After a thirty-minute discussion, Estelle excused herself to leave the café first. She had an appointment with the owner of a building she was planning to purchase for their future main office."I’ll update you once I’ve negotiated the price with the owner," Estelle said as she got up from her seat."Good luck, Estelle!" Amora cheered, clenching her fists to show support.Estelle smiled and waved at Biana and Amora before leaving. Once Estelle was gone, Biana wasted no time interrogating Amora. She had been holding back her curiosity about Amora’s situation, but now she needed answers.Biana hadn’t asked her over the phone because she wanted to see Amora in person and assess any changes for herself. Now that she had, she wasn’t going to let it slide."I think it’s time you tell me what’s been going on with you, Amora. Do you know how worried I was when I couldn’t reach you?" Biana blurted out.She had been extremely anxious when Amora became unreachable after they parted ways at the h
“Hey, don’t you have eyes?!”A burly man with an angry expression was shouting at a younger man seated in an electric wheelchair.The commotion happened near Amora’s table, making it hard for her to avoid witnessing the scene.After observing the situation, Amora guessed that the disabled man's wheelchair must have accidentally bumped into the burly man. The coffee drink that the disabled man was carrying spilled and hit the shoes of the man with the creepy face.“I’m sorry, it was an accident,” the disabled man apologized, his innocent face full of regret.However, the burly man refused to accept the apology. “You think saying sorry fixes this? You think your apology will clean the stain off my shoes?” He snapped.Trying to resolve the situation, the disabled young man pulled out his wallet and took out several bills to compensate for the mishap.“Will this be enough?” He offered three hundred-dollar bills to the man demanding reparation.The burly man’s fierce expression softened im
"Hello, Amora. I’m almost there. You’re done, right?"A sly smirk crept across the lips of the young, unfamiliar man as he heard Regis’s voice on the other end of Amora’s phone, which was now pressed against his ear."Amora? Are you listening?"Regis called out to his wife again, thinking it was Amora who had answered his call.Just as the stranger was about to respond, he suddenly heard Amora’s voice behind him, causing him to change his mind.Slowly, the man lowered Amora’s phone from his ear, maintaining a calm expression as he placed it back on the table. Turning around, he spotted Amora walking toward the table, carrying the latte he had ordered."Did I keep you waiting too long, Sir?" Amora asked, still unaware that the man had answered Regis’s call."Not at all," the man replied with a composed demeanor, ensuring she wouldn’t suspect anything."Here’s your drink, Sir." Amora set the glass in front of him. "This time, try not to spill it," she joked.The man responded with a fai
Outside the café, Regis was already waiting to pick up Amora. But instead of staying in the car, he stepped out and stood by the vehicle.“What’s wrong? Why are you out of the car?” Amora asked, puzzled.Regis didn’t answer. Instead, he shot back, “Are you done?”Amora nodded.“Where were you earlier?” Regis pressed further.His sharp gaze fixed on her, scrutinizing her intently.“Earlier?” Amora frowned but soon realized what her husband was getting at. “You mean that phone call?”Regis cleared his throat and looked away, but his tone stayed firm. “Who were you talking to? I heard a man’s voice. Was he a friend?”As far as Regis knew, Amora planned to meet Gino Moonstone’s wife and her former colleague, Biana Curtiz, today. So, hearing her on the phone with a man had caught him off guard. What made it even stranger was that the man’s voice sounded oddly familiar, yet Regis couldn’t place it.That’s why he had gotten out of the car—to catch a glimpse of whoever his wife had been talki
“What do you mean by cooperation?”Amora’s hazel eyes narrowed sharply. She had a feeling Regis’ words carried a deeper meaning.“I’m going to increase security and surveillance around you. I hope you won’t reject this,” Regis explained, laying out his plan for her safety.Amora’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait, you mean … there will be people following me around once my identity is revealed?”Regis nodded. “It’s all for your safety, and this applies to Ray too. I hope you understand—there’s a risk someone might target you both,” he clarified.Regis felt it was necessary to increase their son’s security after the celebration as well. He worried that Xavier wouldn’t be able to handle everything alone.Amora rolled her eyes in frustration. “Your enemies are such a hassle,” she muttered.Amora let out a long sigh. While she understood Regis’ arrangements were meant to protect her and Rayden, she couldn’t help but feel burdened. Her longed-for freedom was slipping away, and it frustrate
