Clara's POVKeith was spot on. Having Melissa assist me with getting ready not only saves time but truly transforms my regular bathing routine into a luxurious experience, reminiscent of a five-star hotel. She helped me out, and to my surprise, instead of feeling a bit uncomfortable by her being around since I'm not used to receiving help, I actually enjoyed her company."You're very lucky; Mr. Morgan is genuinely everything a woman could wish for," Melissa said as we walked into my room with a box of my new dress.We've just finished the bathing and massage session. I’ve stepped out of the bath and wrapped the bathrobe around myself. I'm just about to change into the new clothes that Melissa brought from the living room to my bedroom."These days it's so rare for a man to be so attentive to his woman's needs, don't you think?"I gave a nod. Melissa was spot on. I'm indeed lucky to be the woman in Keith's life. Ever since we were just friends, I always knew that if he ever got married
WARNING: This chapter contains sexual content, kindly skip it if you're uncomfortable.Clara's POVI wasn't asked for these; he took the initiative on his own. And to be honest, it's nice to have a man who genuinely cares about the little things we need. It's always about the effort he puts in, not the cost."Okay, Die. I need to end our video call now so Keith doesn't have to wait too long. Can you keep me updated about how Layla's doing?" I told her as it hit me that I needed to leave right away."Sure, don't worry. And have fun." She gave a wink before ending the call.I headed over to my closet to pick out a purse that goes well with this dress and tossed in my phone and a few essentials before making my way back to Melissa."Melissa this is for you. Thank you for your help once again." I gave her some cash as a tip for all the help she provided me this evening.But Melissa just shook her head. "No, thank you, that's not necessary. All the work I did for you was included in the p
James' POVI gazed out at the vast sea of shimmering city lights while another shot of whiskey slid down my throat, closing my eyes for just a moment. Trying to savor the tranquility of the night air, something I don't often get to experience.My phone in my hand is ringing again with a call from Zoe. She has no idea I'm in NYC at the moment, and I bet she called to find out about my whereabouts. I haven't answered any of her countless calls since yesterday. I honestly have no idea why she keeps trying to reach out to me.Wasn't what happened last time obvious enough that I didn't want to see her again?I took another sip of my whiskey just as another ring echoed through the room. I clicked my tongue and set the glass down on the table. I have a feeling this is just another useless call, not from the person I'm actually waiting for. Just as I was about to toss my phone onto the couch, I noticed my mother's name pop up on the screen.I tapped the button to answer and asked. "Yes, mom?"
James' POVWith a firm hold on her arm, i pushed Zoe away until there was enough space between our bodies. Her audacity to touch me only fueled my already raging anger. My rage must be obvious on my face because now Zoe is looking at me with a pained expression.“James? Why are you pushing away your wife's touch? I miss you so much." She whispered, her eyes brimming with sadness as tears began to gather at the corners.The same eyes that have been my everything for years now make me feel nauseous when I look at them. Zoe is aware that she can easily win my sympathy because of how much I care for her, and right now, she's trying to take advantage of that.I still can't wrap my head around the fact that all these years, she used the same eyes and tears to fool me and my family. Stealing the gift my father gave to my mother, and then making someone else take the blame.I can't believe that all this time the woman I married was so wicked."What brings you here? Get out of here now." Holdi
Clara's POVI heard the sound when the door swung open and then I was guided onward and onward. As soon as we stepped into the open space, the fragrant scent of nature filled the air around me.“Have we arrived yet? I'm starting to feel impatient." I whispered, bringing my hand to the blindfold that was covering my eyes.The oppressive darkness is becoming increasingly intolerable. I felt so frustrated not being able to see anything at all while my other senses were picking up on the fact that we had arrived in a new place.The coolness of the night air brushed against my skin, and the softness of the grass under my flat shoes made it clear we were now in an outdoor space."Just five more steps," Keith murmured. His breath brushed against the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I was so curious about where he was leading me. But I choose to fully put my trust in him for my safety. He wouldn't take me somewhere dangerous, would he?I counted within myself. And right on t
