Gloria locked herself in the bedroom for a long time. When she went out, drops of blood were on her pale lips, which betrayed her struggling heart.
Everything returned to the past. Gloria walked to the living room expressionless and lay on the sofa in silence with a blanket. Patrick stood uneasily aside. He looked helpless and pitiful. "From now on, you are not allowed to enter the bedroom," Gloria said coldly. Patrick panicked. He asked anxiously, "Gloria, did I do something wrong? So, you don't like me anymore." Gloria looked down at the hem of her clothes in his palm. Mandy's words echoed in her ears. She reached out and pulled back her clothes and walked back to the bedroom. She left behind a ruthless back for Patrick. However, when she turned her back to him, she began to shed tears. Why did she cry? She didn't want to think about it, nor did she have the strength to think about it. The night ended sGloria walked home and was thinking about something. While passing a corner, she was suddenly pulled into an alley by someone. With no street lights in the alley, it was dark. A few seconds later, Gloria saw several rogues. They surrounded her with baseball bats in their hands. She became alert and leaned against the wall. "What do you want?" The rogues looked at each other, laughing and ignoring Gloria's question. "Do you know me?" Gloria asked calmly and ignored their ridicule. "You are the eldest daughter of the Carter Group and a rich lady. We certainly know you," one of the rogues said. "Whoever paid you to come here, I will pay double." Gloria tried to come up with a solution in her mind. "Miss Carter, you are half crippled. Do you think you can run away? The person who paid us did not intend to kill you. He just asked us to cripple one of your hands." The head of the rogues laughed. Gloria's mind was a mess.
"I want to see her." Gloria made a decision and said in a low voice. It was not a plea, but an order. Dexter was tactful and knew that Gloria would not give in. He nodded. "I'll take you there." Dexter was clear that Gloria wanted to see Lillian immediately. Since she asked him out at midnight with a single phone call, it meant that she had made up her mind to handle this mess. Also, Dexter knew clearly that Gloria would no longer trust him as before. He did not bother to say more, but led Gloria to a small apartment that he owned. When the doorbell rang, Lillian opened the door and said in a sleepy voice, "You're back. Was the thing so urgent? Was your boss so bored?" "She is not bored, and she is here to see you." A cold voice made Lillian sober in an instant. "Why are you here?" Lillian blurted out in surprise. Lillian did not change much and was even more attractive than before. Gloria enjoyed
Gloria looked at Lillian meaningfully. "You threaten me with the Carter Group?" "Gloria, sue me. By then, the whole world will know that the Carter Group is an empty shell. You will lose everything. Then, can you still question me with such an attitude?" Lillian hated Gloria so much. She thought with hatred, 'Gloria had once been so humble, yet she lived a better life than me after three years! She is so low and cheap. How can she surpass me?' "You are actually good at nothing! You inherited your father's property. Everything you own belonged to your family, and you robbed it from them. Gloria, you are not only lowly but also vicious. You don't even let go of your family!" The more Lillian spoke, the more emotional she became. Dexter's hand was trembling, and he slapped Lillian. "What nonsense are you talking about? Miss Carter has said that she wouldn't pursue the matter. Why are you still making a scene?" Lillian suddenly went mad
At midnight, the temperature dropped abruptly. Gloria woke up when she heard the noise. She listened carefully and found that it was the sound of Patrick rubbing his clothes. She sat up quietly and looked under the bed. She found it strange. Sleeping on the sofa in the living room was much better than sleeping on the floor in her bedroom. If it were Gloria, she would rather choose to sleep on the sofa. Patrick was trembling all over. He wrapped his hands around his body and curled into a ball. "Are you awake?" In the darkness, Gloria asked slowly in a calm voice. The bedroom was silent. No one responded to her. "Stop pretending to sleep," Gloria said lightly. After a while, Patrick finally turned over. He opened his eyes in embarrassment and looked at Gloria. "Gloria," He called out in a low voice to show that he was awake. On the bed, Gloria moved. She said, "My feet are cold." Patrick immediately
"Patrick!" Gloria pushed Patrick away, and the quilt fell to the ground. She glared at Patrick's lower body under the pajamas and shouted, "What are you doing?" "Gloria, I couldn't bear it," Patrick said with a flushed face. Looking at his innocent face, Gloria was even more furious. With a cold face, she got out of bed without saying a word. She ignored Patrick and went to the bathroom. She scolded herself inwardly as she walked, 'I was such an idiot. How could I allow Patrick to sleep on the bed?' When Gloria thought of what had just happened, she kept wiping her hand against her pajamas, until her skin was rubbed red. After washing up, she returned to the room. But Patrick was still there. "Why are you still here?" Patrick stared at her with his innocent eyes. He leaned against the wall at a loss and panted slightly. "I feel hot, Gloria. I couldn't bear it." Gloria clenched her fists. She knew why he was feel
In a room near the luxurious banquet hall stood a man and a woman. "Relax," Lucas, in a light-colored suit, approached Gloria's ear and whispered. Gloria took a small step back, yet no matter how imperceptible her movement was, Lucas still noticed keenly. He took a few steps back gentlemanly and said with a chuckle, "Gloria, just relax." She clenched her fists, feeling the sticky sweat in her palms. Of course, she would be nervous. The person she was about to meet was very important to the Carter Group. "Actually, there's no need to hurry. He comes here every year for a holiday, and usually, he will be staying for a month or so." Lucas' voice was elegant and deep like a cello. "So, Gloria, you really don't need to see him right after you get off the plane." She shook her head. Even now, her heart was still a mess. After what happened that time, she fled without telling anyone. Only she knew what she was running away from.
