“No need, I will do it myself!” Adriana said as she tried to hold her shirt. But her one hand was infused with IV drip and her other hand was injured.So, no matter how hard she tried to hold her shirt, she couldn’t use any strength and failed.Calvin stands there quietly, watching her struggle. He was waiting for her to come back again in frustration. He said coldly, “Don’t try to be so brave?”The nurse looked at him like some crazy fan and said, “Handsome, all girls are like this! They say something else and mean something else! Come and hold her!”Adriana wanted to try again when a black figure surrounded her. Then, she was half embraced by a pair of strong arms.Suddenly the familiar fragrance of mind and rose filled in her nose, bringing back those memories she tried to forget.Adriana’s body stiffened. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt that it would jump out from her chest.The wounds on her back had not started to heal yet. As the thin layer of serum floated on the s
After staying in the hospital for a week, Adriana returned to work.She was busy in her office when Aidan walked in, his face beaming with a broad smile. “Adriana, have you recovered well? Why don’t you rest for a few more days?”Looking at his expression, Adriana smiled kindly. “Aidan, if you have something to say, just say it. You don’t have to beat around the bush.”“As expected… You’re the one who knows me best! I can’t hide anything from you!”He handed Adriana a paper bag and said, “Grand Empire is so generous! Not only do they offer a great salary, but they also provide housing. And not just any housing—it’s in the best residential complex in the whole city!”Adriana opened the paper bag suspiciously. A diamond-shaped key fell out, along with an access card.Written in bold on the card were the words: Green Wick Residential Complex.It was indeed the city’s most prestigious residential area. Even if you had money, buying a property there wasn’t guaranteed. The complex was a hig
The crushing pain in her stomach intensified, and Adriana clenched her fists tightly. Her hands were slick with sweat.“What is it?” she asked, her voice strained.Calvin exhaled a puff of smoke, his demeanor casual. “Even though you won the lawsuit and earned fifty thousand dollars in legal fees, you also got into an accident and nearly lost your life. Don’t you want to know who’s behind it?”“The police are still investigating…” Adriana paused, suddenly suspicious. “Did you investigate me?”“Of course. You’re my legal counselor, so I had to evaluate your business abilities. I didn’t expect you to be a lawyer who lacks basic common sense,” he said, his tone sharp. “I really don’t know how you managed to get your bar license twice.”“I…” Adriana was momentarily at a loss for words.Calvin extinguished his cigarette on the lid of a nearby trash can and said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to meet someone.”Thinking it was a work-related matter, Adriana didn’t ask too many questions and got i
Sitting in the car, Adriana felt a chill running down her spine. The scene of the dagger chopping off the man’s hand replayed in her mind like a movie.This man is too dangerous! His work was so clean that even if he killed a hundred people, no one would find out. What’s more, even if he wanted to do something, he didn’t even need to do it himself.Just like in the past.“Calvin, Carl said something wrong! Why didn’t you point him?”“What?”Adriana pointed at herself, saying, “He said that I am your wife! But I am not your wife anymore! We are already divorced!”Calvin looked at her coldly, “What’s the difference between what I have used, before and after?”For a while, Adriana didn’t know what to say, so she shut up! Calvin also didn’t say anything else.“Where are you going before?”Suddenly, the man sitting in the driver's seat spoke. His voice was low and mellow, like soothing music.“Huh?”“I asked, where are you going so late?”Only then did Adriana remember that she was going t
Calvin looked at the advertisement expressionlessly.The sales girl took out two boxes and settled the bill together, “It’s a new model and very popular!”Calvin didn’t refuse and said, “Help me make a cup of ginger tea, thank you!”Adriana went to the bathroom to do the aftermath. When she looked at her pants, she frowned. It was ruined completely. Then, Calvin’s car would be also ruined, right?’Adriana's face darkened as she stood outside the car, feeling embarrassed to get in. “Well, I will take a taxi, you can go by yourself!”Calvin rolled down the passenger seat window and sneered coldly, “After dirtying mine car, you also want to dirty others.”Adriana wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t. He is worthy of the title of King of Hell. His words were always cold and ruthless.As soon as Adriana got in the car, Calvin handed her a cup of hot ginger tea, “Drink it!”Adriana looked at him suspiciously, thinking, ‘Where did he get it?’“What? You don’t want to drink? Then throw it away!