Amora's eyebrows knitted further in confusion. She couldn't understand the reason behind her husband's drastic change in expression. She could see the anger mixed with anxiety in Regis's eyes, but she could not find the reason.Still overwhelmed with confusion, Amora repeated what she had said earlier, “I... I said I don't know him. But, I'm sure he's not a bad person.”“That's not it. I mean what did you say he was? Paralyzed?” Regis asked, trying to confirm he hadn’t misheard."Y-yeah. He was sitting in a wheelchair. Seems like he has some issues with his legs," Amora replied, trying to explain the condition of the man she helped earlier."So, I hope you don’t go around accusing people without understanding their situation first," Amora added, which Regis ignored.Regis clenched his fists tightly. His anger simmering. He glanced at Mark who also looked shocked at Amora's explanation.Although it was still just a hunch, somehow Regis felt that the strange man who met Amora by chance
“I just received word that Alejandro Volker officially announced yesterday that Cedric Volker will be the primary successor of Golden Snake. The news is expected to go public starting tomorrow.” Mark reported that he had read a fresh message from one of his contacts.A cold smirk curled at the corner of Regis’s lips. “Looks like he’s tired of sitting in that wheelchair and wants to play with fire, Mark.”"That’s what I think too. We can’t let him get away with this, Young Master," Mark replied, certain that Cedric was plotting something behind their backs.“Is our plan ready?” Regis asked.For the past few days, Regis had been meticulously preparing a surprise to deliver a crushing blow to Cedric Volker during the illegal transaction Cedric planned to carry out in the coming weeks.Regis was determined to show Alejandro that choosing his crippled youngest son as Golden Snake’s heir would only bring shame to the Volker name.“It’s ready, Air. All we need now is for Cedric to make his m
"Wait, you mean... Cedric Volker, the disabled son of the Volker family?"Xavier was stunned upon hearing that Alejandro Volker's son dared to approach Regis' wife at the café earlier.Regis nodded. "Yes, him. The café's CCTV was sabotaged by his men, but Mark managed to confirm through nearby surveillance cameras that it was Cedric Volker," he growled.Regis was still upset that Alejandro's son had managed to put on a mask of innocence and weakness to trick his wife. The thought made Regis want to punch Cedric's face and leave a few marks of his own.He hadn’t told Amora yet. Regis worried she wouldn’t believe his story about Cedric. Still, he planned to talk to her once she’d calmed down a bit."Wow, he’s bold. Is he trying to declare war?" Xavier exclaimed, his teeth gritting in frustration. He couldn’t believe Alejandro’s son would go as far as using Amora to put pressure on Regis."I’m not entirely sure of Cedric’s intentions with my wife," Regis admitted, exhaling deeply, "but I’
“Did you bring what my boss asked for?” Pablo asked, his expression completely unchanged.Amora looked down at the document in her hands, her heart heavy. The papers were divorce papers—something she had prepared at Diego’s request, and a requirement to get Rayden accepted into the Lorenzo family.The truth was, she still wasn’t ready to divorce Regis. But the pressure and threats from Diego had completely worn her down. Unlike Diego, she held no power. And more than anything, she didn’t want to see Regis crushed under the weight of his own father.“Miss, my boss isn’t someone who breaks his promises. He’ll accept your son as part of the Lorenzo family, just like he said. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain,” Pablo assured her on his employer’s behalf.Hearing that, Amora felt something heavy lift from her chest. ‘I’m sorry, Ray. I know I made this decision on my own, but I believe one day, you’ll understand this was the best thing I could do for you,’ she thought.Amora handed the docume
