Amora swallowed hard. Her eyes widened as she saw the muscular back of a stranger lying beside her. Her gaze turned to horror as she noticed the terrifying dragon head tattoo on the person's back.
‘What happened to me? Wasn't I with Chelsea and the others last night? How did I end up here?’
Amora’s hazel eyes blinked repeatedly, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. She was utterly shocked to find herself naked under a thin blanket.
She tried to get up quickly, but an intense pain between her legs stopped her in her tracks.
Her head throbbed painfully. She clutched the sides of her head, trying to piece together her memories. Laughter, congratulations, and the sound of her friends’ voices echoed in her mind, followed by images of her drinking continuously.
Amora realized she had gotten drunk. Her eyes widened as flashes of the passionate night she spent with the man beside her played rapidly in her head. Instantaneously, she turned to look at him.
“I ... with him….”
Amora quickly covered her mouth in shock. She didn’t dare speak, afraid of waking the man beside her.
‘What have I done? How could I have done that with him?’ She screamed internally.
The hazy face that occasionally appeared in her memory shocked Amora, and she realized she had hallucinated, thinking the murderer was her fiancé during their passionate encounter.
‘Idiot! How could I have thought he was Chris?’
Amora couldn’t understand why she acted the way she did. Even though she was drunk, she never should have done something so crazy.
Amora's heart shattered as she realized the gravity of her mistake. Tears streamed down her cheeks, forming small rivers as they fell.
‘What should I do now? What will I say to Chris?’
Questions swirled in Amora's mind. She felt deep regret, but what was done couldn't be undone. She couldn't rewind time to take back what she'd given away.
Amora cursed her foolishness, realizing she had destroyed her happiness. She was so close to becoming Chris's wife, yet she had given her virginity to a stranger!
‘Amora Lysander, you're not just stupid. You’re completely insane!’
She hit the sides of her head repeatedly. When she felt movement beside her, she stopped and covered her mouth with her hands, not wanting to wake the man next to her.
Even worse, Amora couldn't demand accountability from the man, remembering he was a murderer she encountered last night. She didn't want to lose her life because of her recklessness.
Slowly, Amora got up from the bed. The pain in her intimate area made it difficult to move, but she had to leave the room before the murderer regained consciousness. She quickly picked up her scattered clothes from the floor and put them on.
Before leaving, Amora took out several hundred-dollar bills from her jeans pocket. She hoped the money would make the man forget about her and serve as payment for his silence about what happened last night.
"Hopefully, we never meet again, Mr. Murderer," Amora whispered to herself.
She left the room and walked to the elevator, pressing the button to go to the hotel lobby.
As the elevator descended, Amora's mind was in turmoil. She still couldn't believe she had lost her virginity to a murderer!
Amora shook her head vehemently. Even though she found it hard to believe, there was no turning back. She didn't know how to face Chris later. He would surely reject her now that she was tainted and disgraceful.
Amora walked out with unsteady steps when the elevator reached the ground floor. She wiped the remaining tears from her face harshly.
‘I need to find a way to talk to Chris about this,’ Amora decided, though doubt crept into her mind.
‘But will he accept it?’ Amora's anxiety grew.
She was certain Chris would be furious and disappointed if he knew the truth. Amora shook her head again, deciding to keep this from her fiancé.
However, fate gave her no such opportunity. Chris suddenly appeared, catching her exiting the hotel. He had been about to enter but stopped when he saw her at the lobby entrance.
“Ch-Chris ….” Amora's voice was hoarse and shaky as she called his name.
“Amora? Have you been crying?" Chris inquired.
The first thing Chris noticed was the puffiness of Amora's eyes. His confusion seemed to resolve when he saw her disheveled appearance.
Amora was startled. She quickly turned her face away and asked nervously, “C-Chris … Why are you here?”
Chris's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Amora's appearance closely.
“I should be asking you, Amora. What have you been doing all night? I was told to pick you up this morning at the hotel, and you come out looking like this.”
Hearing Chris's words, Amora was shocked. She turned back to Chris, who was now staring at her with a scrutinizing expression.
“Who asked you to pick me up? I didn't—”
“Does it matter?” Chris's voice was cold as he cut her off.
This was the first time Amora had received such a cold treatment from her fiancé.
“What have you been doing at this hotel, Amora?” Chris asked the question that had been haunting him.
