Noel wasn’t the least bit intimidated by Regis’ glare. James Ritter’s son simply let out a long sigh. “Looks like you’re jealous,” he teased.Regis’ jaw tightened. He had to admit he was feeling jealous, but there was no way he’d let Noel know that. His pride was too high to acknowledge Noel’s taunt.But Noel immediately smirked. “I guess I was right.”He was intentionally provoking Regis. But Regis didn’t react right away. Instead, he slowly stepped forward, stopping right in front of Noel.“I’m warning you. Stay away from Amora.” Regis’ voice was cold. His sharp gaze locked onto Noel’s eyes, which met his with equal intensity.Regis’ eyes flickered briefly. He patted Noel’s shoulder several times—the same shoulder Amora had leaned on earlier.“Aren’t you being a little too possessive, Regis? Don’t you trust Amora?” Noel mocked. His hand shot up, gripping Regis’ wrist to stop him from patting his shoulder again.Regis sneered. He yanked his hand away from Noel’s grasp and shot back,
“Ugh!” Regis winced as Amora’s fingers brushed against his wound.“S-sorry,” Amora squeaked, quickly pulling her hand away from his face.Regis shook his head slightly. “It’s okay,” he murmured, taking his wife’s cold hands and pressing a gentle kiss to them.“I missed you, my love.”Regis’ confession sent Amora’s heart racing. A soft blush crept onto her cheeks.“I missed you too,” Amora whispered, lowering her gaze. But then, she quickly remembered this wasn’t the time for a heartfelt reunion.“Regis, don’t try to change the subject,” she grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him.Regis let out a small chuckle before replying, “There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a small wound.”Amora’s eyes narrowed further. “How long do you plan on hiding things from me? I heard you were held captive. How could your father be so cruel?” she pressed.Regis frowned. “How did you find out?”“Xavier told me last night. Thank goodness he managed to get you out of there,” Amora sighed in relief, assumin
"Ahem ... I mean, how can you say that?"Amora quickly corrected herself, but Regis had already caught her lie and gave a small smile. One of his hands traced the contours of his wife's face, gently brushing her skin with his fingertips."You don't have to lie or ask how I know, Darling. But I want you to tell me what my father said to you. Did he say something bad?"Regis started interrogating Amora. He wanted to know exactly what his father had told her."Was it Noel who told you?" Amora guessed. He was the only one who knew that Diego Lorenzo had contacted her."So, what did my father say to you?" Regis pressed again. He wasn't going to let Amora dodge the question."He ... he just said that he doesn't approve of our relationship," Amora answered, clearing her throat."That's it?" Regis narrowed his eyes sharply.Amora only gave a small nod, but Regis didn't buy it. "Are you sure?""Yes," Amora replied quickly, getting up from Regis’s lap.But he pulled her back, tightening his hol
“Dad? Since when have you been here?” Rayden asked, confused. He immediately turned to his mother for an answer.Amora shrugged. “I don’t know, your dad was just here when I woke up this morning,” she replied.Regis walked over to his son’s bed and placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature.“I arrived last night, but I didn’t want to wake you guys up,” Regis explained with a wide smile.Rayden frowned. “What happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?” he asked, eyeing the bruises on his father’s face.Amora also gave Regis a questioning look. She wanted to know the answer too.Regis touched the cut on his lip, then gave a small smile. “It was just a little warm-up, Ray. Nothing to worry about,” he said, clearly avoiding the real story.“Are you lying to a kid, huh?” Rayden grumbled, not buying his father’s excuse.Regis chuckled and ruffled his son’s hair. “You are a kid. Why do you sound like an adult?”Rayden pouted, swatting his father’s hand away. “I may be a ki
“It’s all because of that little bastard!”Diego’s outburst made Pablo and everyone else in the Royal Dragon headquarters meeting room turn pale. No one dared to lift their heads and meet Diego's burning gaze.Two bullet holes marred the now-ruined flat-screen TV on the wall. Sparks still flickered from the screen — an innocent victim of Diego's wrath just moments ago.Diego had been watching a news broadcast covering last night's Royal Dragon celebration. But instead of focusing on the grand event, one TV station highlighted the chaos that had broken out on the cruise ship and criticized Diego for controlling his son's marriage.Diego had already ordered his men to silence the media to prevent any damaging news about Lorenzo from getting out. Yet somehow, one station had broken the deal. As a result, Royal Dragon’s stock value had taken a hit today.“Where’s my son now, Pablo?” Diego demanded. His voice echoed like thunder through the room. His rage wasn’t just about the stock value
