Everyone turned toward the voice, only to see Ollie plastering on a fawning smile, carefully appeasing the man beside him while murmuring apologies.Nicky's gaze instantly locked onto Cynthia. His eyes burned with deep hatred and unfiltered disdain. Turning back to Ollie, he raised a single finger and shrieked, "We have only one hour—just one! If the shoot isn't done by then, we're walking out immediately. Not a second more!"The once smooth-running shoot had come to a grinding halt due to Nicky's abrupt intrusion. The atmosphere in the studio grew tense with irritation.Hogan, however, remained as composed as ever."And one more thing—Jacqueline doesn't like the photographer you assigned her." Nicky's sharp voice rang out again. He raised a hand, drawing an arc in the air before pointing directly at Roy. "You. Get ready. You'll be shooting for us."Pearl trembled with anger, her fists clenched so tightly it seemed she might lunge at Nicky at any second.Sensing this, Cynthia quickly
The moment Jacqueline saw Lucien, the smugness on her face instantly disappeared, replaced by sheer terror. Her eyes widened in horror as if she had just seen the most terrifying thing in the world.Her legs went weak, and she stumbled, barely able to stay on her feet. Nicky quickly reached out to support her, calling out anxiously, "Jacqueline!"Then, as he turned to look at Lucien approaching, an icy chill shot up his spine. His body involuntarily trembled.Lucien walked toward them, his fingers lightly brushing together as his cold, piercing gaze locked onto Jacqueline. His voice was laced with disdain as he said, "So, you've left clothes at my house before? I'll have the housekeeper search the storage room right away. If they find anything, I'll have it sent back to you immediately. In my home, aside from my wife's clothes, I consider anything else filthy and have the maids use them as rags.""Lucien…" Nicky couldn't take it anymore and tried to interject.However, before he could
The afternoon passed peacefully, with no one paying any more attention to Jacqueline. She slunk away, thoroughly humiliated. Hogan remained professional and focused on filming until the very end, which moved Pearl to tears.Cynthia had plans with Gina, so she completely forgot that Lucien had mentioned picking her up after work. The moment she clocked out, she left with Gina, and the two of them headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.After confronting Cynthia earlier, Gina had already started to regret it. Yes, Cynthia had lied to her, but after cooling down, she questioned herself—what was she doing? She had only ever admired Lucien from afar. It had always been one-sided. What right did she have to hold her friend accountable for that?She trusted that Cynthia had her reasons.But she never expected Cynthia to drop a bombshell on her."Lucien is my ex-husband."Gina was utterly stunned, staring at Cynthia in shock, unable to proce
Shortly after.As Cynthia stood in front of the familiar doorway, she was met with nothing but cold emptiness.This was a place she had once loathed with every fiber of her being, yet it was also the place she had been forced to rely on.She had been gone for six years—who knew how much had changed?She pressed the doorbell, her expression utterly calm.The door swung open, revealing Toby standing shirtless, a large, inky-black tattoo sprawled across one shoulder. It was an indistinguishable mess. The moment he laid eyes on her, a sinister grin spread across his face. "We've been waiting for you."Cynthia stepped inside, her movements unhurried. Toby's gaze raked over her, sizing her up. "Looks like you've been living quite the luxurious life these past few years. Just look at those clothes, shoes, that bag—every single piece screams designer."She continued walking into the living room, her voice indifferent. "That's righ
Lucien stood at the doorway, clad in a perfectly tailored black suit, his posture straight and imposing. His sharp, hawk-like gaze locked onto Cynthia the moment he spotted her.When he noticed she was still wrapped in her male colleague's jacket, his brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing through his eyes.Cynthia lifted her gaze and met Lucien's eyes.Why did he always seem to appear out of nowhere? Did he secretly install a tracker on her or something?Lucien strode over to her, lowering his head slightly as he gazed at her. His voice was calm but firm. "Are you done here?"Cynthia met his eyes with an unshaken expression. "They want me to borrow money from you—to pay off another million for Georgia. Would you still be willing to lend it to me?""If you want it, I'll give it to you,"Lucien replied without hesitation.Cynthia let out a soft "hmm,"as if contemplating something. Then she turned to
Sitting in the car, Cynthia stared silently out the window. After a long while, as if gathering all her courage, she slowly turned her head and softly asked, "How did you know I was there?""I told you we'd go home together after work. Why didn't you wait for me?"Lucien's tone was noticeably cold.Cynthia froze, suddenly recalling that he had indeed mentioned this. Lowering her eyes slightly, she murmured, "I forgot,"with a hint of barely noticeable guilt in her voice."You remember everything when it's about other people, but when it comes to me, you forget it all completely,"Lucien said, visibly annoyed. His eyes fell on the clothes she was wearing, and his expression darkened even more. "Take it off."Cynthia was still startled by his earlier words, and now, hearing this sudden command, she frowned slightly. Is he seriously thinking about... here, in the car?"What? Do you just love wearing another man's clothes that much?"&nbs
