"I didn’t expect you to change so drastically, Miss Lysander. Were you once the incarnation of an angel?"The makeup artist who had just applied the final touches on Amora's face complimented her with sugary words. Amora knew the woman was only being polite, trying to please her as a special client."You’re exaggerating, Jessy. This is all thanks to your magic hands," Amora responded with a smile curving elegantly on her lips, now painted with peach-colored lipstick.Amora gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She was mesmerized by how she looked and by Jessica Meadow's skill, a renowned professional makeup artist.Jessica’s touch had made Amora’s face glow in a way it hadn’t for a long time. She couldn’t remember the last time she had paid attention to her own face. Her daily busyness left no time for proper skincare.But even if she had the time, she’d need money to buy quality skincare products or visit beauty clinics.Instead, Amora had always chosen to spend her money on more es
"This dress looks great on you too, Miss. The cut really suits your long legs."One of the boutique attendants explained the design of the dress she was holding to Amora. For the past fifteen minutes, they had been showcasing each dress from the boutique.Amora carefully examined each dress the attendants were holding. She had to admit that the fabrics and designs were exquisite, making it difficult for her to choose just one."Do you have a favorite among these, Miss?" the boutique manager asked politely.Amora gave a shy smile. Her hazel eyes scanned each of the dresses again. All of them were handcrafted by professional designers, and Amora was shocked by the prices on the tags."One of these dresses could pay my rent for a month," she thought, swallowing hard.Still, she didn’t want to reveal her shock. "I think... I'll go with this one," she said, choosing a simpler dress compared to the others. The off-shoulder midi dress, with a long slit at the bottom, felt more appropriate fo
Regis’s eyes carefully studied Amora from head to toe, making her feel like something was wrong with her.But the words that came out of his mouth next made Amora want to strangle him for making her worry too much."It looks like you need new shoes to complement your dress."Amora didn’t respond. She just rolled her eyes in annoyance.Eventually, Regis asked one of the boutique attendants to bring shoes that would match his wife’s dress.Not long after, Amora's appearance was completely perfect. She admired herself in the mirror in awe."Is this all real?" she thought, still in disbelief at the luxury surrounding her.“Oh no, I forgot to take off the price tag,” Amora muttered as she realized her mistake.She tried to reach for the tag on her back but found it hard to do by herself. Her eyes shifted to Jessica, who was busy packing up her tools. Just as she was about to ask for help, Regis suddenly appeared behind her.Amora glanced back briefly, her lips parting but quickly closing w
"But, this isn't our actual wedding ring." The words that escaped Regis' lips left Amora momentarily stunned. "You mean ... this is a fake ring?" Amora asked with a confused expression. "You're underestimating me, huh? Do I need to buy a fake ring when I can buy out an entire jewelry store?" Regis raised an eyebrow and gave Amora a sharp look. She cleared her throat softly and said, "Well, your words were pretty ambiguous just now." "That's why you should let me finish speaking first," Regis retorted, gently tapping her forehead with his finger. Amora rubbed her forehead, then pouted lazily. She shot a sharp glance at Regis. "This isn't our wedding ring because the one I ordered isn’t ready yet," Regis explained. This time, Amora began to understand what her husband meant. "I figured someone like you would want a custom-made ring. Making a ring isn’t as simple or quick as this," she replied. "Looks like you know me well," Regis teased, causing Amora to pout again at his playfu
“Isn’t that Young Master Lorenzo?” The shout from one of the reporters covering the news in front of Beth Jefferson’s art gallery immediately caught everyone’s attention, focusing on the couple who had just walked towards the building. “It is!” another journalist exclaimed. “Who’s that woman? Why is Young Master Lorenzo with her?” Another journalist chimed in. “Could she be his new girlfriend?” The reporters began speculating with their own analyses. “This is huge news!” The reporters' excitement caused a stir around the gallery. One by one, they raced to get the scoop first, prompting the gallery’s security team to intervene after seeing the situation getting out of hand. It wasn’t surprising that the reporters were so enthusiastic, as it had been a long time since they covered anything related to Regis Lorenzo. They acted l
A confident smile appeared on Amora's lips. "I'm very honored and touched that you can recognize me, Mrs. Jefferson," she said. "How have you been, Miss Lysander?" Beth asked, her expression full of concern. Of course, the elderly woman had already heard about what had happened to Amora. Seven years ago, Beth had listened to Gilda’s complaints about her friend’s beloved granddaughter. "I heard that you …." "I'm doing fine, Mrs. Jefferson. It’s wonderful to see you still looking healthy and even more beautiful," Amora interrupted, not wanting to discuss her past at the moment. Beth chuckled softly. "That sweet mouth of yours is still the same as before, Miss Lysander," she replied. "I'm getting old. You’re the one who looks more beautiful and mature, to the point that I almost didn’t recognize you," added the elderly woman. There were actually ma
