Clara's POVReturning to work, I was confronted by Diana, she was bombarding me with a barrage of questions regarding the events of yesterday. I let out a deep breath. I've said multiple times that it was nothing serious, but her curiosity just wouldn't quit."I don't know when you'll stop asking and let me do my work, Die."But she keeps talking. Now I get why her boyfriend sometimes calls her a nag."I heard heard Mr. Morgan reached out to him for a discussion. Yet he didn't do anything to that man like what he did to your other secret admirer ma'am. That's so unusual of him?""That man isn't my secret admirer," I said with a sharp edge.How can I explain to her that the reason Keith didn't confront him as he did with Lucas is that the man who came to me yesterday is his brother?"Can it be because Mr. Morgan is afraid of him?"I don't think Keith fears James, or vice versa. He has respect solely for his brother, and that's it."I don't know," I responded nonchalantly, avoiding any
James' POVHave you ever had a moment when your good mood was abruptly shattered, leaving you feeling so repulsed that it almost made you feel ill? That's the feeling I had when I saw my younger brother with my ex-wife, looking so happy together. Keith took Clara's hand, holding it gently as she offered him a soft smile.He smiled like an idiot teenager in love.I never thought I would cross paths with them this evening, yet here I am. I saw them from the second-floor glass window of this restaurant where Zoe and I were set to enjoy dinner tonight."What’s interesting out there?" Zoe, My wife, wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her chin gently on my shoulder.The moment her perfume wafted through the air, it turned me on. I shifted my focus from the unpleasant scene outside to my beautiful wife, her elegant neck and bare shoulders were so alluring.“Hey, what’s with the long face?” Is there an issue with the client?” She enquired, her expression reflecting worry.I shook
Clara's POV"What's our next destination?" Keith asked as we exited the restaurant together. Dinner had concluded, but the night was still young.I gazed at the sky adorned with stars, the moon radiating its brilliance. "Are you free tonight?"Usually, there is work that needs to be addressed, but it seemed like Keith set aside time to take us out. Though he didn't show that he minded, I was afraid this might be disturbing his schedule."What is it about me being swarmed with work that you find so appealing? You just want me to feel overwhelmed and grow older faster.""Don't get me wrong, I just want to make sure since I'm familiar with your routine," I responded without glancing in his direction.I intentionally looked away from him since earlier. Worried he might see the flush on my cheeks.I noticed he was watching me ever since we had our meal; I couldn't quite figure out what he was thinking. However, it didn't resonate with me. It seemed as though he was probing into my life."Wh
Clara's POVWe locked eyes, her expression shifted to one of shocked. Zoe likely never thought she would meet the woman she believed was dead five years ago.My heart raced uncontrollably, like a criminal caught in the act. I had almost forgotten about Zoe over the last few years. Now seeing her face again stirred up memories of our first encounter.It was a night at my anniversary dinner, and it was James who brought her to me. Believing we could get along with each other.Zoe's gaze moved from me to my daughter, who was now embracing my lower body with a firm grip. "H-how..." she struggled to find the right words. "Impossible. This cannot happen. I must be dreaming right now." She sounds more like talking to herself.'No. You're not'I want to say out loud yet I sealed my lips as I recalled the present situation. For the people from my past, I had lost my memories. So I no longer remember my life before that incident and the people in it."How are you still alive? You died five yea
Clara’s POV."But this is impossible to happen!"Zoe could not accept James' explanation as she now turned to me."Who has helped you to get here? There is no way you can get here because of your efforts. You do not even have money to support yourself much less travel to another city after James divorced you."I tried not to react to what Zoe said. I aimed to keep my composure on the surface if I wanted my game to thrive.Before she could pose another inquiry, I took my daughter's hand, ready to guide her away from them. Zoe had unsettled my daughter, and I just wanted to keep Layla away from her, and from James especially.However, just after taking a step, I was halted by James' voice."Wait mrs.... whatever your name is." He restrained the final word he was on the verge of uttering. I turned around and stared at him. He gazed at me with an expression that suggested he wished I would reconsider."Yes?" James cleared his throat with a subtle shift in demeanor. What he said next com
Clara’s POV."You made me worried; I thought something might have happened to" Keith paused as he recognized the man and woman standing before me.If I thought Zoe was shocked when she saw my face earlier, I can't even begin to find the right words to describe her reaction upon seeing Keith's face now. She, who had yet to fully comprehend that I was still alive, had to confront the reality that I had been in contact with her husband's brother all along. "Keith, what are you doing here?" Zoe asked."Zoe? James? You guys here as well?" "So, you came here with him?" it was James who took the floor. He disregarded Keith’s question and focused on me instead.James’ voice was calm, yet there was something about it that felt far more disconcerting than if he had raised his voice in anger.And for some reason, I found it impossible to meet his gaze any longer.So I turned my attention to Keith instead."Do you know them?" I maintained a clueless expression when I posed that question to him.
