جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 29

Clara’s POV. The warm water from the shower had done its best to wash away the chaos of the night, but my mind refused to settle.I stood in front of the full-length mirror inside the walk-in closet, smoothing down the simple black dress I had chosen for the trip. My hair fell in soft waves over my shoulders as I slipped the diamond ring back onto my finger, right where it belonged for the public eye.I walked over to the wardrobe and reached for the small duffle bag sitting on top of the counter.Hermès.Of course it was.I let out a quiet laugh.“This man really has a thing for designer brands,” I muttered to myself in the empty room.Letting out a deep sigh, I unzipped the bag and started packing for the trip. The problem was, I had no idea how long we were going to be in London. Julian had made it sound like a quick trip, but I packed enough clothes for three days just in case.A couple of dinner dresses, comfortable shoes, and a few simple tops went into the bag one after anothe

Clara’s POV. I had gotten an email from the hospital. The notification glowed on my screen like a warning: Hospital Update for Mr. Sterling. A video file was attached. My heartbeat kicked into a frantic rhythm as my mind raced through a million different thoughts all at once. They usually sent text updates. Why did this one have a video attached to it? A heavy knot tightened in my stomach as my phone suddenly felt too heavy in my hand. I stared at the preview thumbnail of the video for a long moment. All I could make out were white sheets and the faint outline of the hospital bed. My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment, trembling slightly as I completely ignored the rest of the message. I squeezed my eyes shut, tilting my head up. “Please let him be…” I whispered into the quiet room, afraid to finish the sentence even in my own head. Then I tapped play. As the video began to play, I noticed it was short, only about eight seconds long. At first, nothing happened. J

Clara’s POV. I followed Julian into the long conference room, my heels quiet against the thick carpet. At the center of the room stood an enormous mahogany table, its rich, polished surface gleaming beneath the recessed lights. It looked as though it had been carved from a single piece of wood, large enough to seat at least twenty people. Although only a few chairs had been arranged around it. Julian pulled out a chair for me like a gentleman, and I sat beside him without thinking twice. His hand brushed lightly against my shoulder before he took his own seat, solid and composed, as always. Then I let my eyes move slowly around the conference table. Several faces looked familiar, or at least the ones I remembered from the gala. A goofy-looking silver-haired man I’d seen laughing a little too loudly near the bar that day. A woman in a sharply tailored red suit who had commanded a small circle of guests near the ballroom entrance. And a few others. As I took in the faces, my

Clara’s POV. First all I could see was darkness. Then a dull, heavy throb pulsed behind my eyes, like someone was slowly tightening a screw inside my skull. I tried to swallow, but my throat felt dry. Something soft pressed against my cheek. A pillow. I heard faint sounds around me. Soft tapping, like someone’s fingers on a phone screen. Then the distant sounds of passing cars and the occasional honk. I blinked once. The ceiling swam into view, blurry and too bright. I blinked again. The lights dimmed a little. Shapes started to form. A lamp. Curtains. The edge of a table. I was lying on a bed. My heart skipped. I turned my head slowly. The movement made the headache flare. And then I saw him. Julian stood at the foot of the bed. One hand tucked into his pocket. The other tapping away on his phone. His face was completely still, his eyes fixed on the screen. “What the hell…” I whispered under my breath. The words came out a little louder than I’d meant them to. T