SENSITIVE LOVE

69

Violet's death was a huge blow to West. The daughter and successor to her only business empire died. Doctors and police gave the same account of his death. That is due to a heart attack, not because of cancer that many people think. Because anyone knows that he's been fighting his illness all along. Although it was declared cured some time ago, no one knew how it could be cured.

All of West's business associates attended the funeral. Including Steven who came with Jun. Aston came with his personal assistant. The mood of mourning was gripping due to the atmosphere of grief. Coupled with dark skies and moist winds that indicate rain will fall. Sure enough, only halfway from the funeral procession, heavy rain flushed. Steven's driver came with two umbrellas and gave them to Jun, and he himself patted his master.

After the funeral was over, Steven approached West. With his flat face, he uttered a sentence of consolation. West, vengeful and suspicious of her, hugs her to whisper to Steven. Speak as low as possible because they are in the middle of the crowd and the media covering.

"I'm gonna break you, son. You caused him to suffer at the end of his life."

Steven smiled, patting old West's back softly. "Good try, I'm waiting for you. Blame your son for touching my woman." Steven replied. Then he broke his embrace. Withdraw and pay your last respects before turning away.

Steven passed Aston who had been behind him since. Just glancing at him at a glance tampa said anything. As well as Aston, the four-headed man only nodded almost imperceptibly. He paid his last respects hugging West. Anyone knows they have a bad relationship, so it's no wonder the two are cold to each other.

Steven and Jun are back in the press. Steven went straight upstairs to change clothes. When she finished she found Clara staring out of the balcony. It was raining heavily, Clara didn't even realize Steven was standing behind her. Carlos, who had accompanied Clara, resigned when Steven arrived.

"What are you thinking?" sambari asked Steven to bend down and kiss Clara's cheeks that felt cold.

"It's too cold, I'll take you in."

Clara was silent, even as Steven carried her into the room, she did not look him in the eye. Ever since the murder they had committed to Violet, Clara had not shown any expression. His face was just plain and empty.

Steven told her because he knew what Clara was thinking. But from the beginning he did not intend to explain or apologize for his actions. For him, agree or not, he would still eliminate Violet.

.

As the week passed, Clara began to go back to college. Jun will serve as his spokesperson when needed. The hand can be used even though it is not as normal. Clara will still feel occasional pain if she bends her finger too often.

Jun and Lusi helped her a lot. Although he still could not talk, the two would help him about everything. The bad rumors that had happened to him just disappeared. The people who used to hate him turned in sympathy ever since Steven held a press conference back then. Stating that her engagement to Violet is just forced business and Clara is the woman she loves.

The aftermath of that statement, of course, was on Steven's own business. Those loyal to West cut off cooperation with him. Steven suffered a huge loss in the American market. But Arnold is working very hard for the Asian market. Yuno also did her job well. So is the company of the father in Korea. All of them support the losses of the parent company well. So that in this week Steven is trying to stabilize the situation inside and outside the company.

"Violet's death seemed to make the public forget what she was doing. Some of the media controlled by West did a good job."

Steven was in his study with Aston who came to visit him.

"Raising the case won't make the public judge well, they'll strike back" Steven replied.

"You're right, but we can solve all that with one bullet, right?" Steven looked at him, as well as Aston who was now facing him. "It just so happens that my man managed to mix his drink with my soldiers, what do you think?"

*Army \= biological weapon that causes heart attack.

Steven looked into those ambitious eyes with a lot of consideration. Steven realized, the person in front of him right now is a real monster. If Steven wasn't careful, he'd be the next target.

"You're gonna kill him?"

"Why not? Difficult to fight it. With his caution, all his shares and assets would fall into the hands of his wife. A foolish woman who can only spend money. It's easy to get the West group ruined in his hands."

Steven closed his eyes for a few seconds while sighing. He went back to the window. "Sounds very dirty, looks like a coward, Aston."

Hearing that, Aston snorted. "You just put that on yourself." he said.

"Yes, I know. Because that's enough. I did it out of revenge. Not for the money. Besides it's too easy if it's like that, no challenge wouldn't it be boring?"

Aston chuckled softly, he patted Steven hard on the shoulder twice. "Young people are different. All right, son, I'll let you fight it. Tell me you're tired" said Aston. With his long legs he walked away.

.

Steven came home with a tired face and mind. Clara is still as cold. The girl also refused to look him in the eye. Because of that, Steven is much more tired and stressed than because of work.

"How was he on campus?" steven asked as he was alone with Jun. Clara was cleaning herself with the help of a female servant since she could not use her hands.

"It's still the same, but his friends are starting to be friendly. Some dare to talk to him and encourage him." Jun who had been staring outward from the start turned to face Steven. The two are now facing each other. "Why did you show him that? You can kill the woman secretly. Why did you choose to show it?"

"Because .. I want him to know," Steven poked him for a moment, his flat face showing a binding dark expression, making Jun feel that Steven was currently enveloped in his dark thoughts. "The dark side of my world, from this moment on .. I will make the naive Clara strong. He must be ready to be surrounded by two-faced humans, cunning and cruel." Steven continued.

Of course, Jun agrees to form Clara's character to make her stronger. But he disagreed with his master's ways. According to Jun it was too extreme. Since Clara and her relationship with Steven were exposed to the media, Clara began to take center stage. Netizens are looking for his background. But of course they won't get anything. Steven has removed all digital traces including Clara's social media. Currently, the only social media account is just a chat application. It's just for sending messages.

Steven's phone vibrated, Renjun contacted him. Steven immediately picked it up because he knew something must be wrong. Renjun would not dare to disturb him while he was at home unless there was an urgent matter.

