2025-11-20 14:04:53Eric paced up and down the living room, his eyes narrowing at every small detail. For the past few days, something strange had been happening around the Harrison family. Bills got paid suddenly. Mrs Harrison received proper treatment at the hospital. Clara and Ava walked around with less fear in their eyes.
And none of it came from him.
He folded his arms and leaned against the wall, watching Clara quietly as she arranged some clothes. She avoided his eyes, acting as if everything was normal.
“You’ve been smiling too much lately,” Eric said suddenly.
Clara froze for a second. “Why shouldn’t I smile? Mom is better.”
“Yes… she is better.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “And who paid for that?”
Clara swallowed. “God helped us.”
Eric let out a cold laugh. “God? Don’t lie to me, Clara. I know you. You can’t hide anything. Someone has been helping this family.”
Ava entered the living room slowly, hugging her arms. She sensed tension. “Can we not do this today? Mom is resting.”
Eric turned to her sharply. “Ava, you talk too much these days. Maybe you know something. Who is helping you people?”
Ava opened her mouth but closed it again. She didn’t know the truth, but she wasn’t foolish enough to expose the little peace they now had.
Clara stepped forward. “We don’t know who is helping us. Maybe it’s the doctor showing pity.”
Eric stared at Clara for a long time. His anger softened into something more dangerous—curiosity. “No. A doctor won’t pay that kind of money. And the landlady still wants the balance. Someone paid half… someone who cares about you.”
Clara felt her heart skip. She remembered the mysterious man who came to deliver the receipt. She hadn’t seen his face, but something about the way he walked reminded her of someone she used to know. Someone she missed.
But she pushed the thought away.
Eric’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Clara, if you’re hiding a man somewhere, you better confess now.”
Clara glared at him. “I don’t have any man. And even if I did, what does it have to do with you?”
Eric’s jaw tightened. “It has everything to do with me. People already think I’m responsible for this family. If another man is stepping in, it makes me look weak.”
Ava rolled her eyes. “So this is about your pride again?”
Eric ignored her. He walked past Clara, searching the room as if expecting to find evidence of the mysterious helper.
“Someone is helping you,” he repeated slowly. “And I’m going to find out who.”
Clara’s heart tightened. Eric could be cruel when he felt threatened. She prayed he wouldn’t discover the truth. She prayed he wouldn’t find out that Ryan was back in town, watching over them from the shadows.
Because if Eric ever discovered that…
Things would become dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Eric grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. “If the person wants a war, I’ll give them one. No one steals my position.”
The door slammed behind him.
Clara sat down slowly, her body trembling. Ava touched her shoulder gently.
“Do you think Eric will find out?”
Clara shook her head. “I don’t know… but I hope not.”
Because somewhere far away, hidden in the quiet corners of the town, Ryan’s men were moving. Ryan was protecting them without showing his face.
And if Eric pushed too hard…
Ryan wouldn’t stay hidden forever.
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Chapter 156
Ryan stood at the hallway entrance like a statue. He did not move. He did not blink. He only stared at Clara, Ava, and Mrs Harrison as they talked about Uncle wanting to bail Eric.His heart was beating fast. His face slowly changed from shock to anger.*Why? Why would that man even think of bailing a boy like Eric?* *Why would he help someone who deals in drugs? Someone who kidnapped Ava? Someone who almost destroyed everything?*Ryan clenched his fists slowly.Clara finally noticed someone behind her. She turned and gasped softly.“Ryan… you’re there?”Ava looked back too. Her eyes widened. Mrs Harrison also turned sharply.Ryan walked forward slowly, his face hard and serious.“What did I just hear?” he asked, his voice low but full of anger.Clara swallowed. “Ryan… I wanted to tell you but—”“But what?” Ryan cut in. “But you wanted to hide it?”Mrs Harrison stood quickly. “Ryan, please calm down.”Ryan shook his head. “Calm down? How can I calm down when someone in this hous
Chapter 155