Though he feared hearing the answer, he needed to know the truth from her lips.
Amora hung her head low, her eyes starting to burn again. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her tongue felt tied. She didn’t know how to explain her situation to her fiancé.
Amora's silence answered all of Chris's questions. He scrutinized her appearance once more.
Chris noticed many red marks on her collarbone. Without asking, he already knew what those marks meant. They were the marks of a passionate encounter his fiancée had with another man!
Chris's chest ached. He felt like a massive weight was crushing him. He wanted to yell and curse at her, but seeing her mental state and the situation around them, he held back.
“Chris, I—”
“We'll talk about this at your house,” Chris interrupted, turning away indifferently.
Anger, disappointment, and hatred mixed in Chris’s mind. He had no idea how to prepare himself to hear her story.
Amora looked sadly at Chris's back. His cold demeanor gave her the answer. There was no way Chris would accept her tainted state. She felt disgusted with herself. How could Chris not?
***
Regis Lorenzo had just woken up. He stared blankly at the empty side of the bed beside him, then sneered.
"That foolish woman didn’t even say goodbye, huh?" he muttered.
He had planned to interrogate the woman who had shared warmth with him last night, but unfortunately, she chose to leave without a word. Usually, women tried to win his heart and treated him like a king.
Regis' face darkened when he found a stack of money on the nightstand beside the bed. His large hand clenched the bills, feelings of anger and humiliation churning inside him.
The woman who had seduced him and taken his strength last night left him like a paid gigolo meant to satisfy her desires. Regis felt utterly insulted and worthless in her eyes.
"Damn it!" Regis cursed, full of rage.
He threw the money into the air, letting the bills scatter around him. He grabbed his pants from the floor and put them on quickly, then reached for his shirt lying on the bed. Unfortunately, the buttons were missing due to last night’s activities.
Regis admitted that he was thoroughly satisfied with the passion he shared with that woman. However, he couldn't accept the indirect insult she had thrown at him.
A harsh breath escaped Regis’ lips. He thought about finding the woman to get an explanation and hold her accountable, but he had no idea where to start.
He didn’t even know her name. He regretted not asking her name last night because he had chosen to rest, exhausted from their intense encounter. As a result, he lost her this morning.
“Damn it! I should have asked for her name last night,” Regis grumbled in frustration.
Slowly, Regis' anger shifted. His eyes narrowed sharply when he noticed a shiny object between the messy bed sheets. He reached for it, discovering one of the woman’s earrings left behind from the night before.
A perfect smile curled the corner of his lips as he examined the heart-shaped earring encrusted with diamonds.
"It seems this woman wants to play games with me," he murmured coldly.
"You're still not going to talk, huh?"An old man's booming voice echoed through the Lysander family's living room. Amora was kneeling on the floor, her head bowed low.Amora stared at the feet of the old man standing before her, holding a cane. He was Charlie Lysander, her grandfather.Slap!Suddenly, a harsh slap from the old man landed on Amora's cheek. The force of the slap knocked her to the floor.Amora's eyes widened in shock. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched her burning cheek. She hadn't expected her grandfather to slap her for her silence."Enough, Charlie! Do you have to hit her like this?"An elderly woman in a wheelchair quickly interrupted Charlie as he prepared to slap Amora again. The woman was Gilda Orlena, Amora's grandmother, and Charlie's wife.Slowly, Charlie lowered his hand and snorted in frustration."A slap isn't enough for her!" He snapped.Charlie’s face was furious. He was enraged by the foolish thing his granddaughter had done the night before
“Seems like everything is over,” Amora thought, slumping weakly.She tried to stifle her sobs by biting her lip hard. The decision just made by the head of the Walden family had left Amora in shock.All she could do was silently mourn Kelvin Walden's words. Tears streamed down her cheeks once more.Even though Kelvin had made his decision, Amora’s grandfather still tried to persuade him. Charlie couldn’t accept the decision just like that.“Mr. Walden, let’s discuss this further. I know you and Mrs. Walden are very angry about this. I’m humiliated as well. However, we have already dispatched the invitations. How can we cancel it just like that?” Charlie Lysander pleaded.As an elder, it was embarrassing for Charlie to bow his head to someone younger. However, he had no other choice because canceling the wedding would damage the family’s reputation.Charlie, on the other hand, didn't want to lose a 'gold mine' like the Walden family. He had once thought of expanding his business by est
