"The doctor said... for now, Mom needs plenty of rest. This week, he will examine her heart condition in more detail. Fortunately, Mr. Franklin brought her to the hospital quickly, so they could take immediate action."Henry explained his mother's condition to Amora.Emma Adams was conscious, but she couldn't talk much. Her face still looked very pale. She was still under the care of nurses and doctors.Amora's eyes gazed at Emma's weary face lying on the stretcher. Her heart ached to see the elderly woman with an oxygen mask to aid her breathing.Several tubes were attached to Emma's chest, connected to medical devices Amora didn't understand.Rayden approached Emma. He carefully held the elderly woman's fingers. His small eyes looked at Emma sorrowfully."Grandma, get well soon. Ray promises not to be naughty and make you upset. You can watch your favorite
Amora's eyes widened. She looked at Hilde with confusion."What do you mean, Hilde? Don't talk nonsense! When did I ever do that?" Amora retorted, equally fiercely.She was starting to get angry, thinking Hilde was making up statements to tarnish her reputation.Hilde's lips curled into a sneer. "Why? Do you forget falling down the stairs and I was accused of being the perpetrator?"Amora gasped. She recalled the incident that happened many years ago.Amora had indeed fallen down the school stairs, resulting in a broken ankle and needing hospital treatment.For almost a week, Amora didn't attend school, and when she returned, she only heard that Hilde had transferred to another school. However, she never suspected that the reason Hilde transferred was related to her small accident!"Why would you say that? What's the connection between my
“I'm sorry, Hilde. I really had no idea you went through something so tough back then,” said Amora with deep sympathy.She sincerely apologized from the bottom of her heart for the events Hilde had experienced several years ago.Even though Amora knew her apology was very late, she felt it was necessary.Hilde cleared her throat softly. She felt a bit awkward because she didn't expect Amora to acknowledge the mistake she had denied some time ago.“Do you think apologizing will make any difference?” Hilde said nervously. She found Amora's sudden friendliness strange.Amora smiled softly. “I know it won't change anything, but I hope you can accept it. And if you really want to do something, I guess you now have the upper hand since you have everything. Isn't that right, Hilde Maven?”“Don't call me by that family name a
"All your organs seem to be in good condition. But you should pay more attention to your diet, Regis. Your stomach acid levels are quite high. So, watch your eating habits and get to bed earlier every night."James Ritter—the Lorenzo family’s personal doctor—explained the results of Regis's full-body medical check-up from a few days ago.James noted some important points in Regis’s patient records, and then prescribed for him to pick up at the pharmacy."This is a prescription for stomach medication you can take if you feel your stomach isn't doing well. I’m also giving you additional vitamins you should take regularly. It's best if you take them consistently."Regis sighed deeply upon hearing the usual long lecture from his personal doctor."I know, Professor Ritter," Regis replied indifferently.James gave a slight smile. "You really haven't
Regis had just left James Ritter’s office. He walked down the corridor towards the elevator. But his steps halted when he saw the woman he had been looking for.Amora Lysander stood in front of the elevator with a gloomy face. She seemed deep in thought, not noticing Regis now standing beside her."Ahem!" Regis cleared his throat softly to get her attention.But Amora remained still, her head bowed as she looked at the old phone in her hand.Regis glanced at her with his sharp eyes, a slight smile curling on his lips. “Amora Lysander,” he called.Reflexively, Amora looked up, raising her hand and exclaiming, “Yes!”“Pfftt!”Regis struggled to hold back his laughter at Amora’s silly reaction. He hadn’t expected her to be so startled by his call.Amora’s eyes m
"You can call me if you need help taking care of Mrs. Adams, Henry. I'll help you as much as I can."Amora made this promise to Emma's son before she left with Rayden. She couldn't leave without feeling responsible. They were outside Emma’s hospital room.Hilde stood next to Henry with a sharp look, but she said nothing. Amora ignored her, knowing that Hilde disliked her presence there.Even though they had resolved their misunderstanding, Hilde still couldn’t let go of her anger and hatred toward Amora. It wasn’t easy for her to forget those bad memories.Amora also didn’t want to prolong her conflict with Hilde. She decided to act normally.Right now, Amora’s main concern was Emma’s condition. Even though she couldn’t help financially, she was sincere in offering her assistance to take care of Emma.That’s wha
"Why are you still here, Uncle?" Rayden asked with curiosity and a hint of worry in his voice.Regis was pleased with the boy's response."I'm waiting for you," Regis replied, glancing at Amora, who still looked upset.Rayden's eyes widened in disbelief at the answer.On the other hand, Amora shot a sharp look at Regis. "Didn't you say you'd wait in the lobby? I thought you'd changed your mind," she said coldly.Regis let out a small chuckle. He could sense the annoyance in the woman's voice towards him. However, this only made her more intriguing to him."I was looking for you upstairs. I thought you’d take a while, but you came down first. We just missed each other."Hearing Regis's explanation, Rayden turned to his mother, seemingly asking about what had happened without his knowledge.Amora cleared her throa
"Wow! Are we really staying here tonight, Mom?"Rayden exclaimed in awe at the sight before him. He had just stepped out of the taxi with his mother and his superhero uncle.They were standing in front of a towering skyscraper, glowing with beautiful lights. This tall building was the most elite five-star hotel in New York City.It was Rayden's first time stepping into such a grand building, filled with high-class interiors and decorations. The floor beneath him was so shiny that he feared his worn-out shoes might dirty it."Mom." Rayden tugged at his mother's sleeve.Amora turned to him. She could see the worry in her son's eyes. For them, coming to such a luxurious place felt overwhelming.Although Amora had visited this hotel several times before, it was always for important events with her socialite friends or accompanying Chris, her former fiancé.
