Without asking permission, Franklin took one of Clara's cigarettes that was placed on the building ledge. He lit it with a match and inhaled deeply, exhaling white smoke that was carried away by the wind. The woman beside him didn't say a word; she had only smoked three of her own cigarettes since they'd been there."Clara—""Honestly, I don't have the face to confront your family anymore!"Franklin turned quickly, confused by Clara's sudden outburst. Although he had come to discuss the same thing, Franklin had intended to bring it up after their conversation warmed up."Vina... must have told your mother. There's clearly a misunderstanding here, Franklin." Clara's face looked sour. "Why did you let her in?"Franklin shook his head, took another drag of his cigarette, and replied, "I didn't know Vina had come in."Franklin was telling the truth. Clara didn't argue because the honesty on Franklin's face was clear. Besides, Clara wouldn't believe it if Franklin lied about something."I'
Charles[Honey, I'm sorry for being too busy here.]Clara, who was just about to close her eyes, woke up when her phone vibrated—indicating a new message. As hoped, it was her brother, who she had been waiting to hear from for the past few days, now giving her a reply.Clara[I'm coming to Russia tomorrow. No need to pick me up, just send me your new address. There's something I need to discuss.]Charles[Alright, but I don't allow you to come alone to this country.]Clara stared at her phone screen for a moment. She was confused about how to respond to her brother's warning. Although his concern was meaningful and justified, Clara still felt uncomfortable being escorted by the guards working for Silver Clack.Clara[Don't worry. My identity as the heir to Silver Clack is still very well-guarded, Brother. So, there's very little chance people could find out about me.]Charles[Don't argue, Clara. Just do as I say.]Clara didn't reply anything else. She put her phone on the edge of her
The cold of Moscow didn't stop Clara from daydreaming alone on her apartment balcony. She left the window to her room wide open. Charles' shocking confession, something Clara never imagined, now confirmed Silver Clack's involvement in Mr. Smith's murder - Franklin's father."What should I do?"Clara took a deep breath, looking utterly resigned. Part of her was angry at her brother. But her greater love for him made it difficult to unleash that anger. As Silver Clack's successor, Clara was unsure how to use her power."Franklin could never understand all this. He'd be furious if he knew Silver Clack was involved in Mr. Smith's murder."Even though Charles explained his reasons for agreeing to Frans' request back then - his youth and inability to make wise decisions, plus an obsession with violence without considering other aspects to develop.That's why Charles faced violations that enraged Silver Clack's elders and important figures. Leadership was vacant as Clara was still being groo
The woman with graying hair finally met Clara in a quiet place. She brought nothing except a picture belonging to Charles, left behind when he killed Eden's pilot. Karina handed it over silently. She knew Clara was in a bad emotional state."Come back the day after tomorrow. It's too tiring to head to New York tonight, isn't it?"Karina stopped when Clara spoke behind her. Looking confused, she replied, "I don't have much time to rest here without doing anything, Miss.""Were you—oh, no, don't continue yesterday's case, Karina." Clara quickly corrected her order when she realized Karina's meaning.Karina was silent for a moment, struggling to ask Clara a question. Sensing Karina's thoughts, Clara spoke up."Isn't it clear who was involved in Mr. Smith's murder?"Karina glanced at Clara's hand holding her small photo. The older woman finally nodded, trying not to argue. Karina also believed Charles was guilty of the murder years ago. However, she was just an ordinary member who joined
Franklin waited in front of his black sedan. No need to worry, it was his personal property now that he had returned to his roots as part of the Cendana Family. Two days after Clara arrived in New York, Franklin sent a message inviting her to meet.However, Franklin only waited for Clara in front of the luxurious apartment where he lived. Glancing at the watch on his strong wrist, Franklin realized Clara was late."Could she be preparing—""Oh, Franklin!" Clara raised her hand and approached Franklin.She wore heels with beautiful straps decorating her slim calves. Her all-black outfit seemed to be the theme of Clara's appearance tonight."Dressed like this, you really do look like a mafia member," Franklin murmured after examining Clara's appearance from head to toe."You... look very neat. Where are we going, Franklin?"Franklin scratched the back of his neck and said, "This is the first time I've asked you out, isn't it?""Of course, besides, we've only been together for work. And
In the large meeting room, people gathered and sat at the provided tables. They were discussing today's event, which would introduce and present the eldest son of the late Mr. Smith, who should have been leading the Cendana Family for several years now.The dishonesty of Frans and Elena's family was still a topic of conversation. The power struggle that occurred may have been common knowledge to the high-ranking attendees, but news of Mr. Smith's murder, with Frans - his own brother - as the perpetrator, certainly added fuel to the conflict between Mr. Smith's family and Frans' family."Even though Maleo is very skilled at running this company, he still obtained it in the worst way possible.""True, but are you sure that boy can lead better than Maleo?" They were referring to Franklin."Of course, he inherited the business acumen of his brilliant father," commented another."But business isn't just about DNA, ma'am. I'm actually worried about the shares I've invested in their company
