For a moment, I let myself believe him. I let myself melt into the warmth of his hand, I could see the embers from the fireplace glowing in his eyes. I let myself forget the battles waiting outside for me outside the cottage, after our vacation was over. 

After all, I agreed to follow him so I could find some peace and quiet. I agreed to this vacation because somewhere in my heart, I wanted to steal time alone with him. Mark was the man I wanted, I can't even lie. He is my dream come true.

That night, we sat by the fire for a long time after Lily had fallen asleep, speaking in hushed voices about everything. We talked about my dreams, my childhood and his regrets. And though we never said it out loud, love was between us, it was fragile but undeniable.

For three days, we enjoyed that fragile peace. Lily laughed more than she had in weeks, chasing waves along the shore with Mark running playfully after her. His laughter and hers made my heart palpate with joy and peace. 

I watched them play from the porch where I sat, my heart swelling with hope and joy. Mark was my joy, he gave me a kind of hope that I knew was dangerous. When I cooked, he stayed with me, hyping every scent of aroma that came from my simple meals. 

He ate my food with joy and a warm smile that made me know that I had found my home, my safe place. He didn't let me do any chores, he got the house cleaners to do it. I knew from the way he treated me that he was madly in love with me. 

We played board games by the fire. And for the first time, I felt what it was like to have a family, to belong to someone. My parents were always there for me but I had been alone, after my mum died and  I had to raise Lily on my own. 

My ex, Lily's father, was the man I thought I would spend my whole life with. We met when I was in college and he told me that he would be my everything. 

Our love story ended when I discovered that he was cheating on me with my then best friend in college. I found out I was pregnant three weeks after our break up and I told him. 

He told me to get rid of it but I knew I couldn't. So I decided to raise Lily on my own without him and without support. And that has been my life until I met Mark. 

Mark, my Mark had been my peace and comfort from my struggles. But the peace we shared was a fragile thing and it was shattered on the fourth morning.

I woke up that morning to the sound of loud voices outside. My heart was pounding from fear, so  I rushed to the door.

I froze at the door instantly but it wasn't because I felt cold. I just couldn't believe the figure I was seeing. 

You guessed right, it was Emily Vanclair. 

She  stood in the driveway, and her designer coat was glistering under the bright sun, her eyes looked as if she had won a battle. She looked like she had been looking for me and Mark and she finally found us. 

Behind her was a sleek black car, and though I couldn't see inside, I knew that his parents had found us.

"Well," Emily's voice bragged with her gaze sweeping over the cottage with disgust before landing on me. "So this is where you've been hiding. You can't take Mark away from me."

Mark stepped in front of me instantly, his voice aggressively chasing her. "Emily, leave."

She laughed, it was a cruel sound that made my stomach twist. "Leave? Oh no, darling. I've come to take you. Your parents are furious, and frankly I am too." I can't believe you ran away with this cheap waitress and that thing she calls her child."

"Emily!!!" his voice flared in anger. "Don't speak to her that way."

"I'm just asking if you know what this has done to our image?" Emily replied to him. 

"What image? I don't care!"  Mark roared back at her. 

I was shocked at her words. Our image. She said it as if Mark were already hers.

"You don't own me, Emily," Mark snapped. "This engagement, you know it's just for the family business. I don't want you. I never have."

Her eyes narrowed and her face twisted with jealousy. "And you think you can replace me with her?" She pointed her perfectly manicured finger in my direction, her voice filled with hatred for me. 

"She's nothing, Mark. She is nothing but a charity case with a child that isn't even yours. Do you really think your family, your world, will ever accept her?"

The words cut through me, leaving me breathless. She reminded me once again that I will always be a stranger in Mark's world. 

I wanted to talk back to her and  defend myself, but my throat closed with shame and fear. Besides, I wanted Mark to defend me. He wasn't worthy of me if he couldn't defend me in front of Emily and his parents. 

"Enough! You don't get to insult her. Clara is worth more than you'll ever be.  She's stronger, kinder, more real than you and my parents put together." 

My heart thundered with pride. My man was defending me. 