After the call ended, Cynthia sat frozen in her seat, her mind blank. Several seconds passed before she slowly came to her senses and took a deep breath — a breath that seemed to drain all the strength from her body. After hesitating for a moment, she stood up and headed straight to her manager's office to request leave.She knew full well that, no matter how strained her relationship with Georgia had been, she couldn't just turn a blind eye. Blood was thicker than water — no matter how much she tried, she couldn't cut those ties completely.When she arrived at the hospital, she went directly to the Radiology Department. Spotting Edric sitting there, Cynthia stormed over."Where's Georgia?" she demanded."She's inside, getting some scans done," Edric replied calmly, looking up at her."What exactly happened? And why are you here?" Cynthia's tone was sharp.Edric furrowed his brows slightly but still explained patiently, "I accidentally scraped her with my car, so I brought her here ri
Lucien strode over to Cynthia, pulled her into his arms, and firmly clasped her waist. Towering over the disheveled Edric on the ground, his eyes glinted with disdain. "If you want to speak to my wife, you'll have to get my permission first."Cynthia instinctively tried to push him away. "Lucien!" she called softly.At the sound of her voice, Lucien turned his head slightly and glanced at her. That one look sent a sharp jolt through Cynthia's heart. In his eyes, she saw overwhelming possessiveness, fierce protectiveness, and a trace of barely contained rage.Edric scrambled to his feet, looking utterly pathetic. His suit and face were smeared with dirt, and his bloodshot eyes locked onto Lucien and Cynthia with seething anger. His clenched fists trembled slightly, but he dared not make another move.Lucien glanced at him with contempt before lowering his gaze to Cynthia. "Darling, let's go home."His tone was gentle, but chilling to anyone who heard it.Simon helped Georgia from the t
On her way home from work, Cynthia felt her mood gradually settle. Gina's words—"The most important thing in a relationship is forgiveness"—kept echoing in her mind. Technically, her connection with Lucien was just a financial arrangement, but all this fighting was exhausting. With that thought, she made a decision: she'd be the one to break the ice tonight."How was your day?" — Too warm."You're back." — Too cold."Darling…" — She shut that thought down immediately.In the end, she settled on the most natural approach: "You're home? I was just about to cook—what do you feel like eating?"As soon as she stepped inside, she sprang into action. Her ankle still throbbed faintly, but she ignored the pain and rushed into the kitchen, laying out ingredients. On second thought, waiting in the kitchen felt too obvious. So she brought some celery to the living room and scattered a few leaves on the table, trying to make it look like she was mid-prep.Then she paused, stunned by herself—What t
Lucien walked through the door just in time to see Cynthia limping across the living room. He rushed over in three quick strides and steadied her."What happened?""Just twisted it a little," she replied casually, trying to pull her hand away."Why didn't you call me?" His brow furrowed into a knot.Cynthia looked up at him, her eyes—usually bright like starlight—now clouded with confusion."It wasn't a big deal.""Not a big deal? What, do I have to wait until your leg breaks for it to count as one?" His voice spiked in volume, and his grip on her wrist tightened. She was always like this—always keeping him shut out. Five years ago, and still now."What's your problem?" Cynthia yanked her hand free. "I was trying to save you the trouble."Lucien's jaw clenched so hard it seemed carved from stone. She'd never understand—he'd rather she cry and call him in a panic than see her pretending to be strong.When she insisted on walking on her own, he simply scooped her up without a word."Hey
Cynthia glanced around the minimalist yet cozy room. Her eyes landed on several racing photos on the wall."Didn't expect you to be a race car driver," she said."Just a hobby." Martin handed her a glass of water and cut straight to the point. "Actually, I've heard about you long ago.""Oh?" Cynthia's lips curled slightly. "What did you hear?""You're my boss's ex-wife." Martin clasped his hands. "Someone who left a deep mark on him."Cynthia let out a soft laugh. "You're giving me too much credit. A man like Lucien—who could possibly affect him?"Martin neither agreed nor denied. "I want to ask you to go easy on Jacqueline."Cynthia's gaze sharpened, the smile no longer reaching her eyes. "You must be joking. I'm just a regular person. How could I possibly 'go easy' on a top celebrity?""Just don't kick her while she's down," Martin said calmly. "She's already been blacklisted. Her career is over. She's paying the price for her own actions."Suddenly, Cynthia changed the subject. "Do