Chris' words brought a sense of relief to Amora's heart. At least some affection remained in his heart for her, even if she no longer felt worthy of being by his side.On the other hand, Cassandra's face turned bitter. "Why? Do you still want to marry that filthy woman?" she snapped.Cassandra angrily pointed her finger at Amora, who felt cornered by her harsh words.A long sigh escaped Chris' lips. He tried to answer calmly, "It's not like that, Mom. I don't love Bianca. How could you ask me to marry her?""Love can grow later," Cassandra replied curtly.Chris' eyes widened at his mother's words. "Mom!"Cassandra was shocked for a few seconds as Chris's voice began to rise. However, she quickly resumed her threats, "If you don't want to see me die in front of you, you'd better do as I say."This time Chris seemed at a loss. His jaw tightened. Though he disliked his mother's arrangement, he no longer argued against it.Chris' eyes met Amora's, who looked at him with disappointment. Un
[Seven Years Later]"Hey, bastard!"A small, handsome boy stopped in his tracks as a chubby classmate blocked the entrance to his classroom. He stared directly at the boy with a blank expression.The handsome boy, named Rayden Lysander, sighed softly. It wasn't the first time his friend had called him that crude name. As usual, he decided to ignore his friend's taunt.Rayden started to move forward again, but the round-faced boy spread his arms wide, blocking Rayden's path."Didn't you hear me, bastard?!" shouted Benjamin Brown, the chubby boy."Are you talking to me, Ben?" Rayden asked innocently.Benjamin's face turned red, feeling mocked by Rayden. "Who else would be the bastard here if not you?" he said, jabbing his finger repeatedly into Rayden's chest.Rayden's eyebrows knitted together. He looked at Benjamin with disinterest. He had promised his mother to behave well at school and be someone she could be proud of. However, Benjamin's behavior toward him had become increasingly a
“Amora, please clean the floor in corridor four later!”A middle-aged woman called her subordinate, who was arranging some food in a display case. The young woman, dressed in a store clerk's uniform and named Amora Lysander, turned her head.“A kid spilled their drink earlier,” the woman continued. She was Della Houston, the manager of WW Mart, where Amora worked.“Sure, Mrs. Houston. I’ll head there right after this,” Amora replied.Della then continued to check other areas of the store for product completeness, cleanliness, and operational efficiency.A tired sigh escaped Amora’s lips. She had been working since five in the morning and hadn’t had a chance to take a sip of water. The convenience store she worked at was open 24 hours a day. Located in a busy area, it wasn’t surprising that many customers came to shop there.Despite her exhaustion, Amora couldn’t complain. Her
“Look, the stain is getting bigger!”The schoolgirl snatched her shoe from Amora’s hand, her face twisted in anger. Amora knew the girl was just looking for a reason to cause trouble.Amora didn’t understand why the girl was targeting her, but she decided to handle the situation calmly. She didn’t want to get riled up by this arrogant teenager.Amora sighed deeply. She acknowledged that the stain on the girl’s shoe had spread because she had rubbed it earlier.“If you want compensation, I can’t afford it,” Amora admitted. She took the shoe back from the girl and continued, “But if you give me some time, I can clean it at home later.”The girl looked frustrated, but she couldn’t push Amora any further with all the other customers watching her.The whispers from the onlookers about her behavior started to make her uncomfortable. Amora was willing to take responsibility, an
"Sorry, I'm a bit late."Amora had just arrived at her son's school. She entered the teachers' lounge, where she saw Rayden's homeroom teacher sitting with a woman who looked elite from head to toe.Unlike Amora, who arrived looking disheveled from dust and sweat clinging to her body. However, she still smiled confidently."It's okay, ma'am. Please have a seat."Daisy Miller, Rayden Lysander's homeroom teacher, invited Amora to sit with her. She then explained the issue involving the two students to the two women sitting in front of her in the room."That's the story, Mrs. Lysander. I've heard that Rayden started the fight," Daisy said, having received this information from her students.She didn't know that all these lies were born from the pressure Benjamin exerted on his classmates every day. Of course, Daisy was also pressured by Benjamin's biological mother before Amora arrived in the room.After listening to the homeroom teacher
