Clara's POVZoe dragged me into the front door and then launched me out of the house with all her strength. "Get out of here!"I lost my footing. But instead of hitting the cold, hard floor, I find myself landing on something solid and warm. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close. When I lifted my gaze, I found myself looking into the beautiful green eyes. "Are you alright?" Stevan inquired. I straightened up and nodded. Stevan gradually let go of the arm he had wrapped around my waist. “Mrs. Zoe?” Stevan looked over at Zoe, inquiring. "Why did you do this to Mrs. Clara?" Zoe's eyes shifted back and forth between Stevan and me. She seemed taken aback that Stevan knew my name, but then her expression shifted back to anger. “She has come into this house without permission. Entry here is strictly prohibited without prior permission. Did you forget?"Stevan offered a subtle smile. Then he spoke softly. "Mrs. Zoe, Mrs. Clara can come here anytime she wishes from now o
James' POVI drove to one of our family’s houses in the city to pick up my wife. It was my late aunt's house, which had never been occupied. Zoe visited this morning to check on the house and ensure it was still in good condition. "Welcome, Mr. James," greeted the security as I stepped out of my car. I smiled and nodded at him and made my way into the house when I spotted my wife sitting on the garden's bench. Her face was lowered, and her fist was tightly clenched. "Zoe?" Upon noticing my arrival, she swiftly stood up and launched herself into my arms. She began to shake, and I could hear soft cries escaping her. "What’s going on? What’s making you cry?"She was all fine when she left our house this morning. What caused her to feel this way now? I want to find out who caused my wife to cry like this. "She kicked me out." That was all she said. I scowled. "Who are you referring to?" Who on earth dared to kick James Morgan's wife out? I'm sure no one was foolish enough to do th
James' POVI flipped Clara's body around so that she was facing me. I was going to give her a punishment to stay with her forever, yet I knew I wouldn't find peace until I heard the truth from her lips."Tell me, why did you lie to me?"Clara let out a deep sigh. Although I could tell she was scared, she made every effort to hide it completely."So what am I supposed to do then?""You can fucking tell me that you remember me too so I don't seem like the crazy one!"Yet instead of doing that, she chose to act Amnesia, leaving me wondering about my sanity for the past few days"You want me to acknowledge that I still remember the man I've been trying to erase from my mind for the last five years?" She asked. "I don't want to see you in my life anymore, James."Her words pierced my heart with the pain I never felt before."Why?"She exhaled with a weary sigh.I know our marriage hasn't been going smoothly but does it have to reach a point where she no longer wants to see me?"I am done w
Clara's POVLayla hates it here. She told me when I served her the pancakes I prepared. That makes me happy because it means we can return to New York as soon as possibleWe aren't stuck in this city or this house, and I can easily act like I never inherited it at all. But her expression turned quite somber when I mentioned our return to New York, so I inquired further. "Is there something wrong, sweetheart?""Does that mean I can never see the rose garden again?" "But didn't you mention that you don't enjoy being in this house?" I asked. She mentioned that, so I figured she was fine with not being able to see her garden anymore. Our apartment in NYC doesn't have that kind of garden. "I don't enjoy being here because of that uncle, mommy." My daughter responded. "He frightened you." Oh, so she chose to hate this house because of James. Gosh. Why did Layla have to witness what James did to me earlier?"Why did you let him come here?" Layla asked.Hold on, she's correct. Why did I
Clara's POVI had just finished my shower and was drying my hair with a hairdryer, holding my phone to my ear with the other hand."So you don't know when you'll be back yet?" Diana inquired. She reached out to tell me that everything was fine and that she missed me."Not yet. I have some business to take care of here.""Okay then ma'am but don't forget to take care of yourself. Please tell me you've met Mr. Keith."Diana already knew that Keith was also in LA right now."Yeah." That's all I said. Didn't want to worry her.Diana wrapped up her call and hung up, my phone started ringing once more. I gazed at the unfamiliar number, my brow furrowing in confusion.But I decided to pick it up. "Who is this?""Clara. Are you home tonight?""Stevan?" I failed to conceal the surprise in my voice.There was silence, and I could just imagine Stevan grinning at my astonished response."Did I catch you off guard?”“Yeah, a bit. I thought it was a scammer number or something."I could hear him ch
Clara's POV"To make our conversation more comfortable, why didn't you sit down first?" Iris Morgan said to me.I had no choice but to sit down on the seat across from her. She settled into her chair, a smile spreading across her face as she gazed at me."I’m sure you can see that my actions yesterday were simply a reaction to the shock."“Yes,” I replied right away. Although I recognized her apology lacked sincerity, I couldn't be bothered to engage, so I simply said yes. I'll do whatever is necessary for this dinner, so it will be over as soon as possible and I can leave. "I'm really relieved you made it through the accident that night, Clara." Iris Morgan said. Even though the way she spoke and the way she looked at me suggested otherwise."You’ve managed to live quite well over the last five years. What a surprise for all of us." Iris Morgan went on.She kept her gaze on me, completely ignoring Keith. And somehow I sensed that Keith hadn't revealed to her how I managed to get t
Clara's POVI let out a sigh of relief when the dinner finally came to an end. Now I can finally go home and start making preparations for this banquet, which is just four days away. I was about to hop into Stevan's car when I heard Keith's voice calling me."Keith?" My heart beat faster as I saw he made his way in my direction.I assumed he was taking his mother back home. Keith didn't pay any attention to me during dinner, even after we finished, so I figured he wasn't interested in talking. Seeing him come to me like this fills me with so much joy."You’re going to home?" Keith inquired, casting a look at Stevan's car before turning his gaze back to me.I nodded."I will drive you then."That's when Stevan stepped out of the driver's seat, realizing I still hadn't gotten into the car. Upon seeing Keith here, his expression became more stern and businesslike."Mr. Keith, you're here?" Stevan sounds confused."I'll drive Clara Stev, you can go home," Keith said to himA subtle disap