Clara's POVThe next morning, I woke up with no memory of when we had drifted off the night before. Last night was amazing, times flew by without me even noticing. After dinner, we just chatted about anything and after that, Keith suggested we took a stroll around the villa's garden, and I couldn't say no to that. I'm not gonna pass up the chance to explore this lovely little spot.After taking a moment to scan the room and collect my thoughts, I finally pushed myself up. We spent the night in a room that had a direct view of the pool. When I woke up earlier, the room was already empty; Keith, who was supposed to be sleeping next to me, was gone.I opened the window and saw some housekeeper tidying up the garden. But when I look around the garden trying to find him, he's nowhere to be seen. He might have been in the kitchen or the living room right now. Before heading downstairs, I decided to head to the bathroom for a quick refreshing shower.I headed down the stairs as soon as I hea
Clara's POVFor a moment I remained rooted to my spot, a sense of disappointment gradually settling in my heart. Why didn't Keith let me know what matters he had to solve that made him leave like that? I get that it was urgent and he was in a rush, but the way he acted made me feel pretty insignificant.I quickly shook my head 'Cut it out, Clara. What makes you think that way? It's not a big deal, you need to get it.' A voice whispered in my mind. So even though it's hard, I dismissed that thought. The voice was right, I don't want to make a fuss over something so insignificant."Mrs. Morgan-" A voice called out from behind me. I jumped in shock and quickly turned around. A middle-aged woman stood there, her expression shifting to guilt as she looked at me and immediately spoke up. "My apologies, I didn't intend to surprise you. I just want to make sure are you done with your breakfast. Because I’d like to clean them up.""Uh, yes. You may clean them up. Thank you." I answered.The w
Clara's POVIris Morgan fixed her gaze on me, her expression suggesting I had completely lost my mind. For a fleeting moment, she remained silent, her lips barely twitching, a subtle sign that my words resonated within her."No! There's no way you're going to be" She trailed off."I didn't want to bring this up at such a moment honestly, I was hoping Keith would share it with you himself. I really want to clear up this misunderstanding."She continued to shake her head. She just smiled as if what I said was nothing but a joke."No! There's no way my son will propose and make you his wife." She said with full confidence.But I stayed unswayed. I trust Keith and the commitment that he showed one of which was by proposing to me, giving a clear status to our relationship. That's all I need. What others say just doesn't matter to me anymore."I'm his mom, and I know him better than anyone else, even you! And I know who the women he's loved are, and you aren't one of them!" She insisted.F
Keith's POVHave you ever felt that moment when you finally get what you want, yet it leaves you with an emptiness? The satisfaction, happiness, and sense of victory that should have accompanied it, seem to just vanish into thin air.I feel completely empty, lacking any sense of fulfillment even after finally being able to breathe the fresh air outside the damned cell. This should be the moment for me to go ahead and carry out my plan. Without Clara by my side, the spark of life within me has... faded away.What did I do wrong?What did I do to deserve her hatred?Maybe, I have gone too far. But believe me, I did this solely because I wanted her to return to me, as she was meant to. Clara belongs to me.Back in those times when my brother treated her more like a disgrace than a wife, I was always there by her side. I knew that her life had been never easy, so I ensured that in our fake and cold social sphere, she had at least one person she could truly call a friend.This feeling tha
Clara's POVI finally met up with Lily on the same day. But not at the penthouse where her friend took her; instead, it was at one of the cafes. Lily said that her friend is somewhat shy and doesn't like to meet new people. I don't mind about the meeting location, as long as I can finally see her and make sure she's okay."Clara," Lily got to her feet as soon as I got to her table. I was silent, completely at a loss for words. What left me utterly speechless wasn't her, but rather her 'friend.' So this is the man she has been calling friend all along? I needed to raise my gaze when he finally got up. I'm not sure of his exact height, but it's pretty obvious that he's around 6,7 feet tall. He's so handsome, but not in the typical way that most looks. I have no idea where Lily even met him. "Hey, you must be Clara. Great to meet you." He said, reaching out his hand. I accepted his handshake even though the way he was looking at me made me feel a shiver down my spine. It feels like
