Clara held his forearm, and they walked closely together into an unassuming club.

The club was hidden away on a somewhat remote street; its exterior was plain and unadorned, but the people coming and going looked hurried, projecting an aura of mystery.

At the entrance to a private room, two tall, expressionless bodyguards blocked the path like iron towers. One of them, with a cold gaze, looked them up and down, his tone stiff yet tinged with a hint of respect: "Mr. Sterling and Ms. Vance may enter. Others are not permitted."

Inside the room, the lighting was dim. A slightly plump man wearing gold-rimmed glasses sat on the sofa, slowly sipping tea.

Seeing Julian and Clara enter, he hooked the corner of his mouth into a meaningful smile: "Mr. Sterling, surely you didn't need to come in person just for an eyeball?"

Julian was unhurried, wearing a confident smile. His tone was light, yet contained hidden depths: "Of course there are other requirements, otherwise why would I come to you?"

Clara stood to the side, calm on the surface, but her heart was churning like a stormy sea.

Until today, she had finally confirmed her mother's original hypothesis. It turned out that a highly concealed criminal organization existed like a tumor hidden in the depths of darkness, with its primary business being the trafficking of children, women, and population smuggling, accumulating wealth crazily through various fraudulent means across Southeast and East Asia.

Human organ trafficking was merely the tip of the iceberg among their numerous business projects, not even their core operation.

Recalling the past, Clara had intended to change her identity and infiltrate the fraudulent organization to gather more clues bit by bit.

But now, relying on his own wisdom and ability, Julian had helped her find a safer path to obtain new information.

After leaving the room, the two walked forward as if nothing had happened.

Only when they were far away and certain no one was following them did they hurry into the car.

Once inside, Clara's tense nerves finally unraveled. She let out a long breath and whispered:

"I have seen this person... in the photos my mother once took."

◇ Chapter 23

Over the following year, accompanied by a protracted and far-reaching official census, the organization gradually surfaced.

Relying on professional expertise and tenacious perseverance, the investigation team started from seemingly insignificant financial transaction accounts and obscure social network group chats, gradually outlining the contours of this massive criminal network.

As the investigation advanced, suspicious strongholds were screened one by one. From hidden communication equipment in abandoned factories to offices in luxury office buildings that appeared ordinary but held dark secrets, more and more evidence pointing to the organization was unearthed.

At this critical juncture, Clara Vance stepped forward and publicly released the photos her mother had taken.

Those photos carried her mother’s courage and conviction; each one was a witness to her deep infiltration into the tiger’s den.

The evidence she had once guarded with her life became the key to unlocking the door to the truth.

Meanwhile, the long-dormant case from years ago was reopened by the investigation team.

The name Clara Vance re-emerged before the public eye as the investigation unfolded.

Because she possessed many key leads and was an indispensable witness, the relevant departments prioritized her safety. They arranged a professional security team for her, ranging from personal bodyguards for daily outings to 24-hour monitoring of her residence; every detail was handled with rigorous precision.

Her residence was surrounded by advanced security equipment, and all personnel entering or exiting had to undergo strict identity verification to ensure she would not be harmed under any circumstances.

As the investigation deepened, one heinous crime after another was brought to light.

Domestically, a series of people involved in the case were arrested.

The only regret was that the true leader of the organization seemed to have received news in advance and fled overseas, current whereabouts unknown.

On the night the verdict was announced, the city's neon lights flickered, but they could not dispel the lingering haze in Clara’s heart.

Hand in hand with Julian, they walked heavily into the cemetery.

The cemetery was quiet and oppressive. Three nameless tombstones stood silently there, where her mother, father, and younger brother rested.

Nearby, there was a new grave without a tombstone; it was the grave she had originally reserved for herself.

Clara walked slowly to the tombstones, her eyes brimming with tears. She took out offerings, lit incense, and knelt before her mother’s grave.

She stared fixedly at the black-and-white photo of her mother on the tombstone.

The woman who had sacrificed her life to investigate the truth was frozen in that black-and-white photo at the age of forty-six.

Ten years later, the truth behind her death was finally revealed to the world.

With trembling hands, Clara lit three incense sticks and carefully placed them in the burner.

In the past ten years, she had failed to complete her mother’s unfinished work, so she hadn't dared to come to her grave, nor had she the courage to face her father and brother.

Until now, she finally possessed the qualification to kneel before them.

"Mom, the family's vengeance has been served. Rest in peace."

After paying her respects, Clara stood up slowly, her legs slightly numb from kneeling for so long.

Julian had been silently accompanying her by her side.

At this moment, the sunset glow spilled across the earth, staining the horizon a brilliant orange-red. The distant mountains rolled and undulated, appearing gilded by the setting sun.

She turned to look at Julian, complex light flickering in her eyes: "Do you know? I originally thought that I would surely lose my life because of this, but I never expected that the criminals would be brought to justice, and I would still be standing here safe and sound."

Julian tugged at the corner of his lips.

He was thirty-two years old this year, and his smile remained as gentle as ever.

He took her into his arms: "Those painful days are all in the past. From now on, I will always be by your side."

◇ Chapter 24

After the case verdict, the lives of Clara Vance and Julian Sterling gradually returned to peace.

Another year passed, and it was late spring. Clara’s birthday was approaching.

Julian intended to host a celebration, essentially to say a complete goodbye to the past.

He draped his arm over Clara’s shoulder and tilted his head to ask: "Baby, what gift do you want for your birthday? It doesn't matter how expensive it is."

Clara looked at him with amusement and shook her head.

"It seems like I don't lack anything anymore."

Once, in the brilliant years of her early twenties, when she had nothing, it seemed she possessed an infinite desire to explore the world.

But now, all she wanted was for him to be by her side.

Julian flicked her nose:

"You really don't want anything? I’m so rich now, you haven't even experienced my advantages."

Over the past few years, in order to investigate the criminal organization, Julian’s business had grown larger and larger.

The man who was once the richest person in Jiang City had quietly climbed onto the Forbes list.

Yet, at the same time, he had become increasingly reserved, steady, and low-key; such uninhibited moments were rare.

Clara was amused by him.

"Fine, then I want a parrot."

She said: "The kind that can talk."

A flash of understanding crossed Julian’s eyes.

He leaned to her ear and laughed in a low voice: "Fine, this time we’ll raise a pair—one that says 'I love you,' and the other that says 'I do too.'"

In late summer and early autumn, the weather turned cooler, and Clara’s birthday arrived.

Her thirty-third birthday was, in truth, not much different from previous years.

However, for Clara, all the haze of the past had been swept away. The most important person in her life was now by her side, making this birthday even more secure and complete.

Early in the morning, Julian went out.

Before leaving, he kissed Clara several times, his excitement unmasked as he whispered: "Xiao Ying, see you tonight."

Clara laughed: "See you tonight."

Watching him get into the car and drive away, she stood under the porch of the villa and watched quietly for a long time.

Only when a breeze blew by did she realize she still had a smile on her face.

She rubbed her cheeks, and the thought of him brought an unconscious softness to her heart.

It felt like sweet bread, softer than a cloud.

All day, she stayed home painting oil paintings.

This had been her profession long ago.

A long, long time ago, before everything had happened, she was an oil painting teacher.

But later, everything turned upside down, and she never picked up a brush again.

She sat in the transparent studio, painting a large oil painting.

The painting was of an eighteen-year-old boy.