Mag-log inThe days seemed to pass more slowly now.Without Max waking me every morning with his wet nose. Without the endless walks around the Wilberg estate. Without hearing Mr. Jeffery humming old songs as he watered the flowers.Life had returned to what it used to be.Simple, and quiet. Yet somehow…It no longer felt complete.I folded the last of the washed clothes and placed them neatly into the basket.Mom was sweeping the sitting room while I dusted the shelves.Neither of us spoke much.There wasn’t much to say these days.Just as I reached for another cloth, my phone began to ring.I glanced at the screen. The number wasn’t saved, but it looked strangely familiar.“Are you going to answer it?” Mom asked.I nodded and pressed the phone against my ear. “Hello?”“Clare.” The warm, deep voice instantly made my heart skip.“Mr… Mr. Wilberg?”He chuckled softly. “I’m glad you still recognize my voice.”A smile found its way onto my lips. “Of course I do.”“How have you been?” He asked.Th
The journey home felt different.For the first time since I had left the Wilberg mansion, hope had found its way back into my heart.The security guard had finally spoken.Mr. Jeffery believed me.There was proof that Pamela had sneaked out of my room in the middle of the night.Surely…..Surely Jason would finally see that I had been telling the truth all along.By the time I got home, Mom was already waiting for me in the sitting room.The moment she saw the smile on my face, she frowned.“You look happy.”“I have a reason to be.” I smiled and sat beside her and told her everything.I told her about the church, the security guard, the envelope,the note, and the laptop Pamela had carried that night.Mom listened quietly without interrupting.When I finished, she sighed deeply.“My daughter…”“What?” My brows furrowed. She took my hands into hers. “I think it’s time to let sleeping dogs lie.”The smile disappeared from my face.“What?”“You’ve suffered enough.” She shook her head sad
I barely slept.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Pamela walking through the hallway in the middle of the night.One hand holding her phone and the other, a laptop.Why a laptop?The question refused to leave my mind.If all she wanted was to scroll through social media or send a few messages, her phone would have been enough.So why carry a laptop? The more I thought about it, the less sense everything made.I was still staring blankly out the bedroom window when my phone vibrated.I quickly picked it up.It was Mr. Jeffery.My heartbeat quickened.“Hello?”“Good morning, Miss Clare.” He said calmly.“Good morning.”“I hope I didn’t wake you.” He asked. “No.” “I’ve been awake.”There was a brief pause.“I’ve spoken to him.” He mumbled.“The security guard?” I asked. “Yes.”I immediately sat upright. “What did he say?”“I’d rather he tells you himself.”My pulse quickened. “Where?”“There is a small church compound about ten minutes from the Wilberg estate. I’ve asked him to meet u
I had never imagined heartbreak could feel so… quiet.When I left the café, I didn’t cry.Not because I was strong, but because I felt empty.The walk home seemed longer than usual. I couldn’t remember crossing the streets or greeting the neighbors who smiled at me. My feet moved on their own while my mind remained trapped inside that café.“Stay away from me. Stay away from my family.” Jason’s words echoed over and over in my head.The pain wasn’t that he had shouted at me.He hadn’t.The pain was that he had looked at me with disappointment.That hurt far more than anger ever could.By the time I reached our apartment building, my legs felt weak.I climbed the stairs slowly, using the railing for support.As soon as I unlocked the door, Mama appeared from the kitchen.“There you are.”She took one look at my face and her smile disappeared.“Clare…”I forced a smile but It didn’t work.She hurried toward me. “What happened?”I opened my mouth. No words came out.Instead, tears spille
Three days.That was how long it took for the report to come back.Three painfully slow days.Three days of wondering whether Jason had already seen the results. Three days of waking up every morning hoping my phone would ring.And three days of absolute silence.It was beginning to drive me insane. I had barely finished helping Mom hang the laundry outside when my phone vibrated in my pocket.My heart skipped.It was Jason Wilberg.For a few seconds, I simply stared at his name.Then I answered. “…Hello?”His voice came almost immediately.“Clare.”There was something different about him.He sounded…Drained.“The report is back.”Every nerve in my body tightened.I swallowed. “What… what did it say?”A long silence followed.“I think we should meet.”My heart sank.The way he said it…It wasn’t good.“I’ll text you the address.”The call ended before I could ask another question.I stood frozen in the middle of the compound. Mom noticed my expression immediately.“What happened?”I fo
“There is something.”The words had barely left my mouth when a familiar voice interrupted from behind me.“Something you’d like to tell him?”Every muscle in my body stiffened. Jason’s eyes lifted from mine, and I slowly turned around.It was Pamela.She stood a few feet away from our table, dressed elegantly in a cream-colored dress and oversized sunglasses. A designer handbag rested on her shoulder, and although she wore a faint smile, her eyes were slightly swollen, as though she had been crying.For a long moment, none of us spoke.Jason was the first to break the silence.“Pamela?”She removed her sunglasses calmly.“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”His brows furrowed. “How did you know I was here?”Pamela tilted her head. “We share our locations, remember?”Jason’s expression changed.“Of course you forgot.” She scoffed.A heavy silence settled over the table. I suddenly wished I had never agreed to meet Jason.Pamela walked closer. “May I sit?”Neither of us answered. She
The dining room was so large that it could probably fit my entire apartment inside it.That thought crossed my mind as I arranged the last plate on the polished dining table.Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden rays across the expensive furniture. Everything looked perfect.T
The smell of pancakes filled the kitchen as I flipped the last one onto a plate.I stepped back and admired my work.For someone who rarely cooked anything beyond instant noodles, the breakfast spread looked surprisingly impressive.There were pancakes, eggs, toast, bacon, and fresh orange juice ar
My mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.For some reason, my brain had completely stopped working.The man standing before me was even more intimidating up close.His dark eyes remained fixed on me as though he was trying to figure out whether I belonged in the mansion or not.Judging by t
I barely slept that night.Every time I closed my eyes, I found myself thinking about the phone call with Mr. Wilberg, the job, the mansion, the money, and the possibility of finally helping my mother.By the time sunlight filtered through my curtains the next morning, I was already awake.I spran







