2025-11-20 14:10:45Clara stood in the small living room, folding the clothes she had washed earlier. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. Ava had stepped out to buy vegetables, and Mrs Harrison was sleeping peacefully after taking her medicine. For once, the house felt calm.
But Clara’s heart was not calm at all.
Things were changing, and she didn’t understand how.
Who paid the landlady part of the rent?
Who covered half of the hospital bills?
Who kept helping them from the shadows?
She sighed and placed the folded clothes on the table. “I wish I knew who is helping us,” she whispered.
At first, she thought Eric finally felt pity, but Eric’s attitude over the past few days proved otherwise. He still insulted them, avoided any responsibility, and kept talking about chasing Vanessa—the rich girl he wanted. There was no way he would suddenly help.
Clara sat down slowly, staring at her hands. “If it’s not Eric… then who?”
Just then, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Ava entering with a bag of vegetables.
“You look lost,” Ava said, dropping the bag on the table.
“I was thinking,” Clara replied. “Don’t you find it strange? The sudden help we’ve been getting?”
Ava nodded. “I noticed. But maybe someone just felt pity.”
Clara shook her head. “But who? We don’t have any relatives. No close friends. And no one in this town really cares about us.”
Ava went silent. She picked up a knife and started slicing onions, trying to avoid Clara’s worried eyes. “Maybe we’re just overthinking,” she said softly.
Clara opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, the door suddenly swung open.
Eric walked in, looking angry and tense. He didn’t even greet them.
Ava rolled her eyes. “What is it again?”
Eric ignored her and walked straight to Clara. “Did you or did you not tell the landlady that I would pay the rent soon?”
Clara’s heart skipped. She stood up slowly. “I—I only said that because you were arguing with her last week, and she already sees us as irresponsible. I didn’t mean anything.”
Eric’s voice rose sharply. “Do you know how embarrassing it is that she confronted me about it today? She mocked me in front of people, saying I finally decided to help my ‘family’ again.” He scoffed. “Do you think I like people thinking I’m responsible for you all?”
Clara stiffened in shock. “We are your family,” she whispered.
Eric leaned closer, eyes burning with anger. “Not anymore. I don’t want anything to do with your problems. And stop going around using my name.”
Ava’s chest rose with anger. “Eric, enough. We already know you don’t care.”
Eric turned sharply to her. “I don’t care, and I’m tired of repeating it.”
He walked toward the door to leave, but suddenly paused.
“Something strange is going on here,” he muttered. “Bills are being paid. Rent is covered. Hospital treatments are going smoothly.” He narrowed his eyes. “Who is helping you?”
Clara exchanged a quick glance with Ava.
“We don’t know,” Clara answered honestly.
Eric didn’t believe it. “You’re lying.” He stepped back inside and looked around, as if expecting to find someone hiding. “Someone is helping you. Someone with money. And I’m going to find out who.”
“Why do you care?” Ava snapped.
Eric smiled bitterly. “Because I don’t like being left in the dark. And if someone is trying to make me look useless, I will crush them.”
Clara swallowed hard. The way he said it made her uneasy.
Eric finally left the house with a loud slam of the door.
The silence that followed was thick and heavy.
Ava let out a slow breath. “What is wrong with him?”
Clara didn’t reply. Her mind was racing.
Because Eric was right about one thing — someone was helping them. Someone who didn’t want to be known.
“Whoever it is,” Clara whispered, “I just hope they don’t get into trouble because of us.”
She didn’t know that, somewhere outside the town, Ryan was reading a message from one of his men:
“Everything delivered. They are safe.”
He smiled faintly, but a painful ache settled on his shoulder from the injury he had treated the previous night.
“They don’t know it’s me,” he murmured. “Good. I want to protect them quietly.”
But deep inside, he knew the secret help wouldn’t stay hidden forever.
And when the truth finally comes out, everything will change.
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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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