Clara's POV"We’ve located the address. It's still in New York." James said. I quickly got up and made my way over to him and his subordinates who assisted us in locating Lily. Since I didn't have much information about her actual location, we just tracked her using the number she called me. I have no idea whose number it was. James shared with me the outcome of Lily's whereabouts. And sure enough, it's still in New York City. I narrowed my eyes, spotting the spot where the phone number was located. The area felt somewhat familiar.I realized it's due to its spot in the city center; the location is pretty upscale. But Lily mentioned that she was kidnapped. I never even thought about this place before. The person who kidnapped her definitely wasn't poor; they could afford to live in that neighborhood. "Do you happen to know anyone who lives there, Miss? Could it be her friend?"I just shook my head. Unfortunately, I don't know who Lily's friends are around here. I don't have their
Lily's POVAshley snatched the phone from my hand just as I was about to wrap up my conversation with Clara. Shit! “You said you were only going to order food? Who did you just ring up?" She asked, her voice raised. "I-" For a moment, I found myself hesitant, too anxious to answer after just being caught red-handed. But suddenly, it dawned on me that I really shouldn't have. Cause there's no chance I'm sticking around here forever, right? Iits my right if I tried to find a way to escape this place.I don’t need to be scared. Especially since Dominic's actions went against my wishes. I can't just accept this and remain quiet. I have to stand my ground. "Answer me." "Yes!. I just called the cops!" I responded with just as much intensity. Ashley was mistaken if she thought I would feel intimidated simply due to my status as a captive. She just confronted Lily Russel. She had no idea how headstrong I could be. “Cops?”"Yes! Soon they'll come and arrest your master. Does he believ
Clara's POVWhen I woke up, my body was aching. I spent a few minutes stretching before getting up to check on Layla. She was still asleep, so I went to the kitchen to get a drink and then headed to the living room. I settled into the couch, my gaze locked on the door.I was kind of hoping it would open and that Lily would appear. She really should have come back to let me know that she was okay. Instead of just vanishing without any trace.Lily already mentioned she wouldn't be staying in my apartment forever, but she hasn't said when she's planning to move out. I didn't expect that she would move out this quickly, especially without giving me a heads-up. Opening my phone, I tried to dial her number. "Can you please answer it, Lily?" I began to feel that anxiety creeping back in.Once more, an automated voice picked up the call. I didn't have the number for her friend to reach out to and I had no idea where to find her. She really shouldn't have just vanished like this.Her careles
Lily's POVMy head hurt, I blinked a few times, trying to lift myself. I reached out for anything nearby to steady myself."Ouch, what just happened to me?" I rubbed my temples. It feels just like that moment when I dozed off at three in the afternoon and woke up all confused. I can't even tell if it's day or night. I can't even tell where I am right now.I shifted my gaze to the unfamiliar room around me. This isn't Clara's place. I didn't even like the apartment I checked out to live in. This feels like it’s straight out of a penthouse, something I could never dream of affording. How did I end up here in the first place?I tried to remember what was happening before I lost consciousness and the memory slowly came back into my mind. Oh, god....Keith Morgan came to Clara's apartment. He claimed that he wanted to see me. And then...That dick! He drugged me! He applied something to that cloth that caused me to pass out. Before he did, I recall him mentioning that someone wanted to m
Lily's POVA week later.I got back to Clara's apartment in NYC three days ago. Clara, James, Layla, and I are heading back to New York today. I had to leave before them because of some things I needed to take care of. I just finished my shower and answered a call from my mother, she asked how everything was going. Before I left LA, I told them that besides meeting Clara, I was going to look for a job here. It wasn't a lie, I want the opportunity to work in this city.My phone buzzed with another incoming call. “What’s up, Josh?” I nervously bit my tongue, waiting for his response. Why did he call me? Is it related to that man again? "Are you still in Italy?" "No. I'm back here again. What is it?" “Sounds good, let’s meet up. I have so much I want to share with you."“Yeah, of course.”I'll head to the airport to pick up Clara in the evening and I don't have anything planned for today beside it. It's still early, and rather than sitting here feeling bored, why not take Josh up on
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