it.' A voice whispered in my mind. So even though it's hard, I dismissed that thought. The voice was right, I don't want to make a fuss over something so insignificant."Mrs. Morgan-" A voice called out from behind me. I jumped in shock and quickly turned around. A middle-aged woman stood there, her expression shifting to guilt as she looked at me and immediately spoke up. "My apologies, I didn't intend to surprise you. I just want to make sure are you done with your breakfast. Because I’d like to clean them up.""Uh, yes. You may clean them up. Thank you." I answered.The w
Clara's POVIris Morgan fixed her gaze on me, her expression suggesting I had completely lost my mind. For a fleeting moment, she remained silent, her lips barely twitching, a subtle sign that my words resonated within her."No! There's no way you're going to be" She trailed off."I didn't want to bring this up at such a moment honestly, I was hoping Keith would share it with you himself. I really want to clear up this misunderstanding."She continued to shake her head. She just smiled as if what I said was nothing but a joke."No! There's no way my son will propose and make you his wife." She said with full confidence.But I stayed unswayed. I trust Keith and the commitment that he showed one of which was by proposing to me, giving a clear status to our relationship. That's all I need. What others say just doesn't matter to me anymore."I'm his mom, and I know him better than anyone else, even you! And I know who the women he's loved are, and you aren't one of them!" She insisted.F
Clara's POVToday I headed to the restaurant after dropping Layla off at school even though my mood was putting up a bit of a fight. I was feeling down and just wanted to stay home, avoiding everyone. But there are responsibilities I need to take care of.The hours passed, and at least the business of work made me forget a little about the things that had been bothering my mind since yesterday.Sharon's final words just before I departed from Keith's villa. Whenever I think about it, it never fails to send shivers down my spine. How could I possibly be unaware of such a tragedy? Also, why is Keith keeping it from me? But every time my curiosity sparks, another reason comes up. Perhaps he's just trying to keep it under wraps and doesn't want to talk about it anymore. That incident must have really turned his life upside down.I tried to understand. But this curiosity is slowly killing me.As the door to my room swung open, I jumped in shock. But soon I let out a sigh of relief when
Clara's POVI felt my heart quicken as I approached Keith's apartment’s door. I just wanted him to provide an answer and some clarification. If I asked politely, I’m sure he’d be willing to share it with me. Yes, I know Keith wasn't trying to hide anything maliciously. Perhaps he was just biding his time until he felt ready to share with me.I pulled out my phone to call him, but he didn't pick up. It was six PM, and he should have been home from work by now.Keith always mentioned that if I arrived and he wasn't around, he wanted me to hang out inside. He also handed me his spare key, allowing me to get into this place whenever I wanted.I guess I could just head in first and wait for him inside like he suggested. I unlocked his flat and gently pushed the door open. A haunting silence welcomed me, but something felt a bit strange. The light was switched on. And I noticed a flickering reflection on the wall in the TV room; it felt like there was someone present in there. I swallowed,
Clara's POV"Please, didn't you come here to get an explanation from me? So, how are you planning to get it if you're just going to walk away like this?" Keith asked, his hand still holding mine. "And how can I let you leave with that anxiety still weighing on your heart, Clara? While I'm pretty sure you wouldn't open your flat door if I decided to follow you."I stayed quiet, not really thinking he would hold me when he was clearly enjoying himself with Selena, his childhood friend. But the fact that he was willing and promised to explain yesterday earned my respect. Keith led me to the TV room, he invited me to sit for a while but I refused."Keith-" Selena called out to him once more, but she quickly fell quiet when he lifted his hand, gesturing for her to hold on. Selena's face fell, but she complied and kept quiet.That was the third time she attempted to catch his attention, in her previous attempt Keith simply brushed her off. She’s probably wondering about my relationship wit
Clara's POV"I don’t understand why she chose to give them my number as the first point of contact. I think I'm the only one she can trust since her family isn't around.” He clarified. “Selena struggles with trauma and trust when it comes to new people after she faced multiple attempted murders in the past."I found myself nodding, signaling Keith to continue."Yesterday, I was focused on getting to the hospital quickly because I didn't want her to get hurt especially when she came all this way to see me. That's it, Clara. Her family always trusts me to protect her so If anything happens to her I'll live in guilt"Given their long-standing acquaintance and the fact that Selena's parents are business partners with Keith's parents, their relationship is quite close. After hearing that explanation, my doubts gradually faded away. Slowly replaced by a sense of understanding.“What was her condition like when you got there?” I asked. “Luckily, she’s okay. She has only some minor injuries
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
Clara's POV"Mommy, can we get some food for Uncle Dain as well?" Layla called out, catching my focus. We're having dinner outside tonight, and Dain is the one driving us. This afternoon I told Layla that starting today, that man is going to be working for us. Poor Dain, this is all James' fault."Sure, would you like to pick the menu?" I asked."Yeah, sure."I gestured and one of the waitress to come over, she handed me the menu, and then Layla started selecting the dishes to add to our order. When I mentioned that Dain was going to work for us after losing his previous job, my daughter said she felt so sorry for him and asked if he could join us for the dinner too.I have asked Dain, but that man politely refused.Once we finished our meal, I headed to settle the bill. Then I grabbed Layla's hand, ready to head out of the restaurant, when my phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming call I wasn't expecting.It was from James.I sighed and told Layla to head to the car first before I
Keith's POV"Have you heard the latest gossip?" Selena asked as she walked into my study.She then took a seat next to me. Showing me her phone. I looked at her screen and saw the gossip she was referring to. I regret it because it immediately made my blood boil with anger."It’s been said that the well-known billionaire James Morgan is often seen at TasteTales and recently met with the owner." Just when I thought I couldn't get any angrier, Selena decided to read it out loud. "People suspect that they might be in a secret relationship.""Clara really has no shame," I remarked.My words instantly captured Selena's attention. She turned off her phone, took my hand, and held it. "Sorry. I wouldn't have shared it with you if I had known you were still upset.""It's not your fault. I’ve seen that all over the media. Clara is clearly trying to show off her cheating on me and make sure the whole world knows."Selena exhaled deeply, her gaze on me gently "I'm happy now you realize what kin