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
Calista looked at her and asked, "What would you do?" "I'll throw you a bait to hook you in, then divide the matter into three parts. The first part will be told today, the second part after you successfully send the child abroad and make that professor his attending physician, and the third part after I've settled down abroad," Yara said, her tone light but convincing."Human nature is so; not even family and friends can be fully trusted. Look at those who were deceived into going abroad and ended up becoming exploited. It was either due to their greed or the betrayal of acquaintances." "He is a murderer who killed your mom. What if you go back on your word after he revealed everything? He would just kill someone for money. It"s most likely he"s a horrible person. He wouldn"t bet you"re some kind of saint who will forgive everything?" Yara continued, "So it wouldn"t matter if that call came. You wouldn"t hear what you want anyway. Since that's the case, why blame yourself?"Ya
Calista was taken aback for a moment. Lucian had already pulled up the chair next to her and sat down, his arm resting on the back of her chair. It was a discreet stance in public, yet it showed a strong sense of possession. "Mr. Hugo, aren't the dozens of staff in the Jacques family enough for you? Do you have to interfere with the Northwood family?" Hugo sat back in his chair, his hand resting on the table, a calm expression on his elegant face. "If I remember correctly, Mr. Northwood and Calista are already divorced. How can you say I'm meddling in the Northwood family?" Lucian protested, "Me and ... " He wanted to say they were dating, but he stopped short, realizing that he hadn't officially become her boyfriend yet, and Calista had said they should keep it a secret. Disappointed, he turned cold. "Even if she's my ex-wife, I won't let her be deceived by certain people. And I am currently pursuing Callie ... " Calista quickly tugged at Lucian's trousers under the ta
Back at Everglade Manor, Calista was still thinking about Hugo's sudden suggestion for her to go abroad. Could it be that the Jacques family was undergoing some changes? No wonder they suddenly wanted to expand to Capeton.Lost in her thoughts about the Jacques family, she forgot about the injury on Lucian's body. But when she snapped back to reality, he was nowhere to be seen. He didn't even take advantage of his wound, which was unlike the sly man he was. Calista was just about to go upstairs to check when she received a call from Paul. "Calista, the company is hosting a dinner party for the CrossTime Project tonight. Are you available? The project team has been talking about missing you all day. They’d be thrilled if you come." She was a part-timer and only spent up to four hours at the company each day.Due to the tight schedule, she would dive straight into work as soon as she arrived, without even a moment for small talk. So, it was clear that they were just using her t
Calista took the watch, and it was well-preserved except for some rust on the metal strap due to its long time in storage; there were hardly any other scratches.Her resentment towards Zachary grew stronger. Even a stranger could preserve her mother's heirloom so well. That scoundrel deserved to die alone.The watch had stopped moving, likely because the battery had run out. Paul noticed Calista staring at the hands and said, "The battery is dead. I can take it to the watch store later, and it will work normally again." "There’s no need," Calista replied as she put the watch away."This is my mother's heirloom, and I want to keep it there, safe. Thank you." Mrs. Baker glanced at Paul, her usually gentle face now shadowed with guilt. "You’re too kind. When your father did what he did back then, the Baker family was also facing financial difficulties. We couldn't help you, and I've felt guilty about it all these years. I've thought that even in death, I would be too ashamed to
Cade turned, frowning in confusion. Mirabelle had just stumbled into the café, unkempt, disheveled, and utterly unlike her usual self. The grace and poise she once wore like armor were gone. Her hair was tangled, her outfit wrinkled, and one of her heels had snapped clean off.But it was clear—she hadn't come for him. The instant her eyes found his, she froze. Then, almost frantically, she adjusted her clothes and ran trembling fingers through her hair.She walked over, chin lifted, as if her heel wasn't broken, as if she hadn't just staggered in like a ghost of herself."Cade," she said, summoning the haughtiness of an Ackerman heiress. "Are you really willing to throw away everything between our families for Cameron?"She had begged nearly everyone she knew that day—men and women who owed her family countless favors. All of them had turned their backs. She finally understood what it meant to be on a sinking ship, swarmed by rats scurrying for safety.Mirabelle knew she should be
Fabian said, "Mr. Ackerman was taken away by the Office of Inspector General this morning. Madam Cameron and the Bark family are reportedly the ones responsible."The Carter Group hadn't broken any laws, nor had they been financially entangled with the Ackermans for over a decade. Still, the long-standing ties between the two families ran deep. If Victor Ackerman had skeletons in his closet, Cade would have a hard time avoiding the fallout.Cade propped his hand against his cheek. "What about my wife?""Madam Cameron…" Fabian had to steel himself to answer Cade. "Madam Cameron left the country. She applied for a long-term visa."Even with reporters hounding him, that sentence rang loud and clear in Cade's ears.A long silence stretched before he let out a quiet, bitter laugh.He had never realized how much Cameron had orchestrated behind his back. The Ackermans or the media could trip him up for now, but her betrayal cut deeper. Every move had been calculated.And the most absur
Cade crossed the room as Cameron, already seated, leaned her cheek against her hand, skimming the menu. "Want a drink?" she asked casually.His heart skipped a beat.Cameron's appearance radiated deliberate perfection. From her flawlessly styled hair and expertly applied makeup to her impeccable outfit and carefully chosen accessories, every detail was considered. Even her expensive "Allure" perfume hinted at a desire to captivate.A private dining room meant for couples with only spouses in each other's company…Given the setup, sharing a drink seemed like an implicit invitation.Cade pressed his lips into a line, trying to ignore the rising curve of a smile. "Sure," he replied, his tone deceptively even. "We'll start with two bottles of Magnolia's Pulpit," Cameron said.Cade choked on his water, coughing as he asked, "Seriously?"Who would start a date with such a strong distilled spirit? With two bottles, no less.Cameron propped up her chin and raised an eyebrow. "Is that
Cameron stared at her screen, where Gale had just sent a single word. "Ready." Her lips curled up involuntarily.Cade noticed the smile. He didn't know who she was messaging, but it irritated him for some reason. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly and asked, "What if the Ackermans refuse to settle?"Cameron didn't bother to answer. She knew Violet and Victor would soon be in hot water, so she hadn't considered the aftermath. However, to Cade, her silence only confirmed his assumptions—she was reckless, unprepared, and acting purely on emotion. He clenched his jaw and finally stopped holding his breath. Then, suddenly, he pulled the car over with a sharp twist of the wheel. "Did you think it through before turning yourself in? What if the psych evaluation comes back clean, and the Ackermans insist on pressing charges? What then? You hurt Mirabelle badly. You think you'll have it easy in prison with the way they dote on her?" In contrast to Cade's exasperation, Cameron remaine
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