Rayden’s statement left Amora stunned. Initially, she could sense her son's interest in Regis, but she never expected him to think of making Regis his father.“Ray .…”The boy continued before Amora could ask further, “At least Uncle Lorenzo is better… No! Way better than the man who left you and Ray without taking any responsibility.”Amora was shocked. “You mean … your biological father, Ray?” she asked hesitantly.Rayden nodded. “I hate him! I hate that he didn’t come to protect you and left you to raise me alone. When you needed him, he was never there. I hate him!” he declared.“Ray, you .…”Amora paused, unsure how to explain to her son about the two men he thought were different.A long sigh escaped Amora’s lips. This was the first time she heard Rayden’s opinion about his biological father.She hadn’t expected her son to harbor such deep hatred toward the man. But she didn’t know how to tell him that the two people he saw as different were the same person.Admitting that would
Regis was about to reach out to brush away the fine strands of Amora's hair that were obscuring his view, but he pulled back his hand when he realized what he was about to do.Clenching his fist tightly, Regis closed his eyes for a moment to calm the intense emotions surging within him.He exhaled a long breath. "What was I thinking just now?" he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.Regis then left the room to clean himself up. He didn't want to dirty Amora's face and body with his hands, which were still stained.Not long ago, Regis had been involved in a violent and bloody incident. The reason he had left the penthouse earlier was related to his organization’s problems.Regis received a report from one of his trusted subordinates that a group of people was using the name of Royal Dragon to scam other underground organizations.Because of this report, Regis led his men to capture the fraudsters. He had information that these scoundrels were conducting a transaction at a warehou
“Don’t come any closer, Regis!” Amora snapped, her voice breaking into informal speech as she called the man by his name directly.A slow, sly smile curved Regis’s lips. He stood with his hands on his hips, watching Amora, who was still holding her hands out to keep her distance between them.“I like it when you say my name. It sounds so sweet,” Regis murmured, causing Amora’s eyes to widen even more.Amora bit her lower lip, feeling a surge of irritation as Regis once again managed to toy with her.“Sir Lorenzo, please mind your behavior, or I will—”“Or you’ll what, hm? Scream?” Regis interrupted, guessing what she might do next.At this moment, Amora was like a helpless rabbit caught in a hunter’s trap.“You haven’t forgotten that you’re in my territory now, right? Who do you think would come to help you if you scream?” Regis taunted, laughing softly.Amora’s face flushed red again. She bit her lower lip, knowing Regis was right. There was nothing she could do even if he decided to
"Who would even want to look at it? Besides, there’s nothing good to see about you!"Amora blurted out, saying the opposite of what she was really thinking. She didn’t want to let Regis keep mocking her."Nothing good to see, you say?" Regis murmured, his anger evident as he focused on that particular part of her statement.Amora cleared her throat. "I think all men have the same thing, right? I’ve seen it often enough. So, there’s nothing special about it, is there?" she retorted.Of course, Amora was lying. There was no way she had seen a man undressed before. She wasn’t some abnormal woman with strange habits.She cleared her throat again, noticing Regis’s shocked expression at her words."When did you get home?" Amora asked, trying to divert their awkward conversation. She was also curious to know the answer, as just a few minutes ago, she thought he hadn’t returned yet.Earlier, Amora had woken up in surprise, not expecting to fall asleep while waiting for Regis. She decided to h
"Did ... did you kill someone?"Amora's lips trembled as she asked the question. She remembered the incident from seven years ago when she caught Regis killing someone in a hotel lounge.Back then, she thought Regis was a cold-blooded murderer. But after learning his true identity, she drew a different conclusion.“Is ... the Royal Dragon really what they’ve been rumored to be all this time?” Amora probed, her thoughts forming a new realization.Although she was terrified of hearing the truth, she felt she needed to know. Her hazel eyes looked at Regis, filled with mixed emotions.A faint smirk remained on Regis's lips. He didn't feel threatened by Amora's question. He admired her courage.Despite Amora's fearful expression, Regis noticed that her eyes showed resilience. No one had ever dared to ask him directly because they feared for their lives.Many bad rumors about the Royal Dragon circulated throughout society. Some said they ran a black market organization that controlled illeg
"Do you think I’ll just forget about your rudeness earlier?" Amora responded, pouting.Regis chuckled softly. He had lost count of how many times he had laughed today. Amora’s actions, words, and expressions never failed to amuse him.The fatigue and anger he felt after dealing with a gang of scammers seemed to evaporate after talking to Amora. Normally, Regis rarely engaged in conversations unless necessary.But for some reason, he felt different when he was with her. Amora seemed to draw him into doing things he never usually did."Aren’t you worried you’ll get wrinkles from being mad all the time?" teased Regis, noticing her scowling face. The words slipped out of his mouth without him being able to stop them.Somehow, teasing her had become something he wanted to do most. Seeing the various expressions on Amora’s face was so enjoyable for Regis, and deep down, a spark began to ignite within him without him even realizing it.Amora rolled her eyes lazily at his teasing. Suddenly, s
