Murat's lips curled into a cynical smirk, followed by a low chuckle escaping from his mouth. "Looks like you have no idea that Diego’s son orchestrated everything." The statement that left Murat’s lips made Alejandro’s expression shift. A flicker of anger flashed in his sharp, hazel eyes. Before Alejandro could respond to Murat Demir’s words, the cabin door suddenly swung open, revealing the person they had been waiting for. Diego Lorenzo stepped into the suite stateroom and took a seat on the sofa between his two guests. He glanced between them, immediately sensing the tension in the room. "Did I come at a bad time?" Diego’s deep voice drew both Alejandro and Murat’s attention to him. There was no trace of warmth in their gazes as if Diego had just done something unpleasant to them. “Was the hospitality not to your liking?” Diego quipped, attempting to ease the tension. A faint chuckle, more of a formality than genuine amusement, escaped the lips of the Royal Dragon lead
Alejandro scoffed. “You're trying to dodge again, Diego. I know you have the power to clear all the accusations against your son and turn the media in your favor. But I won’t forget the blood debt that you and your son still owe me,” he hissed.Diego felt no fear in the face of Alejandro’s threat—not because he thought Alejandro wouldn’t dare act on it, but because he was confident that both he and Regis could handle anything that came their way.More importantly, there was something Alejandro didn’t know, and Diego intended to reveal it now.Maintaining his indifferent attitude toward the hostility of the Golden Snake’s leader, Diego said, “Alejandro, I won’t make excuses for our past. But I strongly suggest you let go of your grudge—before it ends up choking you instead.”Alejandro let out a bitter laugh. “Let go of my grudge? Don’t be naive, Diego.”Diego responded with nothing but a smirk.“Don’t tell me you’re actually scared that I might do the same thing to someone you care abo
Meanwhile, inside the banquet hall, a commotion erupted, shocking the guests, the entire Lorenzo family, and the top executives of Royal Dragon.The music came to an abrupt stop, replaced by hushed murmurs spreading throughout the room. Conversations buzzed as all eyes turned toward Regis, who had just entered the hall with a young woman—none other than his wife, Amora Lysander.The media crew, permitted to cover the celebration inside the hall, rushed to capture the moment, eager to turn it into tomorrow’s headline.“Oh, My God. Didn't I see something wrong? Is Young Master Lorenzo… smiling?”One of the guests exclaimed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. But as much as they wanted to dismiss it, they couldn’t deny the truth—they were just as shocked to see the rare sight of a smile gracing Regis’ lips.A smile that was almost unheard of since Regis rarely displayed it in public. And yet, here he was, looking at the woman by his side with an unmistakable gaze of affection.“I must
"I didn't hear wrong, did I? What did he just say? Daddy? That boy is Young Master Lorenzo’s son?"Rumors spread like wildfire as whispers filled the air. Camera flashes went off relentlessly, capturing the biggest scandal of the night."You can go, but only if Xavier and Albert go with you," Regis responded to his son's request.A small smile spread across Rayden’s lips, revealing his adorable baby teeth. Liliana was stunned. The boy’s face reminded her of Regis when he was little."Alright then, I’m going now, Dad," Rayden said cheerfully as he rushed toward Kimmy. The little girl had been waiting for him beyond the crowd, standing beside her parents. Xavier and Albert were already on high alert, ensuring Rayden’s safety."Young Master Lorenzo, is that boy really your son?" One of the guests, a close relative of the Lorenzo family, gathered the courage to ask.Just like before, Regis openly acknowledged Amora and Rayden’s status to the public. He had no intention of hiding anything,
"Ray, look over there!"Kimmy exclaimed excitedly as they entered the playground area inside the cruise ship. She and Rayden were currently exploring every room on the ship."Whoa! This place is like a real treasure trove!" Kimmy exclaimed again.The little girl couldn't stop admiring everything she saw. Rayden could only shake his head at her enthusiasm."Come on, Ray. Let's play over there." Kimmy pointed to the bumper car area within the playground."What's so exciting about that, Kimmy? Haven't you played it plenty of times in other playgrounds? I don't see how this one's any different," Rayden remarked indifferently.Albert hid a smile. The little young master's flat tone and cool demeanor reminded him of Regis Lorenzo."Seriously, kid? Can't you just go along with it?" Xavier scoffed, ruffling the hair of Regis' son.Kimmy's face soured at Rayden's dismissive response."I’m just telling the truth," Rayden said, completely unaware that he had upset her. Kimmy let out an annoyed h
“Young Master Lorenzo, congratulations on your new chapter in life. I was truly surprised to hear the news today, but I’m happy for you.”Regis gave a faint smile at the congratulatory words from one of his business partners. He had already received plenty of similar remarks from the guests attending the Royal Dragon event that evening.Of course, Regis knew these well-wishes were nothing more than a formality. Everyone simply wanted to maintain good relations with him, even if some disapproved of his choice of wife—especially the fact that he had a child out of wedlock with her. It was something none of them had expected."When will you be holding your wedding ceremony?" asked a young man from the Brooklyn family.Regis turned to Amora, who had been standing beside him the entire time. She was doing her best to carry herself properly, even though Regis had told her to just be herself.Still, Amora didn’t want to embarrass Regis. She could feel the judgmental stares from some of the g
