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
Regis handed the bottle of vodka Gino had just opened to Xavier. “Done already?”Xavier nodded, grabbing an empty glass and accepting Regis’s offer of a drink.“What else do you have to do besides the task I gave you, Xavier?”Regis was curious about his friend’s busyness. All he’d asked Xavier to do was keep an eye on his son for a bit. To ensure Rayden’s safety at school, Regis had enlisted Xavier’s help.Regis couldn’t trust anyone else to protect Rayden because of the threats posed by Levent and Golden Snake, both of which required him to be vigilant about his subordinates.When Regis learned of Xavier’s arrival, he couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the mission.His trust in Xavier wasn’t based on instinct alone; their long-standing relationship had given them ample time to understand each other.After the jewel heist case was resolved, Regis hadn’t seen Xavier anywhere in New York City. However, fate had reunited them in a different place a year later.When Regis’s fathe
"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