The corridors along the VIP ward were quiet and deserted. There was no one in sight.A female nurse came to check on Edgar after doing her rounds. As she left, a figure dressed as a nurse silently slipped into the ward.The ward was silent; Edgar was sound asleep.The man quickly took a syringe and plunged it into Edgar's withered arm.Surprisingly a light sleeper, Edgar bolted awake, his eyes wide with alarm. "W-Who are you?" It was the first time the man had done something like this. He panicked and stammered, "I-I am a new nurse. I'm here to do my rounds." "Nonsense! My daughter personally selected a nurse for me. Who the hell are you?"This man set off alarm bells in Edgar's head. He reached for the call button, but the man reacted swiftly, clamping a hand around his neck."I'm sorry, Mr. Edgar. At this point, I have no choice!"A sinister glint flickered in the man's eyes as he tightened his grip. Edgar's mouth gaped open, his pale complexion turning a sickly purple.
On the way out through the airport halls, the police carefully covered Joseph's handcuffed hands with clothes to avoid creating unnecessary commotion. Despite that, whispers and curious glances followed them. The travelers even took pictures and posted them online.In the interrogation room, Joseph, who always cultivated an image of elegance and reason, now pounded the table with his cuffed hands, screaming in frustration, "Didn't Aidan confess to everything? I don't know anything about his illegal drug business, and it has nothing to do with me. Who put you up to this? Why target me and the Lovelace Group?"Cyrus stared coldly at the man he once called Uncle Joseph. His lips formed a thin, impassive line. "Mr. Joseph, is that foresight you're displaying, or perhaps a guilty conscience? I haven't even mentioned drugs, yet you're already incriminating yourself."Joseph broke out in a cold sweat under Cyrus' unyielding gaze. He attempted to leverage their relationship to his advanta
The news of Aidan's suicide sent shockwaves through Solana City.Upon receiving the news, Alyssa hurried to Solana City with Mandy. Jasper followed them, fearing someone would hurt Mandy during this sensitive period."Cyrus told me the police found what seems to be a suicide note from Aidan in his coat jacket. It mentioned remorse for his actions and letting his grandfather and father down," Alyssa shared in her villa. Meanwhile, Jasper took it upon himself to warm two glasses of milk. He handed one to Mandy and the other to Alyssa. "This all happened so suddenly. Why… How…" Mandy trailed off, her voice thick with disbelief. It was one bad blow after another, and it all happened within a night. Mandy, a woman known for her composure, was starting to unravel. "I watched Aidan grow up. He was always so competitive. They raised and groomed him to be the successor. This must have been a crushing weight on him—the biggest sin he'd ever committed. Aidan must have felt completely co
Carl's blood ran cold at Jameson's words. He couldn't bring himself to speak. "I told you to keep Nicholas under close watch, and as I expected, he's been communicating with someone." A cruel, mocking laugh escaped Jameson's lips. "Didn't I tell you? In this world, only the dead can be truly trusted.""You're a genius, Mr. Schmidt!" Admiration and shock warred on Carl's face. "But, how did you realize something was off with Chief Novak?""He asked me about the drug development progress the other day, completely out of the blue. Never before has he bothered himself with such minor details."Jameson circled the table, picking up a photo from a stack. He studied it with chilling coldness. The picture captured Jasper placing a lighter in Nicholas' hand during their meeting at a café.A long moment passed before Jameson crumpled the photo into a tight ball, his eyes hardening with repressed fury."Are you planning to..." Carl ventured cautiously. "Forgive my bluntness, but Chief Nova
Mandy began, "Everyone, I'm sure you've all heard about what happened recently at the Lovelace Group. This is an emergency, so I will keep it brief." Mandy took the center seat at the meeting table, exuding power and fearlessness. "Effective immediately, I will be taking over from my brother, Joseph and assume the position of Lovelace Group's chairman." The room erupted in an uproar. "Ms. Lovelace… No, I mean, Mrs. Taylor. You've married into the Taylor family. You can't be making decisions for the Lovelaces now." Someone mocked, "Furthermore, you had a falling out with Mr. Edgar to be with Mr. Winston. Don't think we've forgotten how you cut ties with the Lovelace family. "For the past 20 years, you never cared about Lovelace Group. Now that it's in trouble, you're the first to step in and claim it. Don't you think trying to get a slice of the pie makes you look bad?"The others joined in criticizing Mandy."It has been half a month since Lovelace Group got into trouble.
