The Robinson and Fowl families are both powerful, wealthy, and influential, deeply involved in legitimate business and mafia activities. To solidify their power and wealth, the Robinsons propose an alliance through marriage, which the Fowls agree to, thinking it will benefit both families. Unbeknownst to the Robinsons, the Fowls have twin daughters: Klarisse, who ran away from the mafia life to live independently, and Klara, who is frail and has always stayed with their parents. When Klara unexpectedly dies, the Fowls convince Klarisse to take her sister’s place in the arranged marriage to maintain the alliance. Klarisse marries Alexander Robinson, who is shocked to find out they already know each other. Alexander is secretly in love with Maxine, which Klarisse soon discovers. Despite her growing feelings for Alexander, Klarisse allows him and Maxine to meet secretly, hoping to respect their relationship. However, Maxine, feeling hurt and unwilling to be a mistress, decides to leave without informing anyone. Alexander is devastated by Maxine's disappearance, but Klarisse stands by him, revealing she had a twin sister who was supposed to marry him. Klarisse remains supportive despite Alexander’s initial anger, and over time, Alexander begins to fall in love with Klarisse. They build a peaceful and loving life together, eventually having fraternal twins. However, chaos erupts when Alexander’s enemy resurfaces and kidnaps Maxine. Feeling obligated to rescue her due to their past, Alexander faces his cunning enemy, who also captures Klarisse. In a final showdown, Alexander navigates through his enemy’s traps to save both Maxine and Klarisse, with the help of both families. After the rescue, Alexander makes it clear that he no longer loves Maxine and returns to his happy life with Klarisse and their twins. The families strengthen their alliance, and peace is restored.
View More“Alex!” Klarisse shouted, her voice trembling with desperation. She gently closed her eyes and collapsed, her body giving in to exhaustion and despair.
“Boss, what are we going to do with her?” one of the men asked, looking down at Klarisse’s unconscious form.
The boss smirked, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “Alex, you have no idea. You chose to save your ex over your wife. What a wonderful scene,” he sneered, relishing the unfolding drama.
Alex was stunned, realizing the gravity of his mistake. No one had even mentioned Maxine until he rescued her. “No, something’s wrong,” he mumbled, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.
Maxine opened her eyes, her vision blurred with tears. Seeing Alex, she sobbed, “You came, thank you so much.” She reached out and hugged him tightly, her relief palpable.
But Alex was torn, his heart heavy with guilt and confusion. He stared into the distance, barely acknowledging Maxine’s embrace. “Klarisse,” he whispered, his voice filled with regret.
*************
Substitute, a painful word, but for Klarisse, it's the most fitting description of her life. How does it feel to be a substitute? For Klarisse, it means waiting for the right moment to feel special in that role.
“Klara, I know you can do it. Wait for your sister to come,” Kareen cried, their mother.
Klarisse was on her way, speeding her car as her tears blurred her vision.
“Klara, my sister, wait for me,” she cried while driving. Klarisse arrived five minutes later, nearly hitting the trash bin outside, shocking their gardener.
“Klara, come on, I know you still can do it,” she said.
Klara struggled for breath, and everyone was crying. “Klarisse,” Klara said, her voice breaking.
“Don’t talk too much, my dear twin,” Klarisse cried.
Klara smiled, caressed her face, and wiped her tears.
Their parents were heartbroken.
“I need to rest now. Always remember that I always love you all. All my life, you’ve been all I loved and cherished. Mom, dad, please take care of Klarisse for me,” Klara said. A tear fell from Klara’s eyes as she closed them for the last time.
“No!” Klarisse cried. Klara’s last breath shattered them all. Klarisse clung to her sister's hands until her mother gently urged her to let go.
“Klarisse, it’s time to let her go now,” their mother said. She sniffed, kissed her twin’s hands and forehead, and whispered, “I will never forget you.”
Alan and Kareen were pained to see their daughters.
