"Mr. Carter, do you have any ideal criteria for a woman? Do you think ... I deserve to be your life partner?"
A young woman dressed provocatively with a daring neckline gave Mark Carter an audacious stare. As Regis' assistant, Mark had maintained a neutral expression, his eyes scrutinizing the blind date candidate in front of him.
He could tell she was seeking his attention, throwing flirtatious smiles his way. However, Mark remained unmoved by her attempts.
"I don't have any specific criteria, Miss Clarkson. I'm simply looking for someone who can mutually benefit both parties," Mark replied, straightforward about his intentions in attending the blind date event.
"Oh really? I admire men with principles. I think ... you might be the ideal man I've been looking for, Mr. Carter," she said, her tone teasing.
Her hand reached for one of Mark's hands casually resting on the cafe table
"You're ten minutes late from our appointment time, Miss Lysander."A middle-aged man glanced at his expensive watch and then looked at Amora, who had just landed herself on the plush sofa directly across from him.A luxurious red rose was pinned to the man's suit lapel. It was intentionally prepared so his blind date, Amora Lysander, could recognize him.Amora immediately met the man's gaze, noticing his subtly emotional expression toward her. His tone of voice carried a hint of sarcasm."I apologize for keeping you waiting, Sir," Amora reluctantly admitted her fault.Amora knew her lateness was worthy of criticism, but she had never intended to honor this blind date from the start. If not for the thought of the penalty she'd incur from her matchmaking partner, she wouldn't have shown up at the café.Earlier, Amora had intended to ask Emma Adams and her son about this matchmaking issue. However, she didn't have enough time to return home.With a heavy heart, Amora met the stranger wh
Shock!That one word perfectly described the expression on Amora's face at the moment. She truly hadn't expected to run into the man she least wanted to see.Regis Lorenzo suddenly interrupted her blind date and called her "Honey". Of course, this made Amora wonder.'Is he crazy? Why is he calling me that?'Amora could only grumble hysterically in her heart because she didn't want to embarrass herself. She still thought maybe Regis had a slip of the tongue and accidentally called her that."It seems you've mistaken me for someone else, Sir," Amora said, trying to correct Regis' mistake.Unfortunately, Amora never expected Regis to smile unapologetically and say, "Are you still mad at me, Honey? I'm sorry for canceling our date yesterday.""What?" Amora was again astonished.Before she could question her confusion, Regis had already spoken to the man sitting across from her.Felix's face was just as shocked as Amora's."Felix Wright, I didn't expect to meet you here. It's quite a coinc
Amora’s chest was rising and falling rapidly. She struggled to keep up with Regis’s pace as he walked ahead, still gripping her wrist tightly as if afraid she’d run away if he let go.“Sir, stop! It looks like he’s not chasing us anymore,” Amora said, panting heavily.Amora glanced back and saw that Felix Wright wasn’t following them as she had feared. She figured there was no need to keep running, especially after Regis’s threats.However, Regis kept walking and pulling Amora along. She had hoped he would let her go.“Sir!” Amora called out louder than before, her breath coming in gasps as she tried to match Regis’s stride.Finally, Regis slowed down and stopped. They were now in a parking lot with a shiny, luxurious car parked nearby. Amora guessed it belonged to him.“Please let go of
"What do you want?"Amora asked Regis directly, without any preamble. She didn’t intend to lie to him about her identity anymore.Based on her research on the Lorenzo family through the internet, Amora knew that Regis had full power to easily obtain information if he wanted to. It wouldn't be wise to stick to her lies.Regis didn't answer Amora's question directly. Instead, he glanced at Mark, who had just exited the cafe.With just a brief glance, Mark understood what his boss meant. He took out his car keys, pressed a small button to turn off the car alarm, and unlocked the door.Regis smiled with satisfaction, then opened the back door of his car and said to Amora, inviting her inside, "Get in, Miss.""Why do we have to talk in the car?" Amora replied suspiciously.Regis shrugged nonchalantly. "No problem if you want to talk outside, but I don
‘So he remembers everything now? What should I do? Should I confess?’Amora bit her lip hard. She didn't know how to respond, except to admit everything she had seen seven years ago.But various negative perceptions filled her mind, doubling her fear.‘But what if... what if he kills me right here like he did back then?’The terrifying thought made Amora abandon her intention to confess. She didn't know how Regis would react to her admission. She worried he might get angry and involve Rayden."No need to be afraid, Miss Lysander. I want to discuss with you and ask a few questions about our beautiful memory that night," Regis said.Amora clenched her fists tightly. She was increasingly convinced that Regis remembered almost everything between them that night."Why? Don't tell me you have amnesia, Miss Lysander. I won't believe it. You know what happens if you lie to me."Regis subtly threatened Amora. He could see her deep hesitation. Although he wanted to know the truth from her lips,
Regis suppressed his smile. Slowly, he released his grip from Amora's hand and jaw, then briefly wiped his wet lips."It seems your lips taste the same as before. But kissing you felt like kissing a porcupine. Too stiff and painful," teased Regis.Amora glared at him. She wanted to curse, but instead, she exhaled in frustration."What's wrong with admitting it, Miss Lysander? Is spending the night with me that humiliating for you, hm?"Amora decided not to respond to Regis's words and gently rubbed her wrists, which had reddened from his grip.Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Regis taking something out of his coat pocket, and then offering the shiny object to her."I suppose you haven't forgotten this, have you?" Regis asked confidently."That..."Amora bit her lip before replying, "I don't recognize it."