Amora took a deep breath and said softly, "Maybe it would be better if you looked at this before I explained my problem."She opened her handbag and handed Beth Jefferson a few neatly folded sheets of paper.The elderly woman eyed Amora with suspicion but finally unfolded the papers, and her expression instantly shifted to one of shock.“This is ….”Beth’s voice trembled. She tightly gripped the papers, her eyes narrowing. Slowly, she raised her head again and stared intently at Amora.“Where did you get this, Miss Lysander?” She asked interrogatively. “And ... why are you showing this to me? Do you think I’ll just believe you?” Beth added coldly.The tension between the two women, from different generations, made the room feel ominous. However, Amora didn’t feel pressured at all. She had anticipated that the older woman wouldn't trust her easily, which was why she needed Regis’s support by her side.“I know you won’t accept this evidence without a strong reason. But would you believe
"Miss Lysander, Gilda should see you like this. Then she wouldn't worry so much, knowing her granddaughter isn't as weak as she thinks," Beth quipped after finally stopping her laughter.Amora gave a tight smile. From the old woman's words, she knew her grandmother always worried about her."Mrs. Jefferson, we should return to our discussion."Regis, who had been silently allowing Amora to speak with Beth Jefferson, could no longer resist. He had heard and seen how the old woman treated his wife.On one hand, Amora didn’t want a confrontation between them. But now, she wasn’t sure Beth would grant her request.“Will you take strict action on this or not? If not, I will handle it myself, but I can't guarantee you won't get involved," Regis said with an underlying threat.Beth's expression darkened slightly, seeing the seriousness in the rightful heir of the Lorenzo family. She was convinced Regis would follow through on his words.Not only did Regis’ statement shock Beth, but it also s
Amora's thoughts raced as she scowled internally. 'What’s he planning now? He better not ask for something weird, 'she mused, her eyes narrowing at Regis suspiciously.The subtle shift in Regis's expression revealed everything. His irritation toward Albert gradually faded, replaced by an idea—he saw an opportunity to make Amora owe him.“Well?” Regis prompted again when his wife didn’t respond.“What kind of reward are you thinking of?” Amora probed, her lips pursed.“Would you really grant it if I told you?” Regis challenged, making her feel even more wary.Amora knew Regis was scheming. Yet, with Albert and the others' lives potentially in grave danger, she didn’t have the luxury to deliberate long. Her immediate instinct was to ensure their safety, even if it meant taking a risk.“Of course, as long as you fulfill my request,” Amora replied, keeping her tone steady.She trusted that Regis wouldn’t demand anything harmful or malicious—not after his heartfelt confession the night bef
"Where’s my husband, Mr. Carter?"Amora interrogated her husband's assistant, who stood stiffly in front of her. She was considering seeking out Regis to plead for forgiveness on behalf of Albert and the others.She would feel guilty if she didn't help them, especially since Albert had been incredibly helpful to her over the past few days."I’m sorry, Ma’am, I .…"Amora let out a sharp breath. Seeing Mark’s hesitation, she sensed that he was reluctant to reveal her husband's whereabouts."Never mind. Leave and wait for me in the lobby," Amora ordered firmly.Mark nodded and quickly left the room.After he was gone, Amora picked up her phone and searched for Regis’s contact. Without a second thought, she initiated a video call. It didn’t take long for him to answer.Regis’s face appeared on the screen. Amora had chosen video call to ensure she could see exactly where her husband was."Regis," Amora greeted nervously. This was their first video call. They usually communicated via text o
"So you told them?" Amora asked, probing."Of course not. Why would you want to get involved with people like that again?" Estelle chimed in."Smart. But I don't see any harm in using this opportunity to introduce our business to them, Estelle," Amora said, a sly grin spreading across her face as she shared an idea that suddenly popped into her head."Brilliant idea. Alright, then, let’s squeeze some money out of them," Estelle replied, laughing heartily.Amora could only shake her head. "But don’t tell them I'm Regis' wife. This is still top secret. I don’t want to deal with people like them," she reminded her friend."Relax. I’ll keep my lips sealed." Estelle mimed locking her mouth."Alright, if there’s nothing else to discuss, I’m going to have breakfast," Amora said, intending to end the call."Okay. But have you contacted Mr. Ritter? He was really worried last night. Poor guy," Estelle muttered, remembering his concerned expression."I’ll try to reach out to him later," Amora re