Gloria and Klein left, leaving only Heath and Lucas in the large reception room. "Is it her? The reason why were you willing to owe me a favor and have me fly here? Is she that important?" Heath gracefully walked to the bar counter and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "Another glass?" He raised the glass to Lucas and gestured. "She is someone I desperately want to be with, someone I want to just keep for myself." He did not know how important Gloria was to Lucas. "Mike wanted me to ask you if that person is OK," Lucas said, changing the topic. "Mike? After all these years, he still hasn't moved on? I always thought that Mike was the only guy who wouldn't let go. But now that I see you, I know that you are screwed as well." Heath shook his head. Lucas did not explain. He chuckled and said, "Both you and Mike are so full of yourself, aren't you?" Heath gulped down the wine in his glass and suddenly said, "She is excellent." "
For the week after, Gloria locked herself in her room and worked on the project. Lucas would come to her from time to time. Sometimes, he would ask her to eat with him. Sometimes, he would just lie on her sofa and wait for her for the whole morning. He did not disturb her, and she had gotten used to his company as time passed by. Mandy did not call Gloria anymore. Instead, she contacted Gloria through text messages. Every day, she would tell Gloria that Patrick was fine. He ate well and was in good health. The Carter Group became partners with Heath. Such an outcome was both expected and unexpected. The moment the two parties signed the contract, Gloria was silent, her eyes lit up all of a sudden as if the thing that she had been waiting for a long time had finally been completed. It was also at this moment that she seemed to have no reason to continue staying here. "Thank you, Lucas." She thought, 'He helps me a lot. Without Heath,
Luana never expected that after Cline let Calvert in, he would continue to kiss her.It wasn't until she heard Calvert's voice that she understood his intention.Although she had already let go of Calvert, seeing his eyes turn bloodshot with despair still startled her.She couldn't help but feel that the man struggling to rush towards them wasn't Calvert, but Albion.Because only Albion would lose control when he saw her being hurt by another man.Instinctively not wanting to upset Albion, she struggled desperately.But the more she struggled, the harder Cline kissed her, even going so far as to slide his slender fingers inside her clothes right in front of Calvert."Cline, don't touch her!" Calvert roared in a fit of madness, wishing he could rush over and kill Cline.But his body was pinned down by the bodyguard, leaving him helpless as he watched Cline take possession of Luana bit by bit.Luana forcefully pushed Cline
"So you did plan this with him!" Cline's cold, emotionless voice came from above Luana's head, making her pause for a moment."I didn't.""Then how did he know you were here?""I'm not sure, maybe it's because..." Her explanation was cut short by Cline's cold interruption."Stop making excuses. Getting your bag back wasn't just to contact him, was it?"Seeing Cline's stubborn and indifferent expression, Luana fell silent.He had already made up his mind that she had contacted Calvert to pick her up. No amount of explanation would convince him; it was futile."He comes to pick you up as soon as you're recovering. If that's not premeditated, then what is it?" Cline's distrust and relentless questioning left Luana feeling exhausted.She took a deep breath and replied indifferently, "Yes, I did arrange with him. The day I could walk again, I asked him to come and get me."Hearing her admission, Cline's lips curled into a col
"Remember to use the scar-removing medicine," Eva said. With her delicate and elegant appearance, she was the epitome of beauty—her face couldn't afford to be marred by scars.Eva nodded in agreement and left with her medical bag.As the dean of a private hospital, her schedule was usually quite busy.Had it not been for Cline, it would have been nearly impossible to get an appointment with her.Thinking of Cline, Luana felt a lump in her chest.She couldn't understand his intentions. He was about to get married to his fiancée, yet he kept her locked up at home.Did he want Runa and yet couldn't bear to let go of her?If that was the case, Cline was being incredibly greedy.Luana glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows. At some point, the sky had darkened and a heavy downpour had begun.The weather matched her mood perfectly, prompting a deep sigh from her.As she sat on the bed, hugging her legs and
"Only a day apart, and you're already missing each other so much. It seems your old flame has been rekindled?"Faced with his sarcastic remark, Luana didn't bother to explain. She simply lowered her long eyelashes, hiding the discomfort in her eyes.Seeing her silence, Cline's face turned even colder. His grip on her chin tightened uncontrollably."Didn't you say you didn't love him anymore? Why are you rekindling your old relationship?"Luana endured the pain in her chin and forced a smile at Cline."If I can be your lover for years without loving you, why can't I rekindle my relationship with him?"It wasn't clear whether it was the first part of her sentence that choked Cline or the latter that left him speechless, but it made him so angry that he couldn't find words.Luana glanced up at him and saw his usually frosty, charming eyes gradually turn bloodshot. Her heart jolted, but she quickly suppressed the involuntary feelings that
