"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’
“Dad, do I really have to wear this?”Rayden asked his father who was watching his appearance in the full-length mirror that revealed his handsome and adorable figure.They were in an upscale boutique, where Regis had ordered a tailored suit for his son and a gown for his wife, both for the upcoming Royal Dragon anniversary celebration.Rayden was in the same fitting room as his father. His mother was in a different fitting room from them.Rayden is currently trying on a black tuxedo suit with a silver tie adorned with tiny diamonds. It was by far the most expensive outfit he had ever worn, and its weight was a bit much for his small frame.“You look incredibly handsome, son,” Regis complimented with a broad smile.“But it’s so heavy, Dad,” Rayden whined.Regis understood his son’s discomfort. The tuxedo was indeed a bit heavy—unsurprising, considering it wasn’t just designed by a renowned fashion designer but also incorporated cutting-edge technology that rendered it bulletproof.Reg
A wave of confusion swept over Rayden’s mind as he processed the question his father had just asked. He vividly remembered his mother asking him a similar question years ago, just before deciding to marry Regis.Back then, Rayden thought his mom was joking. After all, she had only asked for his opinion about Regis becoming his father, which made him happy since he had always wanted a father figure.This time, this similar question, with a different intent, certainly made Rayden think hard. He felt that Regis didn't just want to ask for his opinion, but there was another purpose that the man wanted to know from him.If he wanted to equate Regis with his biological father, of course, Rayden didn't like it. Although he had never met him in person and had no idea who his biological father was. In his mind there was only a negative assessment of the figure.Tilting his head slightly, Rayden fixed his sharp gaze on Regis.“Daddy is Daddy. There’s no way you’re anything like him,” Rayden dec
"Could he really be my biological father?"Rayden muttered to himself in front of the mirror. The thought had crossed his mind out of nowhere. Suspicion after suspicion began to bubble up, but he quickly shook his head.“No … no way. He’s not my real father,” Rayden mumbled, trying to push away his own analysis.“Where’s Mommy’s handsome prince?”Amora's voice interrupted Rayden's thoughts. He immediately turned his head and found his mother standing at the door of his fitting room.Amora looked stunning and elegant in a luxurious gown that highlighted her beauty.Rayden blinked, momentarily taken aback by her appearance.“Wow... my son is so handsome,” Amora praised enthusiastically. Her smile wide as she took in the sight of her son in formal attire for the first time.“You know, Ray, I almost thought you stepped right out of a fairy tale book,” she teased, giggling at her own imagination.Rayden gave her a shy smile as he walked toward her, gazing at her intently.“You’re beautiful
After finishing the fitting session, the sun had already begun its descent. Regis invited Amora and their son to dine at a restaurant his assistant had reserved.Upon arrival, a waiter and the restaurant manager greeted them warmly and escorted them to the private room they had booked.Rayden’s wide eyes wandered around the VIP room in awe. He took in the beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging elegantly from the high ceiling.His little feet quickly carried him to the large windows, which offered a breathtaking view of the city glowing with a myriad of twinkling lights.Mark followed closely behind, his duty being to accompany his young master’s son.“Do you like this restaurant, Little Young Master?” Mark asked, noting the sparkle in the boy’s eyes.Rayden looked up and nodded enthusiastically. His gaze shifted to the long dining table, where his parents were busy ordering food with the help of the manager.“Uncle Carter, can I ask you something?” Rayden whispered softly, as if afraid
“Do you remember what I mentioned earlier in the car? About the security detail?”Regis began the serious topic he had wanted to discuss with his wife.Amora gave a small nod.“Starting tomorrow, there will be someone escorting you and Ray. I hope you can get used to this arrangement.”Amora was stunned, staring at her husband in disbelief.“Tomorrow? Didn’t you say you’d only do that once our relationship became public knowledge?” Amora protested at his unexpected decision.“I’ve changed my mind,” Regis replied nonchalantly.Amora clicked her tongue in annoyance. She had thought life would stay normal until the Royal Dragon anniversary celebration.For the past few days, Amora had observed Regis, who always seemed to act with a clear reason. Even if he sometimes avoided explaining things outright, causing misunderstandings that led to arguments, they would eventually clear the air.Oddly enough, neither of them ever stayed upset for long. It had become part of their dynamic.Amora fe
