“But, Young Master … didn’t the leader of Levent and our Old Master already agree not to feud anymore?”Regis was taken aback by his assistant’s question. His mind flashed back to an event ten years ago when a major conflict broke out between Levent’s and Royal Dragon’s underlings as they fought over the region known for producing the best wine in Northern California.Back then, bloodshed became inevitable when the mutual agreement couldn’t hold. The two leaders finally took action to avoid heavy losses and resource depletion.They agreed to a truce, dividing the territory in half and promising not to interfere with each other’s businesses from then on.“You’re right. But Altan isn’t Murat. Haven’t you heard about how Murat Demir and his son have been clashing lately?”Murat Demir was Altan’s father and the current leader of Levent.Mark was taken aback, shaking his head slightly.Regis gave a bitter smile, patting his assistant on the shoulder. “Sounds like you need to extend your in
In Rayden's bedroom, Amora was chatting with her son, feeling relieved that he was perfectly fine.“Grandma Emma was so happy when Ray brought her all her favorite foods.”Rayden's cheerful chatter eased Amora's worries. Her son was enthusiastic, sharing about his day with Mark Carter and his visit to Emma Adams.“Did Mrs. Adams get a headache from all your talking?” Amora teased, playfully pinching her son's cheek.She chuckled when Rayden pouted. “I'm just kidding, sweetheart. I’m sure Mrs. Adams will recover faster, just from the joy of seeing you,” she reassured him.Rayden nodded eagerly. “Of course! Grandma Emma said next time I should bring you along. She’s lonely in the apartment and misses you.”Right now, Emma Adams was in her son’s apartment recovering. However, with her son working late hours, she often felt lonely, even with a nurse around. So, Emma was thrilled when Rayden came to visit.“When can we go see her again, Mom?” Rayden asked eagerly.Amora held her son’s hand
“Did you see my phone anywhere, Ray?” Amora asked her son, who had just come out of his room after she called him.She had just finished baking macaroni casserole for their dinner tonight. As usual, she prioritized her son's health by avoiding cow's milk ingredients in her cooking."Yes, I did, Mom." Rayden pulled his mother's phone from behind his back."You left it on my bed," he said, handing it to her.Amora hugged the precious gadget to her chest with great relief. "Thank goodness. Thank you, Ray," she replied. She couldn't imagine losing such a fantastically expensive device.Maybe Regis wouldn’t scold her if she lost it, but as someone who knew the value of money, the thought of losing such a luxury item was painful.Amora placed the phone on the dining table, then hurried to set the table and serve the freshly baked macaroni casserole onto plates.“Where’s Dad, Mom? Didn't he come home with you?” Rayden asked, noting his father’s absence.Amora's hands froze for a moment. She
"I just don't feel like talking. Is it wrong if I stay quiet? It's my mouth, after all."The sarcasm in Amora's voice made Regis’s expression darken slightly. She was the only woman bold enough to stand up to him. Until now, everyone—except his father—had always watched their tone when speaking to him.But Amora didn’t care about the flash of anger now apparent in Regis’s sharp gaze. She even shot him a sharp look, her face still sour.A long sigh escaped Regis's lips.“How much longer are you going to be cold toward me, Amora? You don’t want Ray to see us at odds like this, do you?”His question, tinged with a subtle threat, made Amora curl her lip in disdain. “Don’t bring Ray into this. I know exactly what I'm doing, Regis. Instead, I hope you catch whoever was behind today’s shooting. I don’t want Ray getting hurt,” she warned.After saying that, Amora rose from her seat. "I’m done eating," she muttered as she walked toward the kitchen. She didn't wait for a response from her husban
Amora pushed Regis's hand away from her lips. She was speechless, still reeling from how she’d given in to his touch, despite trying to resist him.Amora scolded herself over and over. She couldn’t believe how easily she’d fallen under his spell. She’d reminded herself so many times to be cautious, but Regis always managed to break down her defenses.‘Damn it! Why is he so good at kissing?’ Amora grumbled internally.She couldn’t deny that her kiss with Regis had been the hottest and longest she’d ever experienced with anyone.‘Amora, have you lost your mind? He’s not a man you can trust. Don’t give him your heart if you don’t want to be hurt even worse.’Amora’s thoughts warned her again. She was convinced Regis’s desire for her was only fueled by curiosity. One day, he’d leave her once he got what he wanted, bored with her.The pain from being abandoned by people she once trusted was still fresh in Amora’s heart. Even if it was her own fault, she believed that a man’s sweet words an
