Luana felt a chill run down her spine as she realized she had revealed her entire plan to the man who had just assaulted her.
If he shared this information with Travis, not only would she fail to deal with Travis, but she might be the one eliminated.
Shaken and overwhelmed by despair, Luana trembled, struggling to breathe.
The man picked up the dagger, glanced at it, and deduced her intentions after using the fake contract to deceive Travis.
"You planned to lure Travis into drinking the drugged wine and then kill him with this dagger?"
Luana clenched her fists, infuriated that this man had so easily seen through her scheme.
He discarded the dagger and sternly warned her, "In the future, if you're in danger, come to me. Don't risk yourself like this again."
"Come to you?" Luana scoffed, "I don't even know who you are, what your name is, or what you look like. How am I supposed to find you?"
Without a word, the man took her phone
Watching the tall and imposing figure approach, Travis's face turned deathly pale."Who... who are you? Why are you doing this to me?!"He had indeed used many cruel methods to play with numerous women, but those women had no significant background, and it was unlikely that someone with such a powerful background would come to avenge them.This man must have a grudge against the Elan family and was seeking revenge on him.The man did not respond, only closing in on Travis, who backed away, clutching his severed finger.However, after only a few steps, several bodyguards dressed in black uniforms with an "M" emblem on their ties blocked his path.With nowhere to retreat, Travis had no choice but to face the man wearing the gold-bronze mask."You've already cut off one of my fingers. What do you want to do now?"Travis had never imagined that at his age, he would experience the agony of having his finger severed.It was hi
After reading the news, Luana stood there in a daze, unable to collect her thoughts for a long time.What kind of powerful force could bring down the Elan family, a commercial giant in Los Angeles, in just one night?She suddenly remembered the words of the masked man from last night, who said Travis would not come back.How could he know in advance that Travis would not return? Could it all have been orchestrated by him?If he was indeed behind it, then her previous assumption that the masked man was a friend of Travis was completely unfounded.After all, Travis's friends could not possibly have such extraordinary means to utterly dismantle the Elan family overnight.If he was not a friend of Travis, then who on earth was this mysterious "Mr. Night"?Luana felt her head was about to explode with various speculations, yet she could not make sense of them.However, at least Travis was over now, and she no longer had to live in f
Clarissa looked at Luana with concern and scrutinized her from head to toe. "Luana, did he do anything bad to you?" she asked."No," Luana shook her head.However, Clarissa's sharp eyes immediately noticed the hickey on her neck, and her expression stiffened."Luana, what's this..."Luana initially didn't realize her neck was covered in hickeys.It was only when she saw Clarissa's shocked gaze that she suddenly realized and panicked, covering her neck and awkwardly lowering her head."I..." she stammered."Was it that Mr. Elan who did this to you?"Clarissa had seen the greedy and possessive look in Mr. Elan's eyes, as if he was scrutinizing his prey.She had intended to warn Luana yesterday but got caught up with wedding preparations and entertaining Albert's relatives, never finding the chance for a serious conversation.Seeing Luana return so disheartened, Clarissa became more confident that Mr. E
Was it because she missed Cline so much that she subconsciously regarded that man as Cline?Luana felt ashamed of such thoughts.Now that she had slept with a stranger, what qualifications did she have to miss Cline?There could no longer be any intersection between her and Cline.Exhausted, Luana had no more energy to think about these distressing matters.She took a hot bath and returned to her room to rest.This sleep was heavy, and she didn't wake up until nearly three in the afternoon the next day.It seemed her symptoms of somnolence were getting worse.She understood that for a late-stage patient like her, the worsening of the condition was inevitable, so she didn't pay too much attention to it.At the moment, for her, living one more day was a day more.After all, everyone has to die. It's just a matter of time, and there's no need for excessive sadness.She got up and went to the kitchen to prepare
He knew she wanted to kill Travis.If she involved the police to capture him, he, as the only witness, could likely accuse her of murder.Luana had thought she could bring this man to justice, but she hadn't anticipated that he had blocked all her exits."I'll give you half an hour," the man sent, and then fell silent, not responding to Luana's messages anymore, as if leaving her with this difficult choice.Luana clutched her phone, her body trembling uncontrollably.The messages she had given to the police mentioned Travis, and the hotel room surveillance showed Travis entering and leaving.The police would likely use this evidence to investigate Travis.If Mr. Night revealed her attempt to kill Travis to the police, she would undoubtedly be charged with attempted murder.At that point, Travis would also realize her true intention was not to deliver the contract but to kill him.Once Travis understood her real motive wa
Luana felt embarrassed, thinking to herself that next time she would definitely get a more powerful stun baton to teach him a lesson.After the man removed her clothes, he picked her up and pinned her against the wall to kiss her.His movements were domineering, and Luana was like a puppet, allowing him to manipulate her as he wished.After kissing her for a while, perhaps finding it somewhat dull, the man pinched her waist."Ouch..."Luana cried out in pain, her cherry lips parting, and the man took the opportunity to invade.His kiss was still fervent, but the way he touched her was much gentler than last time.He seemed to know her body as if it were his own, first teasing her sensitive spots, then slowly delving deeper.His exquisite skills gave Luana an illusion that this was not a forced act but an enjoyment.As soon as this thought emerged, she wanted to slap herself—how could it be enjoyable?Yet...