Clara's POVThe banquet is just two days away, and I've started my preparations. I talked to the house assistants, and I felt a great sense of relief knowing they were eager to help me out.I also requested that they correct me if I made any mistakes, as this was my first time organizing an event like this. Since Iris Morgan is taking care of the invitation, my only task is to get the house ready and prepare food for her guests. "Ma'am, have you decided about the food yet? I'm here to assist you with your order. I have a suggestion of some restaurant that the Morgan family relies on." Sarah said.She’s one of the house assistants, and she’s been helping me since this morning. She listened patiently to all my worries and ramblings, even the pointless ones all at once."Seriously? That's awesome. I'll reach out to them later; could you share their contact information with me?""Sure, ma'am.""But..." I looked around the kitchen. I sense that something is lacking if I don't take a hands
Selena's POVAs soon as I received a call from Mrs. Iris Morgan, I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs right away. I hopped in a taxi to her penthouse and told the driver to speed like the wind. Keith is free.Can you even believe that? At last, he's out of prison. I'm not sure what finally clicked for James Morgan and made him see things differently. I'm glad he finally understood that his actions towards Keith were unacceptable. How could he possibly lock up his brother just for that woman?As soon as I got there, I settled up with the driver and made my way to Iris's floor. As I reached the door, I pushed it open just like she instructed and stepped into the main room. Seeing Keith there made my heart burst with joy. I held back the impulse to shout with happiness and strolled over to him."Keith!" I exclaimed, "Oh thank God! You are finally free! You finally made it out of that awful place! At last, James had a change of heart and let you go!" I couldn't hold back my joy, s
Clara's POVThe dinner was great. I have no regrets about accepting James' invitation. He's sticking to his word about just wanting to have dinner together and nothing more. And now, we’re strolling through the vast green fields that stretch out on either side of us. Pine trees standing tall, white cobblestone path under our feet."What does Layla think of this trip so far? Is she feeling happy?" James asked. As I glanced over at him, I noticed a worry etched on his face. “She is.” He probably noticed it on his own. Layla hasn't stopped smiling since we got here. I'm thankful that I agreed with James when he decided to invite her on this trip. Took a break from my hectic daily routine and flew to this gorgeous place made me feel like I didn't want to go back. Why can't I just stay here forever? I took out my phone to snap some pictures of the stunning scenery when I heard James ask. "How about you?""Sorry, what did you just say?" I wasn't quite catching what he was asking abou
Lily's POV~ Tuscany, Italy ~Stepping off the plane, I was greeted by the sweet aroma of vacation in the air.The air was filled with the scent of summer, and the sun blazed down fiercely. But I wasn't bothered at all when my eyes were treated to the stunning landscape and the azure blue sky of Italy. Yes, I’ve finally made up my mind to accept Clara’s invitation to hang out with her and James.Honestly, I was planning to head back to LA, but after hearing from my friend Josh, I chose to stay away from both NYC and LA. Clara's offer arrived just when I needed it the post, it popped into my mind exactly when I was out of ideas for what to do next. “So, what’s my next move?” I asked Josh a few days ago at the cafe where we met, biting my nails out of anxiety. “Why didn’t you return to LA? If Dominic found you here, he’ll definitely take you with him, Lily." Josh mentioned.I closed my eyes as I heard his name again. Yes, Dominic Marco. Someone from the dark side of this business
Keith's POVThe warder come to me again, the old, wrinkled man, bringing breakfast with him. But I pushed it away with my hand, and the plate crashed to the floor. Giving the cell its sickening echo. My ears are aching, and my head is throbbing. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. The warder quickly walked away as soon as I stood up. But it wasn't long before that dick Criston showed up. A frosty look, that haughty grin I desperately want to erase right away."Tell him to come here! I wanted to talk to him!""Who are you talking about?" Criston asked."Who else? James. There's no way he's still scared now that I'm behind the bar and he's out there with all the power in his hands" I made sure to add a touch of mockery to my tone. James should have been here since yesterday when my mom asked him to come. But naturally, his arrogant self wouldn't go for it. He would show up only when he thought it was necessary. Criston's lips formed a tight line before he responded, "A
Lily's POVClara has agreed to the trip that James suggested, taking Layla to Europe. It's a great idea for a gift, however I'm still feeling a bit wary. I was just about to tell Clara to reconsider when I noticed how thrilled Layla was to hear about this trip.That got me thinking, I suppose I should just believe that he has changed this time. I suppose I need to let go of my negative thoughts and fully trust Clara. She's Layla's mom, and she knows what's best to do.We're at the shopping center in the city now to grab a few things before we depart. We were in the women's and children's section when Clara called out to me. "Hey, you should grab some sunscreen. The UV is strong in the summer, you'll need it when we go swimming in the sea, Lily." She said. “Huh? Why would I head to the sea for a swim?"I'm feeling a bit lost. It seems like I missed something"Because you're joining us on this trip to Europe!" Clara responded. It instantly made me widen my eyes. What? "James agrees.
