The excruciating pain she felt instantly disappeared after Lucian said that. Calista sobered up a little; she abruptly sat up from the couch and looked down at herself.Although most of the clothes had been taken off, her pants were still on. Lucian was still dressed when she looked at him."What have you been doing for the past half an hour?"Calista had mustered the courage to repay the favor she owed him. Besides, Lucian had ED, and she had some issues too. Both of them couldn't spend their lives alone just because of this.Lucian might not be a good husband, but he was a good sex partner. In terms of physique and appearance, he was her type. So, it was a win-win situation.Calista was afraid that she would chicken out at the last moment, so she drank a bottle of wine to give herself some liquid courage when she got home. She psyched herself up all for nothing."Kissing you," Lucian stated flatly.Calista was both annoyed and embarrassed as she touched her burning cheeks."S
Lucian quirked a sly smile and spoke mischievously, "So, you're planning to sneak away after what went down yesterday?"Calista furrowed her brow and retorted, "We had a deal last night ..."Lucian lowered the blanket, unveiling a web of scratches ranging from shallow to deep. They spanned across his entire upper body, including his neck and shoulders.Some of these marks still bore traces of oozing blood."We had a deal, but you almost tore my skin off. Is it too much to ask for a bonus?"Lucian gestured to the wounds on his body and quipped. Calista was left speechless."There are even more on my back. Wanna check them out?" Lucian continued.Just as Lucian was about to roll over, Calista swiftly intervened to prevent him from doing so."Don't. All right. How much money do you want?" Calista asked."Do I look like I'm short on cash?" Lucian chuckled."Money's the only thing on the table. Don't even go there with anything else ..."Suddenly, Calista became self-aware and fe
It appeared that Lucian, who had once been tight-lipped, had found his voice. He jumped at every opportunity to make amends for his past.Calista had taken notice of Lucian's transformation and his sincere efforts during this time.Therefore, she had agreed to be intimate with him last night as a means of reciprocation, wanting to avoid feeling indebted to him. Lucian didn't desire material possessions and seemed content with his life.His only regret appeared to be his performance in bed, prompting Calista to address his sexual issues impulsively.Last night, Calista had already let her suggestion slip out of her mouth before she had fully regained her senses. What followed allowed no room for second thoughts or regrets.Yet, Calista knew she wouldn't have extended such an offer to anyone else.Lucian occupied a special place in her heart. She couldn't quite discern whether this distinction stemmed from affection, his status as her first love and ex-husband, or the regrettable w
Calista caught a whiff of the fresh pine scent – it was Paul. She froze for a moment and quickly pulled away from his embrace."Thank you. I think I stumbled over something just now."She lowered her head to examine the perfectly smooth ground. There was nothing there. What had she tripped over?Paul noticed her staring at the ground and asked, "Is everything okay?"Calista shook her head and replied, "It's nothing. Let's keep going."Perhaps she had simply been mistaken. Meanwhile, Lucian's gaze stayed fixed on Calista throughout the entire sequence of events from the passenger seat.Despite their considerable distance, Lucian's focus remained unwaveringly set on Calista.Though he couldn't discern the precise cause of Calista's stumble, the very notion that she had tripped on such a level surface left him contemplating whether Paul might have orchestrated it.Lucian silently cursed Paul, regarding him as a cunning man. Despite having witnessed Calista arrive with Lucian's car
Lucian comfortably sat in the booth next to Calista, positioned near the window with two couches facing each other.Paul, who had trailed Lucian into the restaurant, shot him an irritated look before settling in beside Agnes."Mrs. Baker."Lucian greeted Agnes with courtesy. Agnes smiled and stood up, heading for the exit."Some friends invited me for a hangout, and I'll pass on joining you guys today. So, I'll need to excuse myself. You guys go ahead and enjoy."She rubbed her stomach and chuckled, "As you get older, digestion becomes a bit of a challenge. Beef steak and such are more suitable for you young folks."With Agnes gone, the atmosphere at the table grew tense, leaving only the three of them. Lucian leaned closer to Calista, his expression filled with disgust as his gaze fell upon the dishes before him.He remarked, "I'm not a fan of Palaiseau cuisine. Care to join me for some Calaiselle cuisine?"Calista, her stomach rumbling from hunger since she had only had a sma
Lucian's expression turned completely grim at this point."Last night was supposed to be your safe period, and I didn't finish much inside," he admitted.Lucian didn't allow himself to become too confident, mindful of his lack of experience and three years of abstinence.He found it challenging to restrain himself in the heat of the moment and ejaculated. Calista shot him an exasperated look."A safe period is never a hundred percent guarantee. Do you even get that?"Lucian huffed."I'm not exactly an expert on women's stuff, unlike someone.""Who are you directing your sarcasm at? Paul held a different view. He frequently praises you, and yet you respond with sarcasm."Lucian was surprised. Had Paul complimented him? It was unusual, as rival encounters typically sparked jealousy, not praise."What did he say about me?" Lucian inquired."He said you're good-looking and, well, popular with women ..." Calista muttered."I'm being generous by befriending him. He can't even be h
As Calista arrived at the museum the next day, a colleague approached her urgently."Claude, have you heard the news? Madam White has confessed. They say she's going to be sentenced next month.""Amelia confessed?"Calista had orchestrated the dramatic incident at the manor in front of Hugo. With Amelia's confession, it appeared that the Jacquez family prioritized their interests above all else."What do you reckon Madam White was aiming for? She was nearing retirement. Yet now, her reputation and career are in ruins," her colleague commented.Calista smiled faintly and replied, "Who knows? Maybe people just stop giving a damn about many things as they get older."Amelia's confession didn't have a significant impact on Calista. What did it signify when Vivian could stir up so much chaos yet still escape it? However, Calista didn't expect Hugo to come looking for her."Ms. Everhart, do you have a moment to talk?" Hugo asked.He was dressed in a relaxed manner but radiated an air
Out of nowhere, a black sedan sped directly toward Calista. Attention fixed on her phone call, Calista had no chance to react.The car approached so rapidly that debris from the collision grazed her skin. Escape was impossible. Their eyes locked through the windshield as screams and the loud impact filled the air.All other sounds faded away at that moment, leaving only the image of the unfamiliar, manic face growing more significant before Calista.Abruptly, she felt a powerful force from behind, causing her to stumble forward, tripping over debris and tumbling on the ground.Bang!The car collided with an object, and Calista was thrown to the ground, feeling pain in her elbows and knees.Oddly, the physical discomfort helped her snap out of the fear and shock she had just experienced. As she lay on the ground, the noises around her began to make sense.People were shouting, "Call 911 immediately! Look at all that blood. It doesn't look like the chances of survival are high."