Lucian didn't make his way out because Calista was already heading toward the mansion from the garden. Although Hugo wasn't with her, his gaze was fixated on Calista. As a man, Lucian could tell at first glance that he looked at her differently.Narrowing his eyes, Lucian was visibly unpleasant. He was enduring every single second as he waited for her to walk over.He closed his eyes, only managing to suppress his raging agitation when she finally entered the mansion. He had to beware of her childhood sweetheart, her high school friend, and now there's another man who's almost dying. His brain was wrecked at the thought of it. Calista saw Lucian as soon as she entered. The food on the table remained as they were before she went out. "Why are you standing here? Didn't you eat?""Was it a great chat?" asked Lucian in a resentful manner. "It's alright," Calista replied.She wasn't sure what he was up to again, but she couldn't bother to argue with him. Without giving much
The room was filled with Joan's stuff. Her photos were hung up on the wall. Yesterday, Hugo told her that this mansion wasn't just a place where her mother used to work, but it was also a place where her mother had stayed for years.No wonder, she found the place to be so familiar, even the flowers planted in the garden were her mom's favorite. That sense of familiarity grew stronger when she entered the room. Joan had passed on for more than a decade now, and a lot of Calista's memories about her were fading. However, now that she'd seen all of these, the memories came rushing back at her again. Calista's fingers brushed past the dressing table. Not a speck of dust was on it. It was cleaned very often. The items in the room looked ancient, but they were all in tip-top condition.As for Zachary, after he got married again, he put all of her mother's stuff in the basement, letting them tarnish in dust. He also sold all the valuable luxury items.The sight before her eyes remind
Calista was at a loss for words.The car's heating system was set to a temperature that was just right for Calista, who was sensitive to the cold. But, it was a little too warm for Lucian, prompting him to loosen his tie.Of course, when a handsome, well-built man did that, it appeared exceptionally seductive and a sight for sore eyes.His fingers rested on the dark tie. The digits were slender and well-proportioned, resembling a finely crafted work of art.Calista didn't consider herself fascinated by hands. But, she found herself unable to look away from the sight. The discomfort she felt after reading the diary seemed to ease.Just as she was entranced by his charms, Lucian leaned down to kiss her.The man, who had restrained himself for days, was now no different from a beast that had been starved for years. The kiss was so intense that Calista couldn't resist at all. He stole her breath away.She tilted her head back in an attempt to avoid him. Only, Lucian wasn't going to
Jessen flew into a violent rage.He smacked the table and shouted, "If you touch a hair on their head, I'll kill you myself, Calista Everhart.""What do you think you're doing? Do you plan on rotting in prison for the rest of your life, Jessen? You're going into solitary confinement," the prison guard said.Jessen quickly apologized with a bow."I apologize. My son is ill. I got carried away in the heat of the moment. It won't happen again."When he spoke again, he behaved much better."How is my son, Ms. Everhart?""He's alright. He just needs to be on medications all the time. Your wife hasn't had a stable job in years to take care of him. She's struggling because of the high medical expenses …""That's impossible," Jessen spoke with absolute certainty."Why is that?"Calista wasn't surprised that he didn't say anything. She had been dealing with him for years and wasn't bothered by the delay. She attached a printed chat record to the glass."The money that person gives an
The melancholic atmosphere vanished in an instant. Calista massaged her temples in disbelief. She shot a sidelong glance at Hector."Weren't you leaving? Do you have to run your mouth? Are you that eager to remain bedridden for the next month?"Hector lowered his voice and replied, "You don't understand. Men are egoists. The more unattainable something is, the more they want it for themselves. Once they have what they want, they will no longer feel challenged. Once things start getting stale, they would seek excitement from other women. You need to keep him on edge. Make him believe you have countless other men who want you even without him. That's how you keep him wrapped around your finger."Calista scoffed and shot him a withering stare. Most people would insult others but Hector was insulting himself too. Lucian's eyes passed over them.Hector and Calista stood on the steps, bathed in twilight. The radiant glow seemed to meld the pair together.An attractive man and a beautifu
The person hesitated to get up and whispered, "Everything hurts."Hector was rendered speechless. He had never been a religious person. But now, he was starting to become one. He wondered which god he'd offended.The past twenty years of his life had been smooth sailing. Now, it seemed as if all the bad luck he accumulated throughout the years had caught up with him.None of this was his responsibility. But he still had to do something about it.He glanced around the area. Despite there being no other vehicles around, both of them would be in big trouble if another car showed up.Hector had an injury in his leg that made it hard for him to kneel. So, he lowered himself into a bow instead."Can you move? If you aren't too badly hurt, I'll help move you to the side of the road and call for an ambulance. It's not safe to stay in the middle of the road."With that, the call connected."Hello. We need an ambulance at the Nubium Highway right away. The victim …"Just as he was about
Lucian buried his face into Calista's shoulder as he pressed his warm body up against hers. His fingers ran through her hair and brushed against her scalp.He held the woman by her slender waist with his other hand. The tingling sensation sent shivers down Calista's spine. The man's husky voice sounded in her ear."Let's try what you brought up last time."She was puzzled. What had she said the last time around?Calista couldn't remember. She couldn't spare her mental capacity to recall what had been said at a time like this. However, she vaguely understood what Lucian meant."I don't …"She didn't know why she was refusing when her body was responding. Her mind went blank from the mental shock she received. All her answers and reactions were based on instinct.Before she could utter her refusal, Lucian grabbed her and held her down to the bed.He knelt on the edge of the bed on one knee as he stared down at her. The dark eyes fixated on her were roiling with tides of darkness.
