"Have you never been rejected before, Sir Lorenzo?" Amora guessed."Must you force things like this?" Amora continued.Regis didn't answer. He just gave her a cold, piercing look. The smile and laughter that had graced his lips were gone, leaving Amora feeling like he had two different personalities.In truth, Amora’s guess was correct. She was the first woman to continually reject him, making Regis feel his pride meant nothing in her eyes.Regis could easily use threats to intimidate her, but knowing Amora, he realized that would only push her further away."I think... my answer will remain the same. I can't accept your offer. I don’t think I’m suited to be your partner, even just a contract partner," Amora said, reaffirming what she had already told him a few days ago."Whether you're suited or not, that’s for me to decide, Amora Lysander," Regis retorted with equal firmness.Amora sighed deeply. She could sense the anger emanating from him.The room felt even colder than before. Am
“Mom, shouldn’t we say goodbye first?”Rayden was in the elevator with his mother. They had just left Regis’s penthouse.Early that morning, Amora had woken her son up after packing a few of their belongings. As she had decided the night before, she was going to leave Regis’s residence as soon as possible. She knew her decision made Rayden feel sad.“Mom, where are we going now?” the little boy asked, making it hard for Amora to answer.“We’re going to Mr. Franklin’s house first, Sweetheart,” Amora replied, trying to appear strong in front of her son.In truth, Amora didn’t have a clear destination. She hadn’t found a new place to stay yet. Since she hadn’t been able to reach Jordan Franklin the previous day, she decided to search for the older man at his residence.It was the weekend, so Rayden didn’t have school, and Amora had no choice but to take him with her. She knew leaving Regis’s residence was a very bold move.However, Amora didn’t want Rayden to stay by Regis’s side any lon
After finishing his breakfast, Regis stood up from the pantry table and grabbed his cup of coffee. He didn’t bother to clear the dirty dishes because every day, a cleaning staff was hired to take care of the entire penthouse.Regis walked back to his bedroom. He picked up his phone, which had been left beside his bed the night before. His fingers quickly navigated through his contacts to find his assistant, Mark Carter, and he made a call.In less than three seconds, the call connected. Before Regis could ask anything, Mark had already started his report.Regis had anticipated that Amora would leave her residence, so the night before, he contacted Mark to keep an eye on her and monitor her movements from afar, especially if she left with only her son.Regis wanted to know exactly where she was. Even though Amora had refused his offer, Regis wasn’t going to let her go until it was clear whether Rayden was his son.“Sir, Miss Lysander just got off a bus with her son. It looks like she’s
While waiting for Rayden to return, Amora started thinking about what she needed to do today. She felt exhausted. She hoped that this time, she could get some help from someone, especially after her earlier attempt to get her compensation money failed.A while ago, Amora had just argued with the former owner of her rented house, but she ended up being thrown out by the security guards.“That old bastard!” Amora cursed angrily. Her voice caught the attention of those around her, but she didn’t care.Her anger was still boiling in her head. Amora was still upset, remembering how Jordan Franklin had broken the promise he had made to her the previous day. She had been hoping so much from that middle-aged man, but in the end, she left empty-handed.To make matters worse, Amora's phone was completely broken, so she couldn’t contact anyone, including Noel.When the security guard at Jordan Franklin's housing complex kicked her out, her phone fell and cracked.Amora had tried to reach Noel by
Realizing that she had been too emotional with Biana, Amora spoke again in a calmer voice. “I’m sorry, I got a little emotional earlier. But, what’s going on, Biana? Please, give me a little hint.”Amora tightly grasped both of Biana's hands, looking directly at her with hope in her eyes.Biana gave her a faint smile. She understood how Amora was feeling.Not wanting to scare her unnecessarily, Biana finally told Amora what she had heard earlier. As she expected, Amora's face immediately turned pale.Slowly, Amora’s grip on Biana's hands loosened. She clenched her fists tightly to steady herself. She glanced at Rayden, who was watching them with concern.“Bia, please look after my son for a bit,” Amora asked her.“B-but… Amora!”Biana couldn't refuse, as Amora had already left the changing room with an expression filled with disappointment and panic!***Amora was now in the manager's office, standing in front of Della, having just heard the same news Biana had told her.“Manager Hous
Amora gasped. The words from her store owner sounded strange, and a suspicion crossed her mind.“Mr. Ramos, do you mean… is someone threatening you?” Amora guessed.“W-who do you think could threaten me? Don’t just say things carelessly!”Charles's voice on the other end of the phone sounded nervous, making Amora even more convinced that her suspicion was almost entirely correct.“Leave my store right now, or I’ll fire Della too!” Charles threatened.Reflexively, Della grabbed her phone from Amora's hand, trying to calm her boss down. “Mr. Ramos, I’m sorry. I’ll have her out of here immediately.”After hearing his manager’s words, Charles abruptly ended the call.Della's face grew paler. She ran a hand through her hair roughly and sighed heavily. Her sharp eyes turned to Amora, who was deep in thought.“Amora, please don’t make this harder for me. I know you need this job badly, but you heard how angry Mr. Ramos was, didn’t you?” Della said wearily.Amora didn’t reply. The fiery deter
