"Ray, wait a second," Amora interrupted, her voice filled with concern. "Why, Mom? Am I not allowed?" Rayden asked, his eyes looking sad. Amora knew how much Rayden wanted to boast about his dad to his friends, but she thought she needed to clarify things with Regis first. She needed something in writing about Rayden’s status. "It’s not that. I'm not stopping you from telling your friends or your teachers, but … I think it's better if we meet your dad’s family first," Amora replied cautiously. Amora didn’t want to hurt her son's feelings. An anxiety had crept into her mind—she worried that Lorenzo's family might not fully accept Rayden. Even though it was just a worry with no proof, Amora thought it best to clear things up first. Rayden’s tiny hazel eyes studied his mother closely. He didn’t understand why she wanted to meet his father’s family first, but he figured she had her reasons. "There will come a time when you’re officially introduced, Ray. Without you having to shout
Amora's body froze in place, her eyes squeezed shut for several moments as her heart raced uncontrollably. She cursed herself inwardly for being caught by Regis before she could leave the scene. "Amora?" Regis's sharp gaze narrowed as he spotted her back, a smirk slowly forming on his lips. "What are you doing lurking over there, hm? Were you peeping on me?" Immediately, Amora turned to face him. "W-Who’s peeping?!" she retorted, her eyes refusing to glance down. She was afraid of seeing something she shouldn’t. "Oh, really? Because that perverted look on your face says otherwise. Still want to deny it?" Regis teased, wiping the water off his face. Amora clenched her jaw, her teeth grinding in frustration at having given him an opportunity to mock her. "Your eyes must be blurry!" she shot back, her emotions boiling over. But she didn't want to linger there for a verbal sparring match with him. She stomped her feet and intended to head back inside, but in her haste, she bum
Amora could feel a shiver run through her body just from Regis's light touch. ‘Damn!’ she cursed inwardly.She quickly turned her face away from the tempting sight that was messing with her mind. “Well, I thought you weren’t wearing anything,” she muttered.“Why? Would you prefer if I didn’t wear anything?” Regis teased, laughter lacing his words.“No!” Amora shot back, making herself sound even sillier. She rubbed her throbbing temples.Arguing with Regis only made her head spin more. “You should’ve closed your door, so I wouldn’t have walked in,” she blamed him.Regis smirked. “This is my room, Amora. I’ve never bothered with that before.”“But now we’re living together, Regis. You need to get used to it,” she reminded him.A small chuckle escaped Regis's lips. He stepped closer, backing Amora against the transparent glass door behind her. She turned her face away from his hungry gaze.One of Regis's hands rested on the glass door. The other hand grabbed her chin to turn her face to
‘Why does he have to show up at a time like this?’ Amora thought, her heart racing.Her eyes watched Regis anxiously, worried he might realize she had just seen something she shouldn't have.She gulped hard as she took in the sight before her. Regis had just showered, wearing only a towel covering him from the waist down.“C-can't you put on some clothes first before asking me anything?” Amora stammered nervously.She tried to distract Regis from the item she was currently trying to hide with her foot.Amora hoped he wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Regis's sharp gaze easily read the situation. He looked down, his thick eyebrows knitting together when he saw what she was trying to hide.“What’s under your foot, Amora?” he asked, stepping closer.“N-nothing,” she replied, shifting her foot back and stepping on the soft package beneath it.Amora winced inside, cursing her luck. There was no way to escape now since Regis had bent down in front of her.He reached for
“Put me down, Regis!” Amora screamed hysterically.She struggled as Regis carried her over his shoulder. Her head was spinning more and more from being upside down. She could see the black dragon tattoo etched across his back, mocking her.Regis kept walking, ignoring Amora’s futile attempts to hit his back with her weak fists.“Jerk! Put me down! You filthy dragon!”Amora screamed again, fighting back harder, but Regis paid no attention until he threw her onto the bed with a swift motion.“Ow!” Amora winced.She grabbed her forehead, the dizziness from the rough landing overwhelming her. But she couldn’t focus on the pain. Something more threatening was happening right in front of her.Regis had trapped her beneath him. A sly grin stretched across his face, mocking Amora like a helpless rabbit caught in a snare.“Re-Regis, I’m warning you ... don’t try anything!”Amora stretched out her hands, pressing against his exposed, muscular chest right in front of her eyes.“Where’s all that
‘What does he mean? Is he indirectly confessing something?’ Amora’s mind raced in confusion.Her face immediately lowered. She didn’t want Regis to see the blush spreading across her cheeks.Amora glanced at Regis from the corner of her eye. He looked so calm as if nothing was happening. ‘Maybe I’m just overthinking this,’ she thought, sighing quietly.Amora hoped Regis would finish applying the ointment quickly.A few seconds later, Regis’s fingers stopped moving. However, he didn’t release his hand from Amora’s fist. His sharp gaze fell on the left side of her temple, where an old scar was visible.Regis knew that the scar wasn’t recent; it was from a long time ago. Without thinking, his fingers brushed over the scar, causing Amora to flinch and pull away.She quickly adjusted her bangs and cleared her throat. “Thank you—”“How did you get that scar?” Regis interrupted, clearly curious. He sensed there was more to the story behind the scar.“It doesn’t seem like just a regular fall,
