When Cynthia arrived home, Georgia was cooking. She looked much better than the day before, with more smiles on her face. Seeing her still struggling to move around, Cynthia advised, "Your foot hasn't fully healed yet. Stop cooking. Let's go out to eat instead.""I'm just keeping myself busy. My foot is really fine, just a slight sprain. It's much better today. That..." Georgia hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is he not coming today?"It was obvious she was referring to Lucien.Cynthia took the apron from her, tied it around herself, and pushed Georgia out of the kitchen. "That's his business."Either way, even if he did come, she wouldn't be able to stop him.Noticing Cynthia's indifferent reaction, Georgia recalled the conversation she had secretly overheard between them. She suddenly felt a bit suffocated but still forced a smile. "I see... So, what are we having for dinner? Should I go buy some groceries? Maybe some beer?"Cynthia
Mandy's gaze flickered toward Hogan, who had been sitting quietly all along. The corner of her lips curled up, causing the beauty mark below her lip to lift slightly as well. "Hogan, you're here too? Cynthia, you really are something—no matter where you go, there's always a man circling around you."Cynthia had no interest in talking to her and treated her as nothing more than air.But Mandy wasn't done. This time, she turned to Hogan, feigning concern. "Hogan, as a friend, I have to warn you. You really shouldn't be getting too close to her in private. You know how Lucien is."Her words were deliberately vague, making them all the more cutting.Pearl looked at Cynthia in shock, while Georgia was already fuming. She recognized Mandy immediately—that woman always acted superior, always looking down on others. She was full of scandals herself, yet she had the audacity to judge her sister. What right did she have?!Hogan took a leisurely s
That day, she and Lucien had humiliated him like a stray dog, filling him with hatred. Six years ago, she had chosen Lucien over him, abandoning his love. And now, six years later, she was still standing by that man… trampling over him once more.Edric's voice turned sharp. "Three people ganging up on one—don't you think that's a bit disgraceful? I suggest you apologize immediately.""Apologize?"Gina scoffed despite her injuries. "Maybe you should ask what your 'friend'said first.""She deserved to be beaten."Mandy opened her mouth to retaliate, but Edric stopped her again. "She has always been blunt, but I know she never meant any harm. But the three of you attacking her—that's unacceptable. If you apologize to my friend, we can put this behind us. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to call the police. Do you really want to stand trial for assault?"Hogan sized up Edric. The man was good-looking, spoke logically, an
Cynthia sneered at him, but Lucien pulled her close again, holding her hand as he asked, "Does it hurt?""Hm, actually, it does hurt a little."Cynthia's tone instantly softened, her voice so sweet it could melt bones. "Darling, I'm tired. Can we leave now?""From now on, let me handle the fighting."Lucien scooped her up in his arms and walked out."Wait! I'll tell Grandpa about this!"Mandy screamed hysterically, but the two paid her no mind.Gina followed them out.Edric clenched his fists tightly as he watched them leave, his knuckles cracking with barely contained rage. Mandy got up from the floor, swung her hand, and slapped Edric across the face. "Coward!"she spat.But this time, Edric didn't hold back. He retaliated with a full-force slap of his own, sending Mandy crashing to the ground once more. She was so shocked that she forgot to speak.Lucien held Cynthia tightly as he carried her outside Bistro. The
The smile on Pearl's face froze the moment Cynthia spoke. It dawned on her that she might have said something wrong. Replaying the events of the night in her mind, she pieced everything together—Cynthia had just introduced Lucien as her ex-husband.But hadn't Cynthia just called him "darling"? And hadn't Lucien been insisting all along that she was his wife?Now, they were acting completely indifferent toward each other, as if the warmth from earlier had never existed. What was going on? Was all of this just one-sided on Lucien's part?The more Pearl thought about it, the more confused she became. She stole a glance at Lucien, then at Cynthia, barely daring to breathe.Lucien's expression shifted the instant Cynthia introduced him. The warmth in his eyes dimmed slightly, and a barely perceptible flicker of disappointment and embarrassment crossed his face.Hogan, observing everything, found it amusing. It was obvious that Lucien had wanted to
