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
Amora's sharp eyes studied Regis’ face closely. The happiness radiating from him this morning made her feel uneasy. She clenched her clothes tightly, trying to figure out if something had happened last night while she slept soundly.“Mom, let's eat!”Rayden's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.Amora gave a faint smile."Go wash your face first, then we’ll have breakfast together and get ready to take Ray to school," Regis chimed in.Amora shot him a sharp look without saying a word, then walked back to her room.Regis smirked, recalling their conversation from the night before.He had been surprised when Amora reluctantly agreed to his request to sleep in the same room as him.At first, he had only wanted to see her reaction, but to his surprise, she agreed, although she remained cautious around him.Regis realized he had dug his own grave by asking her to sleep in the same room. When Amora went into the bathroom to clean up, his mind wandered just by seeing her silhouette through
"Good morning, Young Master," Mark greeted, already waiting at the entrance of the hotel.Regis gave a small nod. To Mark, his boss seemed unusually cheerful today compared to other days.As usual, Mark had come to pick up Regis for work, but today was different. He had another important task: taking Regis's son to school first."Looks like your new life is treating you well, Young Master," Mark said, full of admiration.One of Regis’s eyebrows shot up, and he gave Mark a sharp look. "It's not like you to be curious about my personal life, Mark. Why? Did my father ask you to report on me again?" he questioned.Mark quickly bowed his head. "No, Young Master. I haven't received any orders from him. I haven’t told him anything about Madam or the Little Master," he replied, defending himself.Regis smirked, patting Mark’s shoulder. "No need to be that scared. Do I look like I’m about to kill you?"Mark raised his head, though, despite Regis’s words, the smile on his face still held a dead
Regis smirked. "Your words wound me, Wifey," he said, holding his left chest.Amora could only roll her eyes lazily. ‘Could he have been involved in my firing?’ she wondered. But she couldn't question it in front of Rayden.Seeing his parents' interaction, Rayden could only sigh deeply. ‘How long will they act like cats and dogs?’ he thought.“Excuse me, Ma’am. We’ve arrived,” said Mark as the car stopped in front of the elementary school lobby.Amora was forced to set aside her conversation with Regis. She quickly stepped out before Mark could open the door for her.Rayden turned to his father and said, “I don’t mind if Uncle Carter picks me up, Dad. But next time, could you discuss it with Mom first?”Regis was stunned. He didn’t respond to his son’s words.“See you later, Dad,” Rayden said in a more cheerful tone than before. He hurried out of the car as Mark opened the door for him.Regis smiled slightly, shaking his head at how quickly his son’s mood changed, like the wind. He di
Amora walked Rayden to the school entrance, stopping at the drop-off point. She carefully placed his backpack on his small shoulders.Still crouching, Amora gave her son some last-minute advice. “Study hard, Ray. Listen to Miss Daisy, and don’t start any fights with your classmates.”“Okay, Mom,” Rayden replied with a wide smile.Amora couldn’t help but smile back and gently ruffled his hair. As she was about to turn away, she heard a voice calling her son’s name.“Ray!”Amora paused and saw a young girl, about Rayden’s age, running toward them from the main entrance. It was Kimmy Moonstone, Rayden’s classmate and the only one who still talked to him.After Rayden’s fight with the vice principal’s son, Benjamin Brown, none of his classmates had been speaking to him. This had been going on for a week, but Rayden hadn’t told his mother. To him, it wasn’t a big deal.Rayden didn’t care much about talking to his peers. If given a choice, he preferred being alone rather than listening to w
Rumors started circulating around Amora. However, Amora Lysander didn’t care at all and walked by indifferently.Unfortunately, Lisa still had no intention of letting her go. She grabbed Amora's wrist just as Amora was about to pass her."Sweetie, you go ahead to class. Mommy has a little something to take care of here," Lisa said to her son, Benjamin Brown.The chubby boy gave Amora a disdainful look, but he said nothing and headed to his class as the bell had already rung."Lisa, what more do you want to talk about? I have no business with you," Amora snapped, quickly pulling her hand away.But Lisa grabbed her again."Lisa, get your filthy hand off of me," Amora hissed coldly.Amora's sharp gaze cut through like a blade, as if it wanted to slice right through Lisa’s face.Instead of letting go, Lisa laughed."Filthy? I think you're filthier, Amora. Not just your hands, but your entire body is dirty," mocked Lisa.Amora knew Lisa was still angry about the warning she had given her y
Amora rolled her eyes lazily as she heard her husband’s teasing voice through her new phone.Before she could respond, Regis asked again, “Are you going to take much longer? Do you need me to come inside and get you, Wifey?"Amora paused for a moment. She glanced at Lisa and the other parents still waiting for something entertaining to happen.The thought crossed her mind to show off Regis to them, but in her current appearance, she didn’t feel like she was a match to stand beside him.Amora worried she might embarrass Regis instead. So, she decided not to accept his offer.“No need. I’m done here. I’ll come out now,” Amora replied, ending the call first.Seeing Lisa still waiting for her, Amora gave a sarcastic smile.“No need to stare so hard, Lisa. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you,” Amora teased, easily reading Lisa’s shocked expression.She knew Lisa was stunned by the phone she was holding.“Amora, how did you get that phone? Did you ... steal it from somewhere?” Lisa accused, stil
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