"Where’s my husband, Mr. Carter?"Amora interrogated her husband's assistant, who stood stiffly in front of her. She was considering seeking out Regis to plead for forgiveness on behalf of Albert and the others.She would feel guilty if she didn't help them, especially since Albert had been incredibly helpful to her over the past few days."I’m sorry, Ma’am, I .…"Amora let out a sharp breath. Seeing Mark’s hesitation, she sensed that he was reluctant to reveal her husband's whereabouts."Never mind. Leave and wait for me in the lobby," Amora ordered firmly.Mark nodded and quickly left the room.After he was gone, Amora picked up her phone and searched for Regis’s contact. Without a second thought, she initiated a video call. It didn’t take long for him to answer.Regis’s face appeared on the screen. Amora had chosen video call to ensure she could see exactly where her husband was."Regis," Amora greeted nervously. This was their first video call. They usually communicated via text o
"So you told them?" Amora asked, probing."Of course not. Why would you want to get involved with people like that again?" Estelle chimed in."Smart. But I don't see any harm in using this opportunity to introduce our business to them, Estelle," Amora said, a sly grin spreading across her face as she shared an idea that suddenly popped into her head."Brilliant idea. Alright, then, let’s squeeze some money out of them," Estelle replied, laughing heartily.Amora could only shake her head. "But don’t tell them I'm Regis' wife. This is still top secret. I don’t want to deal with people like them," she reminded her friend."Relax. I’ll keep my lips sealed." Estelle mimed locking her mouth."Alright, if there’s nothing else to discuss, I’m going to have breakfast," Amora said, intending to end the call."Okay. But have you contacted Mr. Ritter? He was really worried last night. Poor guy," Estelle muttered, remembering his concerned expression."I’ll try to reach out to him later," Amora re
“Ma’am, you’re awake? I’ve come to pick you up.”Mark Carter stood at the door of Amora’s hotel room. As instructed by Regis, he was here to escort her.“My husband has already left?” Amora asked as she scanned the area around Mark.When she woke up earlier, Regis was nowhere to be found in the room.“Yes, Ma’am. The young master had some matters to attend to this morning. He asked me to come and check on you,” Mark explained, his head slightly bowed. He didn’t dare look her directly in the eyes or even glance at her.Amora’s appearance was quite disheveled; she had just woken up and was wearing a kimono-style towel provided by the hotel.Of course, she wasn’t trying to seduce anyone. She had simply taken off her dress last night, finding it too uncomfortable to sleep in.Her body was modestly wrapped in the kimono, but still, for a normal man like Mark, it was hard not to notice the beauty radiating from her.“Come in. I’m still having breakfast,” Amora said casually, walking back in
"I've already explained everything. I’m not involved! Don’t you get it? Get me out of here!"A middle-aged woman with heavy, smeared makeup leaned her face through the gap between the steel bars of the cell she was spending the night in. She had been yelling for over an hour, and her voice was now hoarse.Inside the dark and damp cell, she wasn’t alone. Sitting in one corner, hugging her knees tightly, was a young woman dressed in a once-elegant gown that now looked disheveled and dirty.The two women from vastly different generations were Julia Brown and Chelsea Harrison.Both had been detained at the local police station after undergoing separate interrogations for their crimes. The filthy, cramped cell with thick, dusty iron bars only added to Julia’s frustration.Standing by the bars, Julia shouted again, “I’m innocent! Don’t you know who I am?!”She couldn’t accept being treated this poorly by being thrown into a foul-smelling, filthy prison cell. The dim lighting in the tiny roo
"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