By the time everyone finished eating, night had fully settled in. After reluctantly bidding farewell to Cynthia and Lucien, Pearl and Gina got into Hogan's car together.The moment Gina sat down—barely settling into her seat—she couldn't help but steal another glance through the window at Cynthia and Lucien standing outside. Her voice was filled with awe, as if she were still in a dream."I actually had dinner with my Lucien tonight… I still can't believe it! I even spoke to him. And—oh my god—I shook his hand!"As she spoke, she slowly lifted her left hand, gazing at it with an expression of pure infatuation, as if Lucien's warmth still lingered on her skin."I don't think I can ever wash this hand again…"Pearl, sitting beside her, rolled her eyes at Gina's near-delirious state and nudged her lightly."He's Cynthia's now, you know. Big C herself. You might wanna snap out of it.""I'm not like yo
The moment Cynthia uttered the words "I'm sorry," Lucien's fingers, which had been gripping her chin tightly, suddenly froze. A flicker of shock flashed across his face—he clearly hadn't expected those three words from her, not now. The situation was eerily reminiscent of the night he had apologized to her.In that instant, a wave of emotions—anger, bitterness, frustration—crashed over him like a rising tide. All of it transformed into a consuming, possessive kiss. Lucien pulled Cynthia into his arms, kissing her with a desperate intensity, as though he was pouring out years of suppressed emotions in a single breathless moment.Cynthia was caught off guard, her body trembling slightly as she instinctively clutched at Lucien's shirt to keep herself from falling.But this time, she didn't push him away. She accepted it in silence, as if trying to atone for the pain she had once caused him.When Lucien finally pulled back, his breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling violently.
Cynthia dragged her weary body home. The moment she opened the door, she was greeted by Georgia's anxious face. Her eyes were filled with worry—Lucien, in her mind, was nothing short of a devil who brought nothing but pain."Cynthia, are you okay?" Georgia asked, her voice laced with concern.Cynthia forced a small smile and replied softly, "I'm fine. Don't worry." She didn't want her sister burdened by her own troubles, so she chose to downplay the conflict with Lucien.Georgia gave Cynthia a once-over. Seeing that her expression was relatively calm, she finally relaxed a little. After a brief hesitation, she said, "Cynthia, I've thought it over. I've decided to move back home—and it's time I returned to school, too."Cynthia was taken aback for a moment but quickly nodded. She didn't try to stop her. Looking at Georgia now felt like looking at a younger version of herself. After everything that had happened, Georgia had learned to tell right from wrong—and that was its own kind of g
Smoke curled through the bar like a living thing, and the neon lights cast shifting reflections across the rims of half-empty glasses.Hogan refilled the whiskey without asking, the amber liquid catching cold glints in the dim light. "Drink up. At least alcohol never lies."He raised his own glass, the clink of ice breaking the silence.Stephen reached out, stopping Hogan's hand. "That's enough. He's had too much.""So what?"Hogan chuckled darkly, his eyes drifting to the silent man across from him. "Better drunk than drowning in pain."He leaned closer to Stephen and muttered, "Have you ever seen a man stay sane after losing his wife?"Lucien seemed detached from the world around him. He downed the whiskey in one mechanical motion, the burn doing nothing to soothe the aching void in his chest. The glass in his hand fractured the bar's lights into twisted patterns—just like the broken state of his mind.Suddenly, his phone buz
"Cynthia…"Lucien stared hard at the photo on his phone screen, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip. His jaw clenched, and he forced her name out between gritted teeth. His eyes burned red with fury, as if he were on the verge of completely losing control.Just then, Simon hurried over and said in a low voice, "Thomas called. He says he knows where Cynthia is—but he wants you to meet him in person."Lucien's gaze sharpened. Without a word, he spun around and strode out the door. Simon followed closely, and they drove straight toward the estate.Inside the grand hall, Janet was clinging excitedly to Selena's hand, barely able to conceal her glee. "That bitch is finally gone! Why doesn't my brother see it? She was never good enough for him—"Before she could finish, the front doors slammed open.Lucien walked in, a storm of cold fury radiating from him. He didn't spare them a single glance and headed straig
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