The young man had always been a taboo in Luana's heart. After all these years, it was the first time Clarissa had heard her call out Albion's name in her sleep.
Clarissa wanted to ask if Luana still hadn't forgotten Albion deep down, but she was afraid of reopening old wounds.After much thought, Clarissa chose to keep silent.Albion was a matter of the past, and bringing him up would only cause unnecessary distress.Luana had eaten only a small portion of the soup before feeling full. She put down her spoon and asked Clarissa, "Aren't you supposed to go to work?"Clarissa pointed at her watch and said, "It's so late. There's no work to go to.""Then you..." Luana began."I took two days off to be with you," Clarissa lay down on the empty hospital bed beside her. "It's also a good chance for me to catch up on some rest."Luana smiled and said, "Thank you, Clarissa."Clarissa waved her hand and yawned, "Luana, I'm going to take a nap. CallIn the midst of a deep, unconscious slumber, Luana's phone vibrated incessantly, pulling her back to reality.Weary and disoriented, she forced her eyes open and reached for the phone."Baby," Travis's voice echoed through the line, "I heard you had a high fever yesterday. How are you feeling now?"Hearing his voice, Luana's flagging spirits momentarily surged.She found it odd that Travis, who had always been more interested in sleeping with her than anything else, was suddenly concerned about her health.Was it because he knew she was dying and decided to let her go?Luana's mind raced with possibilities, but she responded, "I'm better now.""Good, that's all that matters," Travis replied before pressing on with his true concern, "You called me earlier. Did you take care of that thing?"Luana understood that Travis's interest in her health was a facade. This was what he really cared about.She sat up straight in bed, p
Clarissa's fiancé, Albert, was also in the store. Seeing Luana come in, he greeted her.Luana smiled back and asked, "Where's Clarissa?"Albert gestured towards the fitting room, saying, "She's trying on her wedding dress. Have a seat."Luana and Albert had known each other for a long time, so she didn't hesitate to sit down in the seating area.Ever since her high fever, Luana had been feeling increasingly weak and tired, often unable to stand firmly.This was a symptom of late-stage heart failure, where the heart's pumping function was severely reduced, leading to blood pooling in systemic and pulmonary circulation, causing insufficient blood supply to brain tissue and resulting in brain cell ischemia and hypoxia.With ischemia and hypoxia, fatigue and somnolence were common.Sitting on the sofa for just a few minutes, she was already dozing off, her head propped up.Fortunately, Clarissa quickly emerged from the fitti
Seeing the bank card, Clarissa was taken aback.She had thought Luana, after repaying Cline a million dollars, wouldn't have much money left.She had even considered giving Luana some money, but to her surprise, Luana had saved a sum for her.It must have been from scrimping and saving, not indulging in any luxuries, that Luana had managed to set aside this money.Clarissa touched Luana's cheek, "Luana, I'm sorry."Luana smiled back, "I have a high annual salary and don't spend much. I can save this money. Just take it."Clarissa pushed the bank card away, "I can't accept this. It's your money. I can't."Knowing Clarissa wouldn't accept, Luana didn't insist further but instead directly placed the card into Clarissa's box.Clarissa tried to stop her, but Luana pushed her away.Clarissa sighed, "Luana, why are you so stubborn?"After locking the box, Luana turned and hugged Clarissa's arm, acting coquettishly.
Travis looked Luana up and down, his eyes igniting with desire at the sight of her in the champagne bridesmaid's dress.He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and said while caressing her waist, "Since it's signed, why not give it to me sooner?""Mr. Elan, I need to ensure the wedding goes smoothly. If you take the contract and then renege and disrupt my friend's wedding, what am I to do?" Luana replied, forcing herself to endure her disgust and deal with him cautiously."Do you not trust me?""That's correct," Luana stated. "Mr. Elan, you will get the contract tonight."Her makeup was soft, but her expression was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.Travis grinned, "How do I know you're not lying to me?"Luana took out her phone, opened a document, and showed Travis a fake contract she had prepared in advance."Mr. Elan, look closely. This contract is from the Moriarty Group, and it's stamped, so it's genuine."
After the exchange of rings and the champagne toast, the wedding neared its end.Luana's heart finally settled.The wedding had gone off without a hitch, and the next item on her agenda was to deal with Travis.She followed the wedding car to their new home and then took a taxi back to her own place.In her bedroom, as she opened the wardrobe to change out of her bridesmaid dress, a bank card fell out.It was the dowry she had given to Clarissa, who had secretly returned it to her wardrobe.Picking up the card, Luana couldn't help but smile.Clarissa was always giving without expecting anything in return, not even taking advantage of Albert.She was the kind of woman who made one feel warm inside.Holding the bank card tightly, Luana thought about how she wouldn't be there after tonight.If she hadn't left Clarissa any words, Clarissa would surely be heartbroken.So, she sat down at her desk, took up her pe
Her inner turmoil was like a raging tide, yet she forced herself to remain calm.Regardless of who this man was, once he entered the room, she had to find a way to drug him.With this thought in mind, Luana unclenched her fists and said, "Mr. Elan, if you want to play role-playing games, there's no need to turn off the lights. It's so dark in here, I can't see you at all."As she spoke, she felt her way to the table, picked up an empty wine glass, and poured a small amount of wine mixed with sleeping pills into it.She carried the glass to the man and offered it to him, "Mr. Elan, have a glass of wine first."Luana's original plan was to give Travis the contract when he arrived, and once he got the contract, he would surely become lustful towards her.At that moment, she would persuade Travis to have some wine, and when the effect of the medicine took place, she would kill him with a dagger.Then, she would record a video to expose Tr
Luana remembered she had hidden the dagger behind the pillow. All she needed to do was move to the pillow to retrieve it and cut the zip tie.She immediately used her legs to push herself towards the headboard.Just as her head was about to touch the pillow, the man suddenly pressed down on her body.She felt the man's weight press down, and then his hoarse voice whispered in her ear, "You invited Travis to the hotel and drugged the wine. What does this mean?"Luana was stunned. Shouldn't he just commit the perfect crime? Why ask about matters unrelated to him?Could it be that Travis had seen through her plan and deliberately sent this man to test her?No way! Given Travis's personality, if he knew she wanted to kill him, he would have already sent people to tear her limb from limb."Just some mood-enhancing drugs," she replied, feigning composure. She had no idea who this man was and would not tell him the truth.The man seem
The man let out a cold snort as if he had heard a joke, "I'm afraid of him?"As he spoke, with his hands in his pant pockets and looking down at Luana with an air of arrogance. There was no trace of fear, only a subtle hint of murderous intent.Luana was taken aback, struck by how much he resembled Cline in that moment.Just as she thought this, the man suddenly sat down on the sofa, casually playing with the golden knife.Seeing that the man had no intention of leaving, the chaotic thoughts in Luana's mind vanished instantly.She approached the man, intending to drive him away.At that moment, the hotel room door was pounded with a series of heavy knocks.Hearing the urgent "bang, bang" sounds, her delicate body froze on the spot.With pleading eyes, she stared at the man's eyes beneath his mask, imploring, "Please, hide in the bathroom for a while, okay?" Her voice was laced with tears, as if she would burst into tears the mo
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