Gloria looked at the sky. "Christine, you know that I hate him and am afraid of him. Six years ago, he sent me to the werewolf prison. There were iron bars everywhere.
"Not long ago, I woke up in the morning and found myself locked in a space full of iron bars again. He put bars on all the windows. In my opinion, it was no different from my life in prison. "He tried all means to imprison me. He was now so sick that he finally let go. He said that he didn't want to continue the game. He was tired of me and I believed it. But isn't that ridiculous? He lets go only when he's dying. Does this mean that he cares about me? "You are right. When I was at the airport, I kept thinking about how you scolded me. I was running all the time. I didn't just run from him, but from my family as well. "Patrick imprisoned my body. As for me, I imprisoned my heart. "Alright, let's get in. It's a bit cold outside." Gloria felt relaxed after saying that. She stood up.<Luana's POVMy name is Luana, which sounds a lot like "Luna," doesn't it?Patrick gave me this name.From my childish perspective, Patrick was far from a gentle soul.Let's not even get into the rest. With a name as harmonious as his, he had to give me such an odd one.I am a werewolf, after all. How could he name me something that sounds akin to "Luna"?Wasn't that a desecration of the Moon Goddess?Every time I vehemently protested to Patrick, he would say, "Blame your dad for not being a girl, or you wouldn't have this name."He was the one who chose this unpleasant name, yet he managed to shift the blame onto my dad.Ah, I've gone on for so long without even introducing myself.My grandfather was Patrick Hammond. I heard he was incredibly charming in his youth and the Alpha of the Black Thorn Pack.My grandmother was Gloria Carter.I often wondered how these two, who seemed so mismatched, ended u
Third Person's POVAfter Patrick's passing, Luana thought her life would gradually return to calm.However, surprises emerged swiftly.Her parents fell victim to a rogue invasion, losing their lives in the defense against the rogues.Still a child, Luana was incapable of leading the pack.The Black Thorn Pack withered away.
Third Person's POVCline's hands, tidying the cuffs of his shirt, paused briefly. He slowly lifted his cool gaze and scrutinized Luana.Her face showed no sign of sorrow. Instead, there was a hint of excitement.It seemed that for her, this was indeed a form of liberation.He furrowed his brows and asked, "You've long wanted to leave me?"
He swiftly returned to the company, presenting the untouched items back to Cline and conveying Luana's words to him verbatim.Cline raised his indifferent gaze and scanned the items on the desk before his cold eyes finally focused on the black card.He asked Russell coldly, "An extra million dollars?"Russell quickly nodded in confirmation, "Yes."Before returning to the company, he had specifically checked the balance on the black card.
With that, Clarissa turned and took out a clean set of pajamas from the wardrobe, handing them to Luana. "Go take a hot bath and relax. I'll make you something delicious to eat. After your bath, have some food and then get a good night's sleep, leaving all your worries behind. Don't think about anything, okay?"Luana took the pajamas and nodded, "Thanks, Clarissa."In Luana's heart, Clarissa was always like this, unconditionally good to her no matter when or where.Clarissa was like a bright and warm light, illuminating her originally dark and cold path in
If that was the case, why had Cline not hesitated to spend a fortune to spend a night with Luana five years ago?Even after that night, he had insisted she sign the agreement.And each time they were together, his behavior was nearly out of control.She really couldn't believe all of this. Just as she was about to ask Joan where she had heard these gossipy news stories, she saw the door of the CEO's private elevator slowly open.The chairman's special assistant, Laura, and s
Sabrina propped her chin on her hands, her eyes filled with envy, "He's already paved the way for his future wife so quickly. Mr. Moriarty is truly affectionate."Joan also wore a face of envy and jealousy, "If she weren't the chairman's daughter, how could that mighty man in Los Angeles notice her?"Sabrina shook her head in disagreement, "Miss Ortega is very outstanding herself, with such a high degree of education and such beauty. But speaking of appearance..."Sabrina turned to look at Luana, "Luana looks a bit like the new CEO, don't you think?"
Luana clutched her heart as if it were about to stop beating from the unbearable pain, barely supporting her weak body back to her workstation.She was determined to resign and hoped to complete the resignation procedures as soon as possible.She simply couldn't bear to witness the two of them flaunting their love in front of her every day for the little time she had left.She feared she wouldn't be able to endure such mental torture and worried that she might impulsively confront Cline about his cruel treatment towards her.
Calvert said, "Luana's back, but she doesn't want to see me."Clarissa rolled her eyes again. "After how rough you were with her, why would she want to see you?"Calvert's eyes turned red again. Yeah, even though it wasn't him who had laid a hand on her, it had been his own brother.No matter how you looked at it, he was still partly to blame. It was only natural that Luana would hate him now.But what really hurt wasn't that she hated him—it was that she said she had moved on and didn't love him anymore...Clarissa didn't know the full story between the two, but seeing Calvert like this, she assumed Luana had given him a good scolding.Back when they used to fight, Luana would get mad and avoid him, and he'd end up looking just like this, waiting outside her door.In the end, it was always Clarissa who'd step in, let Albion in, and watch the two of them hug and make up.But this time was different. It wasn't something th
"Once he finds a heart, take her straight to the transplant surgery. You don't need to tell me anything about her from now on."Cline's cold words snapped Eva out of her thoughts.If he really cared, his attitude wouldn't be like this. It was obvious he was trying to distance himself, throwing in a good deed at the end.Whether Dr. George could find a matching heart or if Luana would survive didn't seem to matter to him at all.Otherwise, he wouldn't have told Eva to stop updating him about Luana.Such indifference could only mean they were done for good. But Cline's efforts might be in vain; Luana's condition was so bad she might not even make it until a suitable heart was found.Eva thought it over. Since Cline clearly didn't care about Luana, she didn't ask further, just replied with a "Sure," and left with the items.After Eva left, Cline's long, knuckle-defined fingers, resting on his laptop, unconsciously clenched tighter.
