Regis sighed heavily, trying to hold back his anger toward his son.“Alright, I won’t push you to answer. But I want to know ... did you hear about this from the media or …?”“Don’t worry, Dad. I didn’t hear it from the media. It doesn’t seem like it will get to the media,” Rayden interrupted.Yesterday, he’d looked up information about the shooting case, but none of the media had covered it. Rayden guessed that his father must have kept it quiet. He had a feeling his father had the power to block the news.Hearing his son’s response, Regis paused. ‘Could it be ... he overheard me talking to Amora last night?’ he wondered.A thin smile crept onto Regis’s face. He was genuinely surprised by his son’s actions and words.It turns out that behind his son's innocent demeanor lies an impressive, sharp intuition. Regis wasn’t sure whether to feel proud of his son’s spying skills, especially since he managed to deceive him so smoothly, leaving him at a loss for words.“You still haven’t answe
The words that escaped those small lips were like a morning thunderbolt, striking Regis’s mind all at once. He hadn’t expected to receive such a piercing response.Though Regis had already heard from Amora that his son didn’t have a positive view of his biological father, hearing it directly with his own ears was much more painful.“I will never forgive him,” Rayden continued, adding salt to the wound now opened in Regis’s heart.“Ray, I thinks maybe you—”Before Regis could explain to his son, Amora entered the room and interrupted their conversation, “You two are still relaxing here? Do you know what time it is?”Amora had just finished preparing breakfast for them. Seeing no one coming out of the bedroom, she assumed both were still asleep. But who would have thought they were lost in conversation, unaware that they were running out of time to get ready?“Ray, you still haven’t showered?” she scolded when she saw her son still in pajamas, looking sleepy.Rayden gasped. Seeing his m
“Mrs. Brown, is it true that Mr. Brown embezzled school funds?”“What’s your response to your husband’s actions?”“Has he already been removed from his position at the school?”“What about the Brown family business? Was the money used to cover last year’s massive loss?”Journalists bombarded Lisa with questions. She struggled to push through the crowd until school security stepped in to help her escape the onslaught of media.Lisa’s face was pale; her usual thick makeup was gone. She looked almost unrecognizable to Amora, who guessed Lisa had faced the same barrage outside her home that morning.From her disheveled appearance, it was clear Lisa had rushed out. She still wore house slippers, and her normally sleek hair was hastily tied back.“Looks like Mrs. Jefferson has finally taken action,” Amora murmured with satisfaction.Now she no longer had to worry about Lisa using her position as the wife of the school’s vice chair to undermine her.Amora smirked, wanting to remember Lisa’s
A few pairs of eyes started to look at Amora with disdain and condescension. Inside, Amora was seething, but she knew Lisa wanted to bait her into a reaction with that sneering insult."Stay calm, Amora. Don’t let her get to you," Amora reminded herself.Gradually, a faint smile appeared on Amora's lips which were painted with nude-colored lipstick.“You really don't understand the situation, Lisa. Even after falling this far, you’re still wasting a golden opportunity. Is the lesson you received today not enough to wake you up, hm?”Lisa scoffed dismissively, still taking Amora’s words lightly.Amora could have easily lashed out, but instead, she replied to Lisa with a calm, composed expression, refusing to let her opponent get under her skin.“As I told you yesterday, you'd better make the most of your time. It might not be long before your status drops to what mine used to be. At least then, you’ll understand how hard it is to actually work for your money.” Amora’s words made Lisa’s
Lisa lowered her gaze, wringing her hands in worry, wondering how to salvage the situation quickly.“Did you leave the car because you were worried about me?” Amora asked, her voice as sweet as honey—Regis had never heard her sound like this before.She leaned her head against Regis’s chest, showing everyone how deeply he cared for her. This display impressed onlookers and made a few jealous.Amora’s playful affection made Regis’s heart stir. He smiled, knowing full well his wife was putting on a show to flaunt their relationship for Lisa, the wife of Johannes Brown. With an intense gaze, he looked at Lisa, who now seemed small and powerless.“Young Master Lorenzo, is she ... is she really your wife?” Lisa stammered, summoning her courage to look Regis in the eye.His piercing stare made her breath catch. The silent threat was unmistakable, sending a chill down her spine.Yet Lisa wasn’t ready to back down. She was determined to recapture Regis’s attention, convinced he must know all
