Calista said, "You only have one chance to speak, so make it good. I've also uncovered a lot over these years. Don't you dare lie to me? Think about what Nikolette did today. I might have to get a doctor to look at the injuries. Then, you might get a reunion with your daughter." She even showed him a picture taken by onlookers in the restaurant, capturing when Nikolette pulled her hair.In the photo, Calista appeared weak, pitiful, and helpless. It was apparent she was being intimidated. Zachary was speechless. Zachary thought Nikolette was foolish to hand her the evidence on a silver platter, but he also felt she should have been harder on Calista, looking at her arrogant demeanor. "Someone approached me back then, asking for your mother's help restoring a painting. I thought it was nothing, so I agreed." He skipped over the details, not mentioning he'd been tricked or accepted a large sum of money from the client.Nor did he mention how he had begged and pressured Joan aft
"When did I … "Calista had already forgotten about such a minor incident.She suddenly recalled and explained, "That was when I was helping a director find an actor for his new drama. I immediately blocked him after I gave the director his contact." Lucian's eyes lit up, but he calmed down and responded dully."Hmm." Her following sentence caught Lucian off guard, "You were on a blind date with Ms. Turner back then." Lucian looked puzzled, "Ms. Turner? Who's that?" Calista rolled her eyes at him."You've gone on a date with her and can't even remember her name. She even got her father's business involved because of you." Upon hearing this, Lucian remembered the incident.He furrowed his brows and asked, "The one who accidentally burned your hand with boiling water?" His tone was still filled with anger even though it had been a long time, and he had forgotten what she looked like. ... David had reserved a private room. As they entered, they were greeted by the
She sent him letters for a month but received no reply. At that time, Paul didn't like her, so it made sense that he threw away her letters. Lucian froze instantly. However, Calista was merely asking a casual question. She didn't expect a response nor realized Lucian stiffed up. She had no idea he was contemplating whether to tell her the truth. While some methods used to pursue women might be acceptable, he had already deceived her about the watch incident.He could still find excuses back then. But when it came to the love letters, it was a different matter. Before he could figure it out, Calista reached out and put away the stack of cards, pushing them toward Lucian."Alright, keep them." They were sitting by the window on the first floor, and the stack of cards was too conspicuous. Calista could see several passersby glancing their way.She didn't want to be knocked unconscious and stuffed in a sack as soon as they left the restaurant. "We aren't even officially dating
Lucian lowered his head and leaned toward her. Calista could feel his warm breath on her face, and she closed her eyes. His soft lips landed on her forehead. Then, it was quickly replaced by the cold. Lucian got up, tucked her in, and said, "Go sleep early." Calista didn't know what to say. The fire within her still burned wildly, and her defenses had slowly crumbled. But she couldn't act cold; otherwise, she would seem too desperate. She kicked the blankets aside and exited the bed, complaining, "Sleep my ass. You haven't even washed up and put your dirty body on the bed. You're disgusting." Without waiting for Lucian's response, she headed to the bathroom. Lucian had carried her all the way from the car, and she was still wearing her shoes, so she took them off and walked barefoot. When she came out of the shower, Lucian was no longer in the room, but her slippers were neatly placed at the bathroom door. It was still early, and she couldn't sleep. Her stomach felt uncomfo
At the same time, an anxious voice bellowed behind her, "Zayn, your son has been kidnapped. the kidnappers have demanded that you answer the phone, and there are only ten seconds left before they kill him. Please speak quickly." Calista's hand froze in mid-air as she reached for the receiver. She knew she couldn't get any helpful information from Zayn anymore, even though she had promised to protect them.This man would not reveal anything. With bloodshot eyes, Zayn rushed to the glass and stammered, "This is Zayn! I know. I will never make that mistake again! Please release my son, I beg you!" After saying that, he kept banging his head against the glass and repeated, "I beg you, I beg you." The prison guards on the side couldn't stop him in time. He hit it so hard his forehead was bleeding. Calista looked at the bloodstains streaking down the transparent glass and felt like she had entered a daze. She walked out of the visiting hall with cold hands and feet, and behind h
The air smelled of burning leather, and the seats near the window were already heavily damaged as they bubbled due to the corrosion. If Timothy hadn't slammed the brakes at that moment. The sulphuric acid would have hit Calista, and her face would be covered in acid. At this moment, Calista and Yara were leaning against the other side of the car door, with burns on their arms from the acid. As soon as Timothy shouted, Calista instinctively reached out to close the window, but halfway through, she realized it was too late.The car window was rising too slowly. However, the fraction of a second she delayed was enough for the perpetrators to respond, so when she tried to pull back, it was too late to avoid it. In the critical moment, Yara pulled her back, causing Yara's hand to be splashed with sulfuric acid. The car had already brushed past quickly, leaving only the wind behind and a harsh warning. "Stay in line. This is your lesson." Timothy stopped the car and quickly to
Lucian was in a meeting when Timothy called. His mind went blank instantly, and he was engulfed by silence. He slumped in his chair, feeling like all his strength had been drained. It was difficult for him to move even a muscle in his body. It took several seconds before he finally grasped hold of the situation. He stood up, his face was dark and silently walked out of the meeting room. Even later, the executives present still remembered how awful and gloomy Lucian looked at that moment. Calista seemed somewhat dazed, slow to react, but it wasn’t as if she was scared out of her wits. She looked at Lucian, yet it seemed she was looking past him.After a while, she slowly said, "I'm sorry." She was completely out of it as if trapped in a mental state where no one could reach her. The person before her seemed like a lifeless puppet. Lucian grabbed her hand with a strong grip. The pain brought Calista back to her senses. "Callie." She finally focused her gaze and looked at h
Afterward, Calista lay on the bed, utterly devoid of strength.The remnants of passion hadn't completely faded, and she gazed at the open box of condoms on the bedside table, asking, "Why do I have this in my room?" Lucian lifted her from the bed and took her to the bathroom to shower.His voice was filled with contentment as he replied, "For occasional needs." Calista's hand couldn't touch water, so she had no choice but to bathe. He placed her on the vanity and went to fill the bathtub with water. Feeling bored, she began playing with the drawer beneath the vanity. Since she wasn't taking anything, she had only opened it slightly.However, one time she pulled it too hard, and the drawer opened a few inches. She instinctively looked down. A conspicuous blue box inside caught Calista's eye, and she couldn't help but widen her eyes. "You even have needs in the bathroom?" The water in the bathtub was nearly ready. Lucian walked over, but instead of taking her to the bath, he