Chapter 101 – A Mysterious Move"A special dinner is being announced. Mr. Romanov is throwing a party to celebrate his son's engagement, and it looks like I received an invitation too," Lavínia commented dispassionately, showing the email on her phone to her friends."Are you kidding? Why are they doing everything so fast?" Zara asked, surprised.Samuel approached and sat down next to them, curious. "Are you planning to attend this event?" he asked, looking at Lavínia."Where has he been? Has he returned to Alpha Corp?" Lavínia inquired, referring to Romanov."From what I've heard, he's been going in as if nothing happened," Samuel informed."That's strange. I thought he would never set foot in Alpha Corp again," Zara commented."So did I. When he returns, are you going to fire him?" Samuel asked Lavínia."He doesn’t know that I’m Mrs. Bayer. If he wants to leave, he can do it on his own. But if he stays, he’ll have plenty of reasons to walk out. I don’t care what he does anymore. I n
Chapter 102: The Worst Enemy Has a Name and a Surname“What happened there doesn’t matter anymore as long as I’m fine,” Lavínia stated firmly.“Even so… I know that meeting wasn’t planned for either of you, but you know what’s even stranger? Mr. Romanov never told his son who Lavínia Bayer really is. He literally still has no idea who you are. It’s like he did this on purpose,” Samuel observed, intrigued.“What could be going on? I think, as a precaution, you should tell him the truth,” Zara suggested, worried about the situation.“That guy… Zen or Cedrick, whatever his name is, has nothing to do with me anymore, and we have no reason to speak to each other,” she said sharply, making it clear she didn’t want to discuss the matter any further.“Okay…” Samuel sighed, thoughtful as he glanced around the mansion. “We need to keep this completely secret for now. No one can know you’re living here,” he warned, as if an important thought had just crossed his mind.Meanwhile, Valmont was on h
CHAPTER 1: STRENGTH WHERE THERE IS NONECedrick was fourteen years old, and in all those years of life, he knew only a complicated existence, despite belonging to a powerful family. Now, once again, he was locked in his room, tired of his father’s punishments. He spent his life trying to protect his mother, even though she had rejected and despised him since childhood. She never showed compassion, not even when he was punished for defending her from his father’s attacks.After three days locked up without food, Cedrick was finally released, though he was so weak that he could barely walk. Everyone might have imagined he would go straight to the kitchen, but he diverted his path, heading toward a room at the end of the hallway. Upon reaching it, he hesitated before turning the doorknob, as if afraid of what he might find. Taking a deep breath, he knocked gently on the door and waited for a response. Soon, he heard something being thrown against the wood and let out a sigh of relief."M
CHAPTER 2: THE WEIGHT OF BEING She thought something serious might be happening with her parents, but it turned out to be nothing too concerning. They were simply unhappy after she had kept quiet about her decision to move to a new city and purchase a new building where her entire company would be relocated. While others might think the change was to help her business grow even more and make her more powerful, Lavínia was worried about far more serious issues that kept her awake at night.The visit to her parents didn’t last long. Bayer stood firm through the complaints she received from them. It was a constant—whether from her parents or others—everything felt like an infinite weight on her shoulders, overburdening her."Did I hear you’re moving the company to a new building closer to the city center? When were you going to tell us?" her mother asked, annoyed."I was already planning to do that.""When? Once you had already moved? Your father works at that company, you know he can’t
ChAP. 3: NO ENERGY FOR ANYTHINGThere were so many people around, dancing and enjoying the party, that Lavínia barely looked at her friend. The space where she stood seemed wrapped in a cold, unwelcoming aura, pushing away even stray glances to avoid attracting her bad mood. "Ignore her! Even if we’re her employees, today is the day we get to have fun without the grump scolding us," her friend shouted, trying to break the discomfort among the staff.Within seconds, the music was loud, and everyone was drinking and having fun—except for Lavínia. Still, even with everyone distracted, her attempts to escape were constantly thwarted as her friend kept blocking her. "You're not going anywhere—not before you see all the handsome men I hired from the modeling agency that produces the monthly champion lawyers' magazines." "How can a company that makes serious magazines work with this kind of service?" Lavínia protested irritably. "It’s a famous entertainment and modeling agency. Many of t
Cap. 4: Unknowns and AcidicHe turned by accident and frowned when he saw Lavínia coming towards him with a determined look and a half-smile, showing her skill."Ah... You're here? You found the room quickly. Why didn't you wait inside?" she asked, smiling awkwardly, staring at him with alarmed eyes, begging for help, while her friend watched curiously. Lavínia grabbed the young man's arm at the same time he tried to cover the phone's speaker."Are you crazy?" he said quietly, embarrassed."Just help me with this!" she whispered, getting closer to his face."It's none of my business, I'm busy right now!" he gritted his teeth, trying to push her away."Come on! I'm excited, I'm glad you accepted my invitation!" she said the last word with irritation, pulling him into the room. Zara didn't understand anything but shrugged and went back to talking to the other guy."What do you think you're doing?" he asked next, having no choice but to hang up the call, turning the doorknob to leave."N