"See you later, Mom. Don’t forget to come, okay?" Rayden said as he said goodbye to his mother.They had just finished breakfast, and Regis was the one taking their son to school. Amora had claimed she needed to finish some housework first so she could fully enjoy the event Rayden was participating in later.Amora only gave a small nod to her son’s words. She kissed his forehead lightly and murmured, "Take care of yourself, Ray."Rayden frowned. "I’m not gonna hurt myself, Mom," he replied, assuming she was still worried about his archery performance later.Amora gave a faint smile. Her eyes shifted to Regis, who was looking at her with a meaningful gaze. But she quickly looked away and said, "Go on, or you'll be late.""Come on, Dad! Let’s go!" Rayden called out as he grabbed his backpack."What is it?" Amora asked, puzzled, when she noticed Regis still hadn’t moved from his spot, even though their son had already jogged toward the door."Aren’t you forgetting something?" Regis asked
“Maybe Albert and the others were right. The more I stay silent, the more Father will keep using his power to pressure Amora. I need to put a stop to this—fast,” Regis thought to himself.His face was filled with distress. His mind was racing with plans he had crafted with his loyal subordinates. He’d originally planned to check in on his wife, but changed his mind and stood up, needing to confirm something first before taking any action.Meanwhile, Amora sat silently on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone screen, her thoughts consumed by the message she had just received.Tears streamed steadily down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with one hand to muffle her sobs so no one outside her room could hear her crying.She quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked again at the message on her screen. It was from Chris. He had saved her number without her knowing.[Amora, I’m not sure if you’ve found out yet or not … but I just want to say congratulations. Accordin
The sky had already turned dark. Xavier had just left after having dinner with Regis’ small family.Now, Amora was cleaning up the dishes from their meal in the kitchen. Her body felt better after a full day of rest and some vitamins prescribed by the hospital.But mentally, she was still drained. Diego’s threats continued to haunt her, clouding her thoughts with anxiety and emotional exhaustion.She felt trapped. She had no choice if she wanted to protect her grandmother, but the idea of leaving Regis tore her apart.Part of her wanted to tell Regis everything. But deep down, she feared what he might do if he found out. If he confronted Diego, things could spiral out of control. And the one thing she couldn’t risk … was her grandmother’s life.‘What am I supposed to do? Should I leave Regis, just for a while, and make sure Grandma is safe first? But if Mr. Lorenzo finds out I’m lying… he might—'Amora took a deep breath and shook her head hard. ‘No. It’s too risky to lie to him. That
"Albert’s still handling it. But there are a few things that need a deeper review," Regis replied, referring to something he had done behind his family’s back.Yesterday, Regis held a closed-door meeting with several Royal Dragon subordinates—at their own request. Albert was the one who arranged the secret meeting. Yes, that man had survived the pursuit of Diego's subordinates.Pedro had also made it out alive, but he wasn’t as lucky. He’d suffered serious injuries and was still recovering. Both men were saved by loyal Royal Dragon members who still supported Regis. To them, Diego’s recent actions had gone way too far.Lately, Diego had become increasingly authoritarian and ruthless, especially toward those who remained loyal to Regis. Many of them felt like they were living under constant threat.Eventually, they decided to take a stand. They begged Regis to return and reclaim control of the Royal Dragon. They just couldn’t stand watching Diego abuse their fellow members any longer.
“Thank goodness you’re okay, Amora.”Regis’s voice echoed in Amora’s ears, followed by the sound of his relieved sigh.Amora had just arrived in front of her rental house. But before her feet even touched the yard, her husband came running out of nowhere and wrapped her in a tight hug.Amora froze in place, confused. She hadn’t even seen his face clearly yet, but from the way he held her, she knew Regis had been seriously worried about her.“R-Regis … I can’t breathe,” Amora squeaked as he tightened the hug even more.Regis slowly loosened his hold and stepped back. “Sorry … I guess I got too excited seeing you.”Amora smiled gently and shook her head. “Where were you coming from?” she asked him.“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Regis shot back, narrowing his eyes at her.Amora swallowed hard. She had expected him to question her. Thankfully, she’d already come up with an excuse.“Do you have any idea how worried I was when Ray told me you—”Regis stopped mid-sentence. He had
"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