"Julien…" Upon witnessing Julien's entrance, Mandy was moved to tears. Everyone else in the room was shocked to see Julien at first. Their shocked faces were subsequently replaced by looks of disdain shortly after. Everyone knew that Julien had been outcasted by the Lovelace family long ago. He wasn't allowed to participate in the corporation's operations. To them, he was simply a doctor who only studied CT scans in his doctor's office. They believed Julien knew nothing about the business world. Not just that, he was previously embroiled in a scandal. The photos of him being intimate with Jonah were exposed to the whole wide world, bringing humiliation to the Lovelace family. "This is a board meeting, Mr. Julien. It's not like those bars and nightclubs that you frequent. You're being a little too tactless!" The arrogant board member from before mocked Julien. His insult made everyone else chuckle. "The place you're occupying belongs to the Lovelace family. I am also part of
Once the board meeting ended, the announcement about Mandy's and Julien's appointment was released to all Lovelace Group employees. Julien exited the meeting room. The moment he entered the chairman's office, he plunged into Jonah's arms. He nuzzled his sweaty face against Jonah's shoulder. He could finally feel at ease, knowing that he was finally back in his lover's presence. He also let go of the confident persona he was putting up and melted into Jonah's embrace."Congratulations, Mr. Julien. You've succeeded in taking over." Jonah lifted his hand and stroked Julien's hair gently. In a gentle and raspy voice, he said, "You are someone with status and a title now. You are the second-in-command in the Lovelace family. I'll have to rely on your support in the future, Mr. Julien." Julien clicked his tongue. "Forget it." Julien let out a long sigh. He said in a coy voice, "If you hadn't bulk purchased Lovelace Group's shares in secret to stabilize our share price, our corpora
Landon was finally done preparing for his wedding with Lauren at Bernardia. He had made arrangements according to Lauren's preferences. Over the past month or so, Landon wished that he could split himself into multiples of himself. He had to look after Lauren, manage Harper Group, and manage the decorations at the wedding venue—from personnel assignments, their wedding photo shoot, and the positioning of even a small pot of flowers—everything had to be vetted by him. He made sure that he was all hands-on. His private plane flew between Bernardia and Solana City multiple times, so much so that he used up a considerable amount of fuel. Jordan was worried that it would all be too tiring for Landon. He offered to go to Bernardia on his behalf to keep watch over the preparations there, but Landon refused adamantly. He would rather see to it himself. He didn't care if he was jet-lagged or that he was losing sleep. He made sure that he went there in person to have a hand in the decora
"How about now? Is Ms. Altman at home?" Alyssa asked urgently."She isn't," Clark replied. "She drove out the back gate alone around 11:00 pm. Our security personnel stopped her then, but she said she was just going out for some fresh air because she had trouble sleeping. She promised she wouldn't be long, but it's strange—she hasn't returned even now."Alyssa's ears began to ring, her heart sinking like a stone.When she ended the call, her nightgown clung to her skin, drenched in cold sweat. Her trembling hand gripped the phone tightly.She thought of calling Jonah, but he was still searching for Julien in Mosgravia. He wouldn't be able to return in time. Silas wasn't home tonight; he was likely with Rose. Besides, he was more of an academic than a fighter—not someone who could help in a crisis. Getting him out of bed in the middle of the night couldn't possibly solve any of their problems. Axel had returned to his organization, leaving Cyrus as the only one accessible who mi
Amber's eyes reddened as she darted toward the trapdoor in The Millennium, tears streaming down her face.Remy had let her go. He actually spared her! Didn't this prove that he was Damien? That his true nature lingered, even if his memories of the past had been lost?Hope and excitement bubbled within her as she ran. She had to reach Alyssa immediately and share this evidence—this incredible news!Emerging from the trapdoor, Amber navigated the tangled paths among the weeds on the mountain behind The Millennium.Suddenly, she froze. Her breath hitched. Beams of white light shone from all directions, focusing on her. The cold, unyielding spotlights told her everything—she was surrounded, the target of an ambush. Amber's heart pounded in her chest. Cold sweat slicked her palms as her fingers clenched tightly around her dagger. The veins on the back of her hand throbbed with adrenaline.Six assassins in black emerged from the shadows, their flashlights cutting through the gl
Amber glared at Remy through her bloodshot eyes, thrusting her gleaming blade toward his chest. In her early days of being Jameson's follower, the first lesson drilled into her was how to kill quickly and efficiently. Refinement wasn't necessary—only results mattered. Yet, despite mastering the techniques, she had never put them into practice. Deep down, Amber feared the sight of blood and loathed the idea of taking a life.And now, of all people, it was Remy forcing her to cross that line.The blade's tip hovered mere inches from Remy's heart when hesitation gripped her. Axel's voice echoed in her mind, raw with emotion. "Amber, I keep feeling that Remy is my fifth brother, Damien. We miss him… We want him to come home!"Her pupils dilated. The blade wavered, its deadly intent dissipating.That single moment of doubt was all Remy needed. With a calm, calculated motion, he seized her wrist and twisted it sharply.Amber gasped in pain, her grip faltering as the blade clattered
