"Is there no way to get through this mess, Mark?"Regis's cold and commanding voice sent Mark's heart racing.Traffic was at a standstill in front of them. A truck had veered into the wrong lane, stalling out and blocking the road entirely.The blaring honks from cars, including the one Mark was driving, only added to the chaos."I'm sorry, Young Master. It seems impossible," Mark replied, glancing at the surrounding lanes jam-packed with vehicles. Their car was stuck in the middle lane, wedged tightly between two others.Regis didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes.Mark's face showed a mix of anxiety and frustration. He and his boss, Regis Lorenzo, had just returned to New York a mere thirty minutes ago after an intense, non-stop work trip that had drained them both physically and mentally.Eager to see Amora as soon as possible, Regis had rushed through all his meetings in Las Vegas. They were originally scheduled to return tomorrow, but last night, Albert informed Regis via
"Just name the price, or if necessary, I’ll leave my ID as collateral," Mark said, still trying to convince the girl.Mark could’ve asked another rider for help, but borrowing from someone he knew made him feel more at ease.Biana didn’t respond and pretended not to hear his request. She turned her head away indifferently, started her motorbike, and prepared to leave. But before she could, Mark quickly said, "This involves your best friend, too."The girl’s head snapped toward him in panic. “What happened to Amora?”“It’s a long story. I need to catch up with my boss right now,” Mark replied, gesturing for Biana to get off her bike as he handed her a few bills.Biana hesitated, still doubting his brief explanation and suspecting that Mark might be lying again.‘Hah! Does he think I’ll fall for it again?’ Biana grumbled internally."Miss? Is this not enough?" Mark asked impatiently, feeling the pressure of time. But Biana stayed silent, ignoring his request. Finally, Mark decided to lo
Amora turned and found Noel already standing in front of her.“Where are you going, Amora?” Noel asked.Amora gave an awkward smile, her eyes darting to Chris, who hesitated to approach her since Noel had reached her first.“I-I was… looking for you,” Amora lied reluctantly. She silently cursed her luck for being caught in such a complicated situation.‘What kind of day is this?’ Amora grumbled inwardly, letting out a subtle, frustrated sigh.“Amora?” Noel called her again, looking at her in confusion.“Yes?” Amora quickly looked up and met his gaze.She froze in surprise when Noel extended his hand to her. “Would you dance with me, Amora?” he asked, leaving her stunned.“Noel, I … I’m not very good at dancing,” Amora replied, trying to decline politely.“Don’t be so modest. I know you can dance well. Have you forgotten we used to practice together?” Noel teased, chuckling as he reminisced about their childhood.Amora smiled nervously. “But .…”Amora was about to refuse again when she
“Look at you ... You’re so good at dancing. Who said they couldn’t dance earlier, hmm?”Noel teased Amora with a playful smile as he guided her steps in the dance. Their movements matched perfectly with the soft melody of the piano filling the air.“Well, it’s been so long since I last danced. It’s natural for me to feel unsure,” Amora replied, trying to justify herself.A warm smile lingered on Noel’s lips. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the admiring gazes of others directed at him, but he paid them no mind.At this moment, he focused entirely on the woman who had captured his heart long ago. The closeness between them, their hands lightly touching, made Noel’s heart race.Still, Noel managed to keep his composure, savoring the rare moment. Amora, on the other hand, appeared visibly nervous.She occasionally returned his gaze and gave him shy, awkward smiles before quickly lowering her eyes again. Amora’s left hand rested on his right shoulder, while her right hand was gently
"Don't worry, Ma'am. Everything has been taken care of."A tall, bulky man with a bald head and a sinister grin was on the phone, speaking to someone. His narrow eyes kept watch over a young woman lying unconscious in the back of his box truck.The man stood in the basement parking lot, a desolate area designated for delivery vehicles."Relax, Ma'am. This woman will stay out cold for at least another two or three hours," the bald man reassured.The woman he referred to was none other than Amora Lysander, wife of Regis Lorenzo. She had been drugged with chloroform when the man had covered her mouth earlier.This man was a hired hand working for Julia Brown. To ensure Chelsea's engagement to the Rowan family’s heir went smoothly, Julia had arranged for Amora to be temporarily kidnapped until the event was over.After drugging Amora, the man discreetly transported her via the freight elevator to the basement parking lot."Yes, I gagged her and tied her hands and feet. Don't worry, I've m