Amora furrowed her brow, confused. “What gift are you talking about, Regis? I don’t recall—"“Rayden is the most incredible gift you’ve given me, Amora,” Regis interrupted, leaving her speechless.Amora hadn’t expected Regis to see Rayden as a blessing, just as she did. As she opened her mouth to respond, Regis gently patted the top of her head.“Thank you for holding on until today, Amora."Those words stunned her. The smile spreading across Regis’s face made Amora feel nervous.But his expression of gratitude touched her deeply. She never imagined he would say or do something so unexpected.For years, Amora had hidden the exhaustion and pain that came with seven years of ups and downs, constantly battling through hardships.Other than Emma, no one knew what Amora had gone through. Yet, Regis saw it all so clearly, even though she had never shared a word with him.Because of this, Amora's heart suddenly raced, and her hazel eyes started to feel warm.Regis was taken aback when he saw
The morning sunlight peeked through the thin curtains in Amora's bedroom. She was still reluctant to open her eyes, burying herself deeper into the blanket. The room was still cold, even though the sun had already risen."Mom! Mom!"Rayden's shouts abruptly pulled Amora from her dream. She quickly opened her eyes and jumped out of bed. But then, her movements halted for a moment.Amora rubbed her temples to stabilize her blood pressure. Waking up too quickly had caused a sharp pain in her head."Good morning, Mommy," Rayden called as he reached her first. He climbed onto the bed and hugged his mother.Amora furrowed her brow, gently pulling away from the hug and staring closely at her son. "What's wrong, Ray? Did something happen?"A bright smile spread across Rayden's face. "I was just told to wake you up. If you don’t get up soon, I’m really going to be late," the boy said sweetly.Amora's eyes widened. Her gaze shifted to the window covered by white curtains, where the bright morni
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
“Oh my God. What time is it?”Amora shot up in bed, completely startled to see the sun already high in the sky. She turned to glance at the wall clock and nearly panicked—it was almost ten in the morning. And she hadn’t even started prepping lunch for her husband and son yet.Running her fingers through her already-messy hair, she groaned, “Ugh, I can’t believe I slept this long.”She had only meant to lie down for a bit—but somehow, she ended up sleeping for three whole hours!Normally, no matter how tired she was, Amora never slept this deeply. Something felt off. She realized she’d been feeling unusually drained for the past week, and today it was even worse.“Am I ... actually sick?” she murmured, worry creeping into her voice.But a moment later, Amora shook her head firmly. She tried to shake off the fear with a positive affirmation. “No. I can’t be sick,” she said with conviction.She didn’t want to give Regis anything else to worry about—especially not her health. So she pushe
It had been three days since Regis, Amora, and Rayden moved into their modest rental home. A calm morning greeted them with warmth and cheer. The scent of freshly baked pizza mixed with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.“Morning, Dad,” Rayden greeted as his father walked out of the bathroom and joined them at the dining table.“Morning, Ray,” Regis replied, bumping fists with his son.Simple mornings like these had become a special kind of happiness for Regis over the past few days. A warm greeting and a genuine smile to start the day—no wealth or power could ever replace that.But deep down, Regis still carried a concern—he hadn’t secured any steady income yet. Over the past two days, he had applied to several companies, but not a single one had called him in for an interview.Regis suspected his father had a hand in that. Both Gino and Xavier had previously offered him positions in their personal businesses.But Regis turned them down. Their lines of work didn’
“Mad?” Amora raised an eyebrow.Regis gave a hesitant nod. “Aren’t you? I mean, you were completely silent on the drive here.”Amora let out a small laugh before replying, “I’m not mad. I was just a little annoyed earlier. I’m sorry.”Seeing how concerned Regis looked, she added, “But I’ve thought about it, and I understand—you were only trying to keep us safe.”Earlier, Amora had stayed quiet in the car, reflecting on Regis’s words. She realized that her stubbornness might’ve put them in danger. But Regis had misread her silence, thinking she was giving him the cold shoulder.“I was going to say sor—”Before she could finish her sentence, Regis leaned in and kissed her lips.Amora’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly glanced around, noticing the agent who had accompanied them looked just as shocked. The agent immediately turned away, pretending not to see anything so as not to make Amora feel uncomfortable. But Amora's face had already turned bright red like a boiled lobster.“Reg