Chapter 5: After the SlipWhen Zen opened his eyes, the sun was already setting. He jumped out of bed, looking at Lavínia, who was still fast asleep, showing no sign of stirring. He ran a hand through his hair, incredulous about what had happened. He became even more bewildered when he checked the time, letting out a heavy sigh of concern."I'm screwed..." he whispered, staring at the phone screen.He gathered his clothes and quickly dressed. Before leaving, he spotted an envelope on the floor near the door. Lavínia's friend had slid his payment under the door. He smiled ironically as he looked around."I wish I could see your face... arrogant woman," he muttered, grabbing a pen and writing a brief note. He left it on the kitchen table, next to a glass of water and a pitcher, knowing it would attract her after the intense night and the likely hangover she would wake up with.Zen left the room almost as if he were running away, repeatedly trying to call someone. Each time the call was
Chapter 6: Get Out of the Way!"What is she doing here? Mom can't go out like this!" Lavínia asserted, rushing to change. She quickly got ready and followed Zara as if they were heading to a funeral."She's in the hall where the party happened. Sorry, Lavínia..."The two hesitated as they opened the door, but as soon as they did, they found Lavínia's mother standing there with a neutral expression."Who was that man?" her mother asked, even before they could say "good morning.""He's someone unimportant!" Zara tried to answer."That's not it! He's not unimportant, he... we..." Lavínia stammered, unable to respond properly."We've been getting to know each other for a few months!" she said awkwardly, while Zara stared at her, petrified."You're already in a new relationship?" her mother asked, surprised. "I thought you were still with that scoundrel.""But that ended a long time ago..." Lavínia averted her gaze, mumbling. "Anyway, I'm sorry you witnessed this situation. How about we ha
Chapter 102: The Worst Enemy Has a Name and a Surname“What happened there doesn’t matter anymore as long as I’m fine,” Lavínia stated firmly.“Even so… I know that meeting wasn’t planned for either of you, but you know what’s even stranger? Mr. Romanov never told his son who Lavínia Bayer really is. He literally still has no idea who you are. It’s like he did this on purpose,” Samuel observed, intrigued.“What could be going on? I think, as a precaution, you should tell him the truth,” Zara suggested, worried about the situation.“That guy… Zen or Cedrick, whatever his name is, has nothing to do with me anymore, and we have no reason to speak to each other,” she said sharply, making it clear she didn’t want to discuss the matter any further.“Okay…” Samuel sighed, thoughtful as he glanced around the mansion. “We need to keep this completely secret for now. No one can know you’re living here,” he warned, as if an important thought had just crossed his mind.Meanwhile, Valmont was on h
Chapter 101 – A Mysterious Move"A special dinner is being announced. Mr. Romanov is throwing a party to celebrate his son's engagement, and it looks like I received an invitation too," Lavínia commented dispassionately, showing the email on her phone to her friends."Are you kidding? Why are they doing everything so fast?" Zara asked, surprised.Samuel approached and sat down next to them, curious. "Are you planning to attend this event?" he asked, looking at Lavínia."Where has he been? Has he returned to Alpha Corp?" Lavínia inquired, referring to Romanov."From what I've heard, he's been going in as if nothing happened," Samuel informed."That's strange. I thought he would never set foot in Alpha Corp again," Zara commented."So did I. When he returns, are you going to fire him?" Samuel asked Lavínia."He doesn’t know that I’m Mrs. Bayer. If he wants to leave, he can do it on his own. But if he stays, he’ll have plenty of reasons to walk out. I don’t care what he does anymore. I n
Chapter 100 – A Hidden Truth"When were you planning to tell me what’s going on?" Samuel asked, his voice filled with reproach as he opened the envelope containing their medical exams."I wasn’t hiding anything, I was going to tell you..." Zara muttered, her head lowered, drawing a worried look from Lavínia."What’s happening with Zara? And why did you decide to return to the city so quickly?" Lavínia questioned, her voice edged with surprise and anger."Because this is the best place for both of you. In our old town, there aren’t doctors equipped to handle your delicate conditions. When I took Zara to the doctor, I found out that she’s been treating a brain tumor for a year. It doesn’t seem to be progressing, but she still needs treatment to prevent it from turning malignant. But she’s been hiding it and hasn’t been undergoing treatment for an entire year. What do you think is going to happen?" Samuel directed the question at Zara, who looked away, unable to hold back her tears."Zar