"Well? Is she in there?"Noel’s face was a mix of panic and concern as he watched Estelle walk out of the women’s restroom alone. His anxious eyes searched her face as she shook her head slightly.“Are you sure?” Noel asked again, seeking further confirmation.It had been over fifteen minutes since Amora said she was heading to the restroom, and she still hadn’t returned. Noel had even called the number he’d recently gotten from her, but his calls went unanswered.Finally, Noel decided to check the women’s restroom. Standing outside, he called her name, but there was no response. Feeling it was inappropriate for him to enter, Noel enlisted Estelle’s help to check inside.“I’ve checked every stall, even knocked on the doors,” Estelle reported. She understood Noel’s worry because she was feeling the same unease.“Amora, where could you possibly be?” Noel muttered with a heavy sigh.“Are you sure she said she was going to the restroom?” Estelle asked for clarification.Noel nodded.“Did
"Young Master … Lorenzo?" Estelle muttered in shock.Hearing his best friend's name mentioned by his wife, Gino's gaze sharpened as he fixed his attention on her, straining to catch every word of her conversation."Why are you the one calling me, Young Master Lorenzo?" Estelle asked, bewildered.She glanced at her phone again to confirm that the caller ID indeed displayed Amora Lysander's name, yet it was Regis speaking on the other end. Her husband's suspicions were right after all.Amora really was with Regis Lorenzo!Even so, Estelle wasn’t ready to take Regis's word for it. She had never personally met Amora’s husband before."Are you really Regis Lorenzo? As far as I know, he’s not here," Estelle said skeptically."Your husband can confirm that for you, Ms. Mauverick," Regis replied, switching on his camera to show his face to her and Gino.Once Gino confirmed his identity, Estelle was convinced. Regis quickly turned the camera off, given the noisy background on Estelle’s end, wh
"Mommyyyy!"Billie’s wailing grew louder. The little boy sat on the floor, holding his broken lollipop, tears streaming down his face after a tumble.Estelle approached him, helping him up gently. She brushed the dust off his small knees, cleaned his dirty little hands, and blew on them softly.“Mommy…” Billie continued crying, calling for his mother.Estelle crouched to meet his eye level. “Do you know where your mommy is, sweetheart?”Without hesitation, Billie pointed with his tiny finger. All eyes followed the direction of his finger, landing on Chelsea, Gilbert Rowan’s fiancée, who stood frozen in place, her face pale.“W-who’s your mommy? Don’t just point at anyone!” Chelsea stammered, panic creeping into her voice.But Billie didn’t understand her words. Instead, he ran toward her. “Mommy, my lollipop fell,” he whined, tears flowing freely.Chelsea’s teeth clenched audibly. Her face turned crimson, and her eyes darted nervously around the room as murmurs began to spread among t
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
Regis’ gentle voice was like a balm, easing Amora’s fear and replacing it with the warmth of his embrace. It was as if her anxiety had magically melted away.But then it hit her. Amora realized what she had done in the spur of the moment—clinging to her husband like this.“Oh no... why am I hugging him? This is so embarrassing!” Amora thought, mortified.To make matters worse, her face was resting against his broad chest. Regis was only wearing a bathrobe, and though the situation was awkward, Amora couldn’t deny his scent's comfort.Amora blinked repeatedly as she caught the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat in her ear.“Wait … is this my heartbeat or… his?” Amora wondered, her own pulse racing so fast it was hard to tell the difference.“How are you feeling now, Amora?”Regis’ voice snapped Amora out of her thoughts. She quickly pulled away, tilting her head up to meet his gaze with an unmistakable nervousness.“I—I’m feeling better. Thank you,” Amora murmured.“Really?” Regis’ face sti
“Ugh...” A faint groan escaped Amora’s lips. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her clear hazel eyes. But within seconds, her eyes squeezed shut again, shocked by the bright, piercing light flooding the room. She tried opening them again, this time cautiously, adjusting to her surroundings bit by bit. 'Where... am I?' she wondered, trying to piece together what was happening. Her pale lips twisted in pain as a pounding headache hammered her senses, leaving her helpless. Her tongue felt heavy, as though she’d lost the ability to speak, think, or do anything. Even moving a single finger felt impossible. She was utterly powerless, a lingering effect of the sedative still coursing through her system. 'What happened to me?' Amora cradled her head in her hands, struggling to recall the events leading up to this moment. Like fragmented movie clips playing out in her mind, flashes of what had occurred started to come back to her. 'Someone tried to hurt me!' Amor
Mark let out a long sigh. Biana's stubbornness was enough to frustrate him today. Yet, he still had to get her to leave, no matter what. “Miss Curtiz, even if you stay here, there’s nothing more you can do, is there? I hope you understand—it’s late now. You heard the doctor yourself earlier. She’s only asleep because of the sedatives. So there’s no need to worry anymore.” Biana’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on Mark. “But I can’t just leave her here alone. What if someone tries to harm her?” “Miss Curtiz .,.,” Mark exhaled wearily before continuing, “My Young Master will also be staying in this room tonight. He’ll take care of her. So ... just trust him with this.” Biana scoffed. “He’s the last person I’d trust. If he were trustworthy, Amora wouldn’t have ended up like this in the first place,” she snapped coldly. “This wasn’t within Young Master Lorenzo’s control either, Miss Curtiz,” Mark defended his boss, but his words only made Biana even angrier. “Miss Curtiz, thank you for you