Her indistinct mumblings reached the man's ears.The hand that had been gently patting her back suddenly froze.The man stared at the woman in his arms for a moment, then abruptly pushed her away, rolled out of bed, and quickly got dressed.He grabbed his coat and left without looking back.The moment the man closed the door, Luana softly murmured, "Cline..."She had been dreaming of Cline holding her as she slept, coaxing her with a tenderness akin to soothing a child, filling her heart with joy.Waking from this beautiful dream, Luana herself found it somewhat incredible, not expecting to have such a pleasant dream.The room was still pitch dark. Luana reached out to touch the spot beside her, cold and empty.It seemed the man had already left. She breathed a sigh of relief, got out of bed, and walked over to open the floor-to-ceiling windows.As the curtains slowly receded, bright sunlight poured in.Luana now
Joan scrutinized Luana and ventured a guess, "You weren't poached by the Moriarty Group, were you?""OMG!"Sabrina's eyes widened in surprise. "Luana, the salary at Moriarty Group is several times higher than at Winward. You're about to soar to great heights, aren't you?"Amused by Sabrina's adorable expression, Luana chuckled and clarified, "No, the plans I mentioned are personal, not related to work at all."Seeing that Luana hadn't been recruited by the Moriarty Group, the jealousy in Joan's eyes gradually transformed into curiosity.She continued, "So, you're not planning to work anymore?"Luana shook her head and softly replied, "No, I won't be working."Unable to extract any further information about Luana's future plans, Joan let out a derisive snort, thinking to herself that it seemed Luana had indeed attached herself to some wealthy family.She wondered which wealthy older man had taken her under their wing, causing he
She couldn't believe it. Even with the news reports and Clarissa's own words, she still refused to accept it.Albion, the gentle and considerate young man who had cherished her, how could he have taken his own life in such a tragic way? It was impossible.Luana shook her head in disbelief. "No, he wouldn't do this..."Clarissa stepped forward and embraced Luana. She felt Luana's body growing cold, and her heart ached."Luana, I don't want to believe it either, but..."Clarissa's words trailed off, tears streaming down her face.Three years ago, fearing Albion might do something rash, she had followed him to the cemetery.There, she found no sign of Albion, only bloodstains on the tombstone.Her unease grew as she searched for him, but he was nowhere to be found.The next day, the news reported that Coburn Group's CEO, Calvert, had committed suicide at the cemetery.Only then did she realize Albion had truly done s
"Clarissa..." Albert wept and pleaded, "My mom has cancer, I got fired from my job, and the baby still needs milk. For the sake of our years together, treat me like a beggar and spare me a little help.""If you were truly a beggar, I'd give you some money to send you on your way, but you're not..."A clear voice cut through the air, tinged with exhaustion, coldness, and a hint of ruthlessness. "You're nothing but scum!""Clarissa!""Gag him and get him out of my sight!"At the command, the bodyguards immediately seized Albert and shoved him into the elevator."Humph, this despicable man!"Luana followed the voice and spotted a familiar figure leaning against the bar.The woman had a slender figure, waist-length curly hair, and fair, slender fingers holding a slender cigarette, while her other hand toyed with a wine glass.She tilted her head, staring into the red wine in her glass, as if observing another world from afar
Upon learning of this possibility, Cline simply said, "Thank you," and hung up the phone.He gazed once more in the direction the black luxury car had vanished, now more certain than ever that Dorian had taken his Luana.However, he refused to believe they were husband and wife.Russell arrived with the bodyguards in a hurry, seeing Cline standing in front of the smashed Bugatti.Thinking Cline's car had been in an accident, he quickly approached."Mr. Moriarty, are you alright? Did you take too much sleeping pill and start hallucinating again?"For the past three years, Cline had been plagued by insomnia, clutching two mementos of Luana and struggling to sleep through the night.Russell, worried about his health, had obtained some sleeping pills from Eva.Little did he know, Cline had become addicted to them. Later, Russell found out that the medication could induce hallucinations when taken in excess.It was these hall
Cline's brow twitched, his eyes filled with disdain as he regarded Dorian.He strode quickly to Luana, extending his hand with an unyielding tone, "Come with me."Before Luana could refuse, Dorian swiftly acted, his long arm encircling her shoulder and pulling her tightly into his embrace. A provocative smile played on his lips as he challenged, "On what grounds?"Cline's vision sharpened with pain, witnessing Luana clinging to Dorian, their bodies pressed close. A surge of rage erupted within him."Because I love her!"Cline's voice trembled yet rang out loud and clear, eight years of pent-up emotions bursting forth like a flood breaking its dam.Dorian, noticing the bloodshot eyes and the fervor in Cline's gaze, felt a flicker of realization. He glanced down at Luana in his arms.Her expression was calm, a faint smile curling her lips as if she had just heard an absurd joke, detached and indifferent.Not only did Dorian not l