Luana knew he was following her and let out a deep sigh, but she didn't turn around. She walked up the stairs alone.She had always known how Albion felt about her.He had doted on her since they were kids, giving in to her every whim. As they grew up, he worked tirelessly to give her a better life, juggling school and part-time jobs since high school.Such a wonderful young man must have loved her to the extreme, willing to sacrifice everything for her.But she had fallen for someone else, and now her life was running out, with less than two months left.She had once asked Albion what he would do if she died before him.He had said he would follow her, committing suicide at her grave so she wouldn't be alone in the afterlife.He was a man of his word. Of course, now that he had found his place, he probably wouldn't do something so reckless.But Luana was still afraid, too afraid to tell him about her impending death.Sh
Luana saw the look on his face and her eyes filled with guilt. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.Calvert looked up, his bloodshot eyes reflecting Luana's remorseful expression."I don't want your apology. I just want you, Luana. Can't you stop loving him? Can't you love me again?"He stepped forward and grabbed her cold hand, holding it gently in his. "I'll treat you right from now on. I'll never let anyone hurt you again. Let's go back to the way things were, like when we were in school, carefree and happy. Can we do that?"Luana shook her head. "Albion, we can't go back."Calvert refused to believe it. "You're lying to me, right? If you really loved Cline, you wouldn't have said those cold words to him. You don't love him. You're just mad at me and trying to trick me...""I said those cold words because he doesn't love me," Luana interrupted calmly. "He bought me because I look like Miss Ortega. I was just a substitute. Now that Miss Ortega is
Calvert and Luana leaned on each other as they walked out of the villa. Outside, several cars were parked—Calvert's.The men in the cars, all bodyguards, had bruises on their faces. Before Calvert went in, his men had already fought with Cline's guards.Outnumbered, Calvert's men had lost, and Calvert had no choice but to call the police.Seeing Calvert emerge unscathed, the bodyguards breathed a sigh of relief. One of them quickly opened the car door for the two.Calvert helped Luana into the car first, then got in himself.Ignoring his own pain, he grabbed a clean towel and gently wiped Luana's rain-soaked hair.His touch was incredibly tender, as if afraid he might hurt her.But when his eyes fell on her exposed skin, his face changed instantly.The woman he had always cherished and protected had been so cruelly hurt by that bastard Cline—over and over again, for five long years.It was enough to make Calv
Calvert didn't want her to go back to Cline, but hearing that she would leave with him made him agree anyway."Okay," he said.Just like in their youth, he trusted and agreed with whatever she said.Luana gave him a gentle smile, then turned to face Cline. "Cline, you must have heard what we were just talking about, right?"Cline's thin lips were pressed tightly together in silence, confirming that he had.Luana continued, "Albion and I did grow up together, knowing and loving each other. We promised to be together forever. But I was spoiled and willful. Once, I got into a childish argument with him on the street, and he got hit by a car. The only thing I could do was sell myself to pay for his surgery. You heard the rest—because of his amnesia and his brother's interference, I misunderstood him and signed that contract with you out of spite..."Cline cut her off coldly, "Are you saying you didn't want to be with me?" Luana nodded.
The resentment that had lingered in her heart for years, something she could never let go of, vanished the moment she learned the truth.Suddenly, she felt no more sadness, and no more resentment—only a sense of acceptance for the past.She let out a deep sigh of relief. When she looked at him again, her eyes were lighter than ever before."It's not your fault. We just weren't meant to be, and that's why all these misunderstandings happened," she said."All of this is in the past now. You don't need to keep apologizing."Her tone of acceptance felt like a knife twisting in Calvert's heart, the pain radiating down to his fingertips.By saying it was in the past, did she mean she was letting go—letting go of their history and of him?"Do you... not want me anymore?"His voice trembled as he asked the question.Luana touched her neck, where Cline's hickeys were still visible. How could she possibly be with Albio
When it was all over, the man pushed her away, got up, and went into the bathroom.She, on the other hand, lay face-down on the bed, staring blankly toward the door, feeling utterly hopeless.This was Cline's bedroom. The door was automatic and couldn't be opened without a remote.While they were... together, the man outside had been pounding on the door frantically.Luana suddenly remembered five years ago when Albion woke up and found out she had sold herself to save him.He had pointed at her and screamed, calling her shameless, accusing her of sleeping with other men while he was on death's door.She had felt wronged back then, but now that she knew the truth, she felt guilty—not toward Calvert, but toward Albion, who had once cherished her like a precious gem.She heard his heart-wrenching cries and let out a deep sigh. Struggling, she threw off the covers, pulled on her clothes, and made her way to the door.Gathering all her courage, she opened it and locked eyes with Calvert,
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