As Lana, Mandy, and Romelius were ushered onto Adrian's cruise ship, Adrian had already placed his wine glass aside, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture."Lana!" Adrian advanced to embrace her, but she adeptly sidestepped him.A flicker of disappointment crossed Adrian's eyes, yet he continued to regard Lana with tenderness."Come on, I mean no harm. It's just a hug. Is that too much to ask?"Lana stared at him coldly, asking, "What exactly do you want?"Throughout the journey, Lana had assumed that the kidnappers targeted Mandy for ransom.It wasn't until she saw Adrian that she realized Mandy was merely collateral—Adrian's true objective was her.Adrian approached once again, his gaze softening. "It's been so long since I last saw you. I've been worried about you."Lana sneered, "Worried? I suspect you're more concerned about your standing in Balany!""You, bitch! What did you say?"As Lana's words faded, a robust figure beside Adrian promptly advanced. He seized Lana b
As Adrian's voice dwindled, a sinister smile formed across his face.Without warning, he issued a bone-chilling order in Balanese to those standing close, "Cut off the limbs of these individuals and dispose of them in the ocean to feed the fish."Truly, the depth of Adrian's malice and cruelty knew no bounds.Despite the hesitance visible among those on the deck, Adrian's accomplices began to escort the victims away.Soon after, sporadic cries of anguish resonated from the cabin, punctuated by the sound of splashing water.Lana recognized the haunting echoes as the grim aftermath of bodies being discarded into the sea.In a cruel twist of fate, the once-celebratory atmosphere aboard the cruise ship morphed into a scene of nightmarish horror.Moments ago, the passengers were immersed in joy and festivities, believing they had secured favor with the royal lineage.Now, they found themselves trapped. Their lives were hanging by a thread, all at the whim of Duke Adrian's unpredicta
Emilia exited Lana's suite and lightly knocked on the adjacent door, which Adrian promptly opened.Confidently, Emilia met Adrian's gaze. "The person is inside."Adrian expressed his gratitude with a nod. "I appreciate your help this time."Emilia shook her head, a smile gracing her lips. "Truth be told, I merely placed my bet on basic human instincts. No mother could passively witness someone hurling curses at her child without taking a stand."Adrian remained silent, engrossed in his phone. "I've transferred the promised amount to your designated account. From now on, you're a free woman."Emilia's phone chimed with a timely notification sound as a message arrived. She casually waved her phone in her hand and said, "Thanks."Without sparing another glance her way, Adrian headed toward Lana's room.At that moment, Emilia drew closer. "However, I haven't decided to leave the ship just yet."Assuming Emilia hadn't secured a hiding place, Adrian chose not to dwell on it. Silently
As Emilia's words dissipated, a military knife suddenly appeared in her hand. With a swift motion, she aggressively slashed it toward Lana.Lana swiftly spun, adeptly evading Emilia's blade."Emilia, remember, we're on Adrian's ship now," Lana cautioned.Adrian had gone to great lengths to bring Lana aboard, and his reluctance to harm her emphasized Lana's profound significance in his heart.If Emilia were to inflict any harm on Lana, Adrian would undoubtedly react with severe consequences.Lana's words acted as both a reminder and a warning to Emilia."Lana, stop the pretense," Emilia, determined to eliminate Lana, countered, "I don't need your reminder to grasp how much Adrian loves you."Why is life so unfair? Why do remarkable men always seem drawn to you? What makes me less than you?" Emilia's words sliced through the air as she aggressively thrust her knife toward Lana.Despite being pregnant, Lana effortlessly evaded Emilia's attacks. In terms of combat skills, Emilia
Emilia sneered, "There's no antidote. Even if you kill me, it won't matter!"Adrian and his entourage didn't believe Emilia's bold assertion. A subtle nod from Adrian prompted one of his henchmen to stealthily close in on Emilia.In an instant, a sharp glint filled the air, swiftly followed by Emilia's harrowing scream of torment.Moments later, Lana saw two delicate, pink fragments falling to the floor before her—grim remnants of Emilia's severed ears.Overwhelmed by agony, Emilia clutched her wounds, momentarily succumbing to unconsciousness. Yet, her respite was short-lived, as Adrian's men promptly splashed her with water to revive her.The cold water intensified her pain, eliciting yet another anguished cry from Emilia."Do you wish to reconsider your stance?" Adrian's voice reverberated with chilling authority, causing Emilia to quiver uncontrollably.Terror distorted her face, and she gazed back at him with a look of utter despair.Now, she fully understood what Lana had
Adrian's expression darkened. With a fleeting, concerned glance in Lana's direction, he promptly directed his men to escort Emilia to the deck.On the surface, Emilia's prior confession and surrender of the antidote seemed to clear her of any blame for today's grim events.Yet, an uneasy suspicion continued to gnaw at Adrian. He couldn't dispel the nagging doubt that perhaps Emilia had exploited some unforeseen loophole.Moments later, she was brought onto the deck.The aftermath of the previous day's events was evident in her battered form.Both her ears were now missing, and her face, once dignified and radiant, bore the cruel marks of a savage assault, rendering her almost unrecognizable.As Emilia's eyes darted around the deck, she caught the intense, hostile stares from Adrian and his men.Not far from where she stood, two lifeless bodies lay sprawled, their faces still stained with fresh, crimson blood—a grim testament to their recent demise.Before Emilia could voice a s
