Clan Leandro Armory BaseVenice, Italy. 10 PM"I don't understand what happened with you," Mikael let out a long breath. He was trying hard not to explode his anger at what had just happened."What happened to me?" Claire replied as if she didn't feel guilty for what happened."You disappeared from Lionel, and you still ask what happened to you?""Why did you report to Michael?"Mikael faintly heard Claire's voice asking Lionel.Then Lionel replied, "I'm just doing my job."Claire clucked softly."Claire," Mikael muttered. He clenched his fists and tried not to show his anger at Claire.She didn't know how much he panicked when Lionel said she had disappeared.Damn it. It's too much. And he knew he was worried because he cared about Claire. And sometimes, his caring turned into… into something stronger—something that made him willing to beg under Claire's feet for something he didn't understand.Claire let out a long breath, “I'm fine. You don't need to worry."Mikael closed his eyes.
William's MansionManhattan, New York, US. 9 AM"Where's Lionel?" Claire frowned when she didn't see Lionel in her car.Today, Claire planned to meet Anderson at his office to chat a bit longer without interrupting his work. However, she couldn't find Lionel—a bodyguard who always followed her every step."Lionel went to Italy last night on urgent business, Mrs Williams." The driver answered while opening the car door."To Italy?" She muttered under her breath, "what happened to him? Why did he go to Italy without telling me?" She took her cell phone from her bag and called Michael.Since last night she felt her heart pounding hard—as if she was worried about something. She couldn't reach Michael after their last call.She wanted to tell Michael about her meeting with Anderson, but he ignored her. Even now, she still can not call Michael.Claire took a deep breath and looked at her cell phone screen worriedly.'I don't know what's happening, but I'm worried about you. Call me as soon
New York-Presbyterian HospitalNew York, US. 17 Years Ago"Her condition is bad," Lionel said while looking at Mikael, who was standing in the doorway of Claire's room, which was closed—as if she was rejected and forbidden to enter inside.Mikael looked up "what do you mean?"He was confused when he saw Claire couldn't stop crying in her room. That girl curled up and refused to meet anyone—including John and Josephine."Something bad happened...Claire is afraid to meet everyone." Lionel looked at him concernedly, “I'm sorry, Mike. But I think we should go home."Mikael frowned, "can you explain more clearly?" He looked at Lionel angrily, "what happened so that no one was allowed into Claire's room?"His heart was beating fast—feeling worried about Claire's condition that he still didn't know for sure.His worries grew bigger when he saw John hugging Josephine, who was crying at the door of Claire's room.“Your Daddy and Mommy have been here since morning, but they still aren't allowed
Williams MansionManhattan, New York, US. 11 PM"Mike?" Josephine gasped when she saw Mikael walking down the hall of the Williams mansion.Mikael stopped.To be honest, he was reluctant to talk to anyone because his purpose in coming to this mansion was to pick up Claire. However, he couldn't avoid Josephine and ignored her after he called him."Goodnight, Mom." He greeted, forcing a brief smile."You're home?" Josephine tightened her sleeping kimono and walked closer.Mikael nodded, "yes, I'm home." He turned his head and then looked back at Josephine, "Is Claire in her room?"Josephine stared at him for a moment, then she shook her head, "she… sleeps in your room."Mikael was a little surprised. However, he did not show any reaction.Claire's room was on the first floor because when Claire first came to this house twenty years ago, Mikael refused to sleep on the same floor with her. Even though his parents had shown their annoyance at Mikael's attitude, in the end, Claire was still
Michael's CarManhattan, New York, US. 10 AM"Michael," Claire muttered under her breath as she looked at Michael doubtfully."Yes?" Michael looked up, “what is going on now? Are you trying to force me to take a shower and call me smelly?” He grunted in annoyance.Claire feels guilty for what she said to Michael last night. However, she had no choice but to say so.Last night Michael came back from Italy without telling her. Michael gave her a surprise, and she was very surprised.However, something strange happened…She felt that Michael was very smelly. It felt as if something had happened to Michael to make his breath stink and make her sick.She had tried to restrain herself as best she could, but in the end, she couldn't, so she told Michael everything in the hope that he wouldn't take offense at her."I apologize." She lowered her head and held her hands together—trying hard to hold back nausea when she had to be in the same car with Michael.God, this is a suicide mission!Mich
RestaurantManhattan, New York, US. 7 PM"Don't be cold to him even though I know you don't like him," Claire said while holding his hand.Mikael turned and looked at her from the side.Claire moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder—making him hold his breath when he felt the soft touch of Claire's arm.Tonight they were meeting someone very important to Claire—her biological father.Well, Mikael was indeed a bit surprised when Claire told him about her biological father a few weeks ago, but he didn't really respond to her because he still doubted the existence of her biological father. However, this afternoon Claire was back talking about her biological father, and Mikael couldn't refuse when Claire asked him to come to see her father for dinner.So, here he was—sitting with Claire in the car to come to see Claire's biological father.He didn't know how Claire ended up in an orphanage and became his parents' adopted child.When Claire came to his house 20 years ago, he wasn'
Michael's MansionManhattan, New York, US. 10 PMClaire stepped hesitantly into Michael's room. His room looked… very chaotic.Her eyes stared at Michael's back, who was standing at the end of the room's balcony. He looked at the backyard of their mansion which is adjacent to the swimming pool.Claire stopped walking and closed her eyes to endure her nausea.Oh God, not now. She was willing to endure nausea all day tomorrow, but not now. There was something important she had to do… and she wouldn't be able to do it if she couldn’t stand around Michael.She knew something happened when Michael met Anderson. However, she did not have the chance to ask.Michael looked completely taken aback when he met Anderson—as if he had seen a ghost in front of his face. His eyes flashed with anger—hatred so obvious that Claire could see it clearly. However, Michael didn't say anything.They sat together for two minutes, but Michael immediately took her home without giving any explanation.Claire rea
Mikael's MansionManhattan, New York, US. 4 AMMikael almost swore when he heard a knock on his bedroom door in the middle of the night—disturbing his sleep when he could only close his eyes about an hour ago.He heard Claire groan uncomfortably as he moved to break free from her hug. "Calm down," he said while stroking Claire's cheek gently.He stepped off the bed and walked quickly to the door before opening it roughly. "How dare you disturb my sleep, Lionel!" Mikael closed the door and let Claire sleep peacefully in their room.His eyes flashed angrily at Lionel who was standing in front of his bedroom door. "Can't you wait until morning?""No," Lionel looked worriedly, "I'm afraid we'll be late if I wait until morning."Mikael frowned, "what happened?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.Before Lionel could answer, he heard footsteps and quite a loud commotion on the first floor.Lionel turned his head, and then he looked back at Mikael. "He's coming," he said calmly.Mikael snorted a