Bill wasn't aware that Lucian and Calista had already gotten a divorce. He had assumed that they were husband and wife as they had arrived together. Paul corrected him."They're divorced, Uncle Bill."Bill was so embarrassed that his hair was standing on end. He turned to Paul and berated him."Forget it. Just stay put while you're in the hospital. I'm going home. What about that old wallet? I'll throw it out on my way down."Karma certainly had its ways. Couldn't he have kept his mouth shut? Paul pressed his lips into a thin line."No.""You're oddly protective of it. Was it a gift from your beloved?""... Yes."Bill was just about to leave. His nephew's words surprised him. Despite Paul's gentlemanly nature, he had never been good with women. He hadn't heard of him being in any romantic relationships at all."When did that happen? You should introduce her to the rest of the family then. Your mother has gone gray worrying about your marriage."Paul looked up and fixed his ga
With Cade covering Cameron's mouth, there was no chance for her pointed words to offend anyone in the room. His palm was cool to the touch. It was a sensation she disliked. So, she couldn't help but tilt her head.When Cade noticed her movements, he gently stroked her cheek as if he were calming a child who was throwing a tantrum.Victor spent years in a position of authority, giving him an air of unspoken authority. His gaze hardened, and his lips pressed into a firm line as he watched Cade. "Cade, don't jeopardize the long-standing relationship between our families over a woman.""If that's how you see it." Cade glanced at the door. "Aren't you doing the same for a woman?"Victor snorted contemptuously. "How can a cheap girl who was merely adopted be worth anything compared to Mirabelle?""How is my daughter, a Yorksworth, worth any less than yours?" Blaire stood at the doorway as she took in the occupants of the home with her sharp gaze. She had been feeling restless ever sin
Mirabelle frowned. "Excuse me?"As soon as she finished speaking, Cameron walked up to her, grabbed her by her hair, and forcefully bent her over.Cameron held up the guest list Monica had sent her and shoved it in Mirabelle's face. "Call them. Tell them to be there by 3:00 p.m., or else…"She tightened her grip threateningly. "You can kiss this head of hair goodbye."Mirabelle pressed down on her scalp where it had been pulled, her voice distorted with pain when she spoke."Let go, Cameron! Are you out of your mind?""Didn't I tell you not to involve anyone else in our feud?""Can't take it anymore?"Mirabelle endured the pain of turning her head to flash a disdainful sneer at Cameron."This is just the appetizer. If you go against me, you'll eventually crawl out of Capeton with your tail between your legs. I'll call your business partner right now and pin the catastrophic failure of this event on you…"Seeing Mirabelle's condescending expression brought Cameron back to the
The kiss lifted the dark cloud that hung over Cade's mood over the past few days.The next day, as Fabian brought in documents for him to sign, Cade asked, "When is Cameron's show?"Fabian was taken aback for a split second but quickly replied. Fortunately, he was well-prepared and kept track of Cameron's events for the year in advance."Has the invitation been delivered?"Fabian swallowed, almost wanting to laugh to mock Cade. Given Cade's strained relationship with his wife, Cameron would sooner invite a dog than have him around. However, all Fabian could do was revel in Cade's misery in his mind while keeping a businesslike facade."It was probably already delivered. The front desk brought in a stack of mail yesterday. I haven't sorted it out yet."He had already sorted out the mail this morning. Everything had gone straight to the trash."Clear my schedule for the day. Make reservations at a restaurant for a celebratory dinner.""Yes, sir."On the day of the show, Monica
That was obviously an excuse to get Cade out of the picture. Knowing what Mirabelle had done to Cameron in the past, leaving the two of them alone was out of the question. Besides, it wasn't convenient for him to move the car, so he refused without a second thought."Get the attendant—"However, Cameron cut him off before he could finish."Ms. Ackerman is a guest. You should fulfill her requests if she has any."Cade cast her a cold glance. "Shut up." Why should he dance to Mirabelle's tune?Cameron stared at him. "Run along."He gritted his teeth as rage crossed his face. After a brief pause, he sneered and turned to leave. As soon as the door shut behind him, Mirabelle's calm expression slipped. "Did you make me come here just to show off how much you two love each other?""You call that love? I think we have different definitions of what 'love' is then. He's nothing more than…" Cameron's fingers lightly traced the cup's rim as she smirked and said, "A lap dog.""You fu