"Did you kill him?" Clara nodded and admitted to her actions. After all, the constant stream of problems had made it impossible for Clara to contain her anger. Upon returning from Russia, the hospital director had given her important information about the riot incident just before Clara left for Russia.So, to vent all the issues on her mind, Clara eliminated a doctor named Kazka, who was responsible for the unrest and damage to Silver Clack Hospital."He involved Silver Clack in his personal problems," Clara said, looking Franklin up and down. "Damn it! Even his seized assets weren't enough to cover the damages caused. And that Asian cartel refuses to pay compensation.""So? Will there be a war between you?"Clara stared at Franklin for a long time and lifted herself from her seated position on the desk. She walked closer to Franklin and asked, "What do you think? I've talked to the advisor, but he suggested I shouldn't do it."Franklin didn't object, so he gave his opinion. "Didn't
"Do you... want to come in?"Franklin checked his watch before answering Clara's question, which sounded like an invitation. The man finally replied hesitantly."Actually, there's something I need to discuss."Clara fell silent, thinking about other matters related to the disclosure of Mr. Smith's death case. Clara had been holding everything in, even though Franklin hadn't been informed that she had stopped the investigation into his late father's murder."Listen, Franklin."The woman looked at Franklin with melancholy eyes. Clara said, "I had to stop the investigation. As you know, this issue is too broad to investigate, Franklin."Franklin froze in front of Clara. The smile on his face instantly faded, but Franklin tried to think clearly. He still wanted to uncover the issue even with limited capabilities."Karina has informed me that there's no evidence to show who the perpetrators were, or any particular cartel or group involved in the plane sabotage."Clara clearly delivered thi
Franklin was finally allowed to go home after a few weeks in the hospital. His condition was improving, and although he was still tired, Franklin was relieved to be back home. Clara, who faithfully accompanied him during his recovery, prepared to take Franklin home.Just as Franklin was ready to be discharged, the hospital room door suddenly opened and Selena appeared. She was carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers in her hand. She smiled when she saw Franklin, "Hi, Franklin. I'm glad to see you're better. I came to see you."Franklin smiled slightly and nodded, "Thank you, Selena. I'm glad to be home too."Clara, who was standing beside Franklin, felt something strange when she saw Selena. Although she tried hard not to show her feelings, her heart was filled with jealousy. Selena always seemed to be close to Franklin, and even though they were just friends, Clara couldn't help but feel uncomfortable every time she saw their closeness.Seeing the change in Clara's expression, Sarah, who
Charles felt increasingly desperate. Despite all his efforts to separate Clara and Franklin, he couldn't accept the reality that Franklin would remain in Clara's life. The long-suppressed jealousy and hatred in his heart reached a boiling point, finally pushing him to take more drastic action.That night, Charles entered the hospital with cautious steps. He hid his evil intentions behind a calm facade. After ensuring the hallway where Franklin was being treated was empty of nurses or visitors, he approached Franklin's room door.With trembling hands, Charles opened the door and saw Franklin lying weakly in the hospital bed. His face looked peaceful, seemingly unaware of the deadly threat approaching him. Charles walked slowly to the bedside, trying to calm his mind filled with various considerations. However, one thought kept dominating him—that Franklin must be eliminated so Clara would no longer be bound to him.Charles reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pillow. He was c
After waking up, Sarah felt dizzy and confused. The world seemed to be spinning around her, and it took a while for her to realize where she was. Slowly, the memory of Franklin's accident hit her again. Suddenly, her heart was filled with deep worry, and she immediately asked to be escorted to the hospital, where Franklin was being treated.When Sarah arrived at the hospital, she found it very quiet. Family and neighbors sat anxiously in the waiting room. As her eyes fell on Clara, who sat quietly by Franklin's bedside with eyes puffy with tears, Sarah felt something different in her heart.All this time, Sarah had always objected to Franklin and Clara's relationship. Not because of Clara, but because of the dark past, where Clara's brother Charles was allegedly involved in the death of her husband, Franklin's father. The wound was still too deep for Sarah to heal, and it made it difficult for her to fully accept Clara.However, now, seeing Clara faithfully stand by Franklin's side, h
