"I don't know either," Alicia replied.Regis's eagle-eyed gaze immediately honed in sharply on his sister. "You don't know?"The girl rolled her eyes lazily. She snatched her phone back from her brother's hand and said, "Seriously annoying! Do I have no privacy left at all?"Alicia's protest went unnoticed by Regis."I'm almost 18, Brother. Stop treating me like a child!" Alicia continued, her face contorted with resentment."Still two months to go," Regis retorted, turning his sister's earlier statement around.Alicia grunted in frustration. She had no intention of explaining what she was doing to her brother.Her lips pursed in a sour expression, she simply stared at her phone screen to avoid looking at her brother.Regis's eyebrows furrowed."You're not dating a girl, are you, Alicia?" Regis queried with doubt, concerned that his sister might have deviant behavior.Alicia's blue eyes widened.Her gaze reminded Regis of their late mother, who had passed away when Alicia was about the
"He's Johannes Brown, my husband."A young woman with an extravagant appearance, dressed provocatively, suddenly interrupted the conversation to introduce the man standing next to her.The woman was Lisa Taylor, the mother of Benjamin Brown, who had previously clashed with Amora. She proudly introduced her husband and flirtatiously smiled at Regis.Johannes frowned. His face showed slight displeasure at his wife's overly flirtatious behavior."Mr. Brown is my deputy, Mr. Lorenzo," Larry explained with a cheerful smile."My father is David Brown. You must know him as he has met you at several meetings," Johannes said confidently.Regis didn't respond. He just looked at Larry sharply, making it clear that he didn't like the couple blocking his way and view."Mrs. Brown, let's sit down and talk," Larry quickly suggested, clearing his throat as a signal to Johannes.Seeing this, Johannes retracted his ignored hand and pulled his wife aside to make way for Regis and Larry.Without a word,
Larry was shocked by Regis's statement about the missing student. He looked back at his assistant and asked sharply, "Miss Smith, didn't you see him clearly earlier?"Eva jumped in surprise. She nervously wrung her hands, her face pale as a sheet of paper."E-earlier, there was a boy who left. He said he wasn't feeling well and asked to go to the restroom. I thought he didn't want the scholarship because his parents weren't here either," Eva replied anxiously.Regis raised an eyebrow. He indeed hadn't seen Amora in the room. He had hoped to meet both of them on the way to the school, but that hope vanished due to the school's negligence.Regis felt something was off about Amora and Rayden. He suspected someone was trying to prevent them from meeting him.Earlier, Rayden Lysander, Amora's son, had been in the room. Regis had seen him correctly.However, unbeknownst to Regis, Lisa had kicked the boy out. Johannes Brown's wife was disgusted by Rayden's presence.Before Regis arrived, Lis
Larry looked blankly at the boy still smiling brightly in front of Regis."What is this boy's name?"Larry asked his assistant, Eva Smith, about the boy who dared to call Regis "Uncle Iron Man." He was utterly shocked and embarrassed to have shown something so inappropriate to his distinguished guest."His name is Rayden Lysander, a first-grader," Eva whispered."Ahem! Rayden Lysander," Larry called to the boy.Rayden's attention shifted from Regis to the middle-aged man. His eyes blinked in confusion."What did you just say? Haven't your parents taught you any manners on how to address others?" Larry asked, immediately judging the boy.The smile on Rayden's face slowly faded. The light in his eyes dimmed. He didn't answer the question, fearing his response would spark more rumors around him.Lisa's lips curled into a
Although he had been directly shouted at and expelled, Amora's son still raised his face and stared sharply at Benjamin's parents.The boy knew that everyone, especially Benjamin's mother, must be very happy to see him humiliated and kicked out in such a disgraceful manner."I will leave. I don't want a scholarship that judges someone based on one-sided statements like this!"Alicia's blue eyes widened. Reflexively, the girl stood up and gave a loud round of applause for Rayden's words.Alicia gave a double thumbs-up for the boy's defiant attitude. She liked Rayden's defiance against the adults who had cornered him.She deeply understood Rayden's position because she also disliked being treated badly and humiliated like this. In Alicia's observation, the school foundation's officials were overreacting.Alicia felt the officials had no right to give a public warning in front of everyone to a child who was still struggling to understand the good and bad of the situation.She thought the
"I think they're already doubting your choice, Brother."Alicia's sharp remark, deliberately stirring things up, drew Larry and Johannes's gazes to her. The two men felt very annoyed and angry, but they didn't dare to express it directly to the girl.Seeing their expressions, trying to hold back their anger, Alicia couldn't stop laughing. She thought they looked like funny clowns."Oh really?" Regis raised an eyebrow. He didn't show any expression.Even though Regis knew his sister was deliberately toying with the school foundation officials, he could use the situation to corner them further."No, Young Master Lorenzo. We would never doubt you," Johannes quickly denied.Lisa nudged her husband's arm. She looked upset because her husband had ruined her plan to humiliate Rayden. However, she couldn't say a word because Regis Lorenzo wasn't someone they could un
