LOGINAnita’s POVI stepped out of the bathroom and dried myself. After looking at my reflection in the mirror, I changed into simple clothes.This is it. There’s no turning back now.I took a deep breath and walked into the hallway.Marcus was standing outside Clara’s room with his arms crossed. He watched everything carefully. I walked up to him and tried to keep my voice calm.“Marcus, I need you to get something for the makeup artist,” I said. “She forgot something important for Clara’s makeup.”He frowned. “The makeup artist wouldn’t forget anything. She’s been doing this for years.”A voice came from inside the room.“Actually, I do need it. I can’t finish without it.”My heart jumped. That was the signal we had planned.Marcus let out a sigh and looked at me.“Fine. What do you need?”I gave him a long list of things. I named special brands, rare colors, and even a few items that would be hard to find.“This is going to take a while,” he muttered.“I’ll wait here,” I said.He walked
Clara’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed and stared at the wall in front of me. For hours. My face was pale. My eyes were blank and tired.Tomorrow, I will become his wife. Tomorrow, I will lose everything.The door creaked open. Anita entered quietly.“Clara? Are you still awake?”I didn’t turn to look at her.“I can’t sleep,” I said. “I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again.”She sat next to me on the bed and looked at my face for a couple of seconds..“You look pale,” she said. “And you haven’t eaten a thing all day.”“I’m not hungry.”She held my hands in hers.“Why are you so sad?”I let out a sarcastic laugh.“Why am I sad?” I said. “I’m a prisoner in my own home. I haven’t left in two days. My son is somewhere, and I don’t know where. The man I love thinks that I shoved him away on purpose. And tomorrow, I’m marrying the man who caused all this.”I couldn’t hold back the tears in my throat.“I don’t have any way of finding Maurice,” I said. “The signal is cut off. I can’t call Damon
Damon’s POVThe bar felt much heavier than it should have. I laid on the bench, my hands gripping the cold metal, already exhausted from my last setHer words played back to me like a track on repeat. I'm marrying Leonard.I don't want you in my life anymore mI raised the bar slowly and let it go. My hands were shaking from the weight of it.Perhaps, I’m in denial, I thought. Maybe, she really does prefer him to me.Finishing the set, I stood up from the bench. The instructor looked at me and at the weights.“Add more weight,” I said.He frowned. “Sir, you’re already lifting eighty kilos. This is your maximum.”“I said add more weight. I want to lift one hundred kilos.”“You shouldn’t rush. You may harm yourself—”“Are you here to assist me or will I have to find another coach?”He was hesitant, but he added ten kilos to each side of the barbell, which made it up to hundred.“It’s your funeral,” he mumbled.Lying back down, I held the barbell with both hands.“See me doing twenty re
Clara’s POVI stayed on the floor long after Damon left, unable to move. My body felt too heavy, and my thoughts refused to quiet down.Damon’s gone. He thinks I chose to push him away. He has no idea I’m trapped inside my own home.and our son is missing… that my life isn’t mine anymore.Tears rolled down my cheeks and soaked into the carpet beneath me. I didn’t even bother wiping them away anymore. What was the point?Then I heard the closet door creak open.My entire body stiffened.Leonard stepped out from the darkness, calm as ever, a slow smile spreading across his face as though he’d just watched an award-winning performance.“You’re quite an actress, Clara,” he said, almost impressed. “You played that part perfectly.”A chill raced through me.He’d been there the whole time.He’d heard every word.He’d watched me send Damon away… and enjoyed every second of it.He crouched in front of me, studying my face with unsettling satisfaction.“Where’s Maurice?” I asked, my voice break
Damon’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
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
Clara’s POVThe elevator dinged, opening to the hallway that led to my hotel room.“I love the way you handled everything, Clara,” Desmond said as we stepped out and made our way down the corridor.I paused, resting a hand on his shoulder. “It wouldn’t have been possible without you. Thank you.”“
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