Clara's POVI look at my phone once more. This is the seventh time I've checked, waiting for a message from Keith.But the screen only showed my daughter's photo, missing the typical notification bubble that would indicate he had sent a message.'Should I stop by his office to drop off lunch? Perhaps he will forgive me if I take that approach.' I reflected.When something frustrates him, Keith usually withdraws and is often hard to convince. He tends to give me the silent treatment instead of explaining what's bothering him, which makes it hard for us to work things out.Something I can't stand that about him. I’d rather not contact him during his work hours. But if I hadn't made that move, I had no clue when he would get back to me and respond to my message."Keith, are you mad at me? I had no idea James and Zoe were there as well." I told him yesterday.Typically, when he takes us home, he will let us out right at the entrance of my unit. Yet last night, he remained seated in the
Clara's POVLucas slid a chair out and gestured for me to take a seat, just like he always did whenever he had the opportunity.He took a seat across from me and signaled for a waiter."Thank you." At times I felt a bit guilty about how someone like him treated me with such care."No problem. What do you think of this place? If you don't like it we can look for another location." "No. I like this place so much. Thank you for taking me here." I replied.This was a recently opened restaurant that we had checked out. This venue, in contrast to TasteTales, caters exclusively to wealthy customers.We lounged in the open space beneath a sleek white canopy, enjoying an unobstructed view of the cityscape. A white tulip vase stood between us.The waiter approached us soon after to take our orders. As she walked away, Lucas remarked, "I should be the one thanking you. For willing to accept my invitation to lunch."I knew Lucas wasn't being intentionally sarcastic, yet I still felt compelled to
Keith's POV“Didn’t I mention that Selena’s asthma was flaring up and she needed help? So when she called me, what should I do? Are you saying we should just overlook her?" I snapped back at Clara. "You're really selfish."I'm not sure what went on with me. I’ve never even shouted at her before. My anger towards her had just blown up since earlier at the restaurant the moment I saw her with James. I never thought that all this time she was going out with my brother without me knowing.Clara just shook her head. Her left cheek bore a faint purple mark, the spot where I had slapped her earlier, I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. But if I didn't do that, how would I help her realize her mistake? She crossed the line and I needed to guide her back to the right way."How many times do I have to tell you that Selena isn't a child, Keith? She ought to understand what actions to take to avoid situations like this, particularly when you're not around her-"I interrupted Clara abruptly. Ye
Clara's POVAs soon as I got to the apartment, I plopped down on the couch. I felt both disappointed and angry. Now that I'm alone, I can clearly feel the pain in my face. I ran my fingers over the place where Keith hit me. What just happened felt like a nightmare that would never actually happen.“Did he really just slap me? Did he really hurt me? How could he do that to me?" I kept asking myself over and over. He is the man who has always been so kind to me, my best friend and the only one I had with me during my lowest time, and he just used his hand to hurt me. I really didn't want to accept that what just happened was actually real.However, there are times when our denial leads us to dismiss the truth, and that's not a positive indication. I know I have to face the reality that Keith had hurt me and he did it without a second thought.I got up from the couch and headed to the sink to wash my tear-streaked, messy face. I glanced out the window and noticed it was already evening.
