Chapter 35 up
Clark dozed on the sofa, his breathing steady, his fragile body slowly recovering after days filled with pain and dependence on Nyla. Nyla sat beside him, watching him gently, occasionally patting his hand. There was a sense of peace in the air—a feeling that had long been absent from their lives.
But outside the window, Selena stood under the streetlight, staring at the apartment with eyes burning with anger. Her body trembled, her lips pressed tightly together, holding back a surge of rage. She couldn’t accept the reality: Clark and Nyla were growing closer.
“What am I seeing… he’s still letting her care for him?” Selena muttered, her voice shaking. “How is this possible… after everything I’ve done, after all my sacrifices… he still chooses Nyla? He still trusts her?”
Selena took a deep breath, her face flushed, then she smirked slyly. “If that’s the case… I’ll destroy it. I won’t stand by and watch their happiness. I’ll make Nyla regret… and I’ll make Clark regret trusting her.”
Inside the apartment, Nyla prepared a cup of warm water for Clark, who was still sleeping peacefully on the sofa. “I need to calm my heart,” Nyla whispered softly as she sat in the chair near him. She looked at him, feeling relief that he was finally starting to recover. Yet deep down, there was an unease she couldn’t explain.
Suddenly, a loud knock on the door made her turn. Selena stood there, her face red with anger and eyes holding back tears. Without waiting for an invitation, she stepped into the apartment with purposeful strides.
“Selena… what are you doing here?” Nyla asked, trying to stay calm. Her voice was gentle but firm.
Selena’s eyes blazed as she stared at Nyla. “I… I can’t stay silent. I can’t see you here… taking care of him… You think you’re so great, huh? You think you’re smart because you can calm Clark?”
Nyla took a deep breath. “I’m not here to compete with you. I’m here because I care about Clark. That’s all.”
Selena laughed bitterly. “Care? You call this caring? You’re just a foolish woman who follows every whim! I can’t let this continue!”
Nyla straightened her posture. “Don’t misunderstand, Selena. I may care about him, but I’m not foolish. I’m not afraid of you. And I won’t leave Clark. You need to understand that.”
Selena frowned, her face red with fury. “You… you have to leave now. I won’t let you stay here!”
Nyla met her gaze, restraining her own anger. “I won’t leave just because you’re angry. Clark is sleeping. He needs peace, not our quarrel. If you want to talk, wait until he wakes up.”
Selena gave a sinister smile. “Clark doesn’t need to know everything. And I can make sure you leave… right now.”
Quickly, Selena stepped forward, roughly tapping Nyla on the shoulder. “Get out of here before I really lose my temper!”
Nyla stared at her for a long moment, her heart pounding. She knew Selena was becoming bolder and more dangerous. But she remained steadfast. “Selena… stop. I won’t let you push me away. Clark may be asleep, but my heart is alert. I won’t leave just because of your threats.”
Selena’s eyes glittered as she stepped even closer. “I said leave! Don’t you understand? You have no right to stay here! I do!”
Nyla raised her hands, trying to push Selena back, but Selena was faster. In an instant, she shoved Nyla forcefully, almost making her fall to the floor.
“Selena!” Nyla shouted, holding back her anger. “Stop! You’ve gone too far!”
Selena glanced at Clark, still asleep on the sofa. A sly smile spread across her face. “Clark’s sleeping… he won’t know. You can leave now, Nyla. Don’t come back until I say so. And trust me… you’ll regret defying me.”
Nyla swallowed, her body trembling from a mix of anger and frustration. Yet she knew that if she stayed, Selena would continue to provoke Clark and disrupt his peace. With a heavy heart, Nyla looked at Clark, still peacefully asleep, took a deep breath, and headed for the door.
Before leaving, she looked at Selena with fearless eyes. “I’m not afraid of you, Selena. You may be able to push me out now, but I will come back. And you will not destroy us—not Clark, not me.”
Selena watched Nyla walk away, her face red with anger and confusion. She gave a bitter grin. “You’ll regret it… you’ll regret being so confident,” she whispered hoarsely.
Outside the apartment, Nyla paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, feeling the cold night air soothe her. Her heart burned, but she calmed herself. She knew Clark was asleep and unaware of her departure. She also knew Selena was growing bolder, and this was only the beginning of a bigger conflict.
Nyla walked away, feeling both relief and worry. “I need to plan my next move,” she murmured. “Selena won’t stop. Clark must stay safe, and I need to make sure her plans fail.”
On the other side, Selena slammed the apartment door shut, staring into the darkness of the night, her face turning cold and calculating. She knew her move had worked—Nyla had left without Clark noticing. But inside, a growing thirst burned: a thirst for control, a thirst for power over Clark, and a determination to destroy Nyla completely.
A few hours later, Clark woke up. He felt the emptiness on the side of the bed—Nyla was gone. He looked around, confused, and suddenly realization slowly dawned.
“Nyla…? Where’s Nyla?” he whispered weakly.
Anxiety struck, mixed with regret. He rose, seeing the bedroom door locked from the outside. Immediately, he realized Selena must be behind this. Pain surged in his chest—not only physical from days of sickness and weakness, but emotional. He realized that even though he had started to regain awareness, Selena was still capable of separating him from Nyla.
Clark rubbed his face, holding back his emotions. “I… I have to find her. I won’t let Selena win.”
Outside, Selena watched the apartment, grinning. She knew Clark was becoming aware, but she also knew her cunning move to separate Nyla and Clark had worked—at least temporarily.
“Clark will cry, and Nyla will feel the pain. Everything is going according to plan,” she murmured.