LOGINDamon’s POVI stood beside my bed, my phone still clutched tightly in my hand, staring at the dark screen as though it owed me an explanation.Clara had called.I knew I hadn’t imagined it.Her name had flashed across the screen, and I’d answered almost before the first ring had finished. But before either of us could speak…The call ended.No words.Just silence, followed by the sharp tone of a disconnected line.My stomach tightened.Something has happened. I could feel it. Clara wouldn't call me in the middle of the night and say nothing.Something must have come up.I immediately hit the call button.One ring.Voicemail.I frowned and called again.Straight to voicemail.By the third attempt, the call wouldn’t even connect. It failed before it could ring.I lowered my hand slowly.Maybe her battery died…The excuse sounded weak even inside my own head.No. That wasn't it.Was her phone taken from her?The question landed in my chest like a stone.I rubbed both hands over my face
Clara’s POVI looked up at him, the fight left my body quickly as if it was drained out, leaving me with a hollow feeling.“Alright,” I said, my voice hardly mine. “I’ll marry you.”His face changed almost immediately. He laughed hard and loud. It was a victorious laughter that bounced off the walls of the living room.“I knew you would.” He crouched down in front of me, his eyes gleaming in a way which did not look right. “You love your son. You love your family. You’d do anything for them.”He reached out and moved the stray strands of my hair off my forehead. I shuddered, but did not pull away.“That’s why this is going to work,” he whispered.He stood and smoothed out his shirt, started moving around the living room, as if preparing to play a well-rehearsed role.“Here are the conditions.” His eyes met mine. “You are not leaving this house until our wedding takes place.”My heart sank.He stopped, looking at me.“My two men will stay with you at all times. You will not communicate
Clara’s POVHis question hung heavy between us.“I went for a ride,” I forced myself to smile. “I just wanted to clear my head.”He scoffed. “In the rain?” he asked, then glanced at his wrist watch. “At this hour?” I nodded slowly, like I was forced to do so. “Yes.” The quiver in my voice gave me away. “I couldn’t sleep.”He studied me; something was off in the way he was looking at me. His eyes were cold in a way I’d never seen him.“You’ve been crying,” he said. “Your eyes are red.”“I told you already, I was in my feelings. You should understand.” He didn’t blink once. The wasn’t any sign or consideration which was very much unlike Leo. “Clara, I know you’re lying to me.” He spoke with a confidence that was next to none. A wise person won’t dare argue after that and I wasn’t going to act foolish. He reached into his pocket and took out his phone. Then, he tapped the screen and turned it to face me. A video played.My eyes widened as saucers as I watched myself from the sm
Clara’s POVDamon clenched his jaw. That type of stillness always meant that he was trying to restrain himself from overreacting. “She lied to us?”“Yes,” I said quietly. “She was already pregnant. The IVF treatment was fake.”He turned to look away from me, dragging a hand through his hair. He walked to the window before turning around.“I can’t believe this.” His tone was dangerously calm. “After you have her half the payment. She even raised your hopes and almost cost is nine months of getting a donor for Maurice. ”He gaze at me, his expression tightening.“I’m going to make her pay for this. For everything she has done. Her boyfriend. All of them— even the hospital won’t be left out for letting something drastic as such happen.” I blinked my eyelid, letting the tears stuck to it slid down my cheek. “It’s all my fault. I should’ve listen to you.” “No..no, Clara.” He came back and crouch down in front of me, wiping my tears away with his hand. “Don’t ever blame yourself
Clara’s POV The house had never seemed this quiet.I was seated on the couch, staring at nothing in particular. My hands rested idly on my laps; my mind finally blank from endless thoughts. Unconsciously, I brought one hand close to my belly.Caressing it slowly until a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I can’t believe I was ready to end this life inside me before it even got the chance to be here. I would have terminated it today. I almost did. I pressed my hand a bit harder against my tummy, trying to say anything to it, to beg for forgiveness.Lydia betrayed me. First, she deceived and exhorted money from me with a baby that was never mine. She gave me false hope. Every day she lied to my face so well that, thinking about it now, it feels like she took lying lessons to be that good.And because of her lies, I almost ruined the only possibility of Maurice to exist.My jaw clenched till it ached. She and her boyfriend are evil people. They were going to pay for
Lydia’s POV I heard her footsteps before I saw her. I didn’t need to be told. I could sense that everything had changed from the sound alone.Clara walked into the room, holding the report in a way that suggested she was still trying to comprehend what she had read.“Lydia.”All it took was her saying my name for me to feel as if I was being pulled downward.I looked at her, and the sight of what she was holding sent an instant shiver through me.“What… Where did you find this?” I asked, barely managing to get the words out.“In your drawer.” She stepped closer to me, her hands shaking. “And the date is before we even met.”She raised it so I would look again, but I already remembered that page perfectly from like two months ago.“You were already pregnant when you applied to be my surrogate, weren’t you?”I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.“That’s not mine.” The lie tumbled out of my mouth without any hesitation, although I could already tell that she wouldn’t believe me. “I d
Damon’s POV My words hung in the air, but for some reason Camilla didn’t look surprised— at least not the way I had expected.She let out a soft breath, the wooden spoon in her hand paused mid-air. Her gaze locked with mine, her expression guarded and unreadable like there was something waiting t
Clara’s POV Mr Salvador turned to face me fully. “Mr Damon stepped out to—” He paused as Maurice mistakenly dropped his spoon to the floor, which produced a clattering sound. Salvador and I turned to him as he clutched onto his food flask. “Sorry,” he whispered softly and lowered his face to the
Damon’s POV My fingers tightened around the phone as his words echoed in my head. The secret your wife has been keeping from you? For a moment, I said nothing, my mind struggling to catch up with what I had just heard. “Secret? What the hell are you talking about?” I finally demanded, my voi
Damon’s POV “You’re pathetic,” Camilla spat again, her eyes blazing. “I always knew there was something between the two of you.”“It’s not what you think—” “Shut up, Damon,” she cut in sharply. “Why were you trying to kiss her in that elevator?” Seconds dragged. I said nothing. She let out a h







