"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
Alberta sighed deeply."A lot has changed since you left this house, Miss," said the loyal servant of Amora's grandmother.Alberta then told Amora about Gilda Orlena’s condition. Each word that came out of her mouth made Amora’s heart ache even more.Amora clenched her fists tightly, trying to hold back her urge to curse.It turned out that ever since she left seven years ago, Gilda had constantly missed her. But her son and husband had forbidden Gilda from going to see Amora. This took a toll on Gilda’s health, leading to a stroke after a heart attack.Now, Gilda was suffering from dementia, causing her to lose her memory and often hallucinate. Sometimes, she would call out to people around her, thinking they were Amora. Her son and daughter-in-law didn’t care much and just chalked it up to old age.Charlie Lysander, who was also elderly, couldn’t do anything. Now, the old man struggled to walk and had handed his company over to his only son, Mario Lysander, preferring to enjoy the r
"How did you end up here, Amora?"Julia Brown's voice echoed loudly through the room. Her eyes were sharp as she glared at Amora, who returned the same look.Julia had just come out of her room after her afternoon nap and was shocked to find Amora standing in the middle of her living room."It seems Aunt Julia isn’t happy to see me here," Amora sneered, deliberately provoking her."Who allowed you into this house?!" Julia snapped again. She glanced at several servants who approached after hearing her shout."Um, I think she came in with Mrs. Alberta," answered one of the younger servants.Amora had never seen her before. Most of the servants who had worked in the house had been dismissed by Julia, who felt they didn’t meet her standards, even though those servants had served Gilda Orlena faithfully for years.Amora’s lips curled into a sinister smile. She walked slowly toward Julia, then stood before the older woman with an air of arrogance."You don’t need to bother blaming anyone, A
Julia clenched her teeth tightly, her anger boiling within her. She wanted to get up and retaliate for the slap she received, but her waist ached, and her cheek felt like it was burning."Mom!"Amora’s attention shifted to a young woman who had just entered from outside. The woman was Bianca Lysander, Julia’s daughter and Amora’s cousin.Bianca hurried to her mother and supported her. "Mom, are you okay?" she asked anxiously.Julia didn’t respond, her gaze fixed coldly on Amora, causing Bianca to follow her stare.“Amora? How are you here?” Bianca asked in confusion, finally realizing the cause of the commotion in the house.However, Amora didn’t respond to her question. The man who had entered with Bianca captured her attention.Chris Walden froze at the sight of the woman who had once captured his heart seven years ago. His eyes, filled with longing, gazed intensely at Amora.They stared at each other for five seconds until Julia’s voice broke the moment.“Amora, look at your shamel
"Of course, it's not true. Why would I do that, Dad?" Julia quickly denied.She didn’t want to admit anything. She didn’t want her father-in-law to find out what she had been secretly doing behind his back."It seems like she came here just to stir up trouble, Father," Julia added.Charlie only gave Amora a sharp look. His expression was very neutral as if he was hiding something in his mind.Before Amora could explain further, Julia spoke again in a condescending tone to cover up her wrongdoing, "If you’re having money troubles, there’s no need to be ashamed. Just say it straight. Maybe I or Grandpa would consider helping you out."Amora rolled her eyes in annoyance."Your acting just gets better and better every day, Julia. Why don't you try auditioning for a movie? You might make it," Amora mocked the drama Julia was putting on in front of them.Julia’s jaw tightened. With fire in her eyes, she said, "If you need money, just say how much you need, Amora! Don’t go around falsely acc
Julia could no longer tolerate the insults Amora was throwing at her and her daughter. She ordered one of the servants to call security, but Amora stopped her.“There’s no need for that, Julia. I’ll leave on my own. I hope we never have to meet again,” Amora said.Julia clenched her teeth. She stood up and ordered a servant to drag Amora out of the house, but Amora resisted and pushed the servant to the floor.“Don’t force me to do more than this, Julia. Do you think humiliating me and stepping on me will make me leave this city as you wish? Don’t count on it,” Amora said with a cold smile.Julia chose not to respond, not wanting to arouse suspicion from her father-in-law or son-in-law later.“Do you think I’ll just stand by and let you keep doing things behind my back?” Amora said again, her voice icy.She glanced at Alberta, who was standing by the kitchen door, looking worried. Alberta wasn’t sure how to intervene and was afraid of getting involved, knowing Julia’s temper, especial
