"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
“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
"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
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
"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
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
“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
A cynical scoff escaped Regis's nose. "And what exactly can you do, Aunt Lili? Do you really think my father will listen to you?" he sneered at his stepmother. Regis knew full well that Liliana had no power to change his father’s decisions. She didn’t even have the right to speak in front of him unless he allowed it. It was pathetic, really. But Liliana had grown used to her place. She had known the risks from the moment she married Diego. Liliana didn’t respond to Regis’s biting remark. Instead, she chose to act as if she hadn’t heard it and deliberately steered the conversation where she wanted it to go. "I heard you're looking for a place to stay," Liliana said calmly. Regis narrowed his eyes sharply, surprised that his father’s second wife had that information. He immediately guessed, "Mark told you, didn’t he?" A faint smile spread across Liliana’s lips. "He did," she admitted, not bothering to hide anything from her stepson. Yesterday, Liliana had contacted Mark to check o
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