Emily's lips curled into a cold smile. "Then you've made your choice. But don't say I didn't warn you. This won't end well for both of you."

She entered the car sharply, her heels hitting harshly on the gravel, and within seconds she was gone, zooming off in her sleek black car.

I stood there, short of words.  

Mark turned to me, his face was pale but he didn't look discouraged.

 "Clara, look at me." 

I looked at him weakly. He didn't look like he was giving up but I was afraid and wished that we didn't have to fight so hard for our love. 

"Whatever they throw at us, whatever they try, I won't let them win. I won't."

But my eyes didn't leave  the empty road where Emily had stood, her threats kept echoing in my ears.

Because I knew this was only the beginning.

And love alone might not be enough to save us.

After Emily's visit, I lived with a constant pain in my chest, as though the ocean air couldn't fill my lungs enough. Every sound the cottage floorboards made, every car engine that I heard on the road, sent my heart into fast beats.

Mark did everything to reassure me. He cooked, he laughed with Lily, he held me at night when sleep wouldn't come. But I saw the tension and fear in his eyes, the way his phone vibrated endlessly with calls he never answered.

I knew that we would have to leave the cottage soon, it was only a matter of time. Mark was being stubborn, he didn't want to face his family or leave but I knew we couldn't stay here forever.

Our love story was going to be shortlived. Every fibre of my being knew that even though we loved each other, his world was not mine.

I was washing dishes while Lily coloured at the table when I heard the knock. It was sharp and it was not the gentle tap of any of our neighbours at the cottage..

When I opened the door, two uniformed officers stood on the doorstep.

"Clara Evans?" one of them asked.

My stomach dropped within me "Yes."

"You're under arrest for fraud and theft. We have a warrant."

The room started to spin. My hands went cold. "What? No, there must be some mistake..."

One officer stepped forward, he showed me papers that I couldn't even read. "We've had reports of stolen funds tied to your bank account. Please step outside, ma'am."

Lily's face dropped, her crayon dropping to the floor. "Mummy?"

"I haven't stolen anything!" My voice cracked with fear rising in my throat. "I don't even have anything to steal! Please, you're wrong."

"Uncle Mark!!!!!" Lily started screaming Mark's name.

"Go inside Lily, go inside get uncle Mark.'' Lily didn't want to leave the hem of my gown but I pushed her inside nad heaved a sigh of relief when she ran to call Mark.

I could see Mark running down the stairs with his afce filled with confusion and fury.

"What the hell is this, officers?"

The officers faces wore a bit of shock when they saw Mark. It was like whoever sent them didn't tell them that he would be with me.

"Sir, if you interfere, we'll have to take you in as well. The complaint was filed by Mogul Enterprises. We are just doing our jobs"

I bit my lips in pain.It was his family. Of course, it was them.

"On what grounds are you taking her into custody?'' Mark had moved so close to me and the officers that he was now holding my hands.

"We can't answer that sir. You'll have to come to the station. '' One of the officers answered.

" This is stupid.'' Mark roared in anger. "You can't arrest a person without cause.''

I was about to tell Mark what they had said before he came, but I suddenly felt cold metal bite into my wrists. Handcuffs. The humiliation of wearing them made bile rise in my throat.

"Mummy!" Lily screamed, rushing to hold me, but Mark carried her up, his own voice breaking. "It's okay, baby. I'll get her out of this. I promise."

I looked at Mark's face to get some sort of reassurance. He looked at me, I could see fear in his eyes.

" I'll get you out of this my love." He came close to me and kissed my forehead. "I promise you, baby. I'll get you out of this.''

Tears blurred my vision as they led me out, my daughter's cries echoing like knives in my chest. Neighbours peeked from windows, whispering, watching the entire scenario.

When we got to the station, I was thrown into a small cell that smelled of damp concrete and human sweat. I sat on the hard bench, my hands shaking and my mind racing. Fraud? Theft?

They were fabricating this lie , just to destroy me. I had never stolen a dime in my life. I had lived an honest life and I worked for every cent that I had spent.

