Chapter 38: Sweet Delusions and Cold Reality
The next time Lukas and Pascale arrived at the penthouse, the atmosphere was completely different. Min-ho didn't look like a brooding, territorial lion anymore. Instead, the moment he saw them walk through the door, a wide, sweeping smile took over his face.
"Well, look who it is! My favorite twins, the absolute best duo of all time," Min-ho greeted them with borderline overwhelming enthusiasm. He gestured toward the hallway. "Are you here to visit Ji-soo again? Please, feel free to go lie in her bed and talk. She has been spending a lot of time in my bed lately, and... let's just say we've been understanding each other incredibly well."
Lukas rolled his eyes playfully, a wicked smirk on his lips. "Don't worry, Mr. CEO, we know exactly what you two have been doing in that bed. Honestly, it feels like we were practically holding the flashlight for you."
Clara's face turned bright red. Before Lukas could add any explicit details, she lunged forward and forcefully slapped her hand over his mouth, cutting off his muffled laughter. "Okay, that's enough! Inside, now!" she muttered, dragging the twins toward her guest room.
The moment the bedroom door clicked shut, Lukas yanked Clara's hand off his face. "Alright, spill it, sweetie! What is Mr. Billionaire particularly good at in bed?"
Clara didn't say a word. She just leaned against the door, grinning from ear to ear like a total idiot, her eyes sparkling with pure, remembered bliss.
"Oh, good lord," Lukas gasped, throwing his hands up. "Look at that face! Your face tells me he's good at everything. Honestly, I didn't expect that from a stressed-out corporate man, but good for you! You've lived like a nun for way too long. Oh, by the way, that reminds me—if you ever want to truly surprise Min-ho, I have the ultimate idea. I did this for my ex-boyfriend, HW. I wanted to give him something deeply personal for Valentine's Day, and you know how much HW loved playing pool? So, I shaved a black number 8 directly into my pubic hair, so he could nudge me with his cue."
Pascale instantly groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh, that is indeed deeply personal and borderline tasteless. Thank you so much for that entirely useless piece of information."
"Hey, you stupid cow, I didn't tell you to listen!" Lukas snapped back, flipping his hair.
"Boys, it's fine," Clara laughed, waving her hands to keep the peace. "Thanks for the tip, Luki, but I highly doubt I'll be shaving any sports equipment into my skin."
"Fine, sweetie, I only meant well. What about you, Pascale? What have you ever done for an ex? Let's see if your classy self has a better suggestion for our Clara."
Pascale rolled his eyes but answered instantly, a proud smirk forming on his face. "Well, I once had a very passionate affair with a bakery executive. He owned dozens of branches and had a massive weakness for sweets—which is probably why he was so utterly infatuated with me. Anyway, to surprise him, I stripped completely naked and covered my entire body in rich, sweet buttercream. Honestly, that sticky sensation is something I will never forget. Just before he arrived, I posed gracefully on the dining table and told him: 'Devour me until you get diabetes.' It was a spectacularly hot night, children, let me tell you."
The hours flew by in a blur of laughter, gossip, and terrible advice, and by the time evening rolled around, Clara was exhausted but happy when she was finally alone with Min-ho again.
The next morning, the bright summer sun was beating down on the streets of Seoul. Clara walked down to her car in the production studio's parking lot, humming a cheerful tune.
As she reached the driver's side door, she noticed a small, folded piece of white paper tucked neatly under the windshield wiper. Curious, she pulled it out and opened it. Written in elegant, precise handwriting were the words:
I am always with you.
A soft, radiant smile spread across Clara's face. She clutched the note to her chest, her heart swelling. 'Oh, Min-ho,' she thought to herself, completely charmed. 'Who knew a powerful CEO could be so incredibly romantic and playful?' She carefully tucked the note into her purse, completely blissfully happy as she got into her car.
She had no idea.
A few yards away, hidden inside the shadow of a nondescript service vehicle, a long camera lens was aimed directly at her.
Through the view-finder, the stalker watched her. He saw the exact moment she picked up his note. He saw her smile, saw her press his handwriting against her chest, and heard her soft sigh. A shuddering, ecstatic breath escaped his lips as he snapped a photo of her smiling face.
To him, her smile wasn't for Min-ho. It was a sign that she was finally accepting his love. He was giving her notes, leaving small tokens, weaving himself into her life piece by piece. He was watching over her, protecting her, and ensuring she knew that no matter where she went... he would always be right there.