"Louis, you've been so cold to me lately. I've waited so long to see you!"In Louis's office, Maya's complaining voice rang out. But rather than actual complaints, her tone resembled a sulky, flirtatious whine.Still reviewing contracts on his desk, Louis responded in a low voice, "I've been busy lately."Indeed, it was simple—bury himself in work. At least during this time, his mind wasn't entirely consumed by thoughts of Alice. Yet, every night before bed, he couldn't resist opening the video of Alice playing the piano to watch it again.Days passed, and while the video's initial buzz had subsided, it continued to attract a lot of attention, especially since it was pinned on the homepage of Mys University. Every day, students left comments praising it.Alice was like a beacon of light admired by everyone. In moments like these, Louis couldn't help but think that light once belonged solely to him.From the beginning, their relationship had been built on the wrong foundation. Perhaps
At last, after countless days of anticipation, the academic exhibition of Mystia City had finally arrived.July gripped Alice's hand tightly, talking non-stop, "Alice, don't worry. You're going to shine the brightest today! You've put so much effort into this project; it's bound to be a success!"Despite her encouraging words, anyone watching the duo would have thought their roles were reversed. Alice's expression remained emotionless, while July's nervous, frantic demeanor made it seem as though she were the one about to take the stage instead of Alice.Alice calmly withdrew her hand from July's and said in a low voice, "You're the one who needs to stop worrying, July."Professor Eslite, standing nearby, smiled. "That attitude of yours is commendable, Alice. But July isn't wrong—you'll undoubtedly be the star today."Alice didn't respond, but Ron spoke confidently, standing off to the side, "Of course! Alice is incredible, after all!"Alice remained silent, but the group of people su
"That concludes my presentation. Now, we can conduct a live demonstration using the prototype produced by Ado Company," Maya declared confidently.At that moment, an assistant from Ado approached the stage, handing Maya a small spray bottle before quickly stepping back.Alice glanced toward Louis, and just then, Louis looked back at her.He could sense something was wrong. From the moment Maya began introducing her project, Alice and her group had seemed uneasy—perhaps even angry. Louis couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Surely, they weren't petty enough to be upset simply because Maya's project was outstanding, were they?But somehow, Louis didn't think that was the case. A strange sense of unease gnawed at him.On the stage, the hired volunteer arrived. His arm bore a deep, gaping wound nearly 20 centimeters long, blood streaming down alarmingly. The sight made many in the audience gasp in horror.Maya, however, smiled gently. "There's no need to worry. With just one applic
Louis couldn't help but recall that Maya had registered the copyright. Setting aside the question of who was right or wrong for the moment, as long as she had a copyright certificate, Maya would undoubtedly hold the moral high ground, and even in court, she wouldn't lose. Alice stirring up trouble here would only be detrimental to her. Moreover, with so many people present and a live broadcast ongoing, this could severely impact Alice's future.Louis wanted Alice to stop there.Alice looked at Louis and suddenly smiled. "So, you also believe this project belongs to Maya?"Louis pressed his lips together and replied in a measured tone, "I just need proof, Alice." But in truth, his judgment had already leaned toward Alice.Because it was Alice herself. And because beside Alice was Eslite. But now was not the time.Louis spoke sincerely, "I will thoroughly investigate this matter. If anyone truly dares to steal someone else's work and even deceive me, I will not forgive them." As he said
The gazes of everyone in the room were filled with contempt and mockery as they looked at Maya."Oh my god, she is the thief.""So the project was created by Alice? How can she be both beautiful and so smart? It's not fair!""Finally, she's been cleared! The thief should pay the price! I hate those who steal others' ideas!""But July's 'turning the tables' move was a bit too much... If I'm not mistaken, Maya had registered the copyright, right? So now the law recognizes that this project is hers."Many fell silent at this thought. There were many cases like this in the industry, though few came to light, as typically, whoever registered the copyright first would win.Maya had thought of this as well. Her expression shifted from shock and panic to calmness, even a hint of satisfaction.She looked up at Alice, tears still glistening, but she smiled and said contentedly, "I told you, I registered the copyright. This project is completely mine!"At this point, she seemed almost hysterical
Maya looked at Louis, her eyes filled with despair.However, at this moment, Louis would never look at her again. He had begun to feel annoyed by her. He wondered why he had once stubbornly believed Maya to be an innocent and pure-hearted girl. Memories, after all, were the very thing that killed a person's rationality.Maya gazed at Louis, pleading incessantly, "Louis, I didn't mean to! I truly realize my mistakes now. Please forgive me, Louis!"Louis said in a low voice, "There's no need for further explanations. As I said, anyone who deceived me and the Ado Corporation will face the consequences. Just review the compensation outlined in the contract and follow through."With that, Louis turned to leave. Unexpectedly, Maya lunged forward, clinging to his arm. She looked at him with a stubborn desperation. "No, Louis! I didn't mean it! It's just that I love you so much!"She almost screamed these words, leaving Louis slightly taken aback. Sensing a sliver of hope, Maya hurriedly adde
