"Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, Amora! Your fiancé is the dream man for many women. You're truly lucky!"A broad smile curled on Amora Lysander's lips as her best friend, Chelsea Harrison, congratulated her. There was no denying the joy blooming in her heart, as her moment of happiness was just around the corner.In one week, Amora would become the wife of Chris Walden. A year ago, she met her future husband at an annual event for the Lysander company. She fell in love with him, and fortunately, her feelings were reciprocated. Their relationship was blessed by both families.Amora was attending her bachelorette party, organized by her college friends. The party was held in an exclusive, private lounge at a luxurious five-star hotel.The sound of pounding music and singing enlivened the small party in the room. Two young women, already drunk, were dancing on the table, while two others were busy cheering and clapping.Amora Lysander shook her head slightly and laughed at the
"Wh-What?"Amora's forehead furrowed. She couldn't quickly digest his words due to the influence of the alcohol she had consumed, but one thing she knew for certain was that this man would kill her if she didn't obey his words.Before Amora could respond, the man had already pulled her out of the room. To preserve her life and escape this bizarre situation, Amora could only surrender herself to follow the killer's demands.They hurried down the hotel corridor. Faintly, Amora heard several people chasing them from behind. More precisely, they were chasing the killer!'What on earth is this?' Amora screamed in her mind, her face astonished.Despite her head still feeling hazy from the alcohol, she could sense the danger surrounding her. In an instant, fear filled her mind.However, Amora could feel the reassuring strength flowing from the hand that gripped hers tightly, belonging to the man walking in front of her.'What is this strange feeling?' she wondered. Amora's heart raced faster
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
"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
Two young men, Mark and Xavier, stepped out of the bathroom inside Madam Lorenzo's cabin. They exhaled simultaneously, relieved as they finally breathed in the fresh air outside the cramped space."Has the big boss left?" Mark asked as he scanned the surroundings."Relax, it's clear now," Alicia replied, patting her brother's assistant on the shoulder."Thank goodness. I thought I’d have to spend the night in there," Xavier joked, making Alicia giggle.Just minutes earlier, Mark and Xavier had visited Winny Silverlake. They had explained in detail how Diego had locked up Regis and asked the old woman for help in getting him out.Right as they finished their discussion, Diego and his wife happened to pass by Madam Lorenzo's cabin, prompting the elderly woman to call her son and daughter-in-law in for a talk.Mark and Xavier had no choice but to hide in the bathroom, fearing that Diego would find out they had tattled to Madam Lorenzo."Did the Master agree to listen, Miss?" Mark asked f
Madam Lorenzo’s chest rose and fell rapidly. Her clenched fist tightened around the armrest of the sofa. She never expected her son to be so brazen, openly defying her opinion.Seeing her mother-in-law’s dazed expression, Liliana, who had been sitting beside her, quickly grabbed a glass of water and handed it to the older woman. Madam Lorenzo took slow sips, trying to suppress the storm of anger raging inside her.“Mother, please don’t let this get to you. You need to think about your health too,” Liliana urged, speaking for the first time since the confrontation began.Liliana looked genuinely concerned about the elderly woman’s condition. Though she didn’t fully understand why her husband was opposing his mother, she still tried to ease the tension.“Maybe Diego is just worried that Miss Lysander’s kindness might be taken advantage of, Mother. Our family is constantly in the public eye, and there are plenty of people who would love to exploit that,” Liliana said, unintentionally sou
"A woman like that?"Madam Lorenzo's eyes narrowed sharply. She clearly didn't like the cynical tone in her son's voice."And what kind of woman do you want for this family, Diego? Regis wants to get married and has found someone who suits him—isn't that something to be grateful for? You and Liliana have been searching for a woman for him all this time, but what have you accomplished?" Madam Lorenzo snapped, throwing a sharp glance at her daughter-in-law.Liliana Ritter could only purse her lips slightly, unable to refute her mother-in-law's words.However, Diego wasn’t about to back down so easily. "Mother, I know you want Regis to settle down. But we can’t just let him marry any woman."Madam Lorenzo scoffed. "Are you saying I don’t know how to choose properly?"Alicia held back a smile. She could see how powerless her father was every time he argued with her grandmother."That’s not what I meant, Mother. But we need to find a woman with a clear background. Did you know that she was