Dorian rolled his eyes at the scene and impatiently pushed open the car door, stepping out to approach the Bugatti.He bent down and knocked on the window, "Dorothy, get out now."Luana, upon hearing Dorian's voice, froze for a moment before pushing away from Cline, who was still kissing her.Her breathing was slightly labored as she coldly instructed, "Open the door. My husband's here!"Cline's body stiffened. He averted his gaze from Luana and slowly looked at the man outside.Dorian, dressed in a gray suit, was impeccably neat. His handsome face and aristocratic demeanor made him look distinguished and aloof. Cline didn't care about Dorian's appearance, but he was annoyed that Dorian had called her Dorothy, not Luana.Cline swiftly fastened Luana's seatbelt and started the car, speeding out of the parking lot without another word.Dorian watched the Bugatti speed away, a look of frustration crossing his face.He muttered tha
Cline turned on the air conditioning, leaned sideways, and drew closer to Luana.His long, thick lashes lowered as he gazed at the petite Luana, his eyes revealing a longing he had never shown before."Luana..."He uttered her name as if it had taken all his strength.Luana opened her mouth to retort, but Cline suddenly gripped the back of her head with one hand, pressing her into his embrace.He whispered into her ear, "I... miss you so much."For three years, he had thought of her obsessively, to the point of madness, sleeplessness, and even hallucinations from medication.Now that he had found her alive and well, how could he let her go so easily?A flicker of disbelief crossed Luana's previously calm face, followed by a cold sneer in her heart.Would Cline truly miss her? He had never cared before. How could he miss her now?Was it because she was gone, and he couldn't find anyone to replace Runa, that he reme
For the past three years, his heart had felt hollow, a persistent ache that never truly subsided.Now, in this moment of holding Luana close, his restless heart finally found its resting place.To Cline, having someone he longed for still alive was like reclaiming what had been lost.He held Luana tightly, his throat constricting with emotion, unable to utter a word, wishing only to merge her into his very being and feel her presence undeniably.Luana, however, was perplexed by Cline's behavior.It was uncharacteristic of him—cold and distant at their airport encounter, avoiding even a glance, yet now he was uncharacteristically intimate.She wondered if the three years apart had taken a toll on his mental state.Frowning, she struggled to push him away, but Cline easily restrained her wrist with one hand.He spun her around, pinning her against the car door.Before she could speak, Cline captured her lips in a kis
Luana stood outside the door, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes as she contemplated Clarissa's changes over the years.Suddenly, the door creaked open from the inside.Angela, holding a child of about three years old, came into view.The little kid clutched a toy car, its round eyes wide with curiosity as it stared at Luana.Luana's gaze shifted between Angela and the child, a fleeting thought crossing her mind that Angela might be staying with Clarissa and Albert.Suppressing her doubts, she asked, "I'm a friend of Clarissa's. Is she home?"Angela froze, sizing up Luana from head to toe, unable to recognize the elegantly dressed woman with delicate makeup before her.It wasn't until Luana spoke that Angela's pupils contracted sharply, her face draining of color, her lips trembling as she stammered, "Y-y-y-o-u..."Then, as if she had seen a ghost, Angela retreated backward with the child, screaming at th
Dorian had just retrieved his suitcase from the baggage carousel when he spotted Luana approaching.He frowned slightly, his tone laced with displeasure, "Didn't I tell you to wait over there?"Luana rolled her eyes at him. "I was afraid you might grab the wrong luggage."With that, she slipped her phone into her small bag, took the suitcase from Dorian's hand, and began to wheel it away.Dorian, with his long legs, effortlessly kicked another large suitcase toward Luana. "This one's yours too," he said.Luana, though inwardly exasperated, shot a glare at Dorian's retreating figure and pushed both suitcases out of the airport behind him.Once outside, Luana handed the suitcase back to Dorian. "I'm going to meet a friend. Let's part ways here."Dorian tilted his head slightly, regarding her with an expression that seemed to question her intelligence. "You think I came all this way just to see you off?"Luana was speechless again