The private wake for Klara was held in the Fowls' grand, yet somber mansion. The once vibrant and lively home was now draped in mourning. Heavy black curtains covered the tall windows, dimming the light that used to illuminate the elegant, ornate furnishings and delicate, antique decorations. Soft, somber music played in the background, adding to the melancholic atmosphere.
In the center of the grand hall, a beautifully carved mahogany casket rested on an elevated platform, adorned with an array of white lilies and roses, Klara’s favorite flowers. The delicate fragrance filled the air, offering a bittersweet reminder of her presence. A large portrait of Klara stood beside the casket, capturing her serene and graceful demeanor, a stark contrast to the current sorrowful setting.
Family members and close friends, all dressed in black, gathered to pay their respects. Their faces were etched with grief, eyes red and swollen from hours of crying. They moved quietly, speaking in hushed tones, sharing memories of Klara, and offering condolences to one another. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken words and shared pain.
Klarisse stood close to the casket, her face pale and drawn. She held onto her twin sister’s hand for the last time, her tears falling silently onto the polished wood. Her parents, Alan and Kareen, stood beside her, their expressions a mix of heartbreak and resignation. They held each other for support, their grief too immense to bear alone.
The room was filled with flower arrangements and wreaths sent by those who couldn’t attend but wanted to express their sympathy. Each arrangement came with a note of condolence, adding to the somber ambiance. Candles flickered gently, casting a warm but solemn glow across the room, their light dancing on the tear-streaked faces of the mourners.
As the evening wore on, the guests began to leave, offering final words of comfort to the Fowl family. Klarisse remained by her sister’s side until the very end, whispering her goodbyes and promising to keep Klara’s memory alive. The wake, though private and intimate, was a poignant farewell to a beloved daughter, sister, and friend, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new, uncertain one for those left behind.
After the wake, Alan and Kareen decided to talk to Klarisse about the arranged marriage agreement made for Klara.
“Klarisse, we need to tell you something,” Kareen said, holding her husband’s hands, nervous about her reaction.
“Mom, what is it?” Klarisse asked, massaging her forehead and wearing sunglasses to cover her puffy eyes.
“Alan, tell her,” Kareen said.
Klarisse took off her sunglasses and stared at them curiously. “What is it? Why aren’t you telling me?” she asked.
Alan took a deep breath. “Klarisse, don’t freak out, okay?” Alan said.
Klarisse nodded, waiting. “There was an arrangement for Klara to marry someone,” Alan said.
Klarisse stood up in disbelief. “What?! I couldn’t believe you would do that to her! You know she was sick!” she shouted.
Her parents were silent.
“We made that decision before she got sick. You’re the only person we can rely on now. This is for our business,” her father said.
“Business again?! You know her burial just ended, and now you’re telling me this?” she asked.
Kareen tried to calm her down.
“Mom! This is ridiculous! I’m not going to do that, and even Klara never wanted that. I’m not going to marry someone!” Klarisse shouted. She stormed to her room, locking herself in.
“I hate them! How dare they disrespect my sister,” she sobbed. She was trying to process everything but couldn’t. “Klara, what have you left me with?” she cried, covering her face with a pillow and shouting.
“Klara why did you agree with them?” she cried, hugging a picture of them together. “I miss you so much.”
“Honey, she’s upset,” Kareen said.
Alan frowned, patting her shoulder. “She just needs time to think,” he said. They sighed and went to their room.
Klarisse was in pain; she had just lost her twin sister, and now her parents were telling her to marry someone.
“Klara, why did you agree with them?” she asked, holding their pictures. A tear escaped her eye. “I miss you so much,” she said.
Klarisse decided to return to her condo, seeking solace in her independence. She didn’t want to live like her parents.
“Klarisse, are you okay?” her best friend asked, managing her business while she was away.
“Allie, what do you think? I just lost my twin sister, and now our parents are telling me to marry someone Klara should marry,” she sighed.
Allie sighed. “Oh my, I’m so sorry to hear that,” she said.
“I know, what a life,”Klarisse lamented, shoulders slumped, thinking about what to do.