"I am very pleased with your incredible enthusiasm. I am sure the dreams you aspire to will come true," Regis said, ending his meeting with the students of Sunrise School.The students immediately applauded, showing their gratitude and appreciation for Regis's words.One by one, they shook Regis's hand after he handed out the certificates symbolizing the scholarships, and then they began to leave the room.Alicia also left. She felt she had seen enough of the interesting show. Mark had to follow her out, worried she might cause more trouble.Regis wanted to follow his sister out of the room, but Larry called out to him."Young Master Lorenzo, we haven't finished our discussion. Didn't you promise to talk about our cooperation after the scholarship ceremony?" Larry asked, reminding Regis.However, Regis gave a wry smile. He looked at Larry sharply and replied,
“I-I’m sorry. I was rude to call you that earlier,” Rayden murmured, looking down.“I know you must be angry because of me. I made you embarrassed in front of everyone,” Rayden continued.He had slipped up earlier. Since their first meeting, he never expected to meet the man who had become his ideal father figure.Because of his spontaneous action earlier, Benjamin’s mother considered him rude. Rayden did regret his behavior, although he was reluctant to admit it.Regis smiled, then gently patted the boy’s head and said, “Who said I was embarrassed? In what way did you see me angry, hm?”Rayden looked up anxiously and asked, “You’re really not mad, Uncle?”Regis’s smile deepened. “No. Why would I be angry? Is calling me that an insult?” he said, making Rayden admire him
"Ugh!"Amora struggled to keep up with Regis' increasingly passionate kiss. She felt completely overwhelmed as Regis greedily claimed her lips, leaving her no room to resist.Amora’s back was pressed tightly against the headboard as Regis’ hand moved to cradle the back of her head, deepening the kiss even further.Regis’s tongue was relentless the moment Amora parted her lips. The room was filled with the sounds of wet kisses and muffled moans.Amora’s thoughts were a whirlwind. She couldn’t even process what she was doing anymore, but one thing was clear—she was thoroughly enjoying the kiss.Seconds later, her chest tightened as her lungs screamed for air. She tapped Regis lightly on the chest, signaling him to stop. He finally pulled back, giving her a moment to catch her breath.Amora glared at him sharply, wiping her now-flushed lips with the back of her hand.Seeing her do this, Regis immediately leaned in and planted another quick kiss on her lips. Instinctively, Amora wiped the
Amora’s eyes darted nervously, her mind racing but completely blank. Every word she had planned to say vanished in the shock of the moment. She had no idea how to respond to the question Regis had just asked her.Truthfully, Amora didn’t even fully understand her own feelings. She wasn’t sure if she had broken her own vow never to fall in love again—a promise she had kept for the past seven years, haunted by fear and pain from her past.Her previous experience had left a deep scar on her heart. Yet, after spending nearly a month growing close to Regis, she found herself feeling an unexpected sense of comfort—a sensation she never thought she’d experience again.Still, Amora had repeatedly reminded herself not to make the same mistake twice. She had ingrained it in her mind: loving anyone meant opening herself up to disappointment.“Do I ... have feelings for him?” Amora wondered silently.Amora had considered the possibility that her feelings for Regis were nothing more than temporary
A nervous smile appeared on Amora’s lips as she tried to clear her mind, which had suddenly gone blank because of a strange question that popped into her thoughts.“I-I thought our relationship has always been mutually beneficial. What do you mean by saying you’re hurt? Aren’t we both grown-ups who can accept the risks of our actions? Do we really need to make a fuss over such a small accident?”Amora tried to keep an open mind. She still wasn’t sure if Regis had any special feelings for her.‘Have I not made my signals clear enough?’ Regis thought as he let out a weary sigh. He wasn’t sure if he was being too dense or if Amora was just too oblivious to pick up on the signs of love he’d been giving her all along.Suddenly, Regis placed his large hand on top of Amora’s head, ruffling her long hair playfully.“Regis, stop it! What’s wrong with you?” Amora complained, trying to fend off his hand, which seemed determined to turn her into his personal plaything.“You must be feeling better
Seeing his wife’s confused expression, Regis suppressed a smile.“Are you playing tricks on me?” Amora asked, narrowing her eyes sharply.“No,” Regis replied with a small shake of his head. Then he added, “But earlier, you were mumbling in your sleep and called me ‘Oddie.’”Amora’s jaw nearly dropped in shock. She immediately looked away, guilt written all over her face. Her reaction only fueled Regis’s suspicion.Clearing his throat, Regis continued, “And … you hugged me because you were cold.”Amora was stunned again. She couldn’t believe she had said and done such reckless things while unconscious.Regis then recounted what had happened two hours earlier. He had just finished his bath and was ready to sleep, choosing to lie down next to Amora.But as soon as he settled beside her, Amora started mumbling, “Oddie…”Regis’s brows furrowed instantly, his expression darkening as she uttered the name of some mysterious “man” in her sleep.“Damn it! Who the hell is Oddie?” he muttered ang
