Chapter 266 Expose your precious secret

Gen, Silvia, and Lily stood watching the boy Clara had brought along, their faces filled with curiosity. Although none of them had complained about Clara’s attire, the way the boy kept glaring at her as if she had personally offended him made them wonder whether this was what she had signed up for when she accepted the job.

"Stop staring at them and get back to work. We have more customers waiting!" Silvia scolded, snapping both Lily and Gen out of their daze before turning around to attend to the customers at the counter.

Lily and Gen exchanged knowing glances before shrugging.

"I’ll go take their order," Gen announced, grabbing her notepad and pen before making her way towards the table where Clara and Zane were seated.

"Hello! What would you like to order?" she asked with a professional smile, standing beside their table.

Zane paused and glanced at her before shifting his gaze towards Clara. His expression clearly asked the question he had been holding back ever since they entered the bakery.

Why on earth are we even here?

Unfortunately for him, Clara seemed completely uninterested in acknowledging his silent protest. Instead, she looked away and turned towards Gen.

"Bring us your best-selling desserts," she said casually.

Gen nodded with a smile. "Certainly! I’ll be right back."

With that, she returned to the kitchen, leaving Clara and Zane alone at the table.

The moment she disappeared, Zane could no longer contain his curiosity.

"Why are we even here?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes at Clara. "And why did that girl look as though she knew you?"

Clara turned to look at him, momentarily stunned.

This brat is far more observant than I thought.

She had assumed that bringing him to her workplace would be relatively harmless. After all, he was just a child. How much trouble could he possibly cause?

Apparently, quite a lot.

"Because I’m her boss," Clara replied matter-of-factly.

Zane froze.

For a moment, he simply stared at her, as though she had just announced that she owned the entire bakery.

"What?" His eyes widened. "You’re her boss? Then why are you tutoring me?"

He glanced around the bakery, taking in the busy staff, the customers waiting for their orders, and the general chaos of the place. Then he turned back to Clara, his confusion only deepening.

"Don’t tell me you brought me here to make me work!" he accused, his expression turning suspicious.

Clara nearly laughed at his ridiculous assumption. "Relax. I’m not about to make you wash dishes."

Zane didn’t look particularly reassured.

"Then why am I here?"

Clara leaned back in her chair, looking perfectly comfortable.

"Because your mother is paying me more than I expected."

She delivered the words so casually that Zane actually wondered whether he had heard her correctly.

He stared at her. Once. Twice. Then he leaned forward, his little face scrunching up in disbelief.

"Did you just admit that you’re tutoring me for money?"

Clara tilted her head. "Of course. What else would I be doing it for? Charity?"

Zane’s mouth fell open. For the first time since meeting Clara, he seemed genuinely lost for words.

This woman is unbelievable!

He had expected her to come up with some noble explanation about helping children or fulfilling a personal dream of becoming a tutor. Instead, she had casually admitted that his mother’s money was the main reason she was putting up with him.

And the worst part? She didn’t even look embarrassed about it!

"You’re really shameless," he muttered.

Clara smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you. I work hard at it."

Zane stared at her as though he had just discovered that the world was a much more terrifying place than he had imagined.

He was beginning to understand why his mother had seemed so pleased with her choice of tutor. Unfortunately, he was also beginning to suspect that his peaceful life was officially over.

Soon, Gen returned with their order and carefully placed the desserts on the table before walking away.

"I’m sure you’re hungry after trying to fight those boys earlier." Clara pushed a plate towards Zane, offering him one of the bakery’s best-selling desserts.

Zane stared at the plate, then at Clara. Every instinct told him to refuse. However, when his stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl, he realized he had little choice.

"I’m only eating because you asked me to," he declared before digging in, devouring the dessert as though he hadn’t eaten in days.

Clara sighed in relief. At least the boy wasn’t giving her a hard time for once.

"And don’t think that just because I’m listening to you, I’ll answer every question you ask," Zane added between bites.

This brat!

Clara stared at him in disbelief. How could a child read her intentions so easily?

She had hoped that feeding him would give her the perfect opportunity to question him about the bullying incident earlier. Yet he’d already shut down that possibility before she could even open her mouth.

"Well, I wasn’t planning on forcing you to tell me anything," she replied calmly. "But don’t forget, I can still tell your mother about what happened. She has every right to know what her son is going through behind her back."

Zane stopped eating and slowly lifted his head. His eyes narrowed, and his expression turned frighteningly cold.

"You won’t do that. Otherwise, I’ll ask her to fire you."

Clara merely shrugged. "Go ahead. Let’s see whom she’ll listen to. Don’t forget, your mother trusts me more than her own son, who’s determined to make my job as difficult as possible."

Zane nearly exploded with anger at her confidence. Unfortunately, deep down, he knew she wasn’t wrong.

He wasn’t stupid enough to miss what his mother was trying to do.

Previously, she’d been concerned only with finding a tutor who could help him excel academically. This time, however, she’d chosen someone who wasn’t merely capable of teaching him but could also handle his tantrums and stand her ground against him.

And that, Zane realized with growing irritation, was going to be a serious problem.

Soon, Zane finished his dessert, and the two of them left the bakery.

***

Meanwhile, dressed in his security uniform, Alex stood in line with the other guards hired by Heaven International.

After days of struggling without money, he had finally decided to find himself a job. Fortunately, the position he’d secured was at Heaven International itself.

It was the perfect opportunity.

Not only would he finally have money in his pocket, but he would also be able to keep a closer eye on Dominic. Perhaps, if he watched the man long enough, he could uncover some evidence that would convince Clara to leave her husband.

And once they divorced, Clara would receive a considerable amount of money, allowing Alex to return to the luxurious lifestyle he’d always wanted.

Of course, he intended to enjoy that lifestyle right alongside her.

After all, why should he struggle to earn a living when Clara could provide everything he needed?

However, his previous failures had taught him one valuable lesson: patience was essential.

He couldn’t afford to act recklessly, especially when Dominic was involved. The last thing he wanted was for the man to discover that he was now working right under his nose.

"I hope everything is clear to all of you," the head of security announced, looking over the assembled guards. "Now, get back to work and report to your assigned positions."

"Yes, sir!" they responded before dispersing.

Alex followed the others, maintaining a neutral expression despite the excitement bubbling inside him.

Previously, he’d tried following Dominic around, hoping to discover something useful. Unfortunately, his plan had quickly fallen apart.

Dominic was constantly busy, moving from one place to another, and Alex couldn’t even afford to keep hiring cabs to follow him.

After paying for a single ride, he would find himself practically broke, forcing him to abandon his surveillance until he could scrape together enough money again.

That was when he’d come up with this brilliant idea.

By working at Heaven International, he could earn a steady income while keeping Dominic under observation. He wouldn’t have to waste money chasing the man around anymore.

More importantly, he’d have opportunities to discover things that an outsider never could.

Alex’s lips curled into a sinister smile.

There was something about Dominic that the world didn’t know. The man had a secret, one he had managed to keep hidden from almost everyone, including Clara.

And Alex intended to uncover it.

Just you wait, Dominic. I’ll expose your precious secret and make you regret ever crossing me.

After all, Alex hadn’t come this far just to give up now. His initial plan might have failed, but he refused to let that setback discourage him.

He wasn’t going to lose—not when so much was at stake. He would win Clara back at any cost, even if it meant going head-to-head with Dominic. After all, he had finally discovered the man’s only weakness, and he intended to use it to his advantage.