"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
“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
"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
"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
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
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