Chapter 67: The Unexpected Visitor

The afternoon sun was setting over the Laurent mansion, casting the landscape in a play of orange hues and long shadows. Clara had stepped out into the garden to clear her mind after the intense conversation with Vincent. The fresh air seemed to calm her, but her thoughts kept spinning. Her father’s revelations continued to drum in her head like a distant echo, and the feeling that he was still hiding something left her restless.

She walked slowly to the edge of the vast garden, where the flowers were beginning to wither with the changing season. Just as she was about to sit on a stone bench, an odd sensation of being watched made her stop. She glanced around, searching for any movement among the trees that bordered the property.

That’s when she saw him. A male figure, partially hidden behind a thick trunk, seemed to be observing her from a distance. Clara felt a chill run down her spine. The setting sun barely illuminated the man’s face, but when their eyes met, her heart stopped for a moment.

“Alex Morán?” she murmured, incredulous.

It was impossible not to recognize him. Alejandro Morán, her ex-boyfriend—the man she had left behind when she decided to move on with her life after returning from Paris—was there, watching her from the shadows. Alex didn’t move immediately, but when Clara took a step toward him, he finally stepped out from his hiding place.

“Clara,” he said in a low voice, but loud enough for her to hear.

Surprise mingled with anger on Clara’s face. Years had passed since she last saw him, and the last thing she expected was to find him in such a remote place as her father’s mansion.

“What are you doing here?” she asked cautiously, keeping her distance.

Alex raised his hands, as if to show he wasn’t a threat.

“I had to see you. I’ve tried to contact you, but it seems you’ve disappeared from the world. Your father has too many barriers.”

Clara clenched her fists, feeling a mix of emotions ranging from nostalgia to irritation.

“And you thought the best way to find me was by sneaking around like a thief? What do you want, Alex? Haven’t you done enough damage already? Remember, you killed our child.”

He looked at her intensely, but something in his eyes unsettled her.

“I couldn’t wait any longer. This isn’t just about you, Clara. There’s something you need to know... and it’s not safe to talk here.”

Clara stepped back, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

“What are you talking about? If you have something to say, say it now.”

Alex glanced quickly toward the mansion, as if fearing someone might be watching them.

“Please, Clara. Trust me one more time. This is important. It’s about your mother... and your father.”

His words left her breathless. What did Alex know about her family? Why was he involving himself in something that had nothing to do with him? Clara looked toward the mansion, where the lights were beginning to turn on, and then back at Alex.

“You have five minutes,” she finally said, though her heart was pounding.

Alex nodded, but before he could start, a noise from the house interrupted them. Vincent, ever vigilant, had stepped into the garden and had spotted them. His face hardened instantly as he recognized Alex.

“What’s going on here?” Vincent asked in a cold, authoritative voice, striding quickly toward them.

Clara felt a knot form in her stomach. The calm of the afternoon had vanished, and now she was trapped between two worlds, unsure which one would bring her the truth.

Clara maintained her composure under her father’s furious gaze as she tried to appear calm. She took a deep breath before answering:

“Father, he was just asking for directions. I don’t know him beyond a passing acquaintance, and I couldn’t help him.”

Vincent narrowed his eyes, distrusting every word his daughter uttered. He could read people better than anyone, and in that moment, although Clara’s words seemed innocent, something in her tone betrayed a deeper connection to the man before him.

“Really?” he said with icy calm that sent chills down Clara’s spine.

“Yes,” she replied, almost in a whisper, before turning and heading toward the mansion. Her heart was racing, but she knew the best thing to do was to distance herself from the growing tension between the two men.

When she entered the main hall, Clara turned to her father, who had followed her inside, his usual aura of authority filling the room.

“Father, you should help him. He seemed lost.”

Vincent stopped abruptly, a bitter smile crossing his face.

“Help him?” he repeated incredulously. The room fell silent for a moment before he continued, his tone growing colder with each word. “Clara, do you know who Alex Morán is?”

Clara shook her head, though in truth, she knew him all too well.

“He’s the son of one of my worst enemies,” Vincent said in a voice so low it seemed to carry centuries of contained hatred. He stepped closer to her, each step heavy and laden with intent. “Do you know what that means? That by being here, he’s looking for trouble... or worse, he’s looking for you.”

Clara opened her mouth to reply, but Vincent raised a hand, silencing her immediately.

“Do you know what I could do to him—or rather, to his father—right now?” Vincent continued, leaning slightly toward her, his gaze as sharp as a blade. “I could have him beheaded, right here and now, just for daring to set foot on my property.”

Clara took a step back, her hands trembling slightly.

“Father, you can’t do that.”

Vincent let out a dry laugh, one devoid of any humor.

“Can’t I?” he asked, his tone dangerously soft. “Not only can I, Clara, but I can make his father pay with his life if I wanted to. That’s how things work in my world. And if I’m telling you this now, it’s because I want you to understand one thing: don’t go near that man again.”

“I’m not close to him!” Clara protested, desperation creeping into her voice. “I didn’t even know who he was.”

Vincent took another step toward her, until their faces were almost level.

“I hope that’s true,” he whispered. “Because if I find out you’re lying to me, Clara, not only will he pay the consequences.”

Clara felt the weight of his words crash down on her like a heavy slab. She couldn’t understand how things had escalated so quickly, or how Vincent could speak to her that way, but one thing was clear: Alex Morán had brought a dangerous storm with him, and she was caught in the middle.