“Do you think I don’t need to hold you accountable, Miss Lysander?”The deep, cold voice made Amora’s eyes widen. She didn’t expect Regis to say something so shameless.“What is there to hold me accountable for? Not reporting you to the authorities is already a kindness on my part. Plus, you took my virginity!” Amora retorted angrily.“You gave it to me, I didn’t take it without permission,” Regis corrected her.Amora’s hazel eyes widened again, then moved restlessly. She knew the man’s words were true, but at that time, she was under the influence of alcohol and aphrodisiacs, so she didn’t realize what she had done.“But, as a true gentleman, shouldn’t you have refrained from taking advantage like that?” Amora countered, irritated.“I’m not a hypocrite, Miss Lysander. Isn’t there no cat that would refuse when given a salted fish?” Regis’s remark made Amora’s face flush red with shock.She exhaled roughly several times. She was utterly exasperated dealing with Regis. She turned her fa
Seeing that Amora had left his young master's car, Mark, who had been waiting by the car, finally decided to get in. He felt uneasy, worried he might face his boss’s anger after seeing Amora's sour expression as she left.Mark guessed that the two had just had a fierce argument.“Young Master,” Mark greeted as he took a seat behind the wheel.Regis’s closed eyes opened again. He only gave a slight nod to his assistant.Mark’s forehead wrinkled. He felt relieved that his previous concern did not happen, but he remained cautious.“What about Felix Wright?” Regis asked about the man who tried to deceive Amora earlier.“He seemed very shocked earlier, but I’ve already asked him to submit his resignation as soon as possible,” Mark replied.Regis sneered. “He underestimated my warning back then,” he said.The issue regarding Felix Wright had become a particular concern for Regis. Previously, he had received a report from one of his subordinates about Felix’s abuse of power in managing his n
"Hey, Kid. We came here to celebrate your arrival. Could you at least appreciate me a little?" Gino quipped at Xavier, who was still engrossed in his laptop.The moment Gino called him "Kid," Xavier shot him a sharp glare. Even though he was much younger than the other two men, he refused to be underestimated. Not wanting to engage in an argument, Xavier simply ignored him.Gino let out a heavy sigh. Hearing about Xavier’s arrival from Regis yesterday, he’d been so excited. He caught the latest flight, even traveling from another continent, just to meet him. But now that he was here, he was being ignored."Why am I even friends with people like you two?" Gino grumbled, his face set in a look of exaggerated annoyance. Of course, he wasn’t serious. It was just his way of expressing frustration.Since the incident that had involved them in a case of theft and auction fraud, Gino had grown to admire both Regis and Xavier. When he found out Xavier was in London, he didn’t think twice about
Laughter echoed in the soundproof room, filling the space with an almost contagious energy. A man with ombre blue hair, reminiscent of ocean waves, held a wine glass in his hand as he strolled over to Regis.“If I hadn’t done that, I’m not sure I’d ever have the chance to meet someone as honorable as you, Your Highness,” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.“Should I buy a lottery ticket today? I must be lucky if someone as busy as you managed to attend my invitation,” the man continued, slinging an arm around Regis’s shoulder as he guided him toward the plush seating area.Regis, however, brushed off the gesture and glared sharply at him. “I didn’t realize someone as carefree as you even existed. Maybe I should switch careers and become a gemstone tycoon instead of a mafia boss, Young Master Moonstone,” Regis shot back coldly.The stylish man from head to toe was none other than Gino Moonstone, heir to a renowned gemstone empire.One of the ten largest precious gemstone mines in t
Regis raked his hair in frustration. He quickly typed out a reply to his wife, his fingers moving fast across his phone screen.[Sorry, Amora. It’s not that I didn’t want to reply to your messages. The last one didn’t send. I’m doing fine now.]The message was sent in seconds, but waiting for her reply felt like an eternity. Growing impatient, Regis decided to call her.Unfortunately, Amora didn’t pick up.“Where could she be?” Regis muttered anxiously.He called again, and still no answer. Running out of options, Regis decided to call his son. Within moments, his son’s cheerful face popped up on the screen.“Hi, Dad!” Rayden waved with a big smile.Regis smiled back but skipped the pleasantries. “Ray, where’s your mom?”“Mom?” Rayden paused for a moment, his eyes darting around before he turned back to the camera.“I think she’s in the bedroom, Dad. Maybe she’s taking a shower,” Rayden said matter-of-factly.“Ah, I see.” Regis let out a relieved sigh. He’d thought she was mad at him
