Chapter 33: Chapter 33

One year later,

Jess waited anxiously. She repeatedly glanced at the G-shock on her right wrist. Occasionally, she looked around, hoping that the person who would pick her up would arrive, unaware that they might already be here. But it seemed unlikely. The person was supposed to use a distinctive car, and she would definitely notice their arrival soon. Her foot tapped gently, trying to calm her nerves. The corner of her lips was slightly sore from biting them too often.

Deciding to temporarily close her shop for the day, Jess asked Asya to take a break, even though she was suspicious. Jess was skilled at deflecting suspicions. She told Asya, "Going on a date with Roy," she said before leaving. But no, she couldn't possibly go on a date with Roy like this. Especially after... oh, Jess considered herself lucky to still be breathing. She often uttered thousands of gratitude for surviving the explosion that happened back then.

She never forgot how horrifying that incident was. She stared blankly at her hand, which still often caused pain beyond her control. Her hand was broken, and it was still in the healing process. Meanwhile, her colleague Paulina, who was sitting beside her, met a gruesome end. Jess couldn't shake off the memory of Paulina's horrifying face, covered in blood from shattered glass. Also, the wooden beam that had been right on her shoulder.

Almost every night, especially after her hospital treatment, her dreams were consistently bad, especially when she thought of Paulina. She sighed softly, attempting to push away those unpleasant memories. She was Jess, Jesslyn Willis, who was strong enough to face any hardships in her life. Once again, as she glanced at her watch, a red Jazz parked in front of her. She knew who the owner of this vehicle was.

Clara Jasson.

"Hurry up," she ordered without looking at Jess. Jess let out a soft sigh, rolling her eyes in exasperation. If it weren't for the matter concerning Fathia, she wouldn't want to meet Nine-Tailed Fox like this. A nickname that Fathia amusingly came up with, and now Jess agreed with it.

"Remember, I need your promise. If this leaks, I will know who to look for." Clara never gave warnings lightly. Especially to the red-haired girl sitting next to her.

"Just relax, Aunt. You can easily find me. As long as what you say is true, I won't talk." Jess glanced briefly, somewhat reluctant, but what could she do? When she heard the news that made her heart burst with joy, she found out two days ago. It wasn't just excitement, but also an extraordinary surprise.

Her surprise was justified. It wasn't easy to trust this beautiful woman, especially since Jess had been present, witnessed, shared tears, and sorrows with her friend; Fathia. Exactly in the middle of December last year, Fathia left them. The funeral was widely broadcasted, and Jess only realized who Fathia truly was.

The sole heir of the renowned Azure Group.

Clara nodded slowly. As far as her memories of Fathia went, the girl rarely socialized. She only had one friend at her campus; Jess, who now sat calmly beside her. Whether she was genuinely calm or trying to appear calm, Clara wasn't sure, but she did catch a faint sigh from Jess's side.

No one spoke a word. Clara didn't care; what she cared about was reluctantly bringing Fathia's friend along and leaving them there. In a safe room where Clara was confident that the annoying girl was tending to her collection of flowers. She had a promise with Sebastian this afternoon. It had been a week since she could meet him due to his busy schedule at the office. Whenever there was an opportunity, Clara wouldn't waste it.

Since the incident at Fathia's campus, which revealed two sides of the situation that compelled Clara, she decided to take a big risk. She hid Fathia for her own benefit. Luckily, a relative of hers owned the hospital where some of the explosion victims were treated. Using her influence, she had Fathia released and placed under her care.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Sebastian's change in attitude towards her made her heart bloom like spring. The attention he gave her made her daydream soar. Even if it was just a tiny bit, she felt a great hope for their relationship. Unconsciously, a faint smile appeared on her face. Her fingers tapped softly on the steering wheel, following the rhythm of the music playing in her car.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of the dearly missed Sebastian. Her goal was almost within reach – a happy life with only Sebastian and herself. To push away the existence of Fathia Bernessa Claire as far as possible.

This naturally made Jess suspicious. In her eyes, Clara was dangerous. The offer that came two days ago had made her skeptical for a moment, but when she heard Fathia's voice directly, her heart burst with happiness. A lot. At least Clara hadn't lied about her friend's existence. Jess would have to consider the situation they were facing as well as Fathia.

Jess occasionally observed the road they were taking. She also made a mental note of the hospital's name. As they entered the parking lot, Jess furrowed her brows. "Aunt, this... isn't a hospital?"

Jess's eyes didn't deceive her. This wasn't a hospital; it was a rather luxurious apartment building in North New York. The sound of the click and the engine turning off didn't prompt Clara to speak. It unleashed Jess's frustration without permission.

"Aunt," she demanded, quickly tailing the self-assured, beautiful woman in her eyes.

"Could you be quiet?" Clara turned slightly and gave a disapproving look to the noisy girl. Seeing Jess close her lips, Clara continued walking. There was irritation that she held back for this insolent girl. If it weren't for the conversation three days before the doctor declared that Fathia could be treated at home, she wouldn't have done anything for this disrespectful girl.

For almost three months, Clara had hidden Fathia's whereabouts. Without raising suspicion. It gave her the freedom to manipulate Fathia until her goal was achieved. No, Clara didn't need Fathia's money if she had any. Her wish was simple; Fathia to leave Sebastian's life. Her thoughts then drifted to the foolish conversation which, in Clara's eyes, presented a significant opportunity.

Clara's memories went back to a time when in the hospital room, the girl under her supervision, along with the specialist doctor, sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't do anything—only listened as the doctor reported on Fathia's condition. Sometimes she sat by the hospital window, gazing outside for a long time. It felt like being imprisoned.

"Will Fathia stay here much longer, Aunt?" she asked without beating around the bush when Clara visited. Ensuring that Fathia was in her hospital room had become a necessity for Clara, though she wasn't sure why. Especially since... well, she didn't want to speculate. She preferred to come up with a new plan as long as Sebastian didn't get suspicious.

The bandages that covered Fathia's face and head had been removed two weeks after she regained consciousness. Carefully, the doctor started unveiling all the mysteries for her. She needed time when the doctor informed her that the facial surgery had been successful. She was only told that she had suffered serious burns on the left side of her face. The facial reconstruction performed by the medical team couldn't fully restore her appearance. They were allowed to leave a week later. During the recovery period, Clara took her back to New York. She only found out that she had been hidden in Singapore all this time.

"Why?"

The girl stared at her intensely. Then she let out a soft sigh and cleared her throat briefly. This made Clara, who was sitting while playing with her phone, furrow her brows.

"Okay, I agree to stay away from you guys."

Clara didn't just believe it immediately. Fathia was smart at feigning innocence. Her most formidable competitor for Sebastian's attention. Everything she possessed made Clara unable to underestimate her easily.

"I won't be in your lives anymore."

"What's the guarantee?"

The girl smiled slightly, making Clara truly realize that she wasn't dealing with an ordinary twenty-year-old.

"I know that saving me isn't your only intention, right? Even if you don't admit to knowing the people who intended harm to us, I know that you have some knowledge about me."

Clara fell silent, choosing to wait for the continuation of Fathia's words.

"Even though it's hard to accept, I understand that what you've said is true. Sebastian won't remain in charge of Azure Group for long. Can you accept that? He won't be flaunting his suits anymore? Or... maybe—"