When Louis turned 15, his grandfather passed away, and it was as though his father was finally freed. His father grew increasingly impatient with Louis's mother, and their love seemed to have reached its end. Only his mother desperately tried to salvage what remained of their relationship.The breaking point came when his father brought home another woman and a son who was older than Louis by a year. Louis's mother nearly went mad.Her desperation spiraled into insanity, but his father merely locked her away, refusing to let her leave. Louis also fell under his father's control because, before his death, Louis's grandfather had entrusted him with all the shares of the Adonis Group. These shares were to be handed over to Louis when he turned 18, but until then, they were managed by his mother.His father drove his mother to madness and sought to kill Louis to seize full control of the Adonis Group.But they had underestimated Louis. He displayed remarkable intelligence and decisiveness
Louis didn't know where he should go. His mind was blank, and a dull ache throbbed inside him. At this moment, it felt like the vast world had abandoned him, leaving him no place to call home.For some reason, Alice's figure surfaced in his thoughts. Finally, he turned the wheel and headed toward Alice's school, though he wasn't even sure if she would still be there.The dark sky grew heavier as the moon was veiled behind thick clouds. Black mist stretched across the heavens, and finally, a crack of thunder shattered the silence of the night. Heavy raindrops pounded against the ground—tonight was destined to be anything but peaceful.Alice was busy handling her project. While her brother Ron had managed the investments as the school's principal, his workload was overwhelming. Not wanting to add to Ron's burdens, Alice stayed late into the evening to manage everything herself.Her mind was screaming with exhaustion, and when Alice glanced at the heavy downpour outside, she felt even mor
Louis immediately became panicked, quickly getting out of bed. His whole body swayed, and his legs were so weak that he nearly fell. He had to hold onto the edge of the bed, his breath rapid, his heart pounding, still recovering from the long faint. Fortunately, his body was strong and recovered quickly, though he still felt a bit dizzy, and his vision was blurry.Not having time to worry about himself, he urgently asked, "How is Alice?"July suddenly fell silent, not saying anything. Her abrupt stop made Louis suspicious. He looked at her with a questioning gaze, his heart racing with a bad feeling.July's eyes flickered slightly, hesitation passing in a moment, but she couldn't hide the deep sorrow within. She looked at Louis as though considering whether or not to tell the truth, her lips pressed together, hesitant and speechless.Louis felt his palms go cold. July's silence was like an invisible hand tightening around his chest. A sense of unease spread through his body, every cel
Hearing that name, Louis’s body trembled slightly. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, filled with extreme exhaustion but also carrying an unspoken pain. His voice came out hoarse:"I can’t leave… I have to stay here, wait for her to wake up…"Ron clenched his fists, turning his face away to hide his emotions. In the stark white hospital room, worry and despair intertwined, enveloping everything.Louis slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on Alice lying in the hospital bed. She was still motionless, her weak breath completely dependent on the oxygen machine beside her. Alice’s body had noticeably weakened, her pale skin lifeless, making her seem as fragile as a delicate princess lost in a long, deep sleep. The painful tightness in Louis’s chest made him clench his hands to keep from letting out a sigh.He closed his eyes, as if trying to calm himself, but Alice’s image remained firmly etched in his mind. He couldn’t forget what Mrs. Campbell had just said. "If you collapse
Her face was covered in dirt, with small wounds bleeding on her forehead and cheek, but in this moment, Alice was still strangely beautiful. A satisfied smile appeared on her lips, even as tears involuntarily spilled, mixing with sweat and dust. Her eyes sparkled in the fiery red glow of the sunset, gentle yet full of sorrow. She loved Louis, and that had never changed.She spread her arms wide, waiting for the deadly embrace from Cliff.Louis and the others watched in despair as the scene unfolded before them. Louis rushed forward, wanting to pull Alice out of danger, but a figure moved faster than him—Vein.It turned out, he hadn’t died.The memory from the laboratory flashed back: Cliff’s final bullet had grazed Vein’s forehead, leaving a deep but non-fatal wound. When Cliff had left, he had sneered one last time, saying, "Get lost!" He thought Vein was no longer of any use, not worth finishing off. But now, Vein appeared, like a demon from hell, to stop everything.His messy hair