Regis’ gentle voice was like a balm, easing Amora’s fear and replacing it with the warmth of his embrace. It was as if her anxiety had magically melted away.But then it hit her. Amora realized what she had done in the spur of the moment—clinging to her husband like this.“Oh no... why am I hugging him? This is so embarrassing!” Amora thought, mortified.To make matters worse, her face was resting against his broad chest. Regis was only wearing a bathrobe, and though the situation was awkward, Amora couldn’t deny his scent's comfort.Amora blinked repeatedly as she caught the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat in her ear.“Wait … is this my heartbeat or… his?” Amora wondered, her own pulse racing so fast it was hard to tell the difference.“How are you feeling now, Amora?”Regis’ voice snapped Amora out of her thoughts. She quickly pulled away, tilting her head up to meet his gaze with an unmistakable nervousness.“I—I’m feeling better. Thank you,” Amora murmured.“Really?” Regis’ face sti
“Ugh...” A faint groan escaped Amora’s lips. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her clear hazel eyes. But within seconds, her eyes squeezed shut again, shocked by the bright, piercing light flooding the room. She tried opening them again, this time cautiously, adjusting to her surroundings bit by bit. 'Where... am I?' she wondered, trying to piece together what was happening. Her pale lips twisted in pain as a pounding headache hammered her senses, leaving her helpless. Her tongue felt heavy, as though she’d lost the ability to speak, think, or do anything. Even moving a single finger felt impossible. She was utterly powerless, a lingering effect of the sedative still coursing through her system. 'What happened to me?' Amora cradled her head in her hands, struggling to recall the events leading up to this moment. Like fragmented movie clips playing out in her mind, flashes of what had occurred started to come back to her. 'Someone tried to hurt me!' Amor
Mark let out a long sigh. Biana's stubbornness was enough to frustrate him today. Yet, he still had to get her to leave, no matter what. “Miss Curtiz, even if you stay here, there’s nothing more you can do, is there? I hope you understand—it’s late now. You heard the doctor yourself earlier. She’s only asleep because of the sedatives. So there’s no need to worry anymore.” Biana’s sharp eyes stayed fixed on Mark. “But I can’t just leave her here alone. What if someone tries to harm her?” “Miss Curtiz .,.,” Mark exhaled wearily before continuing, “My Young Master will also be staying in this room tonight. He’ll take care of her. So ... just trust him with this.” Biana scoffed. “He’s the last person I’d trust. If he were trustworthy, Amora wouldn’t have ended up like this in the first place,” she snapped coldly. “This wasn’t within Young Master Lorenzo’s control either, Miss Curtiz,” Mark defended his boss, but his words only made Biana even angrier. “Miss Curtiz, thank you for you
"Give them an experience they’ll never forget for the rest of their lives," Regis instructed Albert over the phone.Regis’s face was cold, but he couldn’t deny that he felt satisfied with Albert’s performance in handling the task he had been given.His gaze drifted toward the night sky outside the large glass window that stretched up to the ceiling of the room. He was in the same hotel where the Rowan family engagement event had just taken place.Regis had deliberately chosen not to return to his penthouse. He didn’t want to make his son worry if he saw Amora, unconscious again. So, he decided to book a hotel room to wait for Amora to wake up from the drug-induced state."Once you’ve handled everything, come back and rest," Regis said, ending his conversation with Albert.After hanging up, Regis turned to Mark, who was standing behind him. "Has Dr. Blair left?" he asked his personal assistant.Earlier, Regis had asked Mark to contact a doctor he knew to check on Amora. He was concerne
"Mommy ...." Billie Baker was still crying.The boy only heard the mocking call to his mother, unable to understand what was happening in front of his eyes. Especially since his mother had no intention of offering him a hug to calm him down.Most people felt sympathy for Billie, the innocent child who had become a victim of his parents' selfishness.Estelle asked Gino to take the boy out of the room. She didn’t want him to witness any more of Chelsea’s wrongdoings.The video call from Andrew Baker had ended. Albert had disconnected the call after the man completed his mission.Meanwhile, Gilbert Rowan, who had heard all the terrible things about his fiancée, stood frozen. The man was completely in shock."Chelsea, is everything he said true?" Gilbert Rowan hissed, feeling incredibly foolish for being deceived by his fiancée.Now, Gilbert understood why Chelsea had been in such a rush to get engaged to him; she must have had an ulterior motive. He suspected that the woman was after the