تسجيل الدخولAt the Voss mansion, the atmosphere immediately turned tense the moment Damien returned without Clara. Lucien was already waiting in the entrance hall with a very cold expression. Tristan stood beside him, while several bodyguards looked restless in the background. As soon as Damien entered, Lucien stepped closer. "Where is she?" Lucien asked, his voice low but filled with restrained anger. "She ran," Damien answered shortly, still catching his breath. "We ran into Leon Harrington in the village. Clara accidentally bumped into him. Her ice cream spilled. He recognized her, then Clara panicked and ran. I confronted Harrington briefly before coming back." Lucien paused for a moment, then exploded. "You were careless! I said safe area, not an area where her adoptive father could roam freely! How could you let Clara go out and run straight into Harrington? What's the point of bodyguards if they can't prevent such a stupid collision?" Damien stared at his brother without backing down
Clara did not expect Damien to take her out that day.After several days of awkwardness in the mansion following her rejection that night, and then his return with lingerie and an apology, Damien suddenly appeared in the morning carrying a jacket and shoes."Come on, let's go find some snacks. Just in the safe area. Lucien already agreed."Clara hesitated, but the built-up boredom made her nod. She wore a loose cream dress that did not show much of her drastically changed body, then followed Damien out.Two bodyguards followed at a distance—close enough to watch but not close enough to hear conversations.They walked along a small cobblestone road toward the nearest village still within the Voss family's "safe zone."Damien did not talk much at first, only occasionally pointing at shops or asking if Clara was hungry. Slowly, Clara began to feel more at ease."I used to love late-night snack runs in London. When I was stressed, I ate. When I was sad, I ate. When I was angry... well, I
Leon Harrington returned to Italy two days after receiving Julian's report.This time he did not come alone. Sebastian sat beside him in the private jet, his expression serious.Behind them, six heavily armed bodyguards occupied the seats. On the ground, two additional black cars were already waiting with hired local personnel."The information is solid enough," Sebastian said, closing the folder on his lap. "The man is still active in the southern region. Not a big name on the surface, but well known in black market circles. The name he uses now is different from before, but fingerprints and several old witnesses match."Leon just nodded. His eyes stared at the clouds outside the window. "If Clara really found him, at least we'll know. If not, we still have to rule that possibility out."They landed at a private airport closer to the target area. From there, a convoy of four cars moved toward an old industrial district by the harbor. The warehouse buildings looked dull, some seemingl
Clara stared at the three men before her, her breath still shallow. The question hung in the air of a room that had suddenly become too quiet."Why are you all quiet?" she repeated, her voice slightly trembling. "Usually you never stop. Usually you just take. Now you're just standing there staring at me like I said something strange."Lucien still hadn't moved. His eyes were dark, jaw tight, but he didn't step forward. Damien glanced briefly at Tristan, while Tristan rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable.Finally, Lucien spoke, his voice low and controlled."Because you said no. And tonight, we chose to hear it."Clara let out a short, bitter laugh. "Chose? Since when do you give me choices?""Since you cut your wrist," Lucien answered bluntly. "Since you got drunk and screamed that you're the most miserable person. Since this afternoon when you tried to starve yourself. We could force you, Clara. We've done it before. But tonight… we won't add to the wounds already there
At Voss Mansion.Clara sat on the edge of the bed, face pale. The remnants of last night's hangover still throbbed in her head, but stronger than that was the decision she'd made since waking. She stared at the breakfast tray the maid had left on the table, bread, eggs, fruit, and a glass of juice then pushed it away."Don't give me food anymore," she said firmly when the maid came to collect the tray. "I'm on a diet. Tell them. I won't eat."The maid hesitated, but Clara's sharp glare made her nod and leave with the untouched tray.At noon, another tray arrived. Clara didn't touch it. Same in the evening. She only drank water, sat on the balcony, and stared at the garden, jaw set tight.Her body was already too fat. She wouldn't let it get worse."If they say they like full figures, that's their problem. I don't want it."As the sun began to set, the door opened without a knock.Lucien walked in carrying a tray himself. The smell of creamy pasta and roasted meat immediately filled th
Leon Harrington arrived back in London on a cold, foggy night. His private jet landed smoothly at the private airport, and a black car was already waiting on the apron.The drive home felt longer than usual. His head was full of empty reports, Tristan Voss's fake smile, and the feeling that Clara was somewhere deliberately hidden.As soon as the front door opened, Ana was standing in the hallway. Her face lit up immediately when she saw her husband. She didn't wait for Leon to take off his coat. Ana hugged him tightly, her face buried in Leon's chest."I missed you. A few days felt like weeks."Leon returned the embrace, but his hand only patted Ana's back gently. His wife's familiar perfume didn't manage to drive away the heaviness in his chest."Clara hasn't been found," he said flatly after they entered the living room. He took off his tie and tossed it onto the sofa."No trace. No transactions. No reliable witnesses. Even if she were dead, her body should have been found by now. B
I fell silent.Marriage. I'd never imagined getting married, especially not to a man as rich and as mysterious as Mr. Leon. I was just a plain, fat girl who spent her life cleaning up other people's dirt."Why me?" I asked.Mr. Leon was still crouching in front of me, his eyes staring at me without
Two days passed.I tried to avoid Mr. Leon and his guests. I worked harder than usual. I cleaned every corner of the mansion, washed Clara's clothes until they smelled fresh, and even swept parts of the yard I had never touched before. I hoped that if I worked hard enough, everything would go back
I stopped walking.My body turned stiff like a statue. Mr. Leon's words pierced me from behind, sharp and cold, like the edge of a knife pressed against my neck."Who taught you to be so rude?"I didn't dare turn around. My eyes burned. Tears gathered at the corners, but I held them back with all m
His possession.I wasn't an object, and I didn't belong to anyone.Mr. Leon slowly released his arm from around my waist, then walked back to the billiard table, picked up the cue he had set down earlier, and continued the game as if nothing had happened.As if he hadn't just saved my life, and as







