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."
What a heartwarming display of friendship! Genuine bonds like this were touching in a world where superficiality often overshadowed human connections.Reporters promptly pointed their microphones and cameras in Calista's direction."Ms. Everhart, Ms. Jacquez put her safety on the line to rescue you during that crucial moment. How does that make you feel?" one reporter inquired.Vivian locked eyes with Calista and raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, signaling that she was playing a role intentionally.She didn't mind letting Calista in on her plan. She almost wished Calista would lose her composure in public, revealing her ingratitude to the world.But even if Calista didn't react that way, it didn't matter to Vivian. Her motive for orchestrating this incident wasn't solely to tarnish Calista's reputation. Calista responded with a gracious smile."I'm genuinely touched, deeply moved indeed. Vivian and I have only recently become acquainted. Aside from work, we haven't had many int
Vivian was recording Calista under the blanket with her phone. She had discreetly positioned her phone earlier, tucking most of the device beneath the blanket and exposing only the camera lens.Moreover, she had covered the phone with a white decorative case to conceal it. Calista paused the recording and casually wiped some blood stains from Vivian's clothes with her fingers."Are you using public pressure to pressure me into allowing you to stay in Capeton, Ms. Jacquez? You don't need to resort to such tactics. If you want to stay, just stay. Capeton isn't mine, and I can't exactly evict you, can I?"Vivian stayed quiet, deep in thought about the circumstances. Hugo had a soft spot for Vivian, and if it weren't for Lucian's reputation, he wouldn't have been so insistent on sending her back to Apthon.Vivian's injury and her selfless act to rescue Calista could potentially garner public support, which might persuade Hugo to have a change of heart.However, despite achieving her g
In that split second, Vivian quickly averted her gaze as if repulsed by him when their eyes met."If you don't do as I've told you, don't bother to show up in front of me again."She absently touched the stiff cast on her leg, the anesthesia still numbing the pain. A trace of determination flickered in Vivian's eyes as she clutched the bedsheet tightly.With a broken leg, she decided to make the most of her situation. The man remained tight-lipped, lowered his gaze, and fixed on her emotionlessly. "Do you want to marry him?" he asked."Yes, I do. Or would you rather I marry you? Get out of here right now, or I won't think twice about letting my father know what you've been up to behind his back."On the other hand, Calista was hanging out in Yara's shop."Is Vivian completely out of her mind? You weren't the one responsible for her injury. What's with her attitude? Just because she saved you, does that mean you must play nursemaid in the hospital, doing all her chores?" Yara ex
Hector knew Calista probably saw something. However, he was unbothered by it at all."It's nothing. Just a minor injury and it'll heal after two days." "The bandage on your chest is already stained with blood. Is this a minor injury?"Calista was just about to bend down to lift his blanket. Her hands were stopped by him when they were about to land on the edge of his blanket.Helplessly, he said, "Don't be so hasty. What if I wasn't wearing any pants?"Calista remained silent. His hands were scorching hot, which was nothing like a normal body temperature. She whipped her hand out and felt his forehead instead."You're having a fever. How long has it been since you've changed your bandage?" The top floor was already hot. There wasn't even an air conditioner. All the place had was a fan. Calista felt scalding hot even when she'd only been here for a few minutes, let alone Hector, who was injured. Hector was extremely frail and drained of energy. He had been in a semi-coma f