Hours passed before the door to my cell opened. Mark stormed in, his hair dishevelled, his eyes wild.

When I saw him, I was angry. I wasn't angry that he came. I was so angry that it took him hours to come to the station. He later told me that he had to pull some strings to get me released.

He had to call some of his father's friends who owed him to temporarily drop the charges. They didn't want to help him because they were scared of his mother.

He had to bribe them with millions. When he told me this, I didn't know if I was to be relieved. All I felt was fear. He was already spending his life's fortune on saving me.

"You're being released." Mark said to me as the officer opened my cell door and uncuffed me.

"The charges won't stick. They were all lies from the start. I have sorted it."

Relief washed through me, followed by a surge of anger. "They did this, didn't they? Your parents."

His silence said of all.

I buried my face in my hands, my voice breaking in hot uncontrollable tears. . "They won't stop until there's nothing left of me, Mark. They'll drag me through the mud, ruin my name, and my daughter's future. What am I supposed to do, Mark?"

He knelt down in front of me, his hands gripping mine as I held onto the bars of the cell. "You hold on, please hold on to me. Hold on to Lily. We'll get through this, Clara. I promise."

But even as he said it, I saw the doubt and fear in his eyes.

He posted my bail and grabbed my things, then we left the station. When Lily saw me, she ran fiercely into my arms with tears in her eyes. Her sad little sobs made me cry too.

"It's okay baby, don't cry. Momma's here. " I hugged tightly as we walked together to the car. I didn't say anything the whole time we drove back to the cottage.

That night, when we finally returned to the cottage, I collapsed into bed, too drained to even speak. Mark sat beside me, his fingers brushing my hair back.

"They'll pay for this," he whispered fiercely to my ears. "I swear, Clara, I'll make them regret it."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe his love was going to be enough. But the fear in Lily's eyes, the shame of those handcuffs, haunted me.

I thought it was over but his family and other plans for me.

Two days later, as Lily played in the yard, a black car drove in. A woman stepped out, dressed in sharp grey, carrying a brown folder.

"Clara Evans?" she asked, her tone seemed friendly.

"Yes ?"

"I am from Child Protective Services. We've received an anonymous report that your daughter is living in unsafe conditions. We need to evaluate her placement."

I started coughing. I was coughing so hard that the Social worker offered me some water. I was coughing because I had mistakenly swallowed my saliva through my wind up.

"Unsafe? No! She's my child. She's safe with me. Who would ...."

But I didn't need to finish. I already knew.

Behind me, Lily ran into my arms, holding me tightly with confusion on her small face. "Mummy, who is she?"

I held her close, my heart beating fast. "No one, darling. Just... no one."

"Can we help you?" Mark had seen me talking to her from afar.

The woman looked at him sternly.

"We received complaints that your side chick here...." She couldn't continue speaking because I heard a thud on her cheeks.

I calmly looked around to understand what had just happened. It was then I realized that Mark hit her in the face.

I was dazed.

"Mark , why did you hit her?" I rushed to the side of the Social worker and helped her up, thankfully she wasn't bleeding.

Mark didn't answer me but looked at the social worker with anger washing all over his face. "Don't you dare call my Clara a side Chick again, you piece of worthless crap."

"Mark!!!!!" I screamed at him. "Get yourself together. Do you want to go to prison for battery and assault?"

That was when he calmed down. When he saw my angry face.

"Now apologize to her" I demanded. Even though his mother had sent the social worker to ruin my life, she was only doing her job. She didn't deserve to get beaten for doing her job.

"Clara.... I....." He was reluctant. But I stood my ground. He looked at me and realized I was dead serious.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." He apologized and then looked away.

I helped the social worker back to her feet as she looked at Mark with disdain. I took her to a corner and begged her not to press charges. She agreed. But I wasn't sure she was telling the truth.

She walked back to where Mark and Lily were before she spoke again. I followed her closely behind.

"We still need to complete the assessment. The complaint filed is about neglect, insufficient housing, and... inappropriate relationships." The anger on her face was fierce but she kept her cool.

