Clara POV I looked at Derek's mother and instantly froze.By "undo all my handy work," what did she mean?Was this all orchestrated by her?She was the first to speak, breaking the stillness. She said, "I'm Layla, Derek's mother. You must be Clara. We didn't have a chance to introduce ourselves when we met last time."I attempted to perfect a grin by nodding. I was starting to feel anxious.My mind was racing with a million questions. What was her intention, and why was she here? Has she heard about the baby? And in that case, what would she do? So many questions left unsolved."I believe it's reasonable to suggest that I have to give you an explanation," she went on.She waved at me to come sit down.I was so shocked that it took me a while to react.We faced each other as we sat down on the living room couch.Her driver was right outside, so should I order anything to drink for the two of us?I rejected that with a shake of my head.Before speaking, she cleared her throat and cross

Clara's POVAs much as I knew I would never carry out her plan, that was the least I could do for her. Besides, Derek was already so invested in this whole thing that it would break him to learn later that there was no baby and everything was a lie. Better to tell him the truth now than when he was too attached.I responded, "You should probably go soon; this room is for visitors.""It seems like you haven't lent at all. The woman said.That responds to the query.It seems she was the one who leased the suite room—likely under a different name to avoid raising red flags.I wanted to walk away from this mayhem, but one last question kept bothering me."Why am I?" May I ask?"Why was she being so adamant? I mean, if she could carry her scheme this far, she could probably find someone else to take my place.She said, "Because Madison views you as a danger."With no more inquiries, I turned around and departed from the room.What made rich men want their wives to marry into wealthy famili

Clara's POVAt last, her gaze came to rest on me."You have to notify your supervisor to ensure she gets fired, or I'll take action to see that she does." Madison said, "You have to decide on our agreement quickly, or else you will soon follow."She threw open her bedroom door and rushed out of the room."I'll take care of her," her father said as he followed her.Maggie burst into sobs, covering her lips with her palm as she tried to hold back the emotions.I put my arms around her and escorted her out of the suite.Maggie sobbed, "I was simply cleaning around her fragrances when I took one up to clean. Please tell Marcus not to fire me. I didn't intend to." Madison entered and thought I was using it. She then hauled me out of her room. "I swear to you, I didn't use it; my hands and clothing smell," she pleaded.Asking me to sniff it, she clutched the hem of her garment."Maggie, it's OK," I murmured to her.To stop Maggie from weeping, I gave her a firm embrace.I needed to stop thi

Clara's POVThat gave me great pleasur"It would be fantastic," feigned a grin by Madison. She said, "I suppose I'll see you tomorrow then."I'll be occupied," Derek said, reaching into his pocketsMadison pretended to grin again and turned to go, clearly dissatisfiedMy face broke into a big grin that would not go away. It still amazes me that I did it just nowI had to return to reality since Derek was focusing all of his attention on me right nowI tried to hide my grin by clearing my throat. "Sharp on five-thirty. Being late is something I dislike in others. We'll get together at the rear entrance. I Said IDerek gave me a perplexed look as he considered whether or not I had been kiddingI didn't give my choice much thought since I turned around and left before he could say anything moreWhy had I thought that? Joining Derek on a date. Every woman who is going to despise meThirty-five: why? I had no time to go home and change into something more respectable after that. Not that t

Clara's POVWe came to a stop in front of a Cullinan Rolls-Royce. Derek received the automobile keys from a valet. Derek gestured for me to enter as he opened the door. I got inside the car silently.As I sank into the leather seats, I paused to examine the vehicle. It was something I had never done before.Derek took the front wheel tonight, so he drove.I did not say a word on the drive. I had no idea why I was so anxious. I was frantically trying to get home as I fiddled with my fingers and glanced at everyone else outside.Fortunately, Derek didn't waste time talking either, concentrating most of his attention on the road. He turned on the radio and listened to music to pass the time.The vehicle stopped suddenly in front of a structure. Emerald Courtyard was written in strong letters. The restaurant's name had an almost familiar feel to it.The building had a fountain in front of it, and two security officers watched over the entrance. The visitors inside were visible via the gla