Lucian opened his eyes. The white wisps of smoke escaped from between his lips.None of the lights in the living room were on. The only source of light that illuminated the room was from the street lamps outside the massive windows.The already dim glow was further obscured by the smoke that lingered in the air, casting a hazy veil over his vision. He cleared his throat and hummed in response. David quickly sent him the manuscript after hanging up.The brightness of his phone was rather harsh under the dim lighting. But, Lucian wasn't in the mood to switch the lights on.He simply checked through what he'd been sent despite the manor being equipped with smart home technology. All he needed to do was use the smart app to switch it on.It was just as he expected. Calista had been caught confronting Lily. But, it only featured a photograph of her raising her hand. There was no follow-up.The article's text sympathized with Lily and insinuated that Calista was arrogant and overbearin
The bodyguards didn't even flinch in the face of her questioning. They remained cold and businesslike."We received orders to protect you."Protect her? Was Calista supposed to believe that Lucian was that kind-hearted?"I don't need anyone's protection. Go back to wherever you came from. Stop standing at my front door."She had barely finished speaking when she noticed her neighbors snooping on the commotion with their doors open.The bodyguards stood stiffly in place. They sounded as emotionless as a robot."Mr. Northwood says that he'll come here himself if you don't want us around.""Calista could barely believe her ears. Great! Her appetite for breakfast was gone in an instant! She slammed the door shut with a resounding bang. She pulled out her phone from her bag and gave Lucian a call. The moment the man picked up, she vented her overwhelming rage at him."Have your men leave this instant, Lucian!""They can protect you while you're there."The man had seemingly just
Hector had gone to the hospital to get his wounds treated after leaving last night. But, seeing the earnest look Calista was giving him, he shook his head."No.""Take off your mask. Let me see your injuries."He glanced around the bustling entrance of the apartment building."Here? Should we move elsewhere?"The two bodyguards behind her were Lucian's men. Having them bear witness to his injuries was the same as his rival seeing the extent of his injuries."It's not like I'm asking you to take off your clothes. Why are you fussing about taking this elsewhere? Should I book you a hotel room too?""Well, you could …"Calista couldn't be bothered with his nonsense. She immediately ripped his mask off. Hector reacted the moment she moved but lowered it.He was a rough man. He worried that he might accidentally hurt her hand if he failed to control his strength.With the mask off, the injuries on his face could finally be seen. They looked even more alarming than they had seemed
Lucian looked down to watch Calista. The woman was frowning. Despite being forced to lean in his embrace, her eyes were fixed on Hector. It looked to him like she was focused solely on the man across from her.His hand slid from her shoulder to her waist. He tightened his grip to forcefully direct her attention back to him. His eyes were dark."Let's go."Jonathan had already parked the car next to the pair. All they needed to do was reach for the door to get in."No …"Before she could refuse, Lucian forcefully led her into the car. Hector's expression darkened. He wanted to stop the man but was stopped by the two bodyguards.In a blink of an eye, Lucian had ushered Calista into the vehicle and locked the doors. The car whirred to life and sped away from the hospital.Jonathan wasn't the only person in the car. David was also there.Hector's voice could be heard through the roar of the engine and reached the two people in the backseat who wore vastly different expressions."L
The man's handsome face pressed close. His straight nose and lips, flawless in shape and color, were now tantalizingly close. Calista's heart began racing with how close he was. She put her hands against his chest."What are you doing?"That scared the living daylights out of her!Due to their proximity, Lucian spoke in a low whisper. He sounded as cold as ever but it was tinged with amusement. Yet, it did nothing to conceal the chilling undertone."So, you failed to ensnare Paul. Is Hector Calloway the next one on your list?"She could feel his breath on her lips. She tilted her head back to put some distance between them. But with her head already pressed firmly against the door, there was no escape."Aren't you here because you want to get your wounds dressed? Lie down."She pointed at the couch and pushed Lucian, who was completely pressed up against her. This was a risky position to be in. One wrong move would lead to consequences.Even though Lucian was capable of restrai
Lucian let go of Calista, who continued to glare at him. Her neck still bore marks left behind by his kisses when he failed to control his strength.If she had a knife in her hand, she would've long since stabbed him. What part of her looked afraid?Lucian said nothing. His gaze was fixed on Paul's hand. He had used the fingerprint scanner to unlock the door.Being an heir to a wealthy family meant that social cues were ingrained in them. The first step was to read between the lines.Despite Lucian not saying a word, Paul immediately caught onto what he was thinking."I apologize. I was in a hurry and hadn't had time to get my data erased."That was indeed a mistake. Paul opened the door, fiddled around with the touchpad, and removed his fingerprint from the system.Lucian acted distant and couldn't be bothered to extend a symbolic invitation for the man to come inside. He stood at the entrance with an expression that made it look like he was sending Paul on his way."It's late
Calista slammed the brakes. The employee from the florist who held the bouquet then noticed her. He fumbled to reach for their phone and checked a photo.After confirming that it was the right car, he approached her.Those who were part of the workshop were huddled at the entrance. The employee from the florist had been there since their arrival. With such a massive bouquet in hand, it was difficult to miss.Calista had already pulled up into the parking lot. She couldn't just turn and leave. Doing so would only make it look like she was covering up the situation. It would solve nothing.She could only watch as they walked up to her. "Are you Mrs. Northwood?"Even with her windows shut, she could hear his voice loud and clear. She fell silent. She parked her car and got out."Mr. Northwood has requested we deliver these flowers to you. Could you please sign this?"The moment he finished, her colleagues descended into an uproar.There was only a small handful of staff at the w
A few of Calista's colleagues were with her. They all wore smirks as they shot her looks. After enduring a full day of teasing, she now had no problems keeping her calm as they watched her.Chelsea Ferguson leaned over to whisper to Calista as she passed her by, "You didn't cover up the love bites behind your ear, Claude."Calista, a woman who had dated and jumped straight into marriage, stayed as innocent as a virgin in the last three years.No matter how calm and composed she seemed, it was a challenge to keep a straight face when faced with such an embarrassing situation.She immediately tried to cover her ears so Chelsea would stop staring."Don't bother. Everyone has seen them."Calista had checked herself over in the mirror before she left the apartment. She had covered the traces on her neck with concealer.She wore a turtleneck sweater and a scarf on top of that. Even her hair which she usually kept pulled up was down. She didn't think there would still be traces she fai