Romelius tenderly kissed Mandy's lips, handing her a bouquet of red roses. "My love, congratulations," he whispered.Nadia followed suit, intertwining her fingers with Howard's as they approached Mandy. "Mom, congratulations," she said, presenting another bouquet to her.Trailing them, Marion appeared, guiding a young toddler beside her. She too congratulated Mandy, completing the heartfelt gestures.Enveloped in Romelius' warm embrace, Mandy's face radiated a joyous glow. Her return home was nothing short of triumphant, especially after winning the International Best Actress award.The overwhelming reception from devoted fans and familiar faces had taken her by surprise.Yet, amid the celebrations, a subtle sorrow shadowed her gaze.Romelius sensed the thoughts weighing on Mandy's heart. Bowing his head gently, he murmured, "If Lana were here, she would be so proud of you."Emerging triumphant from a grueling health battle, Mandy's stellar performance in this global blockbuster
Upon hearing Mandy's remark, a wave of melancholy washed over the others.In this moment of vulnerability, Violet reached out and delicately clasped Mandy's hand."Your success has been hard-earned. Lana has been your anchor through thick and thin. Sharing this milestone with her is only natural," Violet whispered.Mandy nodded appreciatively, reflecting, "Lana's unwavering faith in me propelled me forward. She's been my guiding light, constantly urging me never to abandon my dreams."Catching the sentiment, Violet nodded in understanding. A hush descended on the others, yet their gaze remained fixed on Mandy, silently rooting for her as she slowly ascended the stairs.Suddenly, as Leonardo played with a toy in Hector's arms, a spark ignited within him.With determination, he slipped out of Hector's embrace and quickly darted after Mandy, making his way toward her."Leo …"A collective gasp echoed throughout the living room.Since Leonardo's birth, access to the second floor o
Would Lana forgive him and spend the rest of her life with him?Liam's heart was filled with a sense of anticipation.Since the reason for the incident had been clarified, everyone let out a sigh of relief at the same time and also went back to rest. Even Leonardo was taken away just to give the two people who had been apart for a long time some space to be alone.After everyone had left, Liam straightened out his clothes and approached Lana, then proceeded to slowly crouch down."Lana!"In the man's deep and sexy voice, there was an unusual tremor and a hint of choked emotion.Liam had no idea what kept him going during these years after losing Lana.Liam didn't dare to do anything too bold. Instead, he gently leaned his handsome face against Lana's hand, repeatedly calling her name.Three years had already passed since Lana left in a fit of anger, setting off a series of events afterward.If she still had any resentment, it would have vanished when she saw Liam's tall figu
Liam's outstretched hand awkwardly hung in the air, and eventually, he could only withdraw it."Speak up if you have something to say, or else, stay quiet. We're not in the mood to listen to you." Hector's attitude toward Liam was still unfavorable, to the extent that he didn't even want to see him.Lana suddenly said, "Something very serious actually happened today."Following that, she placed Leonardo down and showed everyone the wound on his neck.A ring of red marks surrounded Leonardo's delicate neck. In some places, the marks were so swollen that it looked like a tire had been wrapped around his neck. It was a shocking sight to behold.Hector, Violet, Mandy, and Romelius were immediately enraged."What happened to Leo?""What happened to his neck? It could have been fatal if it was any worse.""Who was responsible for watching Leo today? How could they be so negligent and let the child get injured so badly?""This doesn't look like any ordinary wound. It looks like it wa
"Stop looking at me like that. If you want to kill or torture me, go ahead." Cynthia knew what would happen to her after the truth came out, so she gave up struggling. "However, even after my death, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!"As they listened to her absurd threat, Lana and the Traffic Light Trio burst into laughter."If ghosts were real, then Emilia would be the first to look for you."When her deceased sister was mentioned, Cynthia's smile remained unchanged. "That fool probably never knew it was me who betrayed her until her death."Considering the situation, Cynthia didn't believe she could leave the Garrison Villa tonight."What exactly do you gain by single-handedly destroying the Cooper family?"Lana was still very confused by Cynthia's actions.After all, Emilia and Cynthia were twins and had the same blood coursing through their veins. With all the Coopers gone, Cynthia had nothing to gain from it either!Cynthia sneered at Lana's question. "Lana, yo