“Why didn’t you wait for me in the car? Aren’t you concerned about revealing our relationship so openly in front of everyone?” Amora questioned Regis as they entered the school building, now quiet with classes underway.Regis smirked, continuing to walk with one arm around her waist as if to show he didn’t want to be apart from her.“I was just curious why you were taking so long,” Regis said. “Then I saw that woman had the nerve to insult my wife. Do you think I’d stay silent watching someone mistreat you?”His answer warmed Amora. She hadn’t expected him to stand up for her so openly in front of everyone, let alone display affection to reinforce her status as his wife.“Looks like Lisa won’t dare to insult me again,” Amora chuckled softly.“Of course not. She’ll be living like a ghost from now on,” Regis replied, his words making Amora furrow her brow.She paused for a moment. “Did … did you do something behind my back?” she asked, suspicion in her gaze.Although she and Regis had o
“But, as for what kind of details, I couldn't get any data regarding his work there.”Regis was stunned at the report Beth gave. The old woman's information network is quite extensive too, he thought.However, the information Beth Jefferson gathered wasn’t as detailed as Mark’s findings. Earlier, his assistant had provided him with a similar report. But Mark had managed to uncover something crucial about the man named Bobby Turner. He was once the son of a poor laborer who eventually sought his fortune in Turkey through illegal means. It wasn’t easy for an undocumented immigrant like Bobby Turner to find legal work. Mark discovered that the man had changed his name to Jay Turner after joining a criminal organization in that country. After further investigation, Mark found out that Bobby aka Jay Turner was one of Levent's subordinates!Although Regis didn’t have solid proof of Mark’s findings, the information led him to suspect that Levent was behind last night’s shooting. Altan De
"Maybe I’ll get used to things like this eventually. But I hope you can give a little warning so my heart feels safer,” Amora pleaded, knowing her words sounded silly.Regis just smiled ruefully and typed something on his phone.“When did you realize that painting was suspicious?” Amora asked curiously.“From the moment she asked to meet me, it was already suspicious,” Regis replied, leaving Amora astonished.“Are you out of your mind? You knew she was a problem and had bad intentions, yet you still met her?” Amora asked in shock.“Mrs. Jefferson didn’t want to do it either, Amora. She was forced to do this,” Regis said, surprising his wife again.“How do you know that?” Amora inquired, puzzled.Regis gave a faint smile. “I haven’t known Mrs. Jefferson for just a day, Amora. I know she’s someone who calculates every move carefully. Mrs. Jefferson has never met with me without scheduling it first,” he explained.Regis also knew that Beth was far from idle. Beth should have been busy ha
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,
Meanwhile, inside the banquet hall, a commotion erupted, shocking the guests, the entire Lorenzo family, and the top executives of Royal Dragon.The music came to an abrupt stop, replaced by hushed murmurs spreading throughout the room. Conversations buzzed as all eyes turned toward Regis, who had just entered the hall with a young woman—none other than his wife, Amora Lysander.The media crew, permitted to cover the celebration inside the hall, rushed to capture the moment, eager to turn it into tomorrow’s headline.“Oh, My God. Didn't I see something wrong? Is Young Master Lorenzo… smiling?”One of the guests exclaimed loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. But as much as they wanted to dismiss it, they couldn’t deny the truth—they were just as shocked to see the rare sight of a smile gracing Regis’ lips.A smile that was almost unheard of since Regis rarely displayed it in public. And yet, here he was, looking at the woman by his side with an unmistakable gaze of affection.“I must
Alejandro scoffed. “You're trying to dodge again, Diego. I know you have the power to clear all the accusations against your son and turn the media in your favor. But I won’t forget the blood debt that you and your son still owe me,” he hissed.Diego felt no fear in the face of Alejandro’s threat—not because he thought Alejandro wouldn’t dare act on it, but because he was confident that both he and Regis could handle anything that came their way.More importantly, there was something Alejandro didn’t know, and Diego intended to reveal it now.Maintaining his indifferent attitude toward the hostility of the Golden Snake’s leader, Diego said, “Alejandro, I won’t make excuses for our past. But I strongly suggest you let go of your grudge—before it ends up choking you instead.”Alejandro let out a bitter laugh. “Let go of my grudge? Don’t be naive, Diego.”Diego responded with nothing but a smirk.“Don’t tell me you’re actually scared that I might do the same thing to someone you care abo