Clara's POVJames couldn't find the right words. It was just a straightforward question from me, but it really affected him. He now resembles a criminal caught in the act, unable to provide any explanation for my questions."I just want to ensure that a child receives the right treatment she deserves from her parents." He finally asked, "Is that a problem?" I just shook my head. Actually, he has a point. This time, I won't dispute it since I know I'm at fault. I suppose I’ll just come clean.I got up from my chair. I got the explanation I needed from him, and that's good enough for me, so I don't want to stick around any longer. I've got to head back now. James came along to find his footing. “Okay, I suppose it’s time for me to head out. I’ve received your explanation and I've made up my mind to accept your help, but there's one condition." I said, "I'll pay you back for all the money you spent on renovating my restaurant because I don't want to be indebted to you."Before James ha
Clara's POVI scanned the other customers in the restaurant and then spotted him sitting at one of the tables. It's not hard to spot him at all. A tall figure and a strikingly handsome face reminiscent of a Greek statue, and how he carried himself made him always stand out among the crowd.Calming my heartbeat, I made my way to James' table. My steps are steady and assured. I know that I need to have a conversation with him, but I just can't get Diana's words out of my head since I chose to meet him here today. And how she cautioned me to be always cautious.“Are you sure he doesn’t have any other motives, ma'am? You know receiving help from someone like him seems a bit too good to be true. And what would make him want to help his ex-wife?" Diana asked just before I headed out to this restaurant.I was the one who asked for this meeting with James. To my surprise, he actually agreed with where I wanted to go. "I'll find out if I go see him and ask him straight up. How else would I kn
James' POV"Why does my mother want us to have lunch together?" I asked Zoe who was now assisting me in cutting the food before me.It's a gesture she hasn't made since we tied the knot, and now, out of the blue, she's done it. She sliced the appetizer and was just about to bring the spoon to my mouth when I stopped her. We were at a restaurant, and I didn't want to get any kind of intimate gesture from her.She seemed let down but chose not to argue. Zoe just set the spoon back down on the plate. She smiled as she replied, "We're a married couple, is that really strange?""Did you tell her what happened and that we're getting a divorce soon?" I inquired.She mentioned that she would take it upon herself to explain things to my mother, as I had already tried to share what happened, but my mother just didn't believe me. However, the way she continues to encourage Zoe and me to reconnect suggests that she might not be fully aware of everything, and Zoe hasn't shared the whole story wit
Clara's POVI wiped the sweat that had trickled down my temple and took a sip from my water bottle. My throat was incredibly dry. My entire body is sore, and it hit me how infrequently I really engage in physical activity. This is so embarrassing. I’m still in my twenties, but I feel like I’m already carrying the weight of an old lady doing a tough job.But as I looked around my restaurant kitchen and took in the progress we've made in transforming this chaos, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. It wasn't instant, but little by little, we managed to fix it and even make it look much better."Excuse me, ma'am, what are your thoughts on the stove's current position? Should we move it or keep it as it was?" Diana approached me and pointed to the spot where the builders would be setting up a new cooking spot for the renovation.Even though the last place was nice and I used to enjoy it, I still feel a bit sense of trauma. My priority now is to make sure that the incident do
James' POVI shut my laptop right after the meeting wrapped up. I still had more work ahead of me, but I just couldn't concentrate on it. My mind was so scattered that I didn't even know what to do next. I suppose I need to reach out to Victor again to check on the results of the investigation he conducted regarding Clara.Yeah, I suppose I should. So I pulled out my phone and called him right away.Victor has been with me and my company for a decade, and I have complete trust in his skills. He said that he would share the results with me as soon as he finished his tasks. But this curiosity is driving me crazy, and I don't think I can keep it to myself any longer if I don't reach out to him now."Mr. Morgan, Good morning," He greeted me politely."Where's the result? Send it to me immediately, Victor. I need it right now!" I came off as really impatient, almost like a kid having a tantrum.What happened to me? You need to calm the fuck down, James."Oh, sure. I’ve wrapped up the inves
Selena's POVI held back an eye roll as soon as I spotted Clara's name on Keith's phone. It's not just one missed call; it's three of them! She asked him three times to come to her for the sake of her daughter. Who did she think Keith was? Her daughter's nanny? Gosh!“No, Selena. I’m the one at fault here. I told Layla I’d be there to see her performance, but I couldn’t make it because I got caught up in a last-minute meeting with a client. I also didn’t manage to pick her up. Layla would feel upset and let down by me. I need to head over there immediately."I racked my brain instantly. I just couldn't let Keith go off anywhere! Especially to Clara's house.No one else understands the length of time I've been waiting a moment like this. We're having an amazing time, just the two of us.After a wonderful night sharing the same bed with him, I definitely noticed his hungry gaze as he took in my sexy body this morning.I'm not foolish. I know that Keith wants me to. If only he could forg
Keith's POVI opened my eyes, and a jolt of pain surged through my head right away. The sort of pain that usually strikes you the morning after a night of heavy drinking. But I haven't been drunk in four months, so where is this pain coming from?I woke up and noticed my shirt resting on the windowsill. I quickly grabbed it and tossed it on. I'm just in my boxers and I don't know where my trousers are right now. Did I take it off? I can't recall if I changed just before I went to sleep. I honestly can't recall anything from last night.What time is it now?The sunlight pouring in through the window showed that it was bright noon outside. It's Sunday, so I'm taking the day off from the office. I stepped out of my bedroom to get a glass of water because my throat felt so parched. As I approached my kitchen I heard some noise coming from there. I walked in and saw a woman figure with her back to me."Selena?"Upon hearing me, she turned around and gave me a bright smile.She's got on my