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