"What?"

Jun was cautious as Steven's face looked hardened.

"Tell him to see me tomorrow morning" Steven said. Then he hung up.

"Something's going on, sir?" ask Jun.

"Someone's trying to play with me."

"Who?"

Steven looked at Jun's curious face. "Jerry wang, he threatened with a photo." Jerry Wang is a film producer who has long wanted Steven to be his film sponsor.

Steven advanced then a step so that their distance was only half a meter. Lifted up his phone and showed me a photo just sent by Renjun.

"Isn't he very good at taking it? How can you get involved with my girlfriend?"

Jun gulped his saliva harshly. He remembered back then that he was indeed not meticulous with the surroundings. The photo was of him holding Clara down from the boat to the car. There are two photos that look very intimate because of the camera's shooting angle.

"Why don't I know about this?" steven asked after he put his phone back in.

"That was the day you got engaged, I just invited Miss to play to distract her" Jun replied.

Steven went forward and clasped Jun's shirt collar firmly. "Where did you touch him!" hiss Steven. His face flushed with rage, he hated anyone touching Clara with any excuse.

"I just don't want to wake him up, I don't touch him anywhere anymore" Jun replied calmly.

Steven chuckles then lets Jun off just like that. He took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. Looking up as Clara exited her room with the waiter who begged for permission to go back down.

"Clara, are you done? how about we have dinner out?"

Clara looked at Steven and Jun in turn. Although he was silent, his expression showed that he suspected something was happening. Steven threw out his cigarette and grabbed Clara's wrist. Dragging him down from there. Clara turned her head back, looking at Jun who was also looking at her, a worried expression emanating from the girl's face.

Clara glanced at Steven who was walking by her side with a puzzled face. He was sure something was going on, yet he had no guess whatsoever to guess it.

They got into the car Billi was driving. Jun of course followed him with another car. He will never be far from them.

Steven is crazy. That was what Clara had in mind at the moment. How could he rent a yacht just for dinner? Clara doesn't even wear nice clothes. Because he thought Steven would just take him to a regular restaurant.

"Isn't this better than the little boat you boarded with Jun?" Clara nodded in confusion.

He looked left and right, but there was only them and one waiter serving food. After the servants left, only the two of them remained inside that hall.

"Tell me, what were you doing back then with your bodyguard?"

Clara doesn't understand where Steven's talking is going. The man gave Clara a paper and a pen. Clara who had been reluctant to look at Steven finally looked at him this time. Showing that he really doesn't understand.

"When you go with Jun, the moment where I ... " She didn't continue his words. Because Clara seemed to have caught the meaning of his words earlier. Moreover, he did not want to say the word 'engagement' which would only make the atmosphere become grim.

Clara wrote something and handed it to Steven. Steven read it with a frowned, then he sighed to set his expression so as not to look upset. Unfortunately, he failed to do so. His face could clearly be read easily.

'Learning speed boats, fishing, enjoying the sunset.' that's what Clara wrote. Sounds like an adventurous couple dating activity, right? So how Steven wouldn't be upset reading it. He was of course jealous.

Clara picked up another paper and wrote another. Back to Steven.

'You can't get angry because of that, you're even engaged to someone else.'

Steven pursed his lips. He was slapped despite not feeling any pain. Can only look at Clara who started eating her dinner. Want him not to eat. He had no other sentence as a rebuttal because he felt very stupefied.

Clara stole a glance several times, Steven's warty face comforting her a little. But when he remembers the murder Steven committed with Aston, Clara comes back grim. He hated to admit that his loved ones were cold-blooded killers. Steven doesn't even seem to regret doing it. That is what has been bothering him to this day. Clara doesn't like that fact.

After dinner and enjoying wine in the middle of the open sea in a meaningless chat, Clara and Steven returned home. On the way Clara fell asleep. Steven gently covered her and hugged her. Thinking about how much he was so childish right now. His jealousy trumps his common sense. The air was very cold but he even took Clara on a boat in the middle of the sea air that was not friendly.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, then tightened his embrace.

.

Steven sat in his study. Staring at a man in his thirties who is Chinese. The man looked not afraid at all, but also looked very cautious.

"I hear you love your lover very much. Then what if this photo is spread with rumors of infidelity? not only your lover, you will also be affected, right?" jerry said with a fake smile.

Steven smiled thinly. He who had been leaning back since then was now straightening his body. Looked at Jerry sharply.

"Say, who gave you that photo then I'll sponsor your movie."

Jerry tapped his index finger over his thigh. He was weighing whether he would be honest or lying.

"I get that from someone, he feels from the company of your ex-fiance." He finally chose honesty. It seems like Jerry is smart enough to read the situation.

"Ren ... give her what she wants." Steven ordered. He looks so calm.

"Okay sir, please come with me, Mr. Jerry" Renjun said.

After they got out, Steven called Billi and told her to do something. "Follow West for 24 hours until I tell you to stop" he ordered. "Get Jerry's cell phone too, smash Clara's entire photo in it. Searches his house whether he keeps another copy" he continued before turning off the connection.

'West ... how dare you bother me with that damn photo.' the monologue.

His anger was more on jealousy, not the fact that West would spread the photo. Because there's a lot of evidence and witnesses that claim Jun was just a bodyguard. So even though the photo was spread, the rumors would not last long.

The thing that West did not read carefully was that Jerry instead of selling it to a magazine involving his name, instead went straight to meet Steven to earn money with it. West seems to want to use someone else's hand to attack Steven, but unfortunately he doesn't recognize Jerry well.