“Showing off?”Amora chuckled softly at Lisa's remark. Lisa was taken aback by Amora's response to her arrogance.Amora knew that since she was cast out by her grandfather, she was nobody and had no right to show off in front of Lisa Taylor. Her entire life changed once she was deemed a disgrace to the Lysander family name.Unfortunately, Lisa underestimated her.Amora Lysander was no longer the naive girl who cried over her fate. She had become a resilient woman, ready to face any storm head-on. She did it all for her precious child, whom she always protected.The stain and humiliation she endured seven years ago profoundly changed her life. Amora had fallen deeply into despair, once considering ending her life due to the shame and mockery from the Lysander family and her social circle.But that pain paled in comparison to watching the man she loved marry her cousin.Amora's calm eyes gradually sharpened, making Lisa's ar
“What are you doing here?” Regis demanded sharply, glaring at the elegantly dressed middle-aged woman in a matching blouse and midi skirt.The woman was none other than Liliana Ritter!Amora’s eyebrows knitted together as she glanced back and forth between Regis and Liliana, clearly confused.'Wasn't Mark supposed to come? Why is Mrs. Lorenzo here instead?' Amora wondered, still trying to process the situation.Liliana remained calm despite Regis's cold demeanor. She walked gracefully toward their table and pulled out a chair directly facing Regis and Amora.The tension between them was palpable. Regis radiated hostility, but Liliana's nonchalant attitude made him feel like a fool.“I came to see you, Regis,” Liliana said calmly, placing her handbag on the table.Regis let out a bitter scoff. “I don’t think we have anything to talk about,” he shot back curtly.Without waiting for a response, Regis stood up, grabbed Amora's wrist, and headed for the door.Though still confused, Amora q
After spending the whole day in the hotel room since yesterday, finally this afternoon Regis and Amora decided to go out with Rayden. They wanted to visit Emma Adams' residence, more precisely the apartment of Emma's son-Henry Allen.Upon arrival, they were warmly welcomed by Emma. Amora introduced her husband to her.Emma was shocked. She never expected Regis Lorenzo to be Rayden's biological father. But after hearing Amora's story, she shared in their happiness."Thank goodness Ray's dream of having a father finally came true. And not just any father—his biological one," Emma said, glancing at Rayden sitting beside her.The boy simply grinned and continued enjoying Emma's homemade apple pie. It had been a long time since he last tasted her cooking, and before he knew it, he had already eaten two slices."That's enough, Ray. You've had too many sweets today," Amora said as Rayden reached for another slice."But Grandma's apple pie is so good," Rayden quipped, ignoring his mother's pr
"Hank, do you think this recording is real?" Alejandro asked after spending considerable time analyzing the audio he had received.Even though the voice clearly belonged to Altan Demir, Alejandro still found it odd. He questioned Altan's motive against Kenneth. He knew the two had never crossed paths before, and there was no apparent reason for Altan to murder his eldest son."I need to verify it first, Boss," Hank replied cautiously."If this recording is genuine, then Regis Lorenzo has been innocent all along," Alejandro murmured with a long sigh.However, Alejandro did not appear regretful for wrongly accusing Regis. After all, the Royal Dragon had caused him countless troubles. The rivalry between the Golden Snake and the Royal Dragon was well-known.Hank remained silent as his phone rang suddenly. It was a call from one of his contacts.After the call ended, Hank immediately reported to Alejandro. "Boss, there's information that Altan Demir was summoned to the local police statio
Old Madam Lorenzo had just returned to her pavilion after visiting her son’s headquarters. Her pale, aged face was still filled with anger. Her gaze landed on her daughter-in-law, who was already standing there to greet her."Mother," Liliana greeted."You still haven't left?" the old woman asked indifferently.Liliana shook her head. "I wanted to hear from you first," she replied.Winny Silverlake gestured for Rebecca to leave, and Liliana quickly guided the old woman to sit on the family room sofa in the pavilion."You look very pale, Mother," Liliana murmured with concern. She remained standing by her mother-in-law's side and asked, "Did something happen earlier?"Winny let out a long sigh and answered, "It’s nothing. Just an old ailment.""Did Diego still refuse to change his mind and upset you?" Liliana guessed.Winny let out a thin smirk and muttered, "It seems he would rather see me dead than listen to my request.""Mother ...." Liliana's concern became more evident. From the b
