Chapter 13: The Midnight Message

It was the dead of night.

Clara and Carrie were both burning the midnight oil, holed up in their respective homes editing videos while chatting over a voice call.

Having finished her edits earlier than Clara, Carrie found herself with idle time and offered some st

Chapter 14: The Dining Table Execution

For an ordinary person, one's favorite pastime was aimlessly scrolling on their phone. Right now, however, Clara's phone felt less like a gadget and more like a glowing, white-hot yam. Tossing it away was out of the question; keeping it was a psychological haz

Chapter 15: The Uncomfortable Gift

"Take a look. What would you like to eat?"

A menu was placed directly in front of her. Clara froze.

Reflex overrode sheer terror. She lifted her head and blinked up at the man sitting beside her.

Julian’s profile remained as chiseled and striking as ever. From