After dinner, Mark drove his young master, along with his wife and child, back to their penthouse.“Thank you, Mark. You should rest too. We’ll continue our discussion tomorrow,” Regis said as they stood at the entrance to his residence.Mark nodded. “Goodnight, Young Master,” he replied respectfully before heading back to the elevator and leaving.Regis shut the penthouse door, switched to his indoor slippers, and walked inside, scanning the room. He noticed neither his wife nor son were around. “They disappeared fast,” he muttered.The two had gone in earlier while he and Mark briefly discussed his schedule for the following day.Regis took off his suit jacket and tie, tossing them onto a bar stool. He grabbed a bottle of mineral water and then stepped into the gym to do a little physical activity.This was his nightly routine when there were no pressing matters. Burning off calories helped him drain his energy, ensuring a good night’s sleep without battling insomnia.He unbuttoned
Amora’s hand froze mid-air as she was about to unlock her son’s tablet. But after a moment of hesitation, she proceeded to try opening it. Unfortunately, she couldn’t—Rayden had set up a passcode on the device.She pursed her lips in annoyance and glanced over at her son, who was now doing his best to avoid her inquisitive gaze.“Ray…”Before Amora could ask further about the passcode, Rayden snatched the tablet from her hands and quickly hid it behind his small back.Reacting instinctively, Amora stretched out her hand toward him. “Give me the tablet, Ray!” she commanded.Rayden pressed his lips together tightly and bowed his head low, still keeping the tablet firmly behind him.Amora let out a long sigh. She realized she might be acting too strict, but she had to know what her son was trying to hide.Her concern wasn’t baseless. Amora feared Rayden might be caught up in something harmful. Technology had advanced rapidly, but online dangers had grown just as quickly. She didn’t want
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
“Oh my God. What time is it?”Amora shot up in bed, completely startled to see the sun already high in the sky. She turned to glance at the wall clock and nearly panicked—it was almost ten in the morning. And she hadn’t even started prepping lunch for her husband and son yet.Running her fingers through her already-messy hair, she groaned, “Ugh, I can’t believe I slept this long.”She had only meant to lie down for a bit—but somehow, she ended up sleeping for three whole hours!Normally, no matter how tired she was, Amora never slept this deeply. Something felt off. She realized she’d been feeling unusually drained for the past week, and today it was even worse.“Am I ... actually sick?” she murmured, worry creeping into her voice.But a moment later, Amora shook her head firmly. She tried to shake off the fear with a positive affirmation. “No. I can’t be sick,” she said with conviction.She didn’t want to give Regis anything else to worry about—especially not her health. So she pushe
It had been three days since Regis, Amora, and Rayden moved into their modest rental home. A calm morning greeted them with warmth and cheer. The scent of freshly baked pizza mixed with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.“Morning, Dad,” Rayden greeted as his father walked out of the bathroom and joined them at the dining table.“Morning, Ray,” Regis replied, bumping fists with his son.Simple mornings like these had become a special kind of happiness for Regis over the past few days. A warm greeting and a genuine smile to start the day—no wealth or power could ever replace that.But deep down, Regis still carried a concern—he hadn’t secured any steady income yet. Over the past two days, he had applied to several companies, but not a single one had called him in for an interview.Regis suspected his father had a hand in that. Both Gino and Xavier had previously offered him positions in their personal businesses.But Regis turned them down. Their lines of work didn’
“Mad?” Amora raised an eyebrow.Regis gave a hesitant nod. “Aren’t you? I mean, you were completely silent on the drive here.”Amora let out a small laugh before replying, “I’m not mad. I was just a little annoyed earlier. I’m sorry.”Seeing how concerned Regis looked, she added, “But I’ve thought about it, and I understand—you were only trying to keep us safe.”Earlier, Amora had stayed quiet in the car, reflecting on Regis’s words. She realized that her stubbornness might’ve put them in danger. But Regis had misread her silence, thinking she was giving him the cold shoulder.“I was going to say sor—”Before she could finish her sentence, Regis leaned in and kissed her lips.Amora’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly glanced around, noticing the agent who had accompanied them looked just as shocked. The agent immediately turned away, pretending not to see anything so as not to make Amora feel uncomfortable. But Amora's face had already turned bright red like a boiled lobster.“Reg