Chapter 99: The Unspoken TruthZara stumbled backward, startled, and the jar shattered on the floor, its sharp sound echoing through the kitchen. The light flickered on, revealing a chaotic scene: glass shards scattered everywhere and Zara, pale. Samuel rushed toward her, concern etched on his face.“Don’t move,” he ordered, his voice firm, cutting through the silence. His eyes scanned the floor, assessing the extent of the disaster. The shards of glass sparkled under the light, like tiny malevolent stars.With careful movements, Samuel approached Zara, avoiding the glass fragments.“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice trembling. His proximity made her nervous, yet comforted her at the same time.He carefully picked her up, feeling the lightness of her body. The sensation of holding her in his arms was strangely familiar. He placed her gently on the cold marble table.“How can you be so careless?” he scolded, his voice softer than the tone he’d used before. His eyes shifted to t
Chapter 98 - The Secrets We Hide“We need to go back now!” Zara hurriedly warned. Lavínia, calm, continued getting ready as if nothing important was happening.“Go back? Being here feels so good,” she sighed, indifferent, her eyes focused on the mirror.“God… I can’t believe we did this!” Zara threw herself onto the bed, covering her face with her hands. The guilt and shame consumed her.“What are you talking about?” Lavínia asked, not understanding her friend's reaction.“Didn’t you realize what we were doing?” Zara asked, incredulous. Lavínia’s expression, however, was one of genuine confusion. “Samuel, we didn’t even care that he was a man. How many times has he seen you without clothes?”“Oh… many times, I think,” Lavínia sighed, as if recalling a distant memory. “He’s like my bodyguard. Although at first, I did it on purpose, it was a test to see if he was really focused on his work and took it seriously. And he managed to earn his place and rise in his career, becoming one of t
Chapter 97: Confessions and Revelations“How come? I didn’t see anyone.” Zara stopped, incredulous.“Are you sure?” he asked, a tone of irony in his voice, fixing his gaze on her as he stood in front of her with his arms crossed, his muscles accentuated by his short-sleeve cotton shirt with a small opening at the collar.“Yes, normally you always disappear when there’s a woman around, but I haven’t seen anyone these days.”“Oh... you haven’t seen any women?” he asked with sarcasm.“No!”“It could be, maybe I’m walking around with an angel. She’s as beautiful as one.” he sighed, while Zara kept her attention on his subtle smile, not realizing who he was referring to. Zara crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.“Who?” she sighed, placing a hand on her chest as if feeling her heartbeat quicken.“You’re so slow, I haven’t been seeing other women because I’ve been seeing one already, and she tends to put her foot in my face.” Samuel averted his gaze as though hiding something.
Chapter 96: The Unseen Secrets"Finally, you got out of that crazy department, huh?" Cintia said enthusiastically, guiding him into the room."Is this where I'll stay?" he asked, his voice laced with a mix of surprise and distrust. After all, why such a big and well-equipped room for him, all of a sudden? The room was spacious, with modern furniture and a stunning view of the city."Considering your specialization, you should've taken over this room a long time ago. We have a list of staff to attend to during your off hours as well. I'll warn you, the employees who work directly with Bayer are the most demanding. They become machines, I believe there's not one who doesn’t cause problems that could lead to stress or even a heart attack.""This woman seems really troublesome," he commented indifferently, though a strange sense of unease stirred inside him."You don’t know her?" she asked, eyeing him curiously."Not really," he replied, his gaze distant."Bayer really chose to hide well,
Cap. 95: The Love I SoughtWhen Cedrick opened his eyes, darkness enveloped him like a cloak. The smell of mold and dust was suffocating, mixed with a faint odor of metal that made him nauseous. He tried to get up, but a sharp pain ran through his back, making him groan. The walls seemed to move, shadows dancing in a macabre ballet. Where was he? What had happened?The memory of the argument with Romanov and the needle being driven into his arm came rushing back. A wave of panic surged through him. He was trapped.His father had taken him to the worst place. The image of Romanov smiling, with that look of triumph, appeared in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine, as his childhood memories came flooding back, taking shape in that filthy place.With difficulty, he managed to crawl to the door. His hands trembled as he tried to open the rusted doorknob. With each attempt, fear grew. The door wouldn’t budge. He started banging loudly, screaming for help, but his cries were lost in th
Chapter 94: A Web of Deceit"Are you already like this? Have you met his mother? What is she like?" Lavinia asked."She only gave us a room, thinking we were a couple. We were super uncomfortable, no bed, and she gave us a mattress to sleep on the floor. He didn't deny it, just smiled. His mom is so sweet, she treated me so well." Zara sighed, filled with nostalgia."That's good. I never met his mother, actually, I never even knew anything about his family in the years we've worked together. But I know he has a lot of emotional baggage; a lot happened to him while he was working for the state as a soldier." Lavinia said with anticipation."Ah... I know, he's always out having fun and dating different women, but what's funny is that it seems like he's trying to suppress something inside him." Zara observed, thoughtful. That vulnerable side of Samuel intrigued her."Maybe..." Lavinia commented, deep in thought. "You can use this time at his mother's boarding house to learn more about hi