Clara's POV"Derek is going to propose?" I asked. The tears suddenly stopped flowing as my mouth became dry.I must have heard wrong. No way that would happen."Yes," Layla answered with a sigh. "I probably shouldn't have said anything. But anyway, we need to get you prepared for the day. We still have to decide on the dress and everything else," she replied.I couldn't hold it in anymore. I tried to contain it, but laughter abruptly erupted from my stomach.I was beating the ground and holding my stomach to contain myself.I had forgotten I was crying a minute ago.She must have been joking.Layla stared at me like I was some lunatic. I'm pretty sure right now she was thinking about having me committed instead of marrying me off to her son.How did she even make this one up?I knew she was crazy, but her madness had gone too far for her to make up something like this."You've-just-made-my-day," I said as I continued laughing. My stomach was starting to hurt.Laughing at this moment w

Clara's POV Derek looked up as he saw me approaching. I noticed a look in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. I couldn't pinpoint what it was. He quickly masked it as a smile formed on his face.He met me halfway, walking over to approach me."You look gorgeous," he said, stopping me in my tracks. He went on to place a gentle kiss on my arm."Not too bad yourself," I giggled.He hooked his arm into mine and walked me to the car."Where are you taking me?" I asked curiously."Don't worry, it's a surprise," he answered. He opened the car door as he gestured for me to step in.I stepped into the car and buckled my seatbelt.The rest of the car ride was silent as we listened to some music. I looked out the window, trying to figure out where we were heading. I didn't recognize any of the buildings. I was just going to have to wait; the anxiety was killing me.It must have been over an hour when the car finally slowed down.It looked like an isolated ranch with a big open field and hills b

Clara's POV Derek stepped onto the stage, accepting the mic from the MC, who then walked off the stage.Everyone focused on him as he brought the mic closer to speak."Before I met Clara, my life was black and white. Till you brought so much colour and so many other things I will never forget and forever cherish." He paused. He stared at me intently from the stage.This was his reaction?I just told him the one truth that could shutter everything, and this was his reaction. Did he not care that I lied to him? Had he already known?“Clara, could you please come up to the stage?" Derek called out.I stood frozen and unable to respond. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Everything in me told me to walk away and run out of this venue and never return.But the crowd began closing in on me and cheered, everyone yelling my name in unison as they clapped.Before I knew it, my mother was behind me. Rubbing my shoulders, she encouraged me to walk to the stage.The crowd cheered eve

Clara's POV "I didn't mean for things to end up this way, and I wanted to tell you. If you already knew, what else did you expect from me?" I answered, my voice low and in a whisper."That you'd at least have an ounce of decency to say it to my face. That's the least you could have done, right?" He answered. "I realised something. It's not that you are just a coward, but you would happily continue lying to my face." He paused. "I don't even know if anything about you was ever real, every moment we spent together. I now realise it was all just a part of your act." He added.I didn't know if his words hurt because they were coming from him or if it was that there was a small chance that what he said about me may have been true.I shook my head. The tears somehow found their way back to my eyes.It hurt me more knowing that this was what he thought of me. By then, I could only stare at my feet on the ground. He was right; I was a coward, and I shouldn't have done this. If I could turn b

Derek POV I tried to convince myself I wasn't doing it for her but to get one less psychopath off the streets."They found the guy," Luke paused again. "He was found badly beaten, and he is in critical condition." He explained.I took a long sigh. If that guy dies, we may never know why he did it or if someone else was behind it. But who would want to kill Clara? Maybe she pissed off an old boyfriend."Let me know if there's anything else I need to know," I replied. "Can you do me another favour?" I paused. "I did something stupid. I'm going to need you to have many pictures and videos deleted," I asked. I proceeded to explain the rest in detail. I wouldn't have any of those pictures and videos spread around that the guests took. I didn't care what he had to do to ensure that. My conscience wouldn't let me live.I was never going to have the photographers publish any of those photos. I just wanted her to feel the pain I did. But the damage I caused was far deeper than that. I wouldn'