Ignoring the greetings from the other guests, Diego continued walking towards his son and the woman who had become the center of attention and the main headline at tonight’s Royal Dragon celebration.On his way to the hall, Diego had briefly heard about the young boy standing beside Regis. Xavier and Albert had no choice but to tell him what they knew.Now, standing before Regis and Amora, Diego examined the woman carefully.Amora forced a smile on her face. Even though she tried to present herself well, Diego’s overwhelming presence made her feel suffocated.Diego’s brow furrowed for a few seconds as if he had realized something, but he still didn’t say a word. Instead, he turned his sharp gaze back to his son.Amora gripped the crystal glass in her hands tightly. Her heart pounded wildly, waiting for Diego’s response. But unfortunately, he remained silent, only adding to her anxiety.Even though she had been trying to mask her worry with a smile, facing Diego Lorenzo directly made h
"I'm sorry, Regis. I ... I didn't know it would turn out like this."Xavier expressed his regret to Regis, acknowledging his carelessness in looking after Rayden. He never expected the boy's condition to be this fragile.Amora had warned him multiple times to ensure Rayden never got hurt. Xavier assumed a minor impact wouldn’t affect the boy much, but he never imagined it could turn out to be so serious.Regis let out a harsh breath. He couldn't entirely blame Xavier since accidents like this were unpredictable."Forget it, Xavier."Regis gave his friend a light pat on the shoulder. Though he wanted to hold Xavier accountable, he reconsidered. There was no point in blaming anyone—it had already happened.Not long after, Albert entered the cabin, looking visibly panicked."Where's the doctor, Albert?" Regis asked, noticing that Albert hadn’t brought the doctor he needed."Young Master, I’m sorry … I couldn’t find him in his on-call room."Albert Parker’s report darkened Regis’ expressi
Chris gasped. He slowly nodded and muttered, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry into your personal life. I’m just worried about you.”“Instead of worrying about me, maybe you should take a look at yourself, Chris,” Amora shot back, noticing that Chris looked just as much of a mess as she did.Chris had barely paid attention to his own condition. He’d been too focused on Amora—staying by her side the whole time and asking the nurses and doctors to give her the best care possible. She’d looked like she was in seriously bad shape when she arrived.“Amora, I—”Before Chris could finish his sentence, Amora cut in. “What time is it?”“I’m not sure. Maybe three or four,” Chris guessed. He hadn’t even realized how much time had passed—he’d been too focused on her.“Oh my God ... I’ve been unconscious that long?” Amora whispered in disbelief. She suddenly felt anxious, wondering if Regis or her son had already gotten home and were worried sick about her.Amora tried to sit up, but Chris quickly stop
“Wait … just hold on. Stay home with Uncle Xavier, okay? Let Daddy go check it out,” said Regis, trying to calm his son, who sounded anxious on the other end of the line.Earlier, Regis had asked Xavier to help pick up Rayden from school because he had a meeting with Alejandro. Now, Xavier and Rayden had just arrived at their rented house, only to find that Amora wasn’t there.Rayden clearly remembered his mother wasn’t feeling well that morning. Worried, he tried calling her using Xavier’s phone, but she didn’t answer.Growing more concerned, Rayden used a tracking app he had previously synced with his mom’s phone. The last known location showed her at a restaurant, which didn’t sit right with him.Thinking she might be with his father, Rayden called Regis. But Regis had no idea where Amora was either.“Remember, stay with Uncle Xavier. Got it?” Regis reminded his son not to act impulsively, then ended the call.Alejandro’s face tensed with concern after overhearing Regis’s side of t
“I don’t get it. Why would you take such a risky gamble, Mr. Volker?” Regis asked, unable to hide his curiosity.Alejandro simply smirked at Diego’s son, amused by his confusion.“If you wanted to, you could’ve just used me right now to threaten my father, couldn’t you?” Regis pressed, still trying to get a real answer from the older man.Alejandro’s smirk faded slightly as he replied, “Unfortunately for you, it’s not your life I want. It’s your father’s.”Regis could see the deep-seated hatred burning in Alejandro’s eyes. That’s when he started realizing this wasn’t just about business rivalry. All this time, Regis had assumed the bad blood between Alejandro and his father was nothing more than competition.But there was something darker—something personal—in Alejandro’s voice when he said he wanted Diego dead. Especially now, knowing he was willing to stake the entire Golden Snake organization just to get Regis involved in making that happen?That raised even more red flags for Regi
