LOGINClara’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 still warm and protective. He started to push himself up from the couch.“No,” I whispered urgently, grabbing his arm with both hands. “Cam, please don’t. Don’t open it.”He looked down at me, his eyes steady even though I could see the anger already simmering beneath the surface. “It’s okay, baby. I’ll handle it. Just stay here.”“No, Cam…” I sat up quickly, still clutching his hand, my voice shaky with fear. “What if it’s him? What if it’s Joe? Please don’t open the door. We don’t know who it is. Let’s just… let’s just ignore it. Please.”Another knock, this one was heavy and furious, like someone was using the side of their fist instead of their knuckles. The sound echoed through the pentho
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 the couch, my fingers twisting together as I replayed the morning over and over in my head.Cameron leaned against the kitchen island, watching me with that steady, patient smile of his. A half-empty glass of water sat forgotten beside him. “You’re going to wear a hole in my floor if you keep that up,” he said gently, but his eyes were warm with amusement.“I can’t help it, I just can't.” I burst out, spinning to face him. A wild, almost giddy laugh escaped me. “Cam, I just came from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They looked at the files, I mean, they really looked at them, you should see them with their strict faces and their glasses almost on their noses, they looked like if they got hold of
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 percent. How the hell did this happen so fast? Yesterday it was a dip. Today it’s a bloodbath. Tell me you can fix this.”Chris, my lawyer of twelve years, sounded like a man who had already written me off. “Because your wife didn’t just leak documents, Joe. She lit a match and walked away. The feds have opened a formal investigation. They want her statement tomorrow. They’re freezing assets as we speak. Three of your biggest partners have already pulled out publicly. The board is calling an emergency meeting in the morning. They’re going to vote you out.”I laughed, a cracked, ugly sound that echoed off the wood paneling. “Vote me out? This is my company. My father built it from nothing. I







