Clara's POVI locked my eyes on James, watching his expression shift from panic to a pale, speechless state.I overheard their conversation, and he asserted that Keith was the one responsible for my daughter's disappearance. Part of me wished I had just misheard it, that James was just making things up. Of all people, why Keith? Why him?"Clara I-" James gulped. He looks to be deeply troubled by uncertainty about what to say. Diana nibbled on her nails, her eyes flitted back and forth between me and James.“You said you would fly to Paris to bring my daughter back since Keith is the one responsible for this? You want to go there by yourself, without me." I said what I had heard about his earlier conversation with Diana.An intense surge of anger hit me. I’m the mother of Layla. I won't just sit back and let James take care of this on his own. "I'll give you both some space to discuss this," Diana said, and then she turned around and walked away, leaving us by ourselves."Can we head
Keith's POVParis, France.The shrill screams were so disturbing that I couldn't focus on my work. I shut my laptop, stood up from my chair, and walked out of my study. I made my way to the only place the sound could be coming from, the TV room.And just like that, I spotted Zoe and Layla there. Layla's screams filled the space. She hadn't stopped fussing since we touched down here. And Zoe, who was utterly incapable of handling a task as simple as soothing a fussy child, just sat like nothing happened. Ultimately, I had to take charge of the situation since Zoe just couldn't manage anything properly at all.As I approached, Zoe gestured that she was done dealing with Layla. I exhaled deeply. In this mission, I assigned her the simplest task while I took care of everything else. I took care of our getaway from the country. Ensuring that neither the police nor James' crew would catch sight of what we were doing. I just put her in charge of Layla to ensure she remains calm for an exte
James’ POV"I've been waiting for him to at least leave the apartment, but it looks like Mr. Keith isn't going to take the little girl out, sir," Arlo called me on the phone.I sealed my lips tightly. This isn't a good news. If that's true, how can we possibly get Layla back? Keith has set up strong security measures in his apartment. He even brought in guards for his protection. "Did he find out that I got here?" I asked.If Keith already found out I'm here it might explain why he is hesitant to leave his apartment. He could be hiding. But, how long he intended to stay in his apartment forever? Paris could be just a brief layover, and he might take off to who knows where next. I need to be aware of every detail regarding his movement."I don't think so, sir.""Is Layla okay?" I asked. Because that's the most important thing. To make sure Layla is alright."According to the report from one of the staff who regularly brings them food, yes. She spotted the little girl, and she was al
Zoe's POV"Zoe, bring Layla along with you," With that, Keith turned and walked away, heading to the living room. I went after him right away. No. I really don't want to handle this fussy kid all by myself. Since we're in this together, he should be ready to pitch in and share the responsibility. I'm not going to let him walk away so easily. “Keith, hold on! Where are we headed exactly?” I reached out and grabbed his arm. "You didn't tell me anything."It really bothers me that he doesn't include me in the decisions he makes. "We have to leave right now. Arlo mentioned that James had arrived in this city. We have to leave now; he could take Layla from me at any moment."I scowled. Arlo's hanging out in the living room. From what I recall, that man has always worked with James. I'm not sure why he suddenly turned to take Keith's side and said that James was there. Something feels off, and I can't shake the feeling that this might be a setup. I need to warn Keith to be cautious be
Clara's POV"Mommy?"I quickly grabbed Layla from the car seat and pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around me in return. I caught her saying that I could have squeezed her too hard with how tightly I was holding her.But I was scared that if I loosened my arms around her, I might lose her for good."You finally arrived. But why do you have police with you?" Layla whispered gently as I gave some space.A wave of relief washed over me to see her unharmed. I, still caught up in my relief and still cannot believe that we were finally together again, didn’t respond to her. That's when Layla's next words grabbed my attention. "Why is one of them putting cuffs on Uncle Keith?" It was only at that moment that I understood what was going on around me.The police that arrived with us, surrounded the car. I heard a woman scream coming from the car. One of the police is taking Keith' out of the car. His hands are already gathered behind his back and is secured in cuffs.An overwhe
James' POV"Where is Clara?" I asked Arlo as soon as we got into the hotel. "She's in her room already, sir." I headed straight to Clara's room. I and Clara stayed in the same hotel but in separate rooms for sure. There’s so much I want to say to her right now. But the main thing was that I wanted to check in on her and Layla to make sure they were alright. When the police arrested the car where Layla was kidnapped, I didn't have the opportunity to check on her because I was too focused on Keith and Zoe.I got to Clara's room, but the door was firmly shut. I was just about to knock on the door when a thought crossed my mind—Clara probably didn’t want to be disturbed. Perhaps I should give her some space with her daughter.Following this traumatic event, she must be feeling hurt and deeply affected. Maybe she would like to have some time alone with Layla without any interruptions. I dismissed the urge to see or talk to her and turned and walked to my room, which was across from her
Clara's POVThe following morning finally arrived. The gentle sunlight poured in through the hotel window. I stretched my body and, getting up, walked over to the window. I drew back the curtain and looked out. The view outside my room instantly woke up my tired eyes.'What a beautiful city.'Of course. I'm in Paris right now. The wide array of buildings featuring beautiful classic architecture, the balconies of the apartments lining the street, and the lively hustle of the street below create a lively atmosphere. I think I have become so accustomed to the rigid vibe of New York that being here truly amazes me.I know I’d have a better time if we were here on vacation instead of trying to rescue my daughter from someone who attempted to kidnap her. With a sigh, I made my way to the bed."It's time to wake up Miss Sleepyhead, we're heading back today. We have to catch that flight."Layla extended her limbs. She let out a yawn for a moment, and when she replied, her voice carried a lin
Clara's POVNew York CityWe’ve been here for a week now since coming over from Paris. Even after that week, I still can't seem to get back into my work routine. I still feel anxious about leaving Layla alone like I usually do. My day starts with waking up, driving her to school, and then picking her up again when school is done.I just can't trust Dain to drive Layla anymore. James got us a bodyguard, but I said no. I just can't get comfortable with the idea of another stranger being close to my daughter, even if it's someone James trusts.I stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind me. Diana called earlier to say she would swing by after work, so I figured I’d prepare some snacks for her. "Layla you can change your clothes before grabbing a bite to eat. I'll whip up something for us to eat. Auntie Diana will swing by later too.""Okay, mommy." My daughter hurried to her room.In the meantime, I headed to the kitchen. I checked the cupboard and fridge to see what ingred
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