Amora gasped. Flashes of last night’s events—her reckless treatment of Regis—suddenly resurfaced in her mind.She bit her lower lip, shocked at her own audacity to press her finger against his temple."Is that why you're mad at me?" Amora asked anxiously, her eyes flickering to Regis’s lips, which were slightly swollen from her bite the previous night.Reaching out, she gently touched his lips. "I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you. Does it still hurt?"Regis didn’t respond. He simply walked out of the walk-in closet as Amora reached for some ointment to treat his lips.After grabbing the ointment, Amora hurried after him. "Regis, you know I was drunk, right? Surely you’re not taking that seriously?"Still, Regis didn’t answer. He put on his suit and left the bedroom.Amora followed him outside, frowning as she noticed how quiet the penthouse was. Yet, all the mess they had made in the bar and kitchen last night had been cleaned up.She figured Regis had probably asked someone to tidy
“Order 210!”A café employee repeatedly called out an order number, but no one came to claim the coffee."Miss, isn't that your order?"The man standing next to Biana in line snapped her out of her daydream. She quickly glanced at the receipt in her hand, which matched the number being called."Oh, my gosh! Thank you, Sir," she said, blushing as she hurried to the counter, embarrassed by the sudden attention from the café patrons.Lost in thought, Biana hadn’t even heard her order being called."Sorry about that," she apologized to the café employee before quickly leaving the pickup line.Her face looked worn out that afternoon. She was still dealing with a hangover from last night’s drinking.In desperate need of coffee to restore her energy and clear her mind, she decided to visit the café. Even though it was a day off for most office workers, that luxury didn’t apply to Biana.There were no breaks for her. She still had to design promotional banners for Eternal Bliss, a task assign
"That's impossible, Mr. Carter." Biana couldn’t accept Mark’s statement.“Clearly, we were in that situation together. How is it possible for a single man and woman to be in the same room and do absolutely nothing?” Biana whispered nervously, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.“Do you think anything has changed with you?” Mark asked, trying to assess the situation.Biana was taken aback. She had never been intimate with anyone before and didn’t know what it would feel like afterward. Aside from the soreness in her body and a throbbing headache, she didn’t notice anything unusual.When she woke up earlier, she had hurried out of the room, unwilling to show her embarrassing state to the man.“It seems you really don’t know anything,” Mark muttered with a wry smile.Biana pursed her lips in annoyance. “What makes you so sure we didn’t do anything last night?” she asked skeptically.“I checked the scene. There’s no evidence that we did anything, Miss Curtiz,” Mark explain
"A-Are you joking, Mr. Carter?"Biana doubted Mark's words for a moment, but the serious look on his face told her he wasn't lying."Sorry, please continue," Biana muttered, adjusting her expression and listening intently.Mark sighed and continued, "I was raised by a remarkable mother. I never knew who my biological father was until I turned eighteen."He explained that after investigating, he discovered his father was a high-ranking official notorious for exploiting women who caught his interest."When I confronted him and demanded he take responsibility for what he did to my mother, he insulted me. He accused me of being trash looking for a handout and even called my mother a disgrace after what he did to her."Outraged by the insult, Mark couldn't control his anger. He killed the man with his own hands and faced criminal charges for it. However, his mother took the blame, claiming responsibility for the crime and threatening to end her life if Mark confessed.She sacrificed hersel
The new day had begun. This morning, Amora was back to her usual routine, getting Rayden ready for school.“Come on, Ray. Did you forget anything?” Amora asked her son, who had overslept today.The day before, Rayden spent the entire day at the amusement park with Kimmy and the Moonstone couple. At first, he didn’t want to go, but Kimmy kept insisting, and her parents also convinced him to join them.In the end, Rayden reluctantly went along and ended up having so much fun with Kimmy that he lost track of time. They went on almost every ride in the park.He only got home after sunset and was so exhausted that he overslept this morning despite Amora’s attempts to wake him up.Amora was also running late. She had dozed off on the living room couch while waiting for Regis to come home. But to her surprise, he never returned that night. She only saw his message when she woke up in the middle of the night.Regis didn’t explain why he didn’t come home. Amora assumed he must have had some im
