★ Clara pov
"I have mentioned this time and again—my mother's company has nothing to do with you!" I screamed at my stepmother.
"You'd better let go of the company. You're the illegitimate daughter of the Walter family, and your elder sister would handle it better," she shot back.
"My step elder sister, to be precise. If your daughter wants to show her talent, she should do it somewhere else."
"Clara, your father has already erased your name..."
"So what? You think he can erase or forge the signature of a dead person?" I blurted out, my chest heavy. My late mum isn't just a dead person.
Tears began to form in my eyes, but I couldn't show vulnerability in front of the two who had made my life miserable since my mother took her own life when I was eight.
"You... you have no regard anymore. You've begun to grow wings after just a few years."
"Few years? Fifteen years sounds like just a few in your head, right?"
"Clara, when did you return?" my father, John Walter, stepped in, just home from work.
"Dad!" My stepsister rushed to him, holding onto his arm affectionately.
"Dad, Clara doesn't want to give up the company for me!"
"Clara, listen to your father and let go of the company!"
"I have said it countless times, my company is mine and has nothing to do with you!"
"Clara!!!" My dad yelled, seeming to lose his temper.
"And I am right here, Mr. Walter," I said sarcastically. My father had lost the respect I had for him after abandoning me in Europe for 15 years.
"Is that a way of addressing your father? You seem to have grown..."
"Wings, yes I have! I wonder what you expect from the daughter you abandoned in a foreign country for 15 years!" I blurted out as I worked to the door, opening it and slamming it shut.
"Clara!!!!!" I could hear my father yelling my name as I walked out of the Walter mansion without looking back.
I sat in front of the bar, downing glass after glass of wine. It was the only way I could drown my problems and forget about them, but my head wouldn’t stop remembering.
Fifteen years ago, my loving family fell apart when my mother jumped off a cliff in front of me. My dad, once affectionate, became cold and distant. I later learned that my mother was his mistress and that I was the product of an affair.
I was mistreated by my stepmother and stepsister, who suggested I be sent to Europe to study after they grew tired of using me. After two months, I was forgotten and suffered alone for 15 years.
I later found out from my mother's lawyer that my stepsister was now the next of kin for my late mother's company.
"Ohh, I'm sorry!" a waitress exclaimed as she bumped into me, bringing me back to reality.
“It's fine” I continue to sip my drink
I stood up from the bar stand chair, ready to relax in the headboard chair, my glass of drink in hand.
I didn't notice it was bubbling as I took more sips. When I glanced at the time, it was already past 11.
“time really flies,” I blunted out, feeling the warmth of the drink wash over me.
As I stood up, my head spun, and I noticed strange men watching me. Panic surged through me, and I tried to find a hotel suite to lock myself in, but everything became blurry.
I turned and saw I was being followed by the men I saw, so I started running. Suddenly, I stumbled and fell, hitting my knee on the marble tiles.
"Sweetie, why are you running from daddy? Come here; daddy would treat you well for the night!"
"Let go of me!" I bit the man's hand as I tried to stand.
Then, I felt a hard slap on my face. "You slut! How dare you bite me? Come here! I’ll rip you inside out! Do you know how much I was paid to have fun with you?"
At that moment, my head cleared. It must be my stepmother. I had no time to think; my body heated up, and I needed to escape.
"No! I would have her first, then you come along!"
"Shut up!" I quickly formulated a plan.
As they argued, I seized the chance to run away. I dashed into a hotel suite, looking for the restroom to wash my eyes, dragging my feet.
"There she is!" I could hear the guards; they had located me. Just as I looked for a place to hide, I bumped into a tall, imposing figure. He had a rugged appearance, sharp features, and a confident demeanor that commanded attention. His dark eyes scanned me.
I looked up at him; he had the aura of a mafia boss,my voice trembling as I whispered, "Please, help me."
He barely glanced at me, a dismissive smirk on his face. "Your problems are not mine to solve.”
His attention drifted to his hotel card as if my plea was just an annoyance.
But as the guards approached, my heart raced. I gripped his arm tightly, desperation spilling from my lips. "I’ll do anything! Please..."
He moved quickly, pinning me against the wall, his face inches from mine. "You should have thought about the consequences," he whispered before leaning in and kissing me.
He carried me in bridal style, swiping his card on the hotel suite door. With blurred vision, I admired the room; it was so luxurious. He laid me on the bed, ripping off my dress and pulling off his clothes, exposing his famed abs and packs.
★★★
