James' POV"What the hell are you doing here?" Keith's anger flared the moment he spotted me in Clara's living room."I should be the one asking. What brings you here? Me? I'm here to take her to the hospital." I answered calmly. Keith frowned at my response. "Hospital? Is she sick? How do you know when I don't?" He snapped."Of course you don't know, you're too busy sleeping with your secretary last night."As soon as Clara stepped out of the hotel yesterday, I quickly followed her, making sure Keith wouldn't catch on. Luckily, Stephanie did a good job distracting him. Keith didn't even realize that Clara had left the gathering."You were behind that, weren't you? You shared the details about me with Stephanie. You were just trying to get Clara to be mad with me so you can be with her." Keith fixed me with a piercing gaze."Me?" I keep my face nonchalant "Why should I bother? If I wanted, I could have easily taken her back from you without needing to involve Stephanie."Upon hearin
Clara's POVI know this is all James' doing. I know he must told Keith an exaggerated narrative of what happened last night."Just forget it. He's been difficult since a kid" James said after I forcefully brushed his hand aside.I fixed him with a piercing gaze; his face was utterly lacking from guilt."Are you satisfied now Mr. Morgan?"James furrowed his brow as if confused by what I had said. I was sure he understood what I was implying"Your presence here has led to a misunderstanding between me and Keith. Now I beg you to leave my house right now."My desire to apologize to him vanished in an instant. Upon hearing about my expulsion, anger flickers in his eyes. His jaw tensed but I didn't care anymore."Your arm. You should at least go to the hospital for a check-""I don't need a check-up. My arm is perfectly fine. Thank you for the ride home yesterday but now just leave me alone." I turned to walk away, but James swiftly grabbed my wrist.He held my shoulders firmly to ensure I
Clara's POVAfter thinking it over, I decided to visit Keith's office today."Ma'am I think you should solve this problem as soon as possible. You cannot let Mr. James win."Diana said after I told her about my past relationship with James and his dislike of seeing me being on a good term with his brother. I felt a sense of relief knowing she was on the same board as me"What good is his good looks if he ends up just being a devil in disguise?"I knew Diana felt let down as soon as she discovered that James wasn't the prince charming he appeared to be. James is the devil, yet the most handsome of all angels."I will. But I don't know where I should look for him, Keith hasn't picked up my calls since yesterday."I was convinced he hadn't come back to the penthouse. I had a specific place in mind, but I was just in denial about Keith being there.What if he did go to Stephanie’s place? His pretty secretary always knew how to ease his worry. The idea of it left me suffocated."I will go
Clara's POVI can't believe I flew to LA on the day I learned about Mr. George's passing. The news shattered my heart in a way I had never experienced. I didn't even share blood ties with him, yet it felt as though I had lost someone who was my closest family.It's been five years since we last met, and I never got the opportunity to clear up the misunderstanding from back then. And now I won't have the chance to see him again."Mommy, are we going to see grandma and grandpa?"Layla asked as our plane took off. I leaned back, gently stroking her hair, and answered."No. We're not going to see grandma and grandpa."Layla rarely inquired about her grandparents or the rest of our family. She appeared to understand that the question upset me.Yet sometimes, like many children, she always curious if we could visit Grandpa and Grandma someday.I can't help but feel mad at myself; I couldn't bring myself to tell her that she would never meet them. "So who are we planning to visit? Why did yo
Clara's POV"Interesting. Very interesting. This is the first time I've heard someone say that didn't want their kindness to be compensated with money." Mr. George said.Now he's gazing at me with a lot of curiosity. Was I the first person who turned down his money? I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him."You remind me of my daughter, sweet girl. You make me long for my dear Charlotte." He spoke with a sadness evident in his eyes."Really?""Yes. She's a real humanitarian. An angel. She's all I could ever hope for in a child. She's everything In contrast to her brother."I smiled.But if I remind him of his kindhearted daughter, why does he seem so downcast?“So, what’s got you looking so down, Mr. Morgan? Where is she now?" I asked.Mr. Morgan's gaze was distant as he spoke."Charlotte passed away at the age of twenty-five from poisoning after she became involved with a non-governmental organization focused on hunger issues. I have to remind myself that she is at peace in heaven,
Clara's POV“Yes, I'm still alive."I chose not to explain how I survived the accident back then. I knew Iris Morgan didn't need to be informed, especially since she wouldn't like it regardless"But don't worry, I'm done and will leave right now. You don't have to recall our meeting; just act as if I'm already dead."As her shock faded and she collected herself, a twisted, angry smile formed on her lips."Honestly, I couldn't care less if you're dead or alive." She snapped, "What I care about is that I never want to see you near my family again."I was already familiar with those words. Since marrying James, it has become a regular occurrence, whether it's from James himself or other family members who aren't fond of me.Still, it feels just as painful as before."No need to worry Mrs. Iris, I have no intention of coming near your family ever again," I answered with a smile.She has nothing to worry about. Since James divorced me and after the accusations he placed on me five years ago
Clara's POV"What do you mean Stevan? Do you know her?" Iris asked, sounding completely lost. She glanced between me and Stevan.What? What else is this? Another member of the Morgan family who knows me? God, I beg you to put this to an end. I truly wanted nothing to do with them anymore!"How do you know her?" Iris Morgan asked suspiciously."I'm sorry but I don't know you, so how could you looking for me for five years?" I inquired. I don't think I know Stevan. We've never actually met before.Stevan tucked his phone away, and when he glanced at me, he flashed a warm smile that sent my heart racing just a bit."I might be a stranger to you, but I'm familiar with who you are. I feel like I won a jackpot meeting you here, Clara." Stevan smiled as he spoke. He seems truly happy; he didn't even see the confusion on my face.'How did he even know my name?' The fear that someone might have been stalking my life all these years is eating away at me. How can someone I don't even know claim t
Clara's POV"I'm sorry for ruining your day; I should have waited for the right moment to share this news with you." Stevan said when I didn't respond to what he said.I felt guilty. He was simply fulfilling his responsibilities, after all. "No, there's no need to apologize." I should have poured my surprise on him. "Is there another way to change this?""I'm afraid not," Stevan replied. He looked at me with a hint of curiosity. "You're hilarious. Typically when a person gets an inheritance, they feel joy. Yet you look like you've just received the death penalty."This feels pretty similar to the death penalty to me. So, what's the next step? I found myself pulled back into the grip of them just when I believed I had escaped for good. "Let me do something that can lift your mood, a gesture of my apology. Are you free today?"I nodded without thinking."Oh, I've got a thought! Why not take a look at one of your new houses? It's just a short drive from here, and I'd be glad to take you
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 th
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