Adriana looked at him calmly and said, “In that case, please go ahead. I am not going to invite you in. Please excuse me.”Calvin said coldly, “Adriana, you have changed a lot.”Hearing his sarcastic remarks, she smiled back, “Really? By the way, you also have changed a lot. After all, with your temper before, I am afraid Carl’s brother-in-law would not have just lost an arm.”Calvin smiled coldly, looking at Adriana without blinking. He just opened his mouth slightly, showing his porcelain white teeth.Objectively speaking, Adriana is very beautiful. She had smooth white skin and with perfect and exquisite figure.The number had times Calvin had intimate contact with her body was not much, but he still remembered her dazzling body.However, it was a pity that her heart was even more poisonous than a snake and scorpion.Thinking about the betrayal she did to him, Calvin clenched his fists tightly and his face was filled with the coldness.“What? Are you feeling bad for him?”Adriana w
“Adriana?”The maid recognized her and greeted her.Looking at the person in front of her, Adriana breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “Maria, long time no see!”Maria is a woman in her fifties. She is George’s nanny, in charge of his food and living. Maria is a clean and tidy lady. Even after so many years, she hadn’t changed much. She is still as gentle as before.Maria is the only person who treats Adriana well in this house.Maria looked around before taking a few steps forward. “Have you had a good time these past few years? Why did you lose so much weight?”Adriana and Calvin’s divorce was unknown to the outside world. Even the maids of the house didn’t know about it. They had inadvertently learned about it from their master’s conversation a few months later. Then things about the netting of the family and the sweeping of their reputations came to their ears one after the other.Other people discussed privately that Adriana was kicked out of her house, some say that the Clarke
Only when George stopped scolding, Calvin opened his mouth, “Grandpa!”The servant who had been scolded like an amnesty, stood at the door holding the tea tray. Looking at Calvin, he greeted, “President!”Seeing Adriana behind Calvin, he was dumbfounded.‘How did the president bring Adriana back?’George also didn’t expect to see Adriana again in this life. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Adriana coldly, “Outsiders are not welcome here?”Hearing this, Adriana was overjoyed. She couldn’t wait to go away.However, before she could move, Calvin pulled her wrist and said, “I am the one who asked her to come here.”George sat on the sofa angrily. His body was surrounded with a murderous aura, “Do you think you have a lot of money and asked her to spend for you? But let me tell you, even if you have a mountain of gold and silver, some people are still able to empty them!”Hearing his words, Adriana's ears turned red, feeling uncomfortable in her heart. Her eyes sank downward.Calvin said
Miles away in New York City, Calvin sat in his office. In front of him, a high-definition computer screen displayed a live video feed from Manchester.The brightest spot in the frame was Henry’s villa, where a silent orgy was unfolding.Across the road, by the woods, Adriana sat on the ground, trembling, curled into herself like a fragile rag doll that might break at the slightest touch.Calvin’s heart clenched, a sharp pain tearing through him, so deep it left him numb.“Adriana, listen to me.”Adriana slowly lifted her head, her gaze fixed on the villa.“Mr. Calvin, we have only an employment relationship,” she said, her voice distant. “So please, call me Lawyer Clarke.”She stared straight into the camera, as if forcing her cold, pained eyes into Calvin’s field of vision, making sure he saw the bitterness, the accusation in them.Calvin had never felt such deep regret and self-reproach.How had he even thought of letting Adriana take this case in the first place?Back then, she had
The man was holding a glass of red wine, his dark hair standing out.He had his back to the window and was talking to someone, looking subdued yet at ease.“Bring me the picture you take.”Lewis flipped through a few photos, some close-ups and some taken from afar. “Here.”Adriana held the binoculars and focused her gaze on the photo. In terms of body type and overall presence, the two were exactly the same person.When she looked at the photo alone, Adriana hadn’t felt anything off, but now, facing the three-dimensional, living person, an overwhelming wave of oppression crashed over her. It was as if an invisible hand was squeezing her throat, suffocating her.She was stunned for half a second before speaking. “Are you sure it’s him?”Lewis didn’t understand the dazed look in her eyes and answered carefully, “These past few days, while I was tracking him, this was the only person Henry met with mysteriously. Every time they met, they were extra cautious and chose a highly secretive l
Calvin smiled but didn’t laugh. “It was a matter of expediency. Miss Clarke, you said so yourself. What? Were you planning to lecture me about the law in that moment? Sue me for indecent assault?” He leaned back slightly, his tone casual. “Go ahead. I’ll wait for your lawyer’s letter.”Adriana was furious, shooting him a vicious glare.Calvin glanced at the time. He had to leave for London soon, and Karl’s plane was scheduled to arrive at the airport in a few hours. “Consider it a medical expense. I didn’t do anything else. You didn’t lose out.”Adriana’s hands trembled as she pressed her fingers to her temples. She was seriously afraid she wouldn’t be able to resist punching Calvin’s handsome face.“When it comes to being a shameless rogue, you’re at a textbook level,” she snapped. “If you ever wrote a book called How to Train a Hooligan, it would be a bestseller worldwide.”Calvin smirked. “How can an exclusive skill like mine be outsourced?”Adriana’s mouth twitched. She had alread