"Mother!"Diego called out to his mother again, but the elderly woman didn’t respond.Winny Silverlake's face quickly turned pale. Her breathing grew more labored. One hand gripped the arm of the sofa to keep herself from collapsing.Diego hurried to support his mother and shouted toward the door, "Rebecca! Pablo!"Both Pablo and Rebecca, who were just outside the room, were startled by the head of the Lorenzo family's urgent call. They rushed in immediately.Seeing their employer in distress, Rebecca quickly helped the elderly woman sit back on the sofa, making sure she was comfortable. She pulled out an inhaler from the small bag slung over her shoulder.Diego ordered Pablo to go and prepare the wheelchair, worried that his mother might need it soon. Meanwhile, Rebecca focused on administering first aid.As a trained caregiver, Rebecca swiftly helped Old Madam Lorenzo use the inhaler, gently spraying the medication into her mouth. After a moment, she slowly removed the inhaler. "Mad
“Do you even realize what you’ve done, Diego?” snapped Mrs. Winny Lorenzo angrily.The elderly woman still hadn’t forgotten the lie her son told two days ago. The memory was still vivid in her mind.After the chaotic ship party, Old Madam Lorenzo had been asked to return home and wait for good news from her son. She was extremely worried when she heard that Regis had run away and hoped Diego would handle it well.But instead of good news, she got the opposite. Diego had gone against Regis’s marriage.Winny also found out that Diego had issued an ultimatum to the Royal Dragon staff, stating that Regis would no longer be recognized as a Lorenzo if he refused to break things off with Amora.Winny Silverlake was furious at her son’s decision. She had only found out that morning when someone secretly tipped her off.Diego had previously instructed his subordinates to keep the news from her because he didn’t want her to show up and unleash her anger on him like she was doing now.Winny rare
"Forgive my insolence, Madam," Pablo reflexively lowered his head in front of Winny Silverlake.Finally, Pablo Varon stepped aside to let the old woman pass.Winny curled her lips lazily and hissed with disdain, "It seems my son needs to reevaluate his employees' attitudes. I can't believe you don't understand your place."Pablo knew she was merely bluffing. The Old Madam Lorenzo had no authority to fire him, and Diego Lorenzo wouldn't comply with her whims just because Pablo was doing his job.After all, Diego himself had instructed Pablo not to let anyone into the room. Still, the old woman's threat made him uneasy."I deserve any punishment, Madam," Pablo replied, keeping his head bowed.As expected, the old woman ignored him and proceeded inside once Rebecca was instructed to open the grand door before them. As the doors swung open, all eyes turned to them."Madam Lorenzo," everyone in the room greeted her, except for Diego Lorenzo.Winny ignored the greetings. Her sharp eyes focu
The morning at Royal Dragon's headquarters was unusually quiet. Everyone was busy with their tasks, but the silence was abruptly shattered when Old Madam Lorenzo arrived without prior notice.Usually, Old Madam Lorenzo stayed in a separate pavilion away from the main Lorenzo residence because she disliked the constant chaos that often erupted there, as it was connected to Royal Dragon's headquarters."Madam," greeted one of Diego's subordinates, clearly surprised by her sudden appearance. After all, Old Madam Lorenzo rarely stepped foot in the main residence before the servants had cleaned up any messes inside.Winny Silverlake had always disliked the smell of blood, so she insisted that the place be cleaned thoroughly before she arrived.Sometimes, Diego's subordinates were still covered in blood after getting into fights during their missions. Other times, it was because Diego had punished them for severe negligence.Violence was nothing new in the main Lorenzo residence. That was p
"I'm truly sorry, Young Master. If there's anything I can do, just tell me," Mark expressed with genuine remorse.If it weren't for Diego's threats, Mark would never have become a traitor. He felt awful and didn't know how he could face Regis later."What could you possibly do, Mark? If I asked you to unfreeze my accounts, could you do it?" Regis quipped with a chuckle.Of course, that request was impossible. Mark's weakness was firmly in Diego's grasp, leaving him powerless to act recklessly."Young Master, I—""It's fine, Mark. I know where you stand. You had no choice; you did it to keep your job and to protect your sister," Regis interrupted with a long sigh."Don't worry about it. I still have some savings to get by," Regis added confidently.In reality, he wasn't sure how long that money would last if he didn't find another source of income soon."Thank you for understanding me, Young Master," Mark murmured."Is that all you wanted to tell me, Mark?" Regis probed. He had a feeli