The password to Jameson's room was Alyssa's birthday. Jameson had always believed himself to be a devoted man, taking pride in that notion. Yet, in Amber's eyes, his devotion was nothing more than a pathetic joke—a sentiment she couldn't help but detest.Taking a steadying breath, Amber began rummaging through the drawers and shelves with swift precision.Years of observation had taught her that Jameson had hidden several secret compartments in this room, places meant to conceal vital information. Unless Jameson or Carl disclosed their existence, even the police might not have uncovered them.After what felt like an eternity, sweat beading on her forehead, Amber discovered a hidden compartment beneath a floor sculpture.As she pried the brick loose, her breath hitched. Inside the compartment lay a waterproof plastic bag containing a document and a USB drive.Amber retrieved the document. Her heart raced as she realized its contents—a research report from Mosgravia's RC Biotech
Ever since getting together with Axel, Amber had lived each day in bliss. Yet, when Winston assured her that he truly accepted her and approved of her marriage to Axel, that bliss reached its peak. For so long, Amber had struggled with feelings of inferiority, never truly believing she deserved Axel's love. Deep down, she had resolved to step away if Winston disapproved or insisted Axel marry a woman from a reputable family—a match more fitting of his status.She wouldn't have hesitated to leave if it meant sparing Winston and Axel any conflict. Amber loved Axel wholeheartedly and was willing to sacrifice everything for him.But instead of rejection, she found warmth. The Taylor family embraced her as one of their own, showing her kindness and understanding rather than disdain for her past.She could never repay such compassion. "Winston… Thank you. Thank you…" Amber's tear-filled eyes glistened, their brightness undimmed despite all the darkness she had endured. Winston s
Amber stifled a laugh and teased, "Stop talking, Mr. Whitaker. You're going to sound like a broken record if you keep going." …After breakfast and a quick packing session, Axel departed from Heightsnew Villa. Amber spent her day helping the Taylors with various tasks. She assisted Mandy in organizing documents for Lovelace Group's projects, helped Lyla with cooking, and even joined Colene in feeding her horse. With Tatiana's due date approaching, Amber also pitched in for her shower preparations.Amber had always been a diligent person, but today, she seemed particularly intent on keeping herself busy. She was counting down the hours until nightfall. After dinner, the Taylors sat in the living room and chatted casually as they always did. The warm, familial atmosphere filled the space, and Amber joined in, her perceptive nature making her a seamless part of the group.When everyone retired to their rooms, Amber rose to help the helpers clear the table. "Amber." Startled
Axel and Amber had only spent half a month together before the former was called back to report for work. The night before his departure, they spent hours lost in each other, their passion unrelenting. Again and again, they exchanged kisses, their love pouring forth in an endless tide."Amber, three months… Just give me three more months." When their fervor finally waned, Axel held Amber close in his arms. They rested against the headboard, leaning into one another, too exhausted to move yet unwilling to let sleep claim them."Once I finish all the missions I've taken on, I'll hand in my resignation. After that, I'll spend all my time with you," Axel murmured, his voice steady with resolve. "We'll go wherever you want. If you want fun, I'll have fun with you. If you want chaos, I'll spend my life going crazy with you."Axel wasn't one for flowery words. He simply spoke from the heart. Right now, his heart only wanted Amber—forever.Amber nestled closer, her soft smile masking t
"Sir." Sheryl immediately stood and greeted Justin respectfully as he entered the room. "What are you doing here?" Justin's cold gaze swept over her as he strolled leisurely to the couch and sat down.Sheryl quickly explained, "I received a parcel for you from the administrative secretary half an hour ago. I thought it might be something important, something you wouldn't want too many people to handle. So, I waited for you to return and open it personally.""A parcel?" Justin frowned. Why would anyone send him a parcel to Beckett Group, of all places? How strange. Sheryl presented the parcel to him with both hands. He took it from her and then opened it right before her. After removing three layers of wrapping, each from outside and inside the box, the parcel turned out to contain only a plain white envelope. His expression darkened. It felt like someone was toying with him.Then, he looked down and opened the envelope, which contained a stack of photographs. Pinching a co
"Don't be so pessimistic, Jonah," Alyssa said. Perhaps having just seen Jasper and going through that heart-stopping moment made Alyssa emotional. Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "If you truly love someone, you don't need to possess him to find happiness. Isn't it enough to know he's alive, well, and living freely somewhere in this world?""You're right, Lyse." Sorrow filled Jonah's voice as he smiled bitterly. "Julien has already lost and sacrificed too much for my sake. I don't deserve to have such a good man. He'll only find true happiness by leaving me."…After Justin took over as president of Beckett Group, his first move was to wrest control of the A5 Project bid from Jasper's hands.Though Jasper had failed as the leader of Beckett Group, as the eldest son, it was only natural for Justin to inherit the position of power. Justin was aware of lingering opposition within the corporation. Some doubted whether he possessed the decisiveness and singular capabili