That morning, the atmosphere in Franklin's house was calm and peaceful. After going through the trials that almost separated him from Clara, Franklin was feeling more optimistic about his future. Although there was still a lot to sort out, especially in his relationship with his family, Franklin was confident that he could get through this with Clara.He got ready to go to the office as usual. As he left the house, Clara walked him to his car with a gentle smile. "Be careful on the road, Franklin. I'll be waiting for you at home," Clara said as she kissed his cheek.Franklin smiled back and closed the car door. No bad thoughts crossed his mind as he started the engine of his car and started driving down the highway. However, what Franklin didn't know was that Charles and Ronald had executed their latest plan to ruin Franklin's car.Somewhere hidden, Charles and Ronald were watching from a distance. They had sabotaged the brakes of Franklin's car, ensuring that the accident would happe
Charles sat in his magnificent study, with a large window overlooking his back garden. However, the beautiful view outside the window could not ease his anger. His face was tense, and his mind was filled with plans on how to separate Franklin from Clara. To Charles, Franklin was a threat he couldn't ignore, especially since Clara loved the man so much.Just then, the door to his study opened slowly. Ronald, his best friend and ally, entered with steady steps. Charles looked at him with eyes that implied tension, then invited him to sit down."Ronald, I can no longer allow Clara to be with Franklin," Charles began in a flat, but firm tone. "We have to separate them, no matter what we have to do."Ronald nodded slowly, although in his heart there was hesitation. He understood that Charles had personal reasons to hate Franklin, but Ronald also knew that Clara was a strong woman and not easy to manipulate. However, his feelings of love for Clara made him willing to do whatever it took to
A few days had passed since the last conversation between Franklin and Clara. Although they had decided to distance themselves from each other, their feelings still bubbled beneath the surface. Franklin felt lonely and restless. Every night, his mind was filled with images of Clara, wondering if the decision to stay away was the right one. However, doubts and insecurities continue to plague his mind, the result of Charles' manipulations poisoning his mind more and more.Meanwhile, Clara cannot fully accept the fact that her relationship with Franklin has been fractured. In the midst of her turmoil, she realizes that there are many things that Franklin doesn't know, and that makes her feel even more guilty. However, she knew that she was not guilty in any way. Clara tried to focus on her work, but the feeling of missing Franklin always loomed over her.One afternoon, Clara received a call from one of her men, Toni. Toni was the person she trusted to investigate more about what happened
Charles and Ronald were both upset to hear the news that Franklin was back. For Charles, Franklin's return was a nightmare that shouldn't have happened. He feels that Franklin is an obstacle in his quest to control everything, including Clara's relationship. Meanwhile, Ronald, who has long harbored feelings for Clara, is now burning with jealousy. Franklin's return means Clara will refocus on her lover, making Ronald feel even more distant from her expectations.At a café, Charles and Ronald meet to discuss their next plans. Charles sipped his coffee with a serious face, his eyes staring straight ahead, trying to devise a strategy."We can't let this continue," Charles said, his voice low but determined. "Franklin needs to get out of Clara's life, or at the very least, Clara needs to get out of Franklin's life."Ronald nodded, though inwardly he felt anxious. "But how? They seem so close now, especially after this incident."Charles furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "We'll have to sep
After a long and tense journey, Clara finally arrived in front of the Franklin family home. She glanced at Franklin in the passenger seat, who still looked tired and shaken by all the events they had just gone through. Although Franklin was trying to remain calm, there was obvious worry in his eyes. They had just escaped Amanda's clutches, but what awaited at home might be no less nerve-wracking."Franklin, we're here," Clara said softly, breaking the silence. Franklin nodded, trying to compose himself for a moment before getting out of the car.When Franklin and Clara got out of the car, the front door of the house was wide open. Sarah, Franklin's mother, and Vina, his younger sister, stood in the doorway. Their faces instantly changed from shocked to full of emotion when they saw Franklin. Vina immediately ran to her brother, hugging him tightly."Brother Franklin! You're alive! We thought you were...," Vina's voice was cut off by the sobs she couldn't contain. She had been devastat
Franklin stood still when he saw Clara in front of him. His face was filled with shock, as if he couldn't believe that Clara was really here, in this remote village. After everything that had happened, this meeting felt like a miracle. Meanwhile, Clara looked at Franklin with a mixture of relief, anger, and anxiety. The tears she had been holding back now began to well up in her eyes."Franklin... Are you okay?" Clara's voice sounded hoarse, full of emotion. She came closer, almost wanting to hug Franklin, but something held her back. Maybe it was the feeling that this was too surreal, or maybe it was the haunting sense of dread.Franklin nodded slowly, still rooted to the spot. "I... I didn't expect us to meet here. Clara, I really don't know how to explain everything. It's like a nightmare."Clara reached out and took Franklin's arm. "We'll get through this together, Franklin. I won't let anyone hurt you again."However, the moment was suddenly interrupted by a rustling sound around