The next morning was bright and peaceful. Birds were singing outside the window. Inside the sitting room, Mrs Harrison—Grace—sat on the sofa with Clara and Ava.Ava looked stronger and brighter now. She had fully recovered, and she sat comfortably with a small smile on her face.“Mummy,” Ava said, “I feel better now. I think I am ready to go back to school.”Mrs Harrison touched her hair gently. “My daughter, are you sure you are strong enough?”Ava nodded. “Yes, Mum. I rested well. I ate well. And the doctor already said I am fine.”Clara smiled. “I am happy you are going back. Staying at home was making you bored.”Ava laughed. “Very bored.”They all laughed for a few seconds until Mrs Harrison suddenly became quiet. Her face changed a little.Clara noticed it. “Mum, what is it? You look worried.”Mrs Harrison sighed and looked at her hands. “There is something I want to tell both of you.”Ava and Clara looked at each other, then back at her.“What is it?” Ava asked.Mrs Harris
Chapter 154
The afternoon sun was slowly going down. The house was quiet because Clara had taken Ava to the backyard to play. Ryan was in the room resting. That was when Clara’s uncle walked slowly into the sitting room where Mrs Harrison was folding some clothes.He cleared his throat. “Grace… we need to talk.”Mrs Harrison looked up. “Talk about what? You look serious.”Clara’s uncle sat down slowly. He rubbed his palms together as if he was thinking deeply. “It’s about that boy in the station… Eric.”Mrs Harrison frowned immediately. “What about him?”He looked at her closely. “I am going to bail him out tomorrow morning.”Mrs Harrison dropped the clothes immediately. “God forbid! Why would you say that? You want to bail that troublemaker?”Clara’s uncle sighed. “Grace, calm down. Let us think well. The boy is suffering in that place.”Mrs Harrison shook her head fast. “He deserves to suffer! Do you know what he did? Do you know how he almost destroyed Clara and Ryan’s peace? How he behaved ba
Chapter 153
Chapter 153Ryan woke up very early the next morning. Sleep did not stay long with him because his mind was troubled. He kept thinking of one thing:Why did Clara’s uncle hate him the moment he saw him?He lay on the bed for a while, staring at the ceiling. He felt something in his chest, a kind of quiet warning. Something was wrong, but he did not know what it was.Clara was still sleeping beside him, holding his hand. Ryan looked at her peaceful face and forced a smile. He reached out and brushed her hair gently.“I will not let anything happen to you,” he whispered.He got up and went to the window. The compound was quiet. Birds were singing. But even with the peaceful morning, Ryan still felt something heavy in his heart.After dressing up, he went downstairs. Mrs Harrison was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Clara’s uncle sat in the living room reading a newspaper, but he was not really reading. His eyes were moving, but his mind seemed far away.When Ryan entered the
Chapter 152
Ryan woke up very early the next morning. He did not sleep well at all. His eyes were heavy, and his mind was still full of yesterday’s thoughts. But he stood up slowly and forced himself to move. He washed his face and looked into the mirror.“You must stay calm,” he told himself quietly. “You must watch him. You must not make mistakes.”He changed his clothes and walked out of the room. The house was quiet. Only the soft morning breeze entered through the open window. He walked toward the kitchen to drink water, but he stopped when he heard voices.It was Clara and her uncle.Ryan moved slowly and stood near the wall, not too close, but close enough to hear. He did not want them to know he was listening.Clara’s voice sounded calm. “Uncle, you should eat something. You just came back from a long trip.”Her uncle replied with a fake smile in his tone. “I am fine, Clara. Don’t worry about me.”Ryan could hear the change in the man’s voice. When he spoke to Clara, he was gentle. B
Chapter 151
Ryan could not sleep.The whole night felt heavy. The house was quiet, but his mind was not. He sat on the couch in the living room with his hands pressed together. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Clara’s uncle’s face. That cold look. That sharp stare. That strong hatred he did not hide well.Ryan had been judged many times in life, but this one felt different. The hatred from Clara’s uncle came too fast. Too strong. Too sudden. And Ryan kept asking himself the same question over and over again…“Why? Why did he hate me at first sight?”He replayed everything in his head. The moment the man entered the house. The way he smiled at Mrs Harrison. The way he hugged Clara. The way he carried himself with pride. And then… the way his face had changed the moment he saw Ryan standing beside Ava.The smile faded.The eyes narrowed.The body stiffened.And in that first second, Ryan had felt it—the dislike, the anger, the rejection. The man had looked at him like he was a danger. Like
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