Tonight, Adriana walked slowly to the bedroom by herself without asking Calvin for help, but as she lay on the bed, she felt immense pressure and shame.Calvin went to take a bath. He would certainly see the dirty clothes inside. And his question—if someone had come and she said no—was no different from saying, No, I am wearing nothing inside.As a divorced woman, what hadn’t she experienced? What hadn’t she seen?She shouldn’t have been shy, shouldn’t have acted with such delicate posturing, but the word ex-husband was there, easily breaking down her defenses.Adriana pulled the covers up, wrapping herself tightly from head to toe.Not long after, a freshly washed Calvin walked in. He blow-dried his hair, and his body radiated heat from the bath, raising the temperature of the room.Adriana pretended to be asleep, but her toes were already tense, curling one by one, her arches about to straighten out.Last night, she had been so exhausted and hurt that she slept soundly until morning
Whether Marshal was being an alarmist or simply preparing for the worst, Calvin considered his words carefully. But deep down, he knew Adriana was not that kind of person.Was she really lying in wait, plotting to bring down Grand Empire to avenge her family and Clarke Group?That soft, stubborn woman—was she really capable of such a grand scheme?Calvin shook his head. No. Adriana wouldn’t do that.“Do your job. The rest is out of your hands.”Marshal knew better than to push any further. He had already said enough to warn his boss without overstepping. “Understood, President. I will cooperate with Lawyer Clarke on the lawsuit.”After hanging up the phone, Calvin found himself unable to settle. Marshal’s words—scandal and debt—kept echoing in his mind.At first, when he had finally cut ties with that “scheming woman,” he had felt an overwhelming sense of relief. But now, when he recalled her reddened eyes and unsteady footsteps as she left his office that day, something within him st
The attending physician nodded. “Mr. Calvin, the patient has awakened. Would you like to see her?”Calvin gave a slight nod and stepped forward.In the ICU, Anna slowly opened her eyes. Blood loss had left her face pale, her lips devoid of color. Her pupils were unfocused at first, taking a long moment to adjust. When she finally saw the group of doctors in white coats standing beside a familiar figure, the pain in her body seemed to momentarily fade. A faint smile appeared on her lips.“Calvin…”Before she could say more, Calvin interrupted her. “The doctor said you’re still weak and shouldn’t exert yourself. If you have something to say, save it for later.”Anna’s eyes welled up with tears, touched by his concern.To be able to trade an injury for Calvin’s care and affection—it was worth it.“Alright, I’ll do as you say.”She was obedient, soft, like a submissive woman in the throes of deep love.Calvin frowned slightly before turning to speak with the doctor.The doctor explained A
Before the Blake family arrived in London, Calvin had someone watch Anna closely at the hospital and instructed them to contact the doctor immediately if there was any change in her condition.Even the usually straightforward Alex sensed his resistance this time. After dinner, he considered heading to the hospital’s VIP room. Knocking on the door, he called out, “Calvin?”Calvin, reading a document, glanced slightly toward the door. “Something wrong?”Alex gently closed the door, not daring to get too close. He sat on the farthest couch, yet even from there, he could still feel the icy air surrounding Calvin. “Anna hasn’t woken up yet. You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”Calvin shot him an icy look.It clearly meant: Which one of your eyes saw me worrying?“And?”Alex continued, “Anna likes you a lot and cares about your feelings. She almost died trying to save you today. Aren’t you two engaged? She’s your fiancée, right? That means she truly loves you.”What Alex called true love,
Adriana buried her chin into the pillow, her spine tingling with an eerie chill, as if countless unseen eyes were watching her. Lying in the room Calvin had booked, she felt an unsettling sense of restraint, as though she were sitting on pins and needles.“I’ll listen to you and won’t do anything foolish,” she murmured.Maxwell patted his daughter’s head, the warmth of his touch cutting through the distance between them. “You’re my daughter, and I’ve never let you suffer any injustice since you were a child. Now, even though our family can’t provide you with the same material security as before, as long as I’m here, I won’t let you be wronged again.” His voice grew more serious. “We’re not afraid of anything else—we’re afraid that Calvin will deceive you with sweet words and take advantage of you. He’s too cunning, too unpredictable. Even I could be outmaneuvered by him, let alone you.”His unwavering concern, layered with tenderness, broke Adriana’s last shred of composure. Tears wel
As soon as she finished speaking, Anna blacked out, slipping completely into darkness.Calvin looked down and saw her covered in blood. His brows furrowed into a deep, cold line. “Anna, wake up!”The woman in his arms remained unresponsive, unconscious from severe blood loss. Her face and lips had turned frighteningly pale.Rushing to the nearest hospital, Calvin watched as Anna was wheeled into the operating room. He stood outside in the corridor, his expression frozen, his presence as cold as zero degrees.During the tense wait, Calvin contacted his subordinates in the UK, issuing orders with unwavering authority. “Calm the situation at the construction site immediately. The one who attacked her—send him to the police station first. Wait for my further instructions.”Meanwhile, Alex had struggled to pacify the rowdy crowd, but a new group of men arrived from behind and quickly dispersed them.He didn’t fully grasp how it happened, but within half an hour, the mob had dispersed on it