"All done."Amora's voice snapped Regis out of his wild thoughts. She quickly adjusted the collar of his coat, then began tidying up the medicines and tools she had taken out, discarding the used cotton and bandages.After organizing everything, Amora stood up and returned the first-aid kit to its original place. She thought about leaving the room since there was nothing else to discuss with Regis. Besides, she was starting to feel sleepy. She felt relieved that she had fulfilled her responsibility, except for the slap that still lingered on his cheek."You should compress your cheek before going to bed so it doesn't swell tomorrow," Amora advised him.Regis didn't respond. He simply gazed at Amora, who was standing in front of him, yawning widely as sleepiness began to overtake her.The silence once again made the atmosphere in the room awkward. Finally, Amora decided not to linger any longer. She wanted to lie down and get some rest so she could feel refreshed for tomorrow's activit
"Have you never been rejected before, Sir Lorenzo?" Amora guessed."Must you force things like this?" Amora continued.Regis didn't answer. He just gave her a cold, piercing look. The smile and laughter that had graced his lips were gone, leaving Amora feeling like he had two different personalities.In truth, Amora’s guess was correct. She was the first woman to continually reject him, making Regis feel his pride meant nothing in her eyes.Regis could easily use threats to intimidate her, but knowing Amora, he realized that would only push her further away."I think... my answer will remain the same. I can't accept your offer. I don’t think I’m suited to be your partner, even just a contract partner," Amora said, reaffirming what she had already told him a few days ago."Whether you're suited or not, that’s for me to decide, Amora Lysander," Regis retorted with equal firmness.Amora sighed deeply. She could sense the anger emanating from him.The room felt even colder than before. Am
“Order 210!”A café employee repeatedly called out an order number, but no one came to claim the coffee."Miss, isn't that your order?"The man standing next to Biana in line snapped her out of her daydream. She quickly glanced at the receipt in her hand, which matched the number being called."Oh, my gosh! Thank you, Sir," she said, blushing as she hurried to the counter, embarrassed by the sudden attention from the café patrons.Lost in thought, Biana hadn’t even heard her order being called."Sorry about that," she apologized to the café employee before quickly leaving the pickup line.Her face looked worn out that afternoon. She was still dealing with a hangover from last night’s drinking.In desperate need of coffee to restore her energy and clear her mind, she decided to visit the café. Even though it was a day off for most office workers, that luxury didn’t apply to Biana.There were no breaks for her. She still had to design promotional banners for Eternal Bliss, a task assign
Amora gasped. Flashes of last night’s events—her reckless treatment of Regis—suddenly resurfaced in her mind.She bit her lower lip, shocked at her own audacity to press her finger against his temple."Is that why you're mad at me?" Amora asked anxiously, her eyes flickering to Regis’s lips, which were slightly swollen from her bite the previous night.Reaching out, she gently touched his lips. "I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to bite you. Does it still hurt?"Regis didn’t respond. He simply walked out of the walk-in closet as Amora reached for some ointment to treat his lips.After grabbing the ointment, Amora hurried after him. "Regis, you know I was drunk, right? Surely you’re not taking that seriously?"Still, Regis didn’t answer. He put on his suit and left the bedroom.Amora followed him outside, frowning as she noticed how quiet the penthouse was. Yet, all the mess they had made in the bar and kitchen last night had been cleaned up.She figured Regis had probably asked someone to tidy
The sun shone brightly outside Regis’ residence, its light streaming through the bedroom where Amora lay, slowly rousing her from sleep.“It’s already morning,” Amora murmured, lifting her hand to block the blinding light hitting her eyes.“How did I end up in bed?” Amora muttered, wincing as a sharp pain throbbed in her head.Flashes of last night’s silly games with Estelle and the others darted through her mind. Regret instantly swept over her—she had drunk way too much, and now her body felt completely wrecked.“This is all Estelle’s fault,” she grumbled.Amora tried to sit up, but the pounding in her head forced her to stop.“What the hell happened?”Her eyes widened as she took in the state of her room: complete chaos. What shocked her even more was realizing she wasn’t wearing any clothes.“I-I … last night …?” Amora stammered, struggling to piece together the fragments of her hazy memory.Her gaze roamed around the bed and floor. She spotted Regis’ shirt crumpled nearby, its bu