"Give them an experience they’ll never forget for the rest of their lives," Regis instructed Albert over the phone.Regis’s face was cold, but he couldn’t deny that he felt satisfied with Albert’s performance in handling the task he had been given.His gaze drifted toward the night sky outside the large glass window that stretched up to the ceiling of the room. He was in the same hotel where the Rowan family engagement event had just taken place.Regis had deliberately chosen not to return to his penthouse. He didn’t want to make his son worry if he saw Amora, unconscious again. So, he decided to book a hotel room to wait for Amora to wake up from the drug-induced state."Once you’ve handled everything, come back and rest," Regis said, ending his conversation with Albert.After hanging up, Regis turned to Mark, who was standing behind him. "Has Dr. Blair left?" he asked his personal assistant.Earlier, Regis had asked Mark to contact a doctor he knew to check on Amora. He was concerne
"Mommy ...." Billie Baker was still crying.The boy only heard the mocking call to his mother, unable to understand what was happening in front of his eyes. Especially since his mother had no intention of offering him a hug to calm him down.Most people felt sympathy for Billie, the innocent child who had become a victim of his parents' selfishness.Estelle asked Gino to take the boy out of the room. She didn’t want him to witness any more of Chelsea’s wrongdoings.The video call from Andrew Baker had ended. Albert had disconnected the call after the man completed his mission.Meanwhile, Gilbert Rowan, who had heard all the terrible things about his fiancée, stood frozen. The man was completely in shock."Chelsea, is everything he said true?" Gilbert Rowan hissed, feeling incredibly foolish for being deceived by his fiancée.Now, Gilbert understood why Chelsea had been in such a rush to get engaged to him; she must have had an ulterior motive. He suspected that the woman was after the
“How’s it going, Chelsea? It looks like your life’s gotten so much better after leaving me.”The voice of Andrew Baker, Chelsea’s ex-boyfriend, echoed across the room. A disheveled man with a face scarred from burns, his sudden appearance left everyone stunned.“You’re really something, Chelsea. Living happily with another man after leaving me like this. Bravo.”Andrew’s words stirred an uproar in the room.“No! Please, this isn’t true. Don’t listen to him!”Chelsea’s voice was panicked, but no one paid her any mind. Especially now that Albert Parker had taken over the stage crew and sound system.Albert deliberately directed a spotlight onto Chelsea, exposing her expressions for everyone to see. Frozen in shock, Chelsea couldn’t muster another word as countless accusing eyes turned her way.She hadn’t expected this to happen. Moments ago, she was thrilled to hear Julia had successfully locked up Amora, her main source of anxiety. Yet she never imagined Estelle would also play a role
"Mommyyyy!"Billie’s wailing grew louder. The little boy sat on the floor, holding his broken lollipop, tears streaming down his face after a tumble.Estelle approached him, helping him up gently. She brushed the dust off his small knees, cleaned his dirty little hands, and blew on them softly.“Mommy…” Billie continued crying, calling for his mother.Estelle crouched to meet his eye level. “Do you know where your mommy is, sweetheart?”Without hesitation, Billie pointed with his tiny finger. All eyes followed the direction of his finger, landing on Chelsea, Gilbert Rowan’s fiancée, who stood frozen in place, her face pale.“W-who’s your mommy? Don’t just point at anyone!” Chelsea stammered, panic creeping into her voice.But Billie didn’t understand her words. Instead, he ran toward her. “Mommy, my lollipop fell,” he whined, tears flowing freely.Chelsea’s teeth clenched audibly. Her face turned crimson, and her eyes darted nervously around the room as murmurs began to spread among t
"Young Master … Lorenzo?" Estelle muttered in shock.Hearing his best friend's name mentioned by his wife, Gino's gaze sharpened as he fixed his attention on her, straining to catch every word of her conversation."Why are you the one calling me, Young Master Lorenzo?" Estelle asked, bewildered.She glanced at her phone again to confirm that the caller ID indeed displayed Amora Lysander's name, yet it was Regis speaking on the other end. Her husband's suspicions were right after all.Amora really was with Regis Lorenzo!Even so, Estelle wasn’t ready to take Regis's word for it. She had never personally met Amora’s husband before."Are you really Regis Lorenzo? As far as I know, he’s not here," Estelle said skeptically."Your husband can confirm that for you, Ms. Mauverick," Regis replied, switching on his camera to show his face to her and Gino.Once Gino confirmed his identity, Estelle was convinced. Regis quickly turned the camera off, given the noisy background on Estelle’s end, wh