"This is ridiculous. Clara is a wonderful mother. You're just wasting your time."

"We'll see about that, Mr Mogul." She replied with anger in her voice.

Shame burned through me, it was hot and suffocating. They were calling me unfit. They were saying my love for Mark made me dangerous for my own daughter.

Pain stung my eyes as I whispered, "They're trying to take her from me."

Mark's arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me against him. "Over my dead body," he replied.

The woman eventually checked around and left after her inspection, but her warning to me was clear.

"If we find any evidence to support these claims, we'll have no choice but to remove the child. Have a nice day, Mr Mogul." She looked at him as if to say, I'll get my revenge then she left.

When the car drove away, I fell to my knees, holding Lily so tightly she said I was hurting her. I loosened my grip but I was scared that I would lose her.

"I can't lose her," I sobbed into her hair. "She's all I have, Mark. They can take everything else, but not her. Please, not her."

He knelt beside us and I felt a drop of warm liquid on my shoulders. I looked at his face, and I saw that it was wet and red.

Mark was crying too.

."You won't. I swear it. I'll fight them with everything I have. They won't touch her. They won't touch you." He said amidst tears.

I pulled him into the hug with Lily and we all stood there sobbing silently, under the pain of a forbidden and difficult love.

Deep down, fear filled my chest, because every battle we fought seemed to end with his family doing more evil things.

And I wondered, how much more of this could I take?

I could only hear the echo of footsteps and the bitterness that had grown between my mother and me.

My mother sat in her usual chair by the wide window with a porcelain cup in her hand, and an untouched breakfast on her plate. Her diamond earrings trapped the sunlight and she looked like a decked doll drowning in jewelry.

I barged into the dinning hall and barked at her.

 "How could you do that to her?" My voice came out harsher  than I intended. I was angry but I didn't intend to shout at her. 

My mother looked up at me sowly, her gaze was calm and her eyes sharply moved up and down my body.  "Do what, Mark?" she asked me, her tone sharp  with arrogance.

"Don't play dumb with me, Mother. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You had Clara arrested, and you sent Child Protective Services to her house like she's some criminal."

Her eyes didn't even move. "I only did what was necessary." She rolled her eyes after she said those words to me. 

"Necessary?" I took two steps closer to her with anger rising in my stomach. "You humiliated her. You terrified her, and you scared her little girl. Do you even realise what that did to her? What it did to me?"

My mother sighed, placing her cup down a calm elegance that only made my blood boil. 

"Mark, I am protecting you. You can't see it now, but one day you'll thank me. That woman is nothing but a filthy waitress, she's poor, she's weak, and she has baggage. That child of hers......Argh, I can't even think of that filth."

"Don't you dare call my Clara or her daughter filth!" I said very loudly. My voice echoed through the dinning hall, and for a moment, even she was sacred..

 "You don't know her daughter. You don't know her. Clara is the kindest person I've ever met. She's suffered enough, and you're making her life worse!"

My Mother's face didn't even show any emotions.  

"You are blinded by pity, not love. You think you can save her because she looks broken, but you can't, Mark. You're a Mogul. You were born into this family for a reason. You shouldn't be rolling in the dirt with waitresses and single mothers."

Her words stung in my heart like venom.

"I love her mother. Clara sees me. She is my escape from the burdens of being part of this wicked and cruel family. Clara is everything to me.'' 

My mother looked straight into my eyes and told me that she didn't care.

 "Your role in this family is more important than your feelings, Mark. You think I was in love with your father when I met him?. Don't be stupid Mark. Money always comes before love. You can get love anywhwere but this family has given you money and lots of it.''

"You were never there for me. You or dad were never there for me.'' I replied with sadness in my voice. 

"Oh and is that why you're acting like a stupid little brat? Disgracing and embarrasing your father's legacy like an illegitimate son?'' She took a bite of the apple pie on her plate before saying the words that made me give up on our conversation. 

"I am disappointed in you, Mark.'' She said with disgust in her voice.

I took a deep breath. Then I lokked right back into my mother's cold, wicked eyes.