Amora's slender finger traced the curve of Regis' lips, once again igniting a burning desire within him."You can't wait to touch me, can you?" Amora teased with a mischievous smile, noticing Regis' nervous gaze.Before Regis could respond, Amora pressed her lips gently against his. Regis' eyes widened in shock, but soon they narrowed with a deep, intense gaze filled with untamed passion.Annoyed by his lack of response, Amora bit his lower lip, forcing him to open up for a wilder, more heated kiss.A sly smile tugged at the corner of Regis' lips. He couldn't help but feel elated that Amora was working hard to satisfy him—something he'd been yearning for.Still holding Amora like a baby koala clinging to him, Regis carried his wife toward their bedroom, which was about to become the stage for their passionate encounter.He let Amora devour his lips greedily and returned her kiss with equal intensity. Their exchange continued until Amora broke the kiss, breathlessly.Regis' chest heave
"Amora, you're drunk," Regis said, turning his face away from his wife.Regis was trying his best to control the wild storm raging inside him, but Amora only tightened her arms around his neck, pulling their bodies even closer.The bar stool Amora was sitting on was tall enough that her height now matched Regis, who was standing in front of her."Amora, you should go wash your face. I think you've had too much to drink," Regis suggested, hoping she wouldn't notice how hard his heart was pounding."I'm not drunk. Who said I was drunk? You're the one who's drunk," Amora muttered, slurring her words. She slapped his shoulder repeatedly, annoyed by his constant accusations.Tilting her head slightly, Amora cupped his face and added, "Why do you have two faces, Regis? Since when did you become two-faced, huh?"Regis sighed, exhausted. "That’s a sign you’re drunk, my love. Come on, let’s go to the room," he urged, trying to lead her away.But Amora shook her head vehemently. "No! I don’t wa
“W-what do you choose, Amora? Truth or dare?” Estelle asked nervously as Amora kept staring daggers at her.“I choose ...,” Amora sighed long before continuing, “truth.”“So ... what's your answer?” Regis pressed eagerly, clearly impatient to hear his wife's response.Amora didn’t really want to answer. Giving an answer felt like admitting something she wasn’t ready to say out loud. But she knew she couldn’t dodge the question forever.“I ... I prefer your kisses,” Amora confessed, her voice barely a whisper.“Wow!”Estelle squealed and jumped up and down in excitement. In her enthusiasm, she accidentally strangled her husband, Gino, who flailed until she quickly let go.“Sorry, Honey! I just got carried away because I'm happy to hear that Amora has really moved on!” Estelle beamed at Gino, clearly thinking Amora was still hung up on Chris Walden.Amora’s face turned bright red like a ripe tomato. “B-but this doesn’t mean I’m giving you the answer you wanted back then, Regis.”Regis's
"Playing? This looks more like getting drunk?" Biana blurted, frowning at the small glasses lined up before her.Estelle wagged her finger. "Nope! This isn't about getting drunk. We're playing truth or dare.""Wait, where are you going? I haven't explained the rules yet," Estelle protested when Xavier stood up and walked away."I'm not playing. I'm going to check on Ray and Kimmy," Xavier said, waving as he walked off. Of course, he was just looking for an excuse to escape the game. He bolted before Estelle could stop him."Coward," Estelle muttered, pouting. She called out to Xavier, "Fine! But take care of the kids, okay?"Xavier gave her a thumbs-up as he walked away."I-I'll go too. I can help him watch the kids," Biana said, standing up.But Estelle grabbed her arm. "Oh no, Bia. You and Mark are the main characters of this game." A sly smile crept across Estelle's face.Amora sighed quietly, already guessing Estelle's true intentions—to dig up information about Biana's relationsh
“What the heck, guys? I-I wasn’t serious about getting married anytime soon. I was just joking. Don’t take it so seriously, okay?”Biana tried to lighten the mood ruined by Xavier's teasing while showing that she was unfazed by the banter from her colleagues. However, she hadn’t expected Xavier to reject the idea before she even got a chance to respond.Biana’s gaze landed on Mark, who was still laughing. She shot him a sharp glare.“And what are you laughing at, Mr. Carter? Have you forgotten you're single too? You should be more worried—you’re not getting any younger. Unlike me, who still has plenty of time to be picky,” Biana retorted, unintentionally taking a jab at Regis's assistant.Biana had tried hard not to lash out at Mark. She hadn't even expected him to be at the dinner tonight. If she'd known, she would have skipped it altogether.Biana couldn't forget how Mark left her stranded in the parking lot last night after they shared a ride.Despite giving him a lift to his desti
"Mom, I'm taking Kimmy for a tour around the place," Rayden said as he approached his mother.The boy had just finished his meal and wanted to show Kimmy Moonstone, his classmate and Estelle’s daughter, around their current residence."Alright. Take good care of Kimmy, okay?" Amora reminded him before her son left the dining room."I can't believe Ray, the boy Kimmy talks about every day, is your son, Amora," Estelle said, smiling after the children were out of sight."I had no idea either! No wonder Kimmy's face looked familiar. Her smile is just like yours," Amora responded as she took a bite of her pasta."I’m shocked too. Turns out my biggest competition is your son, Regis," Gino added with a playful grin.For a long time, Gino had tried to win the heart of his wife’s daughter. But ever since Kimmy started school, she would come home talking about a certain boy, instantly dethroning Gino in her little heart."You're jealous of a little kid? Seriously?" Estelle teased, pinching her