“Allie, what should I do? Turn down my family or go through with the marriage?” she asked.
Allie took a deep breath, caressing her back. “Klarisse, it's not my place to say, but they’re your family. It’s normal to feel burdened, but you need to accept and claim it. It’s your family we’re talking about,” Allie advised.
Klarisse sighed, drinking her wine, contemplating her decision. She needed time to think and decide her next steps.
For Klarisse, it felt like the end of her twin was the beginning of her misery.
The Robinson mansion’s private study had always been a place of power and quiet conversations—decisions that shaped alliances, safeguarded legacies, and at times, determined fates. Today, that room held such weight once again. The polished surface of the table between them reflected the two small velvet boxes—one black, one dark crimson—placed with deliberate care.Alexander sat quietly beside Klarisse, their hands resting just slightly apart. Both of them had seen and endured more than most in their lifetime, but this—this moment was something else. This was about their son. Their future.Across from them, Bronson Robinson and Alan Fowl wore unreadable expressions. Behind their eyes, legacies stirred—ones they had fought to preserve, often at great cost.“We agreed to meet privately,” Bronson began, his voice level but low, “because this is more than tradition. More than ceremony. This is about foresight.”Alan gave a solemn nod. “It’s time we talk about Lucas.”Klarisse instinctivel
The meeting room within the **Robinson estate** hadn’t been used in this way for months—not since Luca Marconi’s death, not since the world that balanced on an ancient agreement of blood and legacy had started to tilt toward something different.But today, the five families—those who had led from the shadows and shaped the underworld with steel hands and quiet resolve—had gathered again.**Bronson Robinson** sat at the head of the long mahogany table, with **Alan Fowl** to his right. Across from them sat the others: **Leandro Czerkov**, the stoic head of the old Eastern bloc lineage, scar-faced and silent. **Giovanna Santori**, the only woman to lead the Santori Syndicate, regal and razor-sharp. **Silas Valen**, the quietest among them, but no less dangerous—a man who said little but listened to everything.None of them had spoken yet. The weight of the recent visit to **Valentin Marconi** still hovered in the air, like a storm waiting to decide if it was truly over.Bronson was the o
The canals of Venice were quieter in the winter. Mists clung to the narrow alleyways like old secrets, and the silence that hung over the lagoon seemed sacred—untouched by the chaos that once roared through these ancient stone paths.It was here, on the edge of the lesser-known district of San Pietro di Castello, where **Valentin Marconi** had chosen to disappear. Not out of shame, but perhaps out of exhaustion. Grief had a way of silencing even the proudest names.The motorboat came quietly through the fog, its engine barely a whisper against the lapping water. Inside sat **Bronson Robinson** and **Alan Fowl**, their expressions sober as they approached the villa surrounded by overgrown cypress trees and guarded only by time and distance. No guards. No entourage. Just an unspoken understanding between old men who had outlived too much.Valentin was waiting for them. He stood on the balcony overlooking the canal, a cane in one hand, a glass of amaro in the other. His silver hair was t
The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted out onto the cobbled street, mingling with the warm mid-morning sun. The soft hum of chatter, the clinking of cups, and the occasional burst of laughter filled the air, a soothing balm after months of chaos and pain. The name—“Clara & Co.”—was painted above the counter in Allie’s own handwriting. A tribute to Klarisse, but also a quiet declaration of independence, had finally opened its doors for a quiet soft launch.It wasn’t a grand affair. There were no streamers, no major announcements. But for everyone who walked through those glass-paned doors, it was clear something special had taken root.Klarisse stood behind the counter, helping the barista learn the flow of orders. Her hands were deft, her movements calm—every motion reminding her of the early days when she and Allie used to dream of a place like this over late-night shifts and greasy diner food. Now, they were here. Together. Building something beautiful.Allie emerged from the bac