"You know what, Mother? For the first time in my life, I am ashamed of this name. We may have money but I want more than just expensive cars and cheap prostitutes. I want the warmth of love.'' 

She scoffed at my words. "You're being a dramatic fool."

"No," I said firmly, walking closer to her. "I'm being honest. Let me say this to you mother, you went too far this time. You had no right to involve the authorities. You crossed a line, one that I would never forget."

My mother stood up slowly, the pearls around her neck glowing as she faced me. We were only a few metres apart at this point. I could feel the tension rise in my belly.

 "I did what your father would have done.'' She whispered quietly. 

"He built this empire, and you are his son. You will not throw it away for some... waitress who can't even afford her rent."

I laughed sarcastically. 

"That's the problem, isn't it? You think love can be bought?." My mother nodded her head in response. 

"I see. You think everything must come wrapped in wealth to be worth something. Clara is poor, yes, but she has a heart.  She is not a cold hearted human being like you, mother.'' 

Smack!!!!!!!!

My cheeks went red hot. 

"I am your mother and you will speak to me with respect." She said to me after the hot slap.

"You can hit me all you want. But I know somwhere in your cold heart, you know that you and father failed me as parents. So, I won't let you destroy the only oppourtunity I have at happiness.'' 

I said those words staring deep into her eyes. My own mother meant nothing to me. I had lost all sense of respect for her since she decided to ruin my life.

"Mark, I am warning you. If you continue this foolishness, you'll lose everything." She threatened me. 

I moved very close to her and looked into her eyes. "Then let me lose it."

Her silence was heavy. Then she stepped even closer, her perfume pungent and suffocating. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

"I do," I said, my voice was steady even though my chest was pounding. "You controlled every part of my life, but not this. Not her."

My mother turned away from me and walked towards the window. 

 "You forget child, your inheritance isn't a game. The terms of your father's will were clear. You can only get the Mogul fortune if you marry into wealth. A rich girl from a rich family. Those were your father's wishes."

Her words sliced through me like glass. I stared at her, shocked. "You can't be serious."

She smiled faintly. 

"It's already written, signed, and sealed by your late father. You walk away from Emily Vanclair, you walk away from everything, your shares, your company position, your name. You'll be nothing."

I swallowed my saliva very hard, trying to breathe through the weight pressing against my chest. "So this is it then? My father's money in exchange for my happiness?"

"You call it money," she said calmly. "I call it legacy. You were born to uphold it. I suffered to give your father a male heir. Every single child in my womb that was a female was aborted, all four of them."

"What?'' I gasped in horror. 

"Yes, Mark. You had four sisters that never made it out the womb alive because your father wanted a male heir. When I went for a scan while pregnant with you, I saw the smile in your father's eyes.''

I found it hard to say anything. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

For a long moment, we stared at each other. The silence was deafening, broken only by the ticking clock and my heart beating  in my ears.

Finally, I spoke, my voice quieter now. "And what if I told you that I would rather be poor and free than rich and miserable?"

Mother's lips bent into a sad smile. "Then I would say you're still a boy, Mark. Because your comfort is gone, your pride will crumble. Clara won't be enough to fill that emptiness."

I shook my head, stepping back. "You've already taken everything from me once. You won't do it again."

"End it, Mark. Marry Emily. Secure your future. Protect that poor woman and her daughter from the consequences of your rebellion."

I stared at her, trying to find a shred of mercy in her eyes. There was none. 

"You've turned love into a transaction," I whispered.

"And you've turned reason into madness," she countered. "This family didn't climb to the top by following emotions."

I could feel my hands trembling. I turned away,  my voice breaking. "You're not protecting me, Mother. You're destroying me."

Her silence followed me as I walked toward the door. I paused once and looked back at her. She stood there like a statue.

"You may control everything else," I said, my voice shaking but resolute. "But you'll never control who I love."

 "Alright. But remember Mark, love won't save you when you have nothing left.  And the moment you walk away from this family, you'll lose both."

I didn't answer.

I just turned away and left.