“Ma’am, you’re awake? I’ve come to pick you up.”Mark Carter stood at the door of Amora’s hotel room. As instructed by Regis, he was here to escort her.“My husband has already left?” Amora asked as she scanned the area around Mark.When she woke up earlier, Regis was nowhere to be found in the room.“Yes, Ma’am. The young master had some matters to attend to this morning. He asked me to come and check on you,” Mark explained, his head slightly bowed. He didn’t dare look her directly in the eyes or even glance at her.Amora’s appearance was quite disheveled; she had just woken up and was wearing a kimono-style towel provided by the hotel.Of course, she wasn’t trying to seduce anyone. She had simply taken off her dress last night, finding it too uncomfortable to sleep in.Her body was modestly wrapped in the kimono, but still, for a normal man like Mark, it was hard not to notice the beauty radiating from her.“Come in. I’m still having breakfast,” Amora said casually, walking back in
"I've already explained everything. I’m not involved! Don’t you get it? Get me out of here!"A middle-aged woman with heavy, smeared makeup leaned her face through the gap between the steel bars of the cell she was spending the night in. She had been yelling for over an hour, and her voice was now hoarse.Inside the dark and damp cell, she wasn’t alone. Sitting in one corner, hugging her knees tightly, was a young woman dressed in a once-elegant gown that now looked disheveled and dirty.The two women from vastly different generations were Julia Brown and Chelsea Harrison.Both had been detained at the local police station after undergoing separate interrogations for their crimes. The filthy, cramped cell with thick, dusty iron bars only added to Julia’s frustration.Standing by the bars, Julia shouted again, “I’m innocent! Don’t you know who I am?!”She couldn’t accept being treated this poorly by being thrown into a foul-smelling, filthy prison cell. The dim lighting in the tiny roo
"Ugh!"Amora struggled to keep up with Regis' increasingly passionate kiss. She felt completely overwhelmed as Regis greedily claimed her lips, leaving her no room to resist.Amora’s back was pressed tightly against the headboard as Regis’ hand moved to cradle the back of her head, deepening the kiss even further.Regis’s tongue was relentless the moment Amora parted her lips. The room was filled with the sounds of wet kisses and muffled moans.Amora’s thoughts were a whirlwind. She couldn’t even process what she was doing anymore, but one thing was clear—she was thoroughly enjoying the kiss.Seconds later, her chest tightened as her lungs screamed for air. She tapped Regis lightly on the chest, signaling him to stop. He finally pulled back, giving her a moment to catch her breath.Amora glared at him sharply, wiping her now-flushed lips with the back of her hand.Seeing her do this, Regis immediately leaned in and planted another quick kiss on her lips. Instinctively, Amora wiped the
Amora’s eyes darted nervously, her mind racing but completely blank. Every word she had planned to say vanished in the shock of the moment. She had no idea how to respond to the question Regis had just asked her.Truthfully, Amora didn’t even fully understand her own feelings. She wasn’t sure if she had broken her own vow never to fall in love again—a promise she had kept for the past seven years, haunted by fear and pain from her past.Her previous experience had left a deep scar on her heart. Yet, after spending nearly a month growing close to Regis, she found herself feeling an unexpected sense of comfort—a sensation she never thought she’d experience again.Still, Amora had repeatedly reminded herself not to make the same mistake twice. She had ingrained it in her mind: loving anyone meant opening herself up to disappointment.“Do I ... have feelings for him?” Amora wondered silently.Amora had considered the possibility that her feelings for Regis were nothing more than temporary
A nervous smile appeared on Amora’s lips as she tried to clear her mind, which had suddenly gone blank because of a strange question that popped into her thoughts.“I-I thought our relationship has always been mutually beneficial. What do you mean by saying you’re hurt? Aren’t we both grown-ups who can accept the risks of our actions? Do we really need to make a fuss over such a small accident?”Amora tried to keep an open mind. She still wasn’t sure if Regis had any special feelings for her.‘Have I not made my signals clear enough?’ Regis thought as he let out a weary sigh. He wasn’t sure if he was being too dense or if Amora was just too oblivious to pick up on the signs of love he’d been giving her all along.Suddenly, Regis placed his large hand on top of Amora’s head, ruffling her long hair playfully.“Regis, stop it! What’s wrong with you?” Amora complained, trying to fend off his hand, which seemed determined to turn her into his personal plaything.“You must be feeling better
Seeing his wife’s confused expression, Regis suppressed a smile.“Are you playing tricks on me?” Amora asked, narrowing her eyes sharply.“No,” Regis replied with a small shake of his head. Then he added, “But earlier, you were mumbling in your sleep and called me ‘Oddie.’”Amora’s jaw nearly dropped in shock. She immediately looked away, guilt written all over her face. Her reaction only fueled Regis’s suspicion.Clearing his throat, Regis continued, “And … you hugged me because you were cold.”Amora was stunned again. She couldn’t believe she had said and done such reckless things while unconscious.Regis then recounted what had happened two hours earlier. He had just finished his bath and was ready to sleep, choosing to lie down next to Amora.But as soon as he settled beside her, Amora started mumbling, “Oddie…”Regis’s brows furrowed instantly, his expression darkening as she uttered the name of some mysterious “man” in her sleep.“Damn it! Who the hell is Oddie?” he muttered ang