Amora’s eyes flickered toward Albert, who was still waiting for her decision. However, she kept talking and asked, “Mr. Parker, as a man, what do you think makes a man angry for no reason?”Albert was momentarily stunned. He hesitated before asking, “Are you referring to the Young Master?”Amora cleared her throat awkwardly. “Is it that obvious?”“Forgive me, Madam. I spoke out of turn,” Albert replied, worried that his presumptive remark might offend her.“Forget it, Mr. Parker. I just want to know ... has your boss ever been angry without a reason?” Amora probed. She thought perhaps Albert, who had been with Regis for a long time, would understand him better.Albert pondered for a moment and said, “I apologize, Madam. I can’t read his mind, but in my opinion, his anger always has a reason. For instance, if we fail to carry out our duties or upset him because ...”“Because of what?” Amora raised an eyebrow.“Because you pay more attention to other people than to him,” Albert answered
Blossom Restaurant Encounter“Welcome, Ma'am.”As she arrived at Blossom Restaurant, Amora was greeted by one of the staff. The Greek-inspired eatery had gained quite the reputation among food enthusiasts and was always bustling during lunchtime.That's why Amora decided to come early to secure a comfortable seat. Unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t have private rooms, meaning she had to sit in the common area with other diners.The server led Amora to a table and handed her the menu.“Would it be okay if I ordered later? I'm waiting for my husband,” Amora said politely.“Of course, Ma'am. Please call me when you're ready to order.”Amora nodded slightly and smiled as the server left her table.She pulled out her phone and contacted Xavier to ask him to pick up Rayden. Since Rayden was training with Xavier that day, it was convenient timing.“I have a little errand to run, so I’ll pick him up after his training with you. Thanks so much, Xavier. Sorry for troubling you so often,” Amor
Noel's request wasn't difficult for Amora to grant, but she was unsure how to agree because she worried that Regis wouldn't be happy to see Noel.However, Amora still felt guilty about Noel thinking that she had blocked his number."What's up? Are you waiting for someone?" Noel asked when he noticed the confusion on her face.In fact, Noel had been observing her for quite some time from his seat, which was only three tables away. When he saw no one approaching Amora, he decided to leave his table and approach her.Amora gave a small nod. "Yeah, but he hasn't shown up yet," she replied."A guy?" Noel asked curiously.A faint smile appeared on Amora's lips as she glanced at her phone, noticing that it was already five minutes past the agreed time.Regis had said he'd be there in ten minutes, but the guy hadn't even shown up yet."Sorry, I thought you were having lunch alone, and I wanted to invite you to join me," Noel muttered, a bittersweet smile on his face.Amora could see his genui
"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
“Wait … just hold on. Stay home with Uncle Xavier, okay? Let Daddy go check it out,” said Regis, trying to calm his son, who sounded anxious on the other end of the line.Earlier, Regis had asked Xavier to help pick up Rayden from school because he had a meeting with Alejandro. Now, Xavier and Rayden had just arrived at their rented house, only to find that Amora wasn’t there.Rayden clearly remembered his mother wasn’t feeling well that morning. Worried, he tried calling her using Xavier’s phone, but she didn’t answer.Growing more concerned, Rayden used a tracking app he had previously synced with his mom’s phone. The last known location showed her at a restaurant, which didn’t sit right with him.Thinking she might be with his father, Rayden called Regis. But Regis had no idea where Amora was either.“Remember, stay with Uncle Xavier. Got it?” Regis reminded his son not to act impulsively, then ended the call.Alejandro’s face tensed with concern after overhearing Regis’s side of t
“I don’t get it. Why would you take such a risky gamble, Mr. Volker?” Regis asked, unable to hide his curiosity.Alejandro simply smirked at Diego’s son, amused by his confusion.“If you wanted to, you could’ve just used me right now to threaten my father, couldn’t you?” Regis pressed, still trying to get a real answer from the older man.Alejandro’s smirk faded slightly as he replied, “Unfortunately for you, it’s not your life I want. It’s your father’s.”Regis could see the deep-seated hatred burning in Alejandro’s eyes. That’s when he started realizing this wasn’t just about business rivalry. All this time, Regis had assumed the bad blood between Alejandro and his father was nothing more than competition.But there was something darker—something personal—in Alejandro’s voice when he said he wanted Diego dead. Especially now, knowing he was willing to stake the entire Golden Snake organization just to get Regis involved in making that happen?That raised even more red flags for Regi
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