LOGINJoe’s POVThe house was a fucking graveyard. It was way too quiet. What the hell?I stood in the middle of what used to be my living room, I had a glass of whiskey in my hand, and I looked around at the emptiness. Most of the furniture—my furniture, the shit I’d dropped serious money on, was gone. Sold off to feed the goddamn lawyers who were still bleeding me dry and couldn’t even build a decent case.The expensive leather sofa Clara used to hate? Missing. The crystal decanters I kept on the sideboard? Auctioned last week. Even the white flowers she used to obsess over on the hall table had been replaced by dust and silence.Everything I had built was disappearing piece by piece.It was like the universe was against me.Damn it.I took a long swallow of whiskey, the burn doing nothing to dull the rage boiling in my gut.That bitch. After everything I gave her. The cars, the trips, the lifestyle most women would kill for. And she leaves me to go spread her legs for some basketball coa
Clara’s POVThe photo on my screen felt like a knife pressed to my throat.I stood frozen by the window, Cameron’s arms still wrapped tightly around me and his body warm and solid against my back. The morning light, which had felt so gentle only minutes ago, now seemed too bright and too exposing, as if it was deliberately highlighting every vulnerability.The image showed us clearly — half-dressed and holding each other on the couch last night, right after security had dragged Joe away. Someone had been watching from outside the building, hidden in the shadows and capturing our private moment like a predator stalking prey.“Next time we won’t knock. And next time, we won’t miss.”What the hell!!Cameron’s body went rigid behind me. His grip on my waist tightened, protective and tense, as if he could physically shield me from the threat on the screen.“Clara,” he said, his voice low, the kind of tone I rarely heard from him, “give me the phone.”I handed it to him without a word, my
Clara’s POVI stood by the tall window in Cameron’s penthouse, still wearing nothing but his oversized shirt, the morning light warm on my skin. My phone was pressed to my ear as I spoke to my friend.“Hi Dash. Good morning.”Dash’s voice came through cheerful and familiar. “Morning, Clara! It's been a long time. What’s up, girl?”I took a deep breath. “I’m good. Hey, remember the pictures of Joe that you took of him kissing another lady? The one you showed me last year? Please can I have them?”There was a short pause. “Yeah… I still have them. Why? You okay?”“I’m fine,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I just need them. Can you send them now?”“Sure, love. Sending them over right now.”The photos arrived a few seconds later. I opened them. There they were, clear, undeniable shots of Joe in a dimly lit club, his stupid lips locked with a blonde woman who was definitely not me. The date stamp was from fourteen months ago.Gosh, how did I endure this bullshit for so long?My bl
Clara’s POVI woke up slowly, tangled in his sheets and his arms, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek. For a few blissful seconds, everything felt peaceful.The aftermath wrapped around us was like a warm, heavy blanket.“You’re awake,” he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “How are you feeling?”“Like I need coffee and a restraining order,” I said, trying for lightness even though my stomach was still knotted.He chuckled softly and rolled us so I was tucked against his side. “Coffee I can do. The restraining order is already on Daniel’s list for today. I texted him while you were sleeping.”We lay tangled in Cameron’s bed, our skin still slick with sweat and our hearts gradually slowing. I was curled against his chest, one leg thrown over his, his arm securely around my waist as if he never planned to let go. The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, casting a golden glow over our bodies. For the firs
Clara’s POVMorning light filtered softly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Cameron’s penthouse, painting the room in warm golds and soft oranges. I stood by the window in one of Cameron’s oversized shirts, the fabric brushing against my bare thighs and the phone pressed to my ear as I watched the city wake up below.Emma’s voice was already blazing on the other end.“He did WHAT?!” she practically shouted. “That drunk piece of shit showed up at Cameron’s door at midnight? Are you fucking kidding me right now?”I let out a shaky laugh, still replaying the scene in my head. “Yeah. He was totally wasted, Em. Screaming, banging on the door, calling me every name in the book. He tried to punch Cameron and ended up face-planting on the floor like an idiot. Security had to drag him out while he kept yelling ‘You ruined me, you bitch! You’ll fucking pay!’”Emma made a sound that was half growl, half scream. “I wish I had been there. I swear to God, I would’ve punched that smug face so
Clara’s POVThe silence after security dragged Joe away felt heavier than the shouting had been.I stood frozen in the middle of Cameron’s living room, my arms wrapped tightly around myself, trying to stop the trembling that had taken over my body. My heart was still racing, my skin clammy, and every breath felt too loud in the sudden quiet.Cameron locked the door with a decisive click, then turned to me. His face was tight with anger, but when his eyes met mine, the anger softened into something gentler. It softened into concern, protectiveness, and love.“Clara,” he said softly, crossing the room in three strides. He pulled me into his arms without hesitation, one hand cradling the back of my head, the other rubbing slow circles on my back. “You’re safe. He’s gone. Breathe, baby. Just breathe.”I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him. My fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt like it was the only thing keeping me grounded.“He was… he was so angry,” I wh
Clara’s POVWho could that be?My heart jumped into my throat. It was almost midnight and Cameron’s penthouse had top-tier security, no one was supposed to get up to this floor without being announced or cleared.The knock came again. Louder and more aggressive.Cameron tensed above me, his body st
Clara’s POVCameron’s penthouse felt like the only safe place left in the world.I couldn’t sit still. Nahhh. The moment I stepped through the door, energy crackled under my skin like electricity that I couldn’t turn off. I paced the open living room in bare feet, my socks discarded somewhere near
Joe’s POVThe study smelled like whiskey and fear.I stood at the window, my phone pressed so hard to my ear it hurt, watching the stock ticker on my laptop update in real time. Red. Everything was fucking red.“Forty-seven percent, Chris,” I said, my voice hoarse and cracking. “Forty-seven fucking
Clara’s POVDaniel’s hand paused on the receiver for half a second before he picked it up.“It’s the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” he said quietly, his eyes flicking first to me, then to Emma.The air in the room seemed to thicken. Emma’s fingers tightened around mine until I felt the bones press togeth







