James' POVToday I was hoping to have a wonderful night out with my family. After dinner, we decided to catch Annette's piano performance at a theater in the city. We reserved all the VIP seats just for our extended family. Besides the four of us, Keith was meant to join us. But my mother said he couldn't attend because he was at a business dinner with a client.Which I know is a lie. I knew he just didn't want to hang out with us, but it never occurred to me that he was taking my ex-wife out tonight.Clara had just been returned from the hospital a few days ago, she was supposed to rest so she could recover sooner. That's what the doctor said to me. But now my brother was the one taking her out. As if her getting shot because of him wasn't bad enough, Keith decided to make her recovery even harder.Aside from the fact that they were out together, I was seething at the sight of my brother clasping her hand. There are countless women in the world, and he decides to pursue his brother's
James' POVMy sister's performance was outstanding, just like it always is. Annette has been playing the piano since she was four; now she plays it as if it were her very essence. But I can't focus on her. My focus is completely on Clara and Keith, who are seated just two rows ahead of us.Annette finally invited Keith to stay and see her performance. She could never stay mad at him, and I've known that for ages. There are times when I find myself feeling envious of that. Clara acted as if she didn't see me at all, and it infuriated me. They were sitting too close, and why did he have to lean in and whisper to her at times? Even Clara laughed at his words!"James," Zoe said, leaning in closer, "That's the woman I'm talking about."I turned to her, I heard her words but I wasn't fully focused so I didn't catch what she meant. "Who do you mean?""That woman who came with Clara, who turned out to be her cousin. She was the one who came at me in my store yesterday and turned me into the
James' POVI rushed down the stairs and saw my mom in the living room. She was by herself, her expression filled with concern."Mother? Is everything okay?" I walked up to her. Isn't she supposed to be at the theater still? To my knowledge, Annette's show is still ongoing. "Did you leave Annette's show?"I'm concerned that my sister, who's already feeling down because of Keith's behavior, will be even more upset when she finishes her performance and realizes that none of us are at the theater anymore."She finished her performance and said she's staying with her friends tonight, so I figured I'd head home." My mother said, her worried expression still lingering as she reached for my hand and held it tight. "I was really concerned about both you and Zoe. What’s going on with your wife?"I offered her a comforting smile. I felt a bit bad for making her worry and having to rush to our house. “It’s not a big deal. Zoe wasn't feeling well, so she decided to head home early."I didn't see a
Clara's POV"Mr. Keith isn't coming here today?" Lily asked again. We just wrapped up cooking and are ready to have breakfast now.I sighed as I placed the food I had brought from the kitchen onto the dining table, feeling a bit annoyed. How many times has she asked the same question this morning? Isn't it obvious?"No." I gave a short response. I just hope Keith doesn't come here, at least for the next few days.Iris' Morgan words still echoed in my mind perfectly. And the fact that she believed I was trying to stab Keith someday made me so furious. No matter what, I would never go there. Keith is someone who means a lot to me, he has supported me to this point. He stood by me when everyone else turned away. How could she possibly think I would betray him someday?Keith often told me not to worry about what his family said of me. Our relationship will always stay close, no matter what. But how can that even be possible when his family hates me so much? I know that for Keith, his fam
Lily's POVThe voice captured everyone's attention right away. All of us, apart from Arlo, were taken aback by his arrival. Stevan frowned, while Clara's jaw dropped to the floor. It was short-lived, though, as her surprise quickly turned to anger the moment she spotted her ex-husband here. "You?" Clara lashed out at James Morgan. The softness in her voice disappeared, replaced by sheer hostility. I looked at her in shock, I couldn't believe she would really raise her voice at him. From what I remember, Clara never did that, and there were moments when she didn't even dare to speak back to him.She was always worried about upsetting James, fearing it might lead him to withdraw all the support he had been providing to my dad. I used to believe that Clara's overly meek demeanor is the reason why James treated her like a shit. But now after reflecting on the pressure my family unintentionally placed on her, I cannot blame Clara for acting that way.Well, it was her five years ago and no
Lily's POVI have no idea that even after five years, Clara still living under the influence of her ex-husband who can't seem to let go, his devilish new wife, and his shitty family who always trying to pull her down. I can't imagine how stressed my cousin has been all this time.Clara stopped in her tracks, turning to me with irritation."Could you please ask him to go? I’m not in the mood to handle him right now."Her gaze was then drawn to something behind me. I turned around when I thought James Morgan already left, but I was mistaken. The tension in the room grew stronger as they stared at each other. I was right in the middle of them, but then I moved over to stand next to my cousin."Why didn't you use your new house? Why rent an apartment instead? You can stay there while requesting some bodyguards to stay on guard, it will be much safer that way." James asked.House? Which house? Does Clara have a house in this city?But Clara dismissed him immediately. “I can live wherever I
James' POVI drove carelessly and nearly hit the road divider twice myself. Shit. I still can't shake off my thoughts even after leaving Clara's place. Lily's words keep playing in my mind over and over. 'You failed as her husband.' Did I?I never wanted Clara to be my wife; she's not the woman I love. And I just married her solely to comply with my grandfather's wishes as he wanted me to settle down quickly to secure my place as the family heir. I never really cared about Clara while we were married, and I never took the time to consider if I had been a good husband to her. Because I'm sure Clara also didn't care at all. Besides, she’s only interested in marrying me for my money, isn’t she?Lily's words shouldn't have hit me this deeply. Why would I care if I had failed as Clara's husband or not?But no matter what I tried I cannot shake this feeling of fury. I don't know who I'm mad at. Myself?Clara never shared how she really felt to me during our marriage. Has she ever told Lil
Clara's POVI watched the cars go by in front of me, my mind blank. Right now, I'm sitting by myself in a coffee shop. The order I placed a while back is still sitting untouched because I just don't feel like eating anything at the moment.I really want to head back to the apartment right now, but I’d rather not run into James again. Why does my ex-husband keep leaving me more and more confused about what he truly wants?I'm confused by his attitude of not wanting to let me go even though we officially divorced five years ago. Why can't he just leave my life in peace and always feel the need to interfere in everything I do?I'm feeling increasingly restless as the day gets brighter. My daughter is probably awake by now and likely searching for me. I need to call Lily to check if James has left yet, but I accidentally left my phone. So, how can I tell if James has left or not at this point? The coffee shop seemed to be getting more and more crowded. I was so caught up in my thoughts t
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