"Damn it! How long does he plan to keep me locked up in here?"A low growl, followed by a sharp wince, slipped from Regis' lips. He was still trapped inside the executive cabin, his current prison.Not a single drop of water had been given to him by his father’s men, leaving his throat painfully dry. His appearance was a mess from repeatedly trying to break down the door. Unfortunately, the door was sturdy, and all he had managed to do was injure himself in the process.The room had a balcony overlooking the open river. Regis could jump from there, but the risk was too high—especially with the strong currents rushing below on this late night.As much as he wanted to escape, he wasn’t about to throw his life away. He needed another plan."Young Master, I'm sorry. We should've been more careful earlier," Albert muttered from across the room.A while ago, Albert and Pedro, along with several others, had attempted to fight off the guards stationed outside. But they had been utterly defeat
'No! I can't give up just like that. I can't make Regis worry. He must be fighting on his own right now. Ray needs me too. There's no time for me to keep feeling sorry for myself.'The light in Amora's eyes, which had dimmed, sparkled once more. She quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and straightened her posture.Even though she had felt weak and helpless just moments ago, she reminded herself that she couldn't just sit there crying. At the very least, she had to find out what was happening with Regis.Worry was written all over Amora's face. She was sure Regis was in a powerless situation, especially since Diego had control over her husband's phone.Determined, Amora picked up her phone and searched for Albert’s contact. But he was unreachable.'Albert must be in trouble too,' she guessed.She then tried calling Estelle. She was certain her friend was still there and might be able to provide some information.It didn’t take long for Estelle to pick up. “Hello, Amor
“Have you heard from Regis yet?”Noel’s question momentarily pulled Amora out of her thoughts. She shook her head slightly and let out a weary sigh.“He might have been forced to stay there,” Amora guessed.“But he should’ve at least contacted you, Amora.”Noel’s words hit the mark. She had been waiting for any news from Regis or Albert, but neither had sent a message or called.She had considered reaching out to Regis first but worried that her call might interrupt him while he was busy speaking with guests.Amora had heard that the Royal Dragon’s anniversary celebration would last all night. The guests would only be disembarking from the ship the following morning, making tonight the event's grand finale.As the son and heir of the Lorenzo family, Regis was expected to stay. Even though Amora wished he could be by her side, she couldn’t afford to be selfish. At the very least, she felt relieved knowing that Rayden was in stable condition and only needed time to recover.Still, the s
"Amora, you should get some rest. Let me watch over Ray."Noel's voice broke Amora's thoughts as she sat by Rayden’s bedside. Her son looked much better after receiving the best medical care. Exhausted, Rayden had fallen into a deep sleep, and Amora stayed by his side.Seeing the fatigue etched on Amora's face, Noel felt a pang of sympathy. She hadn’t left Rayden’s side from the moment they rushed to the hospital until the doctors finished treating him."It’s fine. I’m worried he’ll look for me when he wakes up," Amora murmured, her voice hoarse.Noel let out a quiet sigh. He grabbed a bottle of water he had bought from a vending machine earlier and handed it to her."At least drink some water. Your lips are dry," Noel coaxed gently.Amora turned to him, offering a small smile before accepting the bottle. She took slow sips, instantly feeling relief in her parched throat."Thank you, Noel. You must be tired too. You should go home. I can manage here," Amora said sincerely.Noel's lips
"Mr.Volker, I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Albert stammered, swallowing hard. He could see the anger radiating from the leader of the Golden Snake, but he couldn't quite understand the reason behind it.Hearing the commotion at the stern of the yacht, Mark Carter quickly approached and saw Alejandro intimidating his colleague."Damn it!" Alejandro growled, shoving Albert forcefully, making him stumble backward.Mark rushed forward, catching Albert before he could fall."Thanks, Mark," Albert exhaled in relief.Mark remained silent, his eyes shifting to Alejandro Volker, who was repeatedly tapping his cane against the helicopter pad, his frustration and disappointment evident.Summoning his courage, Mark approached the leader of the Golden Snake. "Mr. Volker, is there something wrong? This area is restricted. I must ask you to return inside," he said respectfully.Alejandro's sharp eyes narrowed at Mark, displeased by the audacity of his words. He knew his actions had drawn attention
"What’s going on?"Several guests were startled when they saw a twin-engine helicopter landing on the helipad at the stern of the cruise ship.The helicopter was significantly larger than the usual models, as it was a multipurpose type. The ship's helipad was spacious enough to accommodate such an aircraft. This grand and luxurious vessel had been designed precisely to meet its owner's needs.The unexpected arrival of the helicopter added to the lively atmosphere at the bow of the ship. At that moment, many guests were enjoying the spectacular fireworks exploding beautifully in the distant night sky, set up to enhance the evening’s celebration.Noticing the helicopter, the guests lounging in the area began rushing toward the stern, eager to find out what was happening."Isn’t that the woman Young Master Lorenzo acknowledged earlier?" One of the guests remarked upon seeing Amora walking toward the helipad.This guest had witnessed Regis' declaration earlier and instantly recognized Amo