Seth's car had just arrived in front of his young master's residence, but the scene outside the hotel building, which doubled as a penthouse, was chaotic. A crowd of reporters nearly blocked the entrance."Young Master, there are so many reporters out front. What should we do?" Seth asked in confusion.Regis's sharp eyes stared out the car window intensely. He had expected the media wouldn't let go of the big news about him. His escape last night had caused a stir, and he suspected his father had taken measures to teach him a lesson."Just head straight to the parking lot. Looks like security is already stationed there," Regis said confidently.As he predicted, Royal Dragon's personnel were guarding every corner of the exclusive penthouse parking area. He had no choice but to get out of the car and face it all.However, the reception he got was cold. Regis smirked. None of the personnel greeted him as they should. He figured they had been ordered not to show him any respect anymore.A
"Alright, I'll let him know." Gray gave a small nod.Gray Tucker could only let out a long sigh. From the start, he knew that every message he delivered would be treated like nothing by his young master. But he was just doing his job and had no intention of getting involved in the internal affairs of the Lorenzo family."Now, step aside. I need to get my personal belongings and my wife's from inside. I believe that's not against the rules, is it?" Regis said to his father's subordinate.Gray Tucker hesitated but eventually stepped aside, allowing Regis, Amora, and Rayden to enter."Grab your stuff, and let's get out of here," Regis firmly told his wife.Amora nodded. "Ray, change your clothes and only take the essentials," she instructed her son.With that, Amora quickly packed clothes for herself, Regis, and their son, along with their personal documents. She also changed out of her party dress, which was hindering her movements.She removed all her jewelry, placed it in a jewelry bo
"I'm sorry, Miss Lysander. I'm just following orders. The Boss must have his own reasons. Maybe he will change his mind if the Young Master changes his."Regis knew Gray Tucker's words were a subtle attempt to persuade him. Everything Gray did was part of Diego's plan to make him realize that Regis had no real authority in the Royal Dragon organization.Regis clenched his fists tightly, frustrated at his helplessness, but he had no choice but to stand by his decision.Regis looked at Seth with regret. Understanding his young master's predicament, Seth said, "Little Master, Ma’am, I'll be fine. No need to worry. Go with the Young Master.""But ...."Before Amora could protest again, Regis gently placed his arm around her shoulders and said, "Amora, it's time for us to go before it gets dark. We need to find a place to stay."Amora's hazel eyes gazed at Regis in confusion, but she realized they didn't have the power to do anything at the moment.She thought their journey ahead would be
“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
“Sir, are you sure you don’t want to rent it? If you’re not interested, I’ll pass it on to another potential tenant. Someone else is coming to view it this afternoon,” The agent said.Despite the agent’s subtle threat, Regis firmly declined. But before he could say more, Amora tugged on his arm and politely asked the agent if they could have a few minutes to talk in private.She pulled Regis aside to a quiet corner of the room and said, “Honey … I don’t think we’ll find another place like this for this kind of price, not with these specs. Don’t you want to at least think it over?”Regis paused, clearly seeing the look on Amora’s face—she didn’t want to lose this opportunity.They had to be careful with their spending right now. Offers like this didn’t come around often, and honestly, anyone would be tempted.But Regis had a gut feeling. Something about this just didn’t sit right. He suspected someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes, using the agent as a front.“But Amora … d
"Lysander Group Declares Bankruptcy! Charlie Lysander in Critical Condition!"That was the headline glaring back at Amora. Her face turned pale as shock washed over her.Oddly enough, she didn't feel even the slightest joy. She should've been happy to see the Lysander family suffer after they cast her aside seven years ago.But instead, seeing her grandfather lying helplessly in a hospital bed made her chest ache. She felt like he didn’t have much time left.Noticing Amora standing frozen with trembling hands, Regis immediately clasped her hands gently."What’s wrong, Sweetheart? What are you looking at?" Regis asked as he glanced at his wife's phone.Amora showed him the news article. "I had no idea the Lysander Group has been in financial trouble for a year now," she murmured after reading the details.Regis smirked slightly. He wasn't surprised in the least. "They had it coming, my love. Mario Lysander is a terrible businessman. He’s been running the company into the ground since h