James' POVI was glad to hear that Clara is back to her usual activities. It's good, it means she no longer feels down. Lily's in town, so I suppose that's why she was able to leave Layla. But when Lily gets back to LA, who’s going to look after Layla? Thinking about it, it's time to bring in a professional assistant for her. To look after Layla and ease Clara's responsibilities at home. I'm not sure if she'll go for it, but I'll bring it up with her later. Dain entered my study and said, "Sir." I intentionally asked him to come today. "Did you take Layla to school?" "Today, Mrs. Clara's cousin is the one driving her," Dain replied. I gave a nod. “Should I go to her school to pick her up this afternoon?” I think Clara has already asked Lily to grab Layla as well. Perhaps her cousin would like to hang out with Layla while she's in town. "No. Not necessary.""Alright, sir. Anyway, how was your dinner last night going?" Asked Dain.Oh, dinner last night. It was nearly flawless
Lily's POVToday I spend my time with Layla, and we make an awesome team. We got up early and went for a jog. We headed home for a quick shower and then went cafe hopping until noon. Later in the afternoon, we kept strolling through the city park. We just got home in the evening as Clara was getting ready to head out for dinner with James. Before she left, I made sure to remind her multiple times that she needed to call me if she sensed even the slightest hint of his behavior. I recall how that man used to treat her and to be honest, I didn't want my cousin to have dinner with him by herself tonight. But if I went with Clara, then who would look after Layla? Also, Clara asked me to stay home and look after her daughter. I didn't have any other option."Auntie, did you just call mommy?" Layla asked as I stepped back into the TV room. I sat down beside her on the carpet. She was focused on her Lego, completely tuning out the cartoon on the TV. "Yeah, I did. I just made sure to be re
Clara's POVEverything was going smoothly. James showed up, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me because we could finally begin our dinner before diving into the main topic tonight, to discussing the trip he wanted to take Layla on.But then the door swung open and Selena burst in. Yes, Selena. She's at the restaurant we were at. I’m not sure when she got here, but I didn’t notice her at all before. Her face was a mask of rage that was impossible to conceal. “You!" she snapped, pointing a finger at me. Her teeth clenched. "What did you do to Keith? How could you do all of this to my future husband?"Her voice trembled.I jumped up right away. Watching her on the brink of tears pulled at my heart, but just as I was about to reach out, Selena smacked my hand away forcefully."Answer me bitch!"Her words made James stand up immediately. And the atmosphere felt like it had shifted. Selena, who was saying something, fell silent under James's piercing gaze. She looked at him with des
James' POVThe night to have dinner with Clara has finally arrived. I spent three hours getting ready, feeling pretty anxious, searching for the right word to persuade Clara to go along with this trip. This would be a good chance for me to connect with my daughter and learn more about her. And a chance to resolve what happened between Clara and me. No, I didn't expect her to just forgive me so easily. I just expected her to be more open to me.'Good luck trying to win her heart.' Keith's words rushed into my thoughts, and once more, I felt disheartened. I grabbed my phone and chose to call Dain. He accepted it a moment later. "How's it going, sir? How's everything going?""I haven't even gone yet. Do you think she’s going to give me this chance or not?" I hate sounding like a downer.But I really need to hear from Dain because he was the one who noticed Clara's reaction when she got the invitation to her apartment yesterday. Clara gave her agreement the very same day. She texted m