"Amora, have a drink first."Biana handed Amora a bottle of mineral water that she had just bought from a vending machine. But Amora remained motionless in her seat, gripping Rayden's hand tightly as he lay on the hospital bed.An IV bag hung next to the bed, with a tube connected to the back of the boy's hand. Rayden was currently sleeping soundly after receiving treatment from the hospital doctor where he was being treated.Biana sighed deeply. She understood Amora's concern, but Amora herself looked unwell. She worried that Amora would collapse if she kept pushing herself."Amora, you haven't sipped water since earlier. If you keep this up, Ray will be sad seeing you like this," Biana coaxed again.Finally, Amora turned to Biana. She glanced at the bottle of mineral water that Biana had been holding and took it, once again falling silent.Biana sighed softly, then gently patted Amora's shoulder and continued, "Calm down, Amora. The doctor already said there’s nothing too serious. L
"This place hasn't changed at all. Just like its owner. Stiff and annoying!" Amora sneered in her heart.Her hazel eyes stared sharply at the classic building standing in the distance. It had been seven years since she last set foot there. She still clearly remembered the minimalistic gate with the tall archway in front of her.It was there that she had cried her heart out, begging the head of the Lysander family to forgive her. With her head still wrapped in bandages from being struck by her grandfather’s cane, Amora knelt in front of that gate.She had pleaded with the middle-aged man to give her another chance so she wouldn’t be kicked out of the house. Unfortunately, her cries fell on deaf ears. Charlie Lysander didn’t want to listen at all.Back then, Julia immediately confiscated all of Amora’s valuables, her ATM cards, and her credit cards, claiming that they were bought with Lysander's family money.Amora was only given one ATM card with the smallest balance, supposedly out of
Regis handed the bottle of vodka Gino had just opened to Xavier. “Done already?”Xavier nodded, grabbing an empty glass and accepting Regis’s offer of a drink.“What else do you have to do besides the task I gave you, Xavier?”Regis was curious about his friend’s busyness. All he’d asked Xavier to do was keep an eye on his son for a bit. To ensure Rayden’s safety at school, Regis had enlisted Xavier’s help.Regis couldn’t trust anyone else to protect Rayden because of the threats posed by Levent and Golden Snake, both of which required him to be vigilant about his subordinates.When Regis learned of Xavier’s arrival, he couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the mission.His trust in Xavier wasn’t based on instinct alone; their long-standing relationship had given them ample time to understand each other.After the jewel heist case was resolved, Regis hadn’t seen Xavier anywhere in New York City. However, fate had reunited them in a different place a year later.When Regis’s fathe
"Hey, Kid. We came here to celebrate your arrival. Could you at least appreciate me a little?" Gino quipped at Xavier, who was still engrossed in his laptop.The moment Gino called him "Kid," Xavier shot him a sharp glare. Even though he was much younger than the other two men, he refused to be underestimated. Not wanting to engage in an argument, Xavier simply ignored him.Gino let out a heavy sigh. Hearing about Xavier’s arrival from Regis yesterday, he’d been so excited. He caught the latest flight, even traveling from another continent, just to meet him. But now that he was here, he was being ignored."Why am I even friends with people like you two?" Gino grumbled, his face set in a look of exaggerated annoyance. Of course, he wasn’t serious. It was just his way of expressing frustration.Since the incident that had involved them in a case of theft and auction fraud, Gino had grown to admire both Regis and Xavier. When he found out Xavier was in London, he didn’t think twice about
Laughter echoed in the soundproof room, filling the space with an almost contagious energy. A man with ombre blue hair, reminiscent of ocean waves, held a wine glass in his hand as he strolled over to Regis.“If I hadn’t done that, I’m not sure I’d ever have the chance to meet someone as honorable as you, Your Highness,” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.“Should I buy a lottery ticket today? I must be lucky if someone as busy as you managed to attend my invitation,” the man continued, slinging an arm around Regis’s shoulder as he guided him toward the plush seating area.Regis, however, brushed off the gesture and glared sharply at him. “I didn’t realize someone as carefree as you even existed. Maybe I should switch careers and become a gemstone tycoon instead of a mafia boss, Young Master Moonstone,” Regis shot back coldly.The stylish man from head to toe was none other than Gino Moonstone, heir to a renowned gemstone empire.One of the ten largest precious gemstone mines in t