"I want you and your men to follow them. I’ll transfer the payment to your account," said Charlie to the person on the other end of the phone.After giving his instructions, Charlie ended the call. He placed his phone back on the table and gazed out of the window.A week ago, Charlie had been recommended a private investigator by a business associate during an annual meeting. He received the contact of a paid spy who could help him investigate any case.Initially, Charlie wasn’t interested in using such services, but now he felt the need to uncover the secrets of those around him.Three years ago, Charlie had handed over his company to his son, Mario Lysander, and since then, he hadn’t been deeply involved in the business.However, over the past year, Charlie had been hearing complaints from company executives about Mario’s excessive spending on unnecessary things.At first, Charlie thought his son might need the money to make changes within the company. But with the growing number of
"What’s going on?"Several guests were startled when they saw a twin-engine helicopter landing on the helipad at the stern of the cruise ship.The helicopter was significantly larger than the usual models, as it was a multipurpose type. The ship's helipad was spacious enough to accommodate such an aircraft. This grand and luxurious vessel had been designed precisely to meet its owner's needs.The unexpected arrival of the helicopter added to the lively atmosphere at the bow of the ship. At that moment, many guests were enjoying the spectacular fireworks exploding beautifully in the distant night sky, set up to enhance the evening’s celebration.Noticing the helicopter, the guests lounging in the area began rushing toward the stern, eager to find out what was happening."Isn’t that the woman Young Master Lorenzo acknowledged earlier?" One of the guests remarked upon seeing Amora walking toward the helipad.This guest had witnessed Regis' declaration earlier and instantly recognized Amo
Amora’s request was indeed bold. Though she never expected mercy from Diego, at this moment, she hoped Diego had at least a sliver of conscience to grant her request.Diego didn’t respond right away. He seemed to be deep in thought.“Father—” Regis was about to plead as well.But before he could continue, Diego cut him off and said, “Alright.”Amora’s face brightened. “Thank you, Mr. Lorenzo,” she said, slightly bowing.Regis clenched his fists tightly. He was frustrated, feeling powerless to stop his woman from lowering herself in front of his father. Instead of receiving approval or acknowledgment, she was forced to bow her head.Regis felt like he had failed to protect Amora as her husband. But for now, he didn’t want to escalate the situation.He ordered Albert to contact the necessary parties and arrange everything their son needed for the trip to the hospital.Not long after, Albert returned to the cabin, informing them that the helicopter was ready to land after receiving the o
Albert had just stepped out of the cabin and was rushing to find James Ritter, but his steps halted when he crossed paths with Noel Ritter in the corridor.“Young Master Ritter, thank goodness I ran into you. Can you help my young master?” Albert pleaded hopefully.Without asking any questions, Noel immediately responded, “I was actually planning to offer my help to your young master’s son. Take me to him.”Without wasting any time, Albert led him to the cabin. Upon arrival, Regis immediately questioned Noel’s presence.“Where is Professor Ritter?” Regis asked Albert.Regis's face darkened as he stared at Albert, demanding an explanation for Noel's unexpected arrival.“My apologies, Sir,” Albert said, bowing his head. “I happened to run into Young Master Ritter outside, so I—”“Isn’t it the same whether you’re looking for me or my father, Regis? The important thing right now is checking on Ray,” Noel interrupted Albert, aware that Regis was still upset with him over what happened week
Seeing Regis' disappointing attitude, Diego let out a harsh snort. Suddenly, Amora spoke up, drawing Diego’s attention to her."Mr. Lorenzo, it seems you don’t know how to judge your own son properly," Amora said, stepping in to defend her husband.Even though Diego Lorenzo was her father-in-law, Amora didn’t care. She thought his words toward Regis were too harsh. Regis had simply backed down to gain permission to change the ship's course, yet Diego saw that as unworthy behavior."What gives you the right to speak like that, Miss Lysander? I am his father, and I don’t think you have the place to talk to me this way," Diego replied, his tone filled with displeasure at Amora’s boldness.A sharp pain pierced Amora’s heart at his words. She knew Diego would never acknowledge her, even though she was Regis' legally wedded wife.Before she could respond, Diego cut in again. “I assume your son’s health hasn’t been like this just once or twice, has it?”His cold gaze shifted to Rayden before
"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
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
“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
"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
"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,