Daddy’s billionaire step-brother
Chapter 50: Amalfi dreams

Henry and Clara posed for photos by the cliffs, smiling as if they were truly in love. His arm wrapped around her waist in a show of affection for the cameras, but in reality, there was nothing behind his smile. Clara could feel the distance between them, the coldness. He was going through the motions, and so was she. The media loved the image of them as the perfect, glamorous couple. Henry, the handsome heir to the Caldwell fortune, and Clara, the young beauty who would soon become a part of the powerful family.

But Clara wasn't blind to the eyes watching her from afar. Mr. Caldwell was always there, lurking in the background, his gaze lingering on her every move. She felt his eyes on her during every dinner, every public appearance. It was a constant reminder of what was coming-the moment she would have to seduce him, to sell her body to save her baby and her reputation. The weight of it made her stomach churn with disgust and fear.

As she stood on the balcony of her villa one evening, staring out at the ocean, she felt utterly trapped. The world below looked so vast, so free. But she was a prisoner in her own life, bound by the decisions of men who only saw her as a pawn. A piece in their game.

Tears welled up in her eyes as the reality of it all sank deeper into her bones. She wasn't sure how she would get through this. She didn't know if she could actually go through with it, but she had no choice. Mr. Caldwell had made it clear what was expected of her, and her father had done nothing to protect her.

This was her life now. A life where her baby's future depended on how well she played the role she'd been forced into. And as much as it broke her heart, she knew what had to be done.

Clara's mind spun in circles, unable to escape thoughts of Adrian. She leaned against the marble railing of the balcony, her gaze unfocused as she stared out at the ocean. How could he abandon her? How could he leave her like this, pregnant and alone, when she had once believed however naively-that what they shared was real? She knew, deep down, that he had warned her. He had told her it had to end. He said it shouldn't have begun in the first place. But she couldn't stay away. She kept coming back to him, pulled into his orbit by the gravity of their passion. She had pushed too hard, held on too tightly. And now, she was paying the price.

The memory of their last moments together lingered, haunting her like a ghost. His touch, the way he looked at her, the heat between them-it had been so intoxicating, so intense. She hadn't wanted it to end, even though she knew it couldn't last. She was young, reckless, and maybe even foolish for believing in something more than the fleeting, dangerous thrill of their forbidden affair.

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the weight of everything. Her baby. Adrian. The arranged marriage to Henry. The looming shadow of Mr. Caldwell. Her life felt like it was collapsing in on itself, and she had no control, no way to escape the choices that had led her here.

Wiping the tear away, she opened her eyes and looked out over the estate again, letting the warm evening breeze dry her face. But then, something caught her eye. Far below, in the distance, she saw a familiar figure stepping out of a sleek black car parked near the entrance to the villa.

Her breath caught in her throat. Adrian.

Clara froze, her heart racing in her chest as she watched him emerge from the car, his movements calm and confident. He was dressed sharply, just as she remembered him, looking completely out of place and yet entirely at ease among the Caldwells' lavish surroundings. What was he doing here? Her mind scrambled to make sense of what she was seeing.

Was he here for her? After all this time, after leaving her to fend for herself, could it be possible that Adrian had come back for her?

A flood of emotions surged through her. Anger. Longing. Fear. She gripped the railing tighter, torn between the urge to run to him and the resentment boiling inside her. How could he show up now, after everything? To witness her marrying another man... After he had abandoned her and their child?

But no matter how much she tried to tell herself that she hated him for it, she couldn't deny the way her heart still ached for him. He had been the only one who ever made her feel alive, even if their relationship was doomed from the start. Her gaze remained locked on him, her thoughts a tangled mess. What was he doing here? What did this mean? The questions filled her head, but none of them had answers-not yet.

Adrian hadn't noticed her standing on the balcony. She wondered if he was here for business, something related to the Caldwells, or if there was a chance just a small, impossible chance that he had come for her. To save her from this nightmare of a life that awaited her.

Clara turned around and rushed to the door, hoping to catch Adrian, her pulse thudding with the urgency to see him, to speak to him, to make sense of why he was here. Part of her wanted to speak, part of her wanted to scream... Part of her just wanted to throw herself into his arms and cry all the tears she haven't already. She longed for his embrace, to be safe in his big arms. But the moment the door swung open, her father was standing there, his stern face blocking her path. "Where do you think you're going?" Richard's voice was cold, full of restrained fury.