Calvert seemed to have lost the strength to speak, only managing a faint nod.Clarissa knew his stubborn nature from childhood. Trying to persuade him to leave would be futile. So she steeled herself and told him the truth."Every time Luana is taken away by Cline, she won't be back in less than two or three days. You can't just keep squatting here, can you?"Judging by his reaction, it seemed he already knew who Luana had sold herself to back then.Since that was the case, there was no harm in telling him the truth. He wouldn't stand a chance against that man anyway.Clarissa's words hit Calvert like a sledgehammer, delivering a fatal blow."Every time?" he asked incredulously, his bloodshot eyes slowly turning towards Clarissa. "For these five years... she's been with Cline?""Mm-hmm," Clarissa replied indifferently. That single word, however, almost caused Calvert to collapse.He had thought she had only sold herself once, b
Hearing this, Luana felt even more guilty. "Clarissa, he got hurt trying to save me. Could you tell him to go back to the hospital first? I'll come to see him in a few days."Clarissa latched onto the key phrase. "Save you? What's going on?"Luana briefly explained the incident with Travis's private revenge.Upon learning the truth, Clarissa shouted that she wanted to teach Travis a lesson.However, upon hearing that Cline had already dealt with Travis, she immediately fell silent."So... you're with Cline now?"Luana could only nod in affirmation, not daring to hide anything from Clarissa.Clarissa sighed deeply and muttered, "What a complicated relationship," before hanging up the phone.She put her phone in her pocket and, carrying a large pot of corn chowder, walked towards the entrance of the small apartment.She had been excited to bring the soup to Luana to help her regain her strength, but as soon as she stepped
After Eva left, Cline glanced towards the guest bedroom and noticed the door was ajar. His expression darkened immediately.He unconsciously quickened his pace and entered the room, only to see Luana adjusting the IV drip.Her small, palm-sized face showed no significant emotional fluctuation. She remained as gentle and well-behaved as before.She even smiled at him when he entered, which dispelled his doubts.The volume of his conversation with Eva hadn't been loud enough for her to overhear.Cline subconsciously let out a breath of relief and sat down beside her bed, asking, "Feeling better?"Luana nodded and replied, "A bit better."Then, they fell into silence. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.Seeing that Cline had no intention of leaving, Luana couldn't help but speak up, "Mr. Moriarty, could you help me find my bag?"Her bag had been left in the banquet hall at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Her phone and other belon
Cline finally put down the vegetable salad and picked up a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth.In the five years she had been with him, he had never taken care of her like this. Luana was utterly shocked.She stared blankly at the man in front of her with her clear, innocent eyes, feeling as if all of this was surreal.Cline, however, didn't seem to find anything amiss. He calmly wiped her mouth with the napkin.After cleaning her up, he took out his phone and called Eva. He asked Eva to bring medical equipment to the villa.Hearing this, Luana quickly snapped out of her daze and said, "I'll be fine with just some rest. There's no need to trouble Dr. Eva."Cline glanced at her coldly, his tone domineering and brooking no refusal. "Whether it's troublesome or not, I'm the one who decides."Luana had no choice but to keep quiet and let him arrange everything...When Eva pushed a cart full of instruments into the room, Cline
Cline coldly interrupted him, "No meeting."Russell immediately seemed a bit embarrassed. "Mr. Moriarty, he is, after all, the CEO of Coburn Group. Right now, people from Coburn Group are constantly asking me for him. I can't keep him locked up forever..."Russell's meaning was clear—he could withstand the pressure for a while, but not for long.Cline's face darkened as he thought for a few seconds, and finally relented, "Let him go."He then hung up the phone directly and looked at Luana, who was examining him.In fact, Luana had already guessed who he was talking about and didn't ask.As long as he was willing to release Calvert, she could thank him later once she had recovered a bit.Cline stared at the IV drip for a while until the liquid in the bottle was completely gone, then he helped her remove the needle.Luana glanced at the three bottles of medicine still on the side. Logically, they should be administered one