In the lavish living room of a five-star hotel suite, Alejandro Volker sat on a plush sofa, slowly puffing on a cigar. He seemed lost in thought until the voice of a younger man sitting across from him snapped him out of his reverie.“Let’s cut to the chase. Why did you ask me to come here, Mr. Volker?”Alejandro’s gaze fixed on the young man seated in front of him — clean-cut and impeccably dressed. The look on his face was one of obvious impatience.A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Alejandro’s lips. “Young Master Lorenzo, you’ve changed quite a bit since the last time we met.”Yes — the young man with him was none other than Regis Lorenzo.Not long ago, Regis received an unexpected phone call from Alejandro. He had no idea how Alejandro got his number, but he knew it wouldn’t be hard for someone in their circles.Alejandro had invited him to meet in this very hotel suite. Regis hadn’t planned to accept, but Alejandro mentioned he might be able to convince Diego—Regis’s father—t
Diego’s lips curled into a faint smirk at the woman’s reaction before he added, “But, if you want to tell Regis, that’s fine too. I wouldn’t want to waste the Old Madam Lysander’s time. Besides, she probably doesn’t have much time left anyway.”Amora’s eyes widened in shock. She shot up from her seat and slammed her hand on the table.“Mr. Lorenzo, stop threatening me by using my grandmother! Is this how a leader of the Royal Dragon behaves? Don’t you feel the slightest bit of shame?” she snapped.Diego’s expression darkened at Amora’s criticism, but he didn’t respond to her outburst. Instead, he said coolly, “If you leave Regis, I’ll grant you one request. This is the last of my patience, Miss Lysander.”“That’s not fair, Mr. Lorenzo! Why are you being so selfish? Are you only thinking about your happiness? Regis is your son, but nothing you’ve done reflects what a father should be!” Amora shouted, her anger boiling over.She couldn’t hold back anymore—his words and attitude had cros
“Do you want to meet your biological father, Miss Lysander?” Diego asked, his tone probing.He had considered arranging a meeting between them as a trade-off—if Amora agreed to leave Regis. “If you want, I can—”But Amora cut him off immediately. “That won’t be necessary!”Diego froze, caught off guard. He noticed the tears beginning to pool in her clear eyes, but there was something else there too—a sharp, almost predatory glare that made it clear she wasn’t someone to mess with.A faint, cold smile curved Diego’s lips. That side of her ... it was just like Alejandro Volker—and Diego hated that side the most.Even though he could see how angry Amora was with both Alejandro and himself, Diego couldn’t care less. In fact, he almost welcomed her hatred for Alejandro. To him, that was a win.‘Alejandro Volker … maybe the best punishment for you is your daughter’s hate,’ Diego thought with a twisted smile.He wanted Alejandro to feel the same kind of pain he felt now—being despised by you
"Are you criticizing how I handle my son, Miss Lysander?" Diego asked, his voice cold and piercing.The pressure in the air made Amora hold her breath. She quickly broke eye contact with the middle-aged man. That sharp gaze, almost suffocating in intensity, made her realize she might've crossed the line. Still, she didn’t believe anything she said was wrong.“I think you know what I really meant, Sir,” Amora replied, refusing to back down even a little.Diego scoffed. Her unyielding attitude both impressed and annoyed him. “If he hadn’t chosen a life with you, I wouldn’t have gone this far either, Miss Lysander,” he said as calmly as he could.Inside, though, rage was boiling in his chest. But he wasn’t about to let Amora see that she had managed to stir him so easily.Diego kept cornering her with harsh words, trying to make it seem like all his actions were her fault, as if she were the root of the problem. And that made Amora’s blood boil.‘No! I can’t lose it. He still has Grandma
“Mr. Lorenzo—”“Let’s talk over dinner,” Diego cut her off before Amora could say anything else. He signaled to one of his men standing by the door.Moments later, a server rolled in a cart of food that had clearly been prepared in advance. He placed a plate of beef bourguignon in front of Amora and Diego.The rich aroma of the dish made Amora’s stomach growl. She was starving—she hadn’t eaten a single thing since morning. But despite the tempting sight and smell in front of her, she held herself back.“I’m sorry, please take my plate away,” Amora said to the server.The man hesitated and looked toward Diego, whose expression had darkened at her refusal—clearly taking it as a sign of disrespect.Amora could sense the shift in Diego, too. Still, she stayed calm, projecting confidence as she stared him down. “I’m not hungry. So let’s just cut to the chase, Mr. Lorenzo.”Diego smirked. With a wave of his hand, the server quickly wheeled the food cart out of the room.“What do you want in
"Grandma ...."Amora’s whisper was soft and full of sorrow. She deeply regretted dragging her innocent grandmother into her mess.Clutching her phone tightly, Amora’s earlier resolve to avoid Diego completely shifted. Without a second thought, she bolted out of her rented house and rushed to the meeting place Diego had set.Thirty minutes later, she arrived. Amora glanced around before stepping toward the restaurant.Her brows furrowed when she saw the sign hanging on the restaurant’s door—it said closed. But the street outside still buzzed with activity like usual. A place like this shouldn’t be closing this early.Her heart pounded. A sinking feeling settled in her chest as her mind conjured all the terrible things that might be happening inside. For a second, she considered turning back. But then her grandmother’s face flashed in her mind, reigniting her courage.She took a deep breath, bracing herself, and pushed the door open. The silence inside sent a chill down her spine.The r