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Claire Lyons has always been the quiet, good girl, harboring a secret crush on her best friend Vanessa's father, Rawls Bennett, since she was sixteen. Now a grown woman, Claire can no longer ignore her feelings. But confessing to Rawls risks more than just heartbreak-it could shatter friendships, unearth buried secrets, and set off a chain of events no one saw coming. As tensions rise, loyalties are tested, and lives are changed, Claire must decide whether love is worth the chaos it will unleash
Claire's POV
I glared at my brother, not ready to release the slice of cake.
"Richmond," I called in a warning tone.
He smiled wickedly, sighing his spoon into the cake.
"Don't you dare!" I warned, but he was prepared, running away from the spot before I could catch him.
He had the last piece of cake. And it was mine. He ran off to his room.
"Richmond!!!" I yelled, but he only laughed, making me more defeated than angry. That was supposed to be my dessert. For goodness sake, he had eaten all the cake.
Dad was laughing and gently pushed a glass of juice on me. I grabbed the glass and drank it.
"You have to be quicker than him next time," Dad said, and I rolled my eyes. I packed the dishes and took them to the kitchen.
I washed them and walked to my room, briefly stopping to kick Richmond's door.
"Good night, Dad!" I yelled from the staircase.
"Good night honey," my dad replied.
I walked up to my room and shut the door. Being the only daughter of my dad and the lovely princess of the house I had the coziest bedroom. It was large and painted in soft powdered blue and peach.
It was the typical girly room with many accessories and things only girls would understand. I had a dressing table, a large mirror and a small purse mirror which served more use than the larger one.
A medium-sized box of makeup kits and some jewelry boxes decorated the room. I loved to be neat, and everything had its place. My laptop lay on my bed open, and I went to close it.
I placed it on the table and stretched out on my bed. My mind drifted to Rawl Benett. He was the man I had been crushing on for years since I was sixteen. He was my best friend, Vanessa's father.
I couldn't stop my feelings for him no matter how hard I tried. Every Time I was around him, I would stare and look away before he caught me. His fine, neatly trimmed beards made my hands itchy to touch, and those lips were always dreamy.
He was a fine hunk of a man, and those grey eyes always made me lose. "He's just so perfect," I mumbled.
Memories of the time he made me laugh when I was sad flooded my mind. I covered my cheeks in my hand as they turned warm.
"Why does it have to be so hard?" I murmured. "I love you but I can't be with you. You don't even notice me. You probably look at me as your daughter."
"Ugh, just my luck to fall for my friend's father," I said, rubbing my hand on my face.
My hands fell to my sides on the bed and I sighed. "I shouldn't be thinking of you."
Thinking of him made me shudder delightfully, and I closed my eyes, smiling.
My eyes flashed open as a faint knock came on my door. "Ugh," I groaned softly and went to open the door.
"Dad, shouldn't you be a..." the words caught in my throat as I stared in shock at the pair of eyes looking back at me. What was he doing here?
"Rawl," I gasped.
"Hey," he responded.
"Oh my God! Did anyone see you coming here?" I asked, searching for anyone behind him.
Satisfied with seeing no one, I pulled him into the room and shut the door quickly. I held my chest, panting and my gaze fell on him.
"What are you doing here? It's late!"
He smirked and walked closer to me. "I thought you wanted me around," he answered.
"I did but not like this. How do you even get past the door? Did Dad see you?" I asked.
He leaned closer, pushing me slowly to the wall. "I may have used the spare key. And no, I was careful enough not to be seen. I wasn't expecting to be so lucky," Rawl said, smirking.
My heart pounded faster in my chest, and my cheeks turned hot.
His fingers touched my chin and lifted my face to meet his gaze. "Look at me, Claire. You have gorgeous eyes," he said.
His eyes darted to my lips. "And those lips," he said, moving his thumb to caress my bottom lip.
"Rawl," I whispered and his lips brushed mine. My heart raced wildly at the touch. "I..."
"Shh," he said. "Don't say anything."
His soft lips mine, awakening the butterflies dancing in my stomach. I had never imagined it would be this beautiful. My lips moved against his.
I wrapped my hands around his neck, wanting more. He broke the kiss, and I felt disappointed. I looked up at him, my heart racing.
I watched him lick his lips and my legs shivered. He leaned in, giving me goosebumps as his warm breath touched my neck. "You're so beautiful, Claire," he whispered.
His fingers traced my jawline and I shivered. "I wished I had done this sooner. I'm not holding back anymore," he said.
"I love you, Claire."
"Rawl, do you mean it?" I asked, my voice whispering.
"Yes, baby," he replied.
"You don't know how long I have waited to hear those words," I confessed, touching his face.
"I love you, Rawl."
I wrapped my arms around him, pulled him closer and kissed him.
"I want you, Claire," he whispered after breaking the kiss.
"I want you too, Rawl."
"You're mine. Only mine!" His deep voice growled softly, and he leaned in, his lips brushing mine as I suddenly woke up.
"Rawl," I whispered, looking around to see an empty room.
I sat up quickly on my bed, moving the sheets off my body. I scanned the room, wondering what had just happened.
I kept looking around my room. I ran to the door and stopped once I noticed it was locked from the inside, which I could have only done.
"What just happened?" I asked. "He was right here. And we...kissed." I was with Rawl. How did I end up back in my bed?
I raised my fingers to touch my lips. It had felt real. Wasn't it?
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.