Lucian turned to look at Calista. But the woman only rolled her eyes and laid back down with her back to him.Lily was already sitting in the chair and waiting for him to ask her what was wrong. She was ready to put on the waterworks.However, the man never once looked her way. Forget her exhaustion badly masked by makeup. He likely wouldn't have noticed even if she walked in naked."Lucian."She couldn't help but raise her voice. In the past, she would've walked away and waited for the man to coddle her.But when Lily thought about everything that had happened between them, she realized the only time Lucian would cajole her was when Calista was around.Even then, it barely qualified as him cajoling her. He was simply responding to a request. And all she could ask for was money to satisfy her needs.Now, her only regret was leaving abroad to test the man to see if he had any semblance of affection for her and force a marriageWhen she thought about her purpose for coming today,
Calista turned to Lucian with a raised brow and smiled."Yes. I want a harem. But I'm not interested in men like you.""Like me? Elaborate."She began to count off her fingers."Sharp-tongued, arrogant, holds everyone in contempt, and has no respect for others. You think you're the best thing to grace the earth. You blame everything on everyone but yourself. You have no emotional intelligence to speak of. Every word that comes out of your mouth is unpleasant. You always act like you're owed billions. You're scum who won't shut up. Most importantly, you're like an unlucky charm …"Lucian wanted to see the lunar eclipse. But, it started to rain. While everyone made it down the mountain, they were the only ones trapped.The more Calista went on, the darker his face became. He didn't think Calista saw him in such a terrible light."Do I not have any good qualities?""You do," she admitted frankly. "You're handsome and well-built. You're rich too. But none of that offsets your short
"What is it?" Calista asked.As soon as the driver noticed her guarded posture, he realized he had frightened her with how sneaky he was acting.He immediately tried to explain himself, "Don't get me wrong, Miss. I'm not a bad person. I don't mean any harm. It's just that customer service gave me a call saying that Mr. Northwood had transferred 30 thousand dollars to me … No, it's for you. He wants me to drop you off at an electronics store so you can get yourself a new phone. The remaining amount would be converted to cash and given to you."Lucian had offered up 35 thousand dollars. The remaining five thousand was for the driver for his troubles.Wow, he was being given that much money for such a simple task. He wouldn't mind picking up such generous customers every day.Calista was rendered speechless. The only Northwood she knew was Lucian.The cab pulled up in front of an electronics store. Calista reached out to open the car door. Since he was offering her money on a silver
Lucian stared at the ten-dollar bill between Calista's delicate fingers and furrowed his brows."Calista, do you think I'm just a glorified delivery guy or something?"Calista paused briefly before responding, her remarks filled with heartfelt sincerity."No. Getting something so late would have cost much more. I'm not forking out extra for delivery. Think of it as a tip from me. It's my way of saying thanks for going the extra mile."Lucian would have preferred Calista's usual nonchalant behavior. Whenever she responded with such earnestness, it usually preceded a rejection.Just as he was about to interrupt, Calista continued, "Well, considering we were divorced and without kids, it's probably a good idea for us to keep some distance. It wouldn't be fair to us or our future partners if we kept getting in each other's way.""You've already caused me a lot of pain during our marriage, and I wouldn't want you to do the same to another woman in your next one," Calista said, her voi
With Berta's departure, the vast living room was now a solo stage for Calista.She glanced around, taking in Yara's warning about five visible surveillance cameras and the potential for hidden ones in uncharted territories. Who were they monitoring? Was it her?During Calista's first visit, Berta and the mysterious man had the manor entirely themselves. However, Berta had just disclosed that the unidentified man had left. So, who was on the upper floor?Calista felt her heart race amidst the eerie silence. Her heartbeats seemed to resonate uncomfortably close to her ears. Thump ... Thump …She pivoted and gracefully climbed the staircase, her steps nearly silent thanks to the plush carpet and the soft-soled disposable slippers on her feet.The study was on the second floor, yet there was no sign of anyone as she reached the corridor on this level. A faint, distant sound, too low to discern, seemed to originate from the third floor.Calista's hand rested on the granite handrail of
Calista's gaze traveled from Lucian's arm to his face, and she couldn't help but notice his thick, well-groomed hair, which seemed to be meticulously maintained.Lucian furrowed his brows, puzzled by the affectionate look in her eyes."Why are you staring at me like that?"Calista responded casually, "I think you look rather handsome."A mischievous idea of playfully cutting Lucian's hair crossed her mind. Lucian didn't pick up on the subtle undertone of her reply.He interpreted her remark as a compliment, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. Nevertheless, his smile faded as he considered that this might be the only redeeming quality Calista saw in him.Lucian asked, "Do you question it when I say it's always been you?"Calista paused briefly, then responded, "I suppose we were mere acquaintances before our marriage."That was a bit of an overstatement. Lucian and Calista were practically strangers. They didn't even exchange nods when they bumped into each other, especially
Cade tried to hide his surprise after Lucian shot him an intense gaze.After a brief pause, he took another sip of his drink and spoke, "No. But for physical issues like yours, it's best to consult a professional or perhaps try some, um, supplements."Discussing such matters could indeed be a blow to a man's pride. Cade usually engaged in playful banter, poking fun at Lucian's bedroom skills.However, if this turned out to be a genuine issue, it would be challenging to maintain their usual lighthearted teasing.Even Cade, known for his easy-going nature and ability to stay calm during crises, was at a loss for words. After he spoke, he hung his head and swiftly downed two glasses of alcohol.Lucian fixed a frigid gaze on Cade, restraining the impulse to submerge his head in the alcohol, and spoke through clenched teeth, "There's nothing wrong with my body."Lucian possessed all the typical reactions and impulses a man should have, but he always seemed to hit a roadblock when taki
Agnes cleared her throat and continued, "I must say, after all these years, it seems highly improbable that anyone would return. But, one can never be entirely certain. Whether they choose to return or not is not our concern.""That residence has a rather unfortunate reputation. It's become renowned as a haunted mansion in Capeton. What kind of work have you undertaken there? Did you stumble into some scam?" Agnes asked in concern.Calista wasn't sure how much Agnes knew about her mother's death, but she decided to take a chance and continued, "Agnes, you know, my mom's passing wasn't just a random accident. Grandpa and I have been digging around for years, yet we haven't encountered any useful leads. Have you got any scoop on whether my mom had any tight buddies or pals?"Agnes returned to arranging flowers and replied, "Your mom was one of those workaholic types. She could hibernate at home for weeks, not bothering to chat with anyone or surf the web. Gossip and internet drama wer