The late afternoon sun bathed the quiet Venice street in gold, casting long shadows across the cobblestones. The building Allie had chosen wasn’t much yet—just a stone façade with boarded windows and ivy curling stubbornly around the frame. But where others might see a forgotten corner of the city, she saw potential.She sat across the street on a bench, sketchpad resting on her lap, pencil dancing lightly as she worked on the outlines of what the place could become. Her lips were slightly pursed in concentration, hair pulled into a messy knot, a coffee beside her now going cold. In her mind, the empty space had already transformed—soft pastels, arched windows, a hand-painted sign that read **“Clara & Co.”**Named not after herself, but as a nod to **Klarisse**—the friend who had once handed her an apron and said, “Just try. You’ll find you love it.”This café would be her own branch of Klarisse’s beloved shop, and Allie already imagined the menu, the soft clinking of teacups, the sme
The countryside rolled out before them in soft waves of green and gold, olive trees scattered like gentle sentinels across the hills. The villa stood like a warm promise—sunlit walls, terracotta roof tiles, and pale curtains fluttering at the open windows. Not opulent. Not defensive. Just... home.Klarisse stepped out of the car, her hand loosely gripping her daughter’s while Alexander carried their son in his arms, the toddler already pointing excitedly at the garden.“Mommy! Look, trees!” the boy exclaimed.Klarisse smiled, brushing back her daughter’s wind-blown curls as she murmured, “Yes, baby. So many trees.”They crossed the small stone path leading to the wide front steps. The air was fresh, the kind of quiet that invited stillness instead of pressing it upon you.Alex unlocked the door and gestured for them to go in first. “This is it,” he said simply.Inside, the villa was open and full of light. Large windows let the sunlight stream into a spacious living room that smelled
It started with a quiet morning.The twins were still asleep, tangled up in a nest of blankets and stuffed animals in the nursery suite. Klarisse had stepped out early for a walk with Kareen, leaving the estate unusually still. And in that silence, Alexander Robinson stood in the study with a blueprint spread across the desk.It was a property. A villa just on the edge of Venice—away from the noise and legacy of the Robinson estate, but close enough to feel connected to home.It wasn’t grand. Not by his family’s standards. But it was bright, surrounded by olive trees, with tall windows and a garden that would be perfect for growing wildflowers and a swing set for the twins.He traced the lines of the house with his finger, imagining it filled with laughter and warmth. A place not defined by old wounds, power, or politics—but by love. A place for healing. For them.For Klarisse.For the first time in weeks, he felt nervous in a way that had nothing to do with danger or strategy. This w
The days that followed the wedding seemed to drift by like the slow current of the Venetian canals. With Luca’s downfall firmly in the past, the families were finally beginning to breathe—really breathe—for the first time in months. There were no whispers of war, no looming threats. Just silence. Just peace.It was a strange sensation.And in that silence, each of them began to reckon with the scars they carried—some visible, most not.---KlarisseThe garden behind the Robinson estate had become Klarisse’s refuge.The twins were playing in the distance, their laughter echoing like music through the hedges. She sat beneath the shade of a lemon tree, a book open in her lap but unread. Her thoughts wandered far from the printed words.She still dreamt of that room sometimes—the one Luca left her in. The cold floor. The flickering monitor. Alex's face as he chose someone else.But those dreams didn’t hold the same power they used to. Not since the wedding.Allie had said something that s
The sun had begun to dip behind the Venetian skyline, casting a golden hue over the waters that shimmered in quiet celebration. The courtyard outside the Robinson estate had been transformed into something out of a dream—soft lights strung across olive trees, long tables draped with ivory linen, and floral centerpieces that echoed the chapel’s quiet elegance.It was a wedding unlike any other, not because of grandeur, but because of the people who filled the space—warriors who had survived storms, families that had known loss and loyalty, love that had been forged through fire. Now, they all gathered to celebrate something rare and sacred: peace.Laughter mingled with the gentle notes of live jazz that played from the corner of the garden, where a small band swayed to their own rhythm. Glasses clinked. Plates were passed around. Children danced between chairs, their giggles like chimes in the evening air.At the center of it all sat Artemis and Allie—finally able to breathe.Allie, st
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