"Tell me, Amora. Why are you ignoring me, and how long are you going to keep acting like this?" Regis questioned, crossing his arms.Amora scoffed. "Don’t pretend to be clueless. You know exactly why I’m ignoring you, don’t you?"Regis frowned. Of course, he knew, but everything he did was for her own good. So what was wrong with keeping things from her?Regis was beginning to realize just how complicated a woman’s thinking could be. He usually didn’t care much about the feelings of others, but he couldn’t do that with Amora—she held a special place in his heart."I just didn’t want you to get more involved, Amora. I wasn’t trying to hide anything," Regis said defensively, hoping she would understand his decision. But his defense only came back to bite him."But I’m already involved, Regis. I almost died back there!" Amora snapped, clearly frustrated.Suddenly, a wave of regret washed over her. She thought maybe she should never have married him. She couldn’t predict how many more dan
A long sigh escaped Regis' lips. Amora’s words were sharp, like thorns aimed straight at him. But Regis knew that Amora’s sarcasm was her way of trying to protect herself.“I-I can’t forgive you that easily,” Amora murmured, nervous.To be honest, Amora was shocked by her husband’s apology. She didn’t want to admit that her anger had already softened a bit. She scolded herself for almost melting just because he said he was sorry.A sharp exhale came from her nose as she turned away from Regis, who had been watching her intently. His gaze seemed to pierce right into her heart.“Of course, I know. And by the way, I didn’t apologize for kissing you,” Regis continued, drawing Amora’s attention back to him.“Are you just trying to provoke me, Regis?” Amora snapped, her anger flaring up uncontrollably again.A chuckle slipped from Regis’ lips as he reached out to t
Amora only got a sour smile from him in response. "You can’t do it, can you?" she taunted.A mafia family like the Lorenzos must have committed countless crimes, including murder, all hidden beneath the surface. They would do anything for money, power, and pride—even staining their hands with blood.“Sorry. I guess it was naive of me to ask you not to kill. I just don't want Ray to find out his father is a ruthless killer. But, whatever ... forget it,” she muttered, looking down.“Alright,” Regis responded, making Amora flinch.She looked back at him, disbelief in her eyes. “What did you say?”“I said I won’t kill,” Regis repeated.“Are you … serious?” Amora asked, full of doubt.“Of course not,” Regis replied with a chuckle.She rolled her eyes. “That’s not funny, Regis. If you’re not sure, don’t promise me anything. I hate lies.”“I can’t promise you that,” Regis admitted, “but I’ll try not to kill—unless someone pushes me past my limit. That’s the best I can offer you, Amora,” he a
"Really?" Amora murmured, clearly seeing through the man's lie."So what if I am? You want to see her or something?" Chris shot back, turning the question on her."No, I was just curious. I heard the Lysander family went bankrupt. She must be devastated, seeing her parents like that," Amora replied softly.Chris fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, the Lysander family is beyond saving. I never thought my father-in-law would embezzle that much money. Even my dad doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore," he explained.Bianca’s position as the Walden family’s daughter-in-law had taken a serious hit ever since the Lysander Group scandal broke out. Cassandra Winston and her husband were embarrassed to be related to the Lysanders, so they didn’t care when Chris mentioned he was thinking of divorcing Bianca.Amora gave Chris a sidelong glance. He clearly didn’t want to go into detail about Bianca, but from what he said, she could tell things weren’t going well for Bianca in t
“Why were you walking alone just now? Is something wrong, Amora?”Chris’s question caught Amora off guard. She cleared her throat softly and shook her head. “I … I’m fine,” she mumbled.“You know you’re a terrible liar, right?” Chris teased with a small laugh. He could tell she didn’t want to talk \about it, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to know everything about her.Amora forced a faint smile and quickly changed the subject. “The IV’s almost empty. Can you ask the nurse to take it out? I want to go home, Chris.”Chris glanced at the IV bag hanging beside the bed. He realized he had no reason left to keep her there, so he stepped out to find a nurse.After speaking with the nurse and explaining that the patient wanted to leave, the nurse walked him through the discharge process. She explained that the patient would need to wait for the doctor’s final checkup before being released, but Amora insisted on leaving immediately.So, she was asked to sign a discharge form stating tha
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