On the evening of the banquet, the Garrison Villa was bustling with distinguished guests.Initially, everyone's attention was on the precious great-grandson of the Garrison and Kane family. With his confident and lively demeanor, the chubby child was absolutely adorable. Everyone was naturally curious about who the child might have chosen as his stepmother.It should be noted that the Garrison and Kane family only had one great-grandson. His future was destined to be extraordinary. As long as one could control the child, it was much more worthwhile than dealing with those individuals from the two affluent families.After all, the elders from the two families were very attentive and doting toward this child. Surprisingly, Liam, who was said to have been away from home for a long time, had returned. During the reception of guests, he unexpectedly had a smile on his face.The ladies who had come tonight, vying for the position of Liam's wife, became even more excited.Liam typi
On the night before the banquet, Romelius and Mandy finally brought Leonardo back.Lana was overjoyed, and she immediately went to the bungalow where they were staying.At that time, Leonardo had just returned home and was playing with toys on the living room floor."Leo, you're back! Did you miss Mommy? Mommy missed you so much!"Lana ran toward Leonardo, talking to him while reaching out to hug him. In a flash, Leonardo suddenly ran toward Romelius while holding a toy car.After that, he kept hiding in his arms, refusing to come out. He would occasionally peek out from the gaps to glance at Lana.His actions clearly showed that he refused to accept Lana.Lana's enthusiasm was dampened, and her outstretched arms awkwardly remained in midair. She looked at Romelius and then at Mandy as if waiting for them to persuade Leonardo. However, these two remained silent and only greeted Lana in a casual manner."Oh, Lana, you've come?" Mandy said while presenting her with a basket o
Due to the fact that the Garrison family was going to hold a banquet to introduce the mother of their beloved great-grandson, Leonardo, the Garrisons once again became the talk of the town in Dawsbury.The last time Dawsbury was so lively was when Hector introduced the Garrison family's heir to everyone.As soon as the news was released, the Garrisons became noticeably busier in the following days. All of them were busy scurrying around and helping Hector deliver the invitations.In addition to people who had business dealings with the Garrison family, the invitations were naturally sent to people who were familiar with Lana in the past. Therefore, as soon as the Traffic Light Trio received the invitation, they didn't even go to work and immediately ran to Liam's office—intending to get an explanation from him.At that time, Liam had just finished a phone call from overseas and was deep in thought when the office door was suddenly kicked open.Lincoln stood at the door, looking
With that, Sawyer ignored the unpleasant expressions on Freya and Hector's faces. He immediately picked up his child and walked away.Hector was furious. He glared at Liam, his eyes burning with anger. It was clear that he thought Liam was the one responsible for Lana's predicament.Liam was once again innocently caught in the crossfire.Freya set aside her current tasks, offered some comforting words to Hector, and then got up and chased after them.She knew Sawyer well enough and was certain that he would never have treated someone like this unless there was a reason.As Freya's family of three left, Lana's face bore a sorrowful expression. "Since I'm not welcome here, I guess I'll just go."With that, Lana got up and walked toward the door.Hector and Violet had been waiting for Lana's return for a long time. Now that she was finally back, how could they possibly let her go?Naturally, the two of them chased after Lana and tried to talk her out of leaving. They eventually ma
Liam sensed a challenging undertone in Lana's stare. After all this time, had they truly become adversaries?Releasing Lana abruptly, Violet gently patted her arm, her eyes filled with profound hurt."You're here, alive and well. Why did you leave us in the shadows? Even if you chose not to contact anyone else, you should've considered reaching out to me. Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"Over the years, Violet had been grappling with a deep sense of loss.Though it remained an unspoken sentiment among them, Violet was aware of the underlying blame directed toward Liam for what was believed to be Lana's demise.Had Liam been more emotionally available, their relationship wouldn't have crumbled. It would've stopped Lana from seeking refuge overseas while carrying their child, an act that set the stage for her heartbreaking destiny.Witnessing Liam's anguish and believing Lana to be lost forever had taken a severe toll on Violet's health, aging her considerably."Gr
Liam guided Leo to Lana's room.As they entered, Lana was already awake, bathed in the serene morning light streaming through the window.Upon hearing their arrival, Lana, while brushing her hair, shifted her gaze toward them—a familiar scene echoing times gone by."Good morning, Liam and Leo!" she greeted them effortlessly.Without hesitation, Leonardo squirmed out of Liam's embrace and darted toward Lana, exclaiming, "Hi, Nana!"Lana paused, momentarily surprised by Leonardo's nickname. "Leo, you should be calling me 'Mommy'!" she gently corrected him.Leonardo hesitated momentarily before redirecting his attention to Liam.Even though Liam hadn't exchanged a single word with Lana, he spoke up when Leo glanced his way, firmly stating, "Feel free to do as you wish. There's no need to seek my approval. Alright?"Leonardo nodded obediently and turned his gaze back to Lana, continuing to address her as "Nana."While Lana appeared somewhat displeased by this unexpected turn of ev