Cliff smirked, his eyes gleaming with challenge."So this is how you want to talk like a man? If that's the case, then let Alice go." Louis' voice was low, but the danger in every word was evident.Cliff burst out laughing, the gun in his hand still pressed against Alice's temple. "You think I'm stupid, Louis? I'm not crazy enough to let her go so easily." He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with madness. "If you want to save her, then come over here."Just as Louis was about to take a step forward, Alice suddenly screamed, her voice hoarse with pain and fear. "Don’t! Louis, don’t move!" She struggled, but her strength had drained, her legs too weak to stand. Still, her eyes remained resolute.Louis froze, his gaze meeting Alice's with profound sorrow. She was protecting him, even though she was in the most perilous situation. The anger inside him burned fiercer than ever, but he remained patient, knowing that one wrong move could make Cliff act instantly.Cliff narrowed his eyes
Alice froze, her breath quick and shallow, feeling the suffocating grip of his embrace. Cliff’s face was close to her ear, a twisted smile still lingering on his lips."Alice, are you scared?" His voice whispered, laced with fake tenderness. "It’s just a joke, my love... I’m only trying to scare you."But immediately, his expression shifted. His eyes gleamed with madness, his muscles tensing, and his low voice suddenly turned fierce, like a thunderclap."But even if I destroy you… I’ll do it right in front of Louis!" He hissed each word, his eyes burning with a hatred so intense that it seemed to bring him a twisted pleasure.With that, Cliff bent down, gripping Alice’s arm tightly and roughly yanking her up from the ground. No gentleness, no pity—he dragged her as though she were nothing more than a discarded object. Alice staggered, her legs aching as if thousands of needles were piercing her skin, but she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to keep up with Cliff’s swift pace to avoi
But just then, her foot got caught on a large vine hidden among the rotting leaves. She didn't have time to react, her entire body was yanked downward, losing its balance. A wave of panic swept over her, and in the next moment, she rolled down a rocky slope.Alice screamed in pain as sharp stones and dry branches hit her body. Each impact was a sharp, piercing pain that seemed to cut through her flesh, and she even heard a dry "crack"—perhaps a few bones had broken. When her body finally stopped at the foot of the slope, the pain was almost unbearable, leaving her gasping for breath. Her body trembled, and her vision blurred from tears that welled up from the excruciating agony. Alice sobbed, her breaths caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, to cry out loud, but she couldn't. There was no time to be weak.Biting her lip until it bled, Alice shakily pushed her hands into the ground, trying to lift her battered body. But the pain from her ribs nearly made her collapse again. Don’t
The sound of the helicopter echoed in the sky, making her heart race. A spark of hope flickered in her mind, and she almost wanted to laugh despite being in a life-or-death situation. She whispered, as if to reassure herself: "They're coming... they're really coming..."But if she didn’t manage to escape, if she was caught again... Alice didn’t dare to imagine what would happen. What would Cliff do to her? His cold face, eyes full of absolute control, appeared in her mind, making her shiver. She didn’t want to be locked up in that dark room again, trapped like a bird in a cage, losing both her freedom and hope. No! She had to run! She had to escape from here at any cost!Alice had nearly given up everything to get this far. Over the past few days, she had starved herself to create a pitiful appearance, tricking Cliff into lowering his guard. But that had also made her much weaker. Her legs felt heavy, each step felt like walking on sharp blades. Her empty stomach clenched painfully, h
Cliff didn’t answer, only lunged again. In his eyes, there was only betrayal and fury, as if all the years they had fought side by side meant nothing anymore. But deep in his heart, a fear gnawed at him—the fear of failure. Could it be that he was going to lose again? Was everything he had worked for, everything he had done, going to be taken from him once more? No… he couldn’t let that happen.Vein quickly sidestepped, delivering a kick aimed at Cliff’s ribs. But Cliff was too enraged to feel the pain. He grabbed Vein by the collar and punched him squarely in the face again.The two of them struggled, crashing into the lab table, causing everything to shatter in chaos. Sharp shards of glass cut into their skin, blood dripping in droplets. Their eyes met for a brief moment—Cliff’s eyes were ablaze with fury, ready to burn everything down, while Vein’s eyes were cold, distant, yet tinged with something resembling... pity. No matter how intelligent Vein was, he could not overcome the in
Louis sat in the command seat, his eyes fixed intently on the island gradually coming into view. His heart pounded in his chest, each passing second cutting into his patience like a sharpened blade. Alice… She was there, imprisoned, suffering—how? The thought sent a surge of fury through him, but he had to stay calm. This wasn’t just a mission—this was redemption. He wouldn’t lose her again.His hand tightened around the seatbelt, his knuckles turning white. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and Alice’s smiling face appeared in his mind. Her voice, her bright gaze—everything about her urged him to move faster, to be stronger. When he opened his eyes again, only cold determination remained.The radio crackled in his earpiece. "Target in sight. The island is ahead—signs of guards present." A voice came through from the reconnaissance team.Louis nodded, his gaze resolute. "Everyone, get ready. We don’t get a second chance."The helicopter circled, drawing closer to the island shrou