Regis raked his hair in frustration. He quickly typed out a reply to his wife, his fingers moving fast across his phone screen.[Sorry, Amora. It’s not that I didn’t want to reply to your messages. The last one didn’t send. I’m doing fine now.]The message was sent in seconds, but waiting for her reply felt like an eternity. Growing impatient, Regis decided to call her.Unfortunately, Amora didn’t pick up.“Where could she be?” Regis muttered anxiously.He called again, and still no answer. Running out of options, Regis decided to call his son. Within moments, his son’s cheerful face popped up on the screen.“Hi, Dad!” Rayden waved with a big smile.Regis smiled back but skipped the pleasantries. “Ray, where’s your mom?”“Mom?” Rayden paused for a moment, his eyes darting around before he turned back to the camera.“I think she’s in the bedroom, Dad. Maybe she’s taking a shower,” Rayden said matter-of-factly.“Ah, I see.” Regis let out a relieved sigh. He’d thought she was mad at him
Mark was stunned. He shared the same thoughts as his boss, then said, “There’s information suggesting that Levent has recently been involved in human organ trafficking.”“Oh, really?” Regis raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.“Apparently, Altan Demir himself is handling the transactions, and because of this, he’s been clashing with Murat Demir. It seems Murat doesn’t approve of Altan engaging in such dealings,” Mark added.Regis smirked cynically. He found Murat Demir’s anger justified, as Altan was straying far from the vision and mission Levent had upheld under the Demir family.Levent had always focused on providing illegal services rather than dealing with tangible goods like Altan did now.Regis was certain that Murat disliked Altan’s actions because Murat had always chosen to work behind the scenes. He could only imagine Murat’s frustration upon discovering Altan’s endeavors.“Is the operation still ongoing?” Regis asked with keen interest.“It seems so, Sir. Our informants ha
Royal Dragon Office Building“This is the report just sent by Manager Sunny, Sir.”Monica Grant handed over a document she had just received from the finance division to Regis. The woman, dressed in a pink blazer and matching pencil skirt, stood in front of Regis Lorenzo's desk with a nervous expression.Her gaze lingered on Regis cautiously, worried about making a mistake, though her boss had said nothing for several minutes.“Just leave it,” Regis replied indifferently.Monica obeyed and placed the document on his desk. Her eyes darted to a neatly arranged lunch box that remained untouched.She had ordered the exact meal Regis requested earlier that afternoon, yet he hadn’t eaten any of it. Her thoughts were interrupted when Regis suddenly looked up.“What is it?” Regis probed.“N-no, Sir. I was just worried you haven’t eaten anything all day,” Monica stammered nervously.Regis’s sharp eyes narrowed. He glanced briefly at the meal and muttered, “I’m not in the mood.”“But you should
“You’re not even seven yet. I don’t want you carrying such heavy burdens on your little shoulders, sweetheart. I don’t want you to regret the time you’ve missed out on, Ray,” Amora said earnestly.“I know, Mom. I’m only doing this to fill my free time,” Rayden replied. “But, can I continue the programming class later tonight, Mom?” he asked, looking for reassurance.Earlier, he had to ask the instructor for a break, interrupting the lesson. Now, he hoped his mom would allow him to resume the session later.Amora considered refusing, but when she saw the eagerness shining in her son’s eyes, she relented. “Alright, but just for an hour, okay?” she said.A wide smile spread across Rayden’s face. He hugged his mom tightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek.“Thank you, Mom. You’re the best in the world!” he exclaimed joyfully.Amora chuckled softly, her face lighting up with her son’s happiness. Memories of the past suddenly came rushing back—when she first discovered she was pregnant.She
“What’s this, Ray?”Amora pointed at a series of sentences she couldn’t understand. To her, they looked like some sort of cryptic code.Rayden sighed long and took his tablet back from his mom’s hands. “It’s not a dangerous website, Mom. And those aren’t random weird texts. It’s called Python, Mom,” he explained.“P-Python? You mean … like the snake?” Amora asked, her surprise growing.Rayden chuckled, amused by her reaction.“No, Mom. It’s a programming language. I just signed up for a free online class yesterday to learn it,” Rayden said, pointing to the site name on the screen.His explanation left Amora stunned. She rubbed her temples, taking a moment to calm herself before turning back to her son.“Ray, do you even understand this stuff?” Amora asked, still trying to process her son’s genius.Rayden sighed again. “Mom, I’ll understand it with time and practice. Don’t you trust me?”“It’s not that, Ray,” Amora replied quickly. “I’m just confused. Why choose something this complica
"A-a heart attack?"Amora was utterly shocked by her son's words. "Are you sure you heard that ... that Ben's mom had a heart attack?" she asked, seeking confirmation.Rayden nodded and briefly recounted what he had overheard earlier.Amora was silent for a moment. She didn't know what to say because what happened to Lisa was completely beyond her prediction. She just wanted to teach Lisa a valuable lesson by making her feel as bad and suffer the loss as she had in the past.Amora wanted Lisa to feel a deterrent for insulting her repeatedly and being arrogant in front of her so she was forced to look for Lisa's weaknesses and finally reported the John Brown embezzlement case.She didn't expect Lisa to experience another unfortunate thing.A pang of guilt crossed Amora's heart, but recalling Lisa's past behavior, she thought perhaps this was divine justice for all her wrongdoings.“Maybe this is a reprimand for her bad behavior,” Amora murmured.Rayden nodded. "Yeah, maybe. Bad people