Mark was stunned. He shared the same thoughts as his boss, then said, “There’s information suggesting that Levent has recently been involved in human organ trafficking.”“Oh, really?” Regis raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.“Apparently, Altan Demir himself is handling the transactions, and because of this, he’s been clashing with Murat Demir. It seems Murat doesn’t approve of Altan engaging in such dealings,” Mark added.Regis smirked cynically. He found Murat Demir’s anger justified, as Altan was straying far from the vision and mission Levent had upheld under the Demir family.Levent had always focused on providing illegal services rather than dealing with tangible goods like Altan did now.Regis was certain that Murat disliked Altan’s actions because Murat had always chosen to work behind the scenes. He could only imagine Murat’s frustration upon discovering Altan’s endeavors.“Is the operation still ongoing?” Regis asked with keen interest.“It seems so, Sir. Our informants ha
Royal Dragon Office Building“This is the report just sent by Manager Sunny, Sir.”Monica Grant handed over a document she had just received from the finance division to Regis. The woman, dressed in a pink blazer and matching pencil skirt, stood in front of Regis Lorenzo's desk with a nervous expression.Her gaze lingered on Regis cautiously, worried about making a mistake, though her boss had said nothing for several minutes.“Just leave it,” Regis replied indifferently.Monica obeyed and placed the document on his desk. Her eyes darted to a neatly arranged lunch box that remained untouched.She had ordered the exact meal Regis requested earlier that afternoon, yet he hadn’t eaten any of it. Her thoughts were interrupted when Regis suddenly looked up.“What is it?” Regis probed.“N-no, Sir. I was just worried you haven’t eaten anything all day,” Monica stammered nervously.Regis’s sharp eyes narrowed. He glanced briefly at the meal and muttered, “I’m not in the mood.”“But you should
“You’re not even seven yet. I don’t want you carrying such heavy burdens on your little shoulders, sweetheart. I don’t want you to regret the time you’ve missed out on, Ray,” Amora said earnestly.“I know, Mom. I’m only doing this to fill my free time,” Rayden replied. “But, can I continue the programming class later tonight, Mom?” he asked, looking for reassurance.Earlier, he had to ask the instructor for a break, interrupting the lesson. Now, he hoped his mom would allow him to resume the session later.Amora considered refusing, but when she saw the eagerness shining in her son’s eyes, she relented. “Alright, but just for an hour, okay?” she said.A wide smile spread across Rayden’s face. He hugged his mom tightly and gave her a kiss on the cheek.“Thank you, Mom. You’re the best in the world!” he exclaimed joyfully.Amora chuckled softly, her face lighting up with her son’s happiness. Memories of the past suddenly came rushing back—when she first discovered she was pregnant.She
“What’s this, Ray?”Amora pointed at a series of sentences she couldn’t understand. To her, they looked like some sort of cryptic code.Rayden sighed long and took his tablet back from his mom’s hands. “It’s not a dangerous website, Mom. And those aren’t random weird texts. It’s called Python, Mom,” he explained.“P-Python? You mean … like the snake?” Amora asked, her surprise growing.Rayden chuckled, amused by her reaction.“No, Mom. It’s a programming language. I just signed up for a free online class yesterday to learn it,” Rayden said, pointing to the site name on the screen.His explanation left Amora stunned. She rubbed her temples, taking a moment to calm herself before turning back to her son.“Ray, do you even understand this stuff?” Amora asked, still trying to process her son’s genius.Rayden sighed again. “Mom, I’ll understand it with time and practice. Don’t you trust me?”“It’s not that, Ray,” Amora replied quickly. “I’m just confused. Why choose something this complica
"A-a heart attack?"Amora was utterly shocked by her son's words. "Are you sure you heard that ... that Ben's mom had a heart attack?" she asked, seeking confirmation.Rayden nodded and briefly recounted what he had overheard earlier.Amora was silent for a moment. She didn't know what to say because what happened to Lisa was completely beyond her prediction. She just wanted to teach Lisa a valuable lesson by making her feel as bad and suffer the loss as she had in the past.Amora wanted Lisa to feel a deterrent for insulting her repeatedly and being arrogant in front of her so she was forced to look for Lisa's weaknesses and finally reported the John Brown embezzlement case.She didn't expect Lisa to experience another unfortunate thing.A pang of guilt crossed Amora's heart, but recalling Lisa's past behavior, she thought perhaps this was divine justice for all her wrongdoings.“Maybe this is a reprimand for her bad behavior,” Amora murmured.Rayden nodded. "Yeah, maybe. Bad people
After lunch, Albert Parker drove Amora and Rayden back to their penthouse. He parked the car in the building's parking lot and quickly opened the car door for them.Albert also helped Amora carry the shopping bags. Earlier, they had stopped by a supermarket to pick up a few essentials she needed.He halted his steps when Amora said, “You can leave us here, Mr. Parker. We can go up by ourselves.”They were now standing in front of the elevator leading to the penthouse. However, Albert insisted on accompanying them into the elevator.“I need to ensure your safety until you’re inside the penthouse, Ma’am. This is a direct order from the young master. Please cooperate,” Albert explained, requesting her understanding of his duty.Reluctantly, Amora allowed him to accompany them. As promised, Albert only escorted them to the penthouse door and placed the shopping bags on the terrace.“Thank you for driving us, Mr. Parker,” Amora said as Albert prepared to leave.“Should you need anything, d