On Monday morning, when Cynthia walked into the office, the teasing she had braced herself for never came. Gina sat motionless at her desk, staring blankly at the dark computer screen. She hadn't even turned it on.Pearl leaned over and whispered, "What's up with her?"Cynthia suddenly recalled what Lucien had said Friday night—"Gina likes Martin." Thinking back to how Martin had conveniently shown up at the party, things started to click."What's it like kissing your bro?" Cynthia leaned in and murmured into Gina's ear.With a loud thud, Gina toppled over in her chair and crashed to the ground. She scrambled to her feet, her face a furious shade of red. "W-What nonsense are you talking about?!"Pearl and Cynthia exchanged a glance—and then burst out laughing.Pearl pointed to the still-black computer screen. "Our top gun's been zoning out in front of a powered-off monitor all morning.""I was brainstorming!" Gina snapped, though her defense sounded pretty weak.Cynthia feigned shock,
The knocking resumed at the door—this time accompanied by other voices. Cynthia struggled again, but Lucien easily pinned her down, his lips returning to hers with a possessive urgency. He even bit her, not hard, but enough to force her focus back to him.Only when the knocking finally stopped did Lucien slightly pull away, his voice husky. "When are you going to send them home?"Cynthia was ready to curse at him, but his fingers pressed gently against her lips. He stroked her bitten mouth with his thumb, his tone softening unexpectedly."I know I didn't come back right away, but I've been keeping an eye on everything here. The Jessica thing? Handled the next day. I just got caught up with something else." He leaned his forehead against hers. "Once they're gone, I'll explain everything."By the time Cynthia emerged from the bedroom, the living room was completely empty. The chaos from the night before had vanished—everything was spotless. On the coffee table lay a note from Pearl: "We
All eyes were on the center of the room, where a game had just gone terribly wrong—or right, depending on who you asked. Cynthia and Gina's lips accidentally brushed in the middle of a biscuit game, and time seemed to freeze.From the doorway, two invisible waves of tension rolled in, colliding overhead and silencing the once-boisterous party.It was just a game mishap—really. Not only had they kissed, but two guys nearby had bumped lips too. Still, to Lucien and Martin, the world had narrowed to just one pair of touching lips.The party screeched to a halt. Laughter died mid-sound. The oppressive tension pinned everyone in place as they all instinctively turned toward the door.Cynthia's gaze briefly passed over Lucien's face before she looked away, completely expressionless. "Keep playing. Don't stop."But who could stay relaxed in front of those two? One was a world-famous celebrity with charisma to burn; the other, just standing there, made the air hard to breathe. The living room
Cynthia sat on a cold metal chair, her fingertips tapping lightly on the table. The officer pushed a stack of interrogation notes in front of her—three middle schoolers' statements, their childish handwriting crooked and clumsy, but filled with the phrase "delivering justice.""They thought they were punishing evil and promoting good," the officer sighed. "But they were just being used."Cynthia lowered her gaze, a cold smirk tugging at her lips. "Justice?" she repeated softly, her finger gliding over the line that read: ‘Acting on orders from above.'"Did you find out who that ‘higher-up' was?"The officer nodded. "Got him. Some guy running an online troll farm. He confessed the moment we brought him in." He paused. "Said someone paid him to orchestrate the whole thing."Cynthia didn't ask who. She already knew.—Jacqueline.She pulled out her phone and dialed Hogan's number."I was waiting for your call," Hogan said lazily, as if he'd seen this all coming."I need your help.""How c
After making breakfast, Cynthia invited Simon to eat with her. Once they finished, she handed him a blanket and a pillow."You can get some rest now. I'm not going out at all today."Simon took the bedding and watched as she returned to the table, opened her laptop, and began working with her usual efficiency. There was a quiet, enduring charm about her—a confidence that shimmered beneath her calm exterior.Compared to those dainty women who squealed for help just to open a soda can, Cynthia's independence was refreshing. She didn't need a man to define her or hold her hand through life. And Simon, in his heart, respected that.So, holding the blanket, he watched her for a moment and mumbled, "Thanks."Cynthia, reading the morning's headlines on social media, turned and gave him a brief smile before refocusing on her screen. Simon, clearly exhausted, lay down on the couch and fell asleep within minutes.Cynthia scrolled through the trending posts. In just one night, Jacqueline had tak
With a whirlwind of passion, Cynthia was completely spent. She didn't have the strength to argue anymore, or even resist. All she wanted now was to sleep.But Lucien wouldn't let her.He pulled her into his arms, watching her settle like a stroked cat finally soothed."You were angry the other day because you thought I went to see another woman, weren't you?"Cynthia played dead.Lucien bit her ear. She slapped him. He looked pissed."Cynthia!"She opened her eyes and stared at him. "What have you been doing these past few days?"Her tone was almost that of a wife questioning her husband.Lucien studied her. "You care what I've been doing?"Cynthia turned away and lay back down. But of course Lucien wasn't done. His hands wandered again.Suddenly, Cynthia twisted around and bit his ear hard. That finally shut him up.She stared at his dumbfounded face and the way he was looking at her—it made her skin crawl. She turned her back to him.Lucien pulled her back, face unusually serious."