Cameron crossed her arms over her chest and gave the bouquet in Cade's hands a nonchalant glance."What are you trying to pull, Mr. Carter?""Fabian said it was Women's Day today.""So what?"There was silence all around. The sound of soothing music could be heard through the door. Cade was silent for a while. "We're not getting a divorce, Cameron."It was the same old topic that Cameron had grown too weary of. She turned around and felt for the cigarette box on the table. There was already a layer of cigarette butts in the ashtray next to it. Judging by the color of the lipstick marks, more than half of them were hers.Cade frowned. He clearly disapproved of her smoking but kept himself from stopping her.Smoke curled from between her lips. The flickering embers of the cigarette reflected in her eyes, softening her indifferent gaze. Through the thin haze, Cameron's lips curled into a wide, unrestrained smile. Every time she smiled in this way, it always filled Cade with a
Cade began unbuckling his belt as he spoke. When it came to this sort of thing, men often had a strong sense of competition, especially in the presence of a woman they were interested in."Such a dark atmosphere isn't right for our situation."Cameron didn't like him to begin. In such a dark atmosphere, there was no telling what kind of grotesque creature she might imagine him to be. It would be strange if she felt attraction for him.She leveled a steady stare at him. Cade's shirt was half undone, showing his tense muscles underneath. Under the influence of alcohol, his skin took on a faint reddish hue. There was a heart-pounding tension in the air as if something was about to ignite. Occasionally, his slightly heavy breaths could be heard."You haven't been working out recently, have you?" Cameron asked.Cade was confused.Cameron pressed her hand against his chest, right below his ribs, and gave it a little push. After a moment, she commented, "Your muscles are a little soft
Cade tossed his phone onto the table in frustration when he saw who entered. He pressed his hand against his brow."Leave. You should see Diane for a work uniform.""Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Carter?" Rosalia approached the desk with a glass of milk in hand. "I learned how to give massages. Why don't I…" "Get out."Cade abruptly got to his feet and avoided Rosalia's outstretched hand, causing the milk to spill all over him. He glanced down at his now-stained shirt with a dark expression and pressed his lips tightly together. After a long pause, he asked through clenched teeth, "Did my wife ask you to send this up?" Every syllable was pronounced with the gnashing of teeth.Rosalia froze under his piercing gaze."It really was Mrs. Carter who asked me to bring it to you, sir," she stammered."Leave. From now on, you will not enter my study unless you have permission."Rosalia had come to work as a housekeeper to land herself a wealthy husband. She had even bribed the manager
On the next day, Cameron was discussing the fashion show with Monica when she suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. "Cammie…" It was Blaire.Although Monica didn't fully know about Cameron's past, she didn't like Blaire at all. What kind of mother wouldn't protect their own child, after all?However, it wasn't appropriate for her to intervene as much even though she was Cameron's close friend. After all, it was Cameron's family matter.Monica stood up with her notebook in hand and said, "Well, I just remembered that there's still a few more invitations to send, so I'll go and take care of that. Let's discuss more about the fashion show later."After saying that, she glanced at Blaire and left without even greeting her.Cameron got up and nodded at Blaire. "Is something the matter?"She thought that her distant attitude last night had made it clear enough that she didn't want any more involvement with the Yorksworth family. She didn't expect that Blaire would come and loo
Cameron pushed the door open. She looked tired as she laid down her bag. As she changed her shoes, she caught sight of the food on the dining table out of the corner of her eye."Diane, didn't I tell you I wasn't coming back for dinner? Why did you make so much food?"Diane glanced upstairs. "It's for Mr. Carter. He hasn't eaten yet."The moment Cade was mentioned, Cameron dropped the topic. She rubbed her sore shoulder as she headed upstairs. "I see.""Madam…" Diane called out hesitantly, looking troubled. "Mr. Carter asked you to call him down for dinner when you got home.""Me? Call him down for dinner?" Cameron stopped in her tracks and turned around in confusion. "Why?""Mr. Carter seems to be upset. Did you two have another fight?""So If he's in a bad mood, I'm supposed to go upstairs and invite him down to eat? Should I also say 'Your meal is ready, my liege!' while I'm at it?" Cameron scoffed. Her sarcastic smirk quickly faded. "He can eat if he wants. If he doesn't,