Vivian couldn't help but roll her eyes and ask, "What's in it for me if I do this? Even if I were to beat someone up, it would be Calista. Nikolette, we're all adults, not teenage girls in junior high. Can't we manage our frustrations through a conversation?" The thought of that incident infuriated her. NIkolette had wasted such a good opportunity like a fool. She should have started by mocking and taunting Calista before resorting to violence. She had to lure Calista in and then act as if she acted out in anger. But this fool seemed so afraid that people wouldn't understand her ulterior motives. She immediately went for the hair and ran away after pulling it. Vivian's friend was present at the time and sent her a video, nearly giving her a heart attack. At that time, she was in Apthon and needed someone to help her obtain Calista's DNA test sample. She had mentioned this to her before, so a stranger wouldn't work, as it would raise suspicion. She had two people in mind, Ya
Lucian wasn’t involved in political circles, but the business industry and politics were closely interconnected.He was well known around, especially in Capeton, where the network is vast and sprawling. It's hard to guarantee that someone won't recognize him. Then, they might recall her bold statements on Facebook initially. She might become famous in this field if they encounter someone who's had a few drinks and can't control their mouth. Calista took out her phone and sent him a message, "Park the car a bit farther." Lucian didn't reply, and there was no more smoke coming from the window. Calista was still somewhat worried, so she slipped out when others weren't paying attention. As soon as she left the restaurant, Lucian saw her in the rearview mirror. His hand rested on the window's up-and-down switch.Just as her face was about to be exposed, she took a step and stood by the car door. "Roll up the window." Lucian didn’t say a word. Though he didn't quite understan
The atmosphere turned quiet, and all eyes were on Calista, who was engrossed in her meal with her head down. Initially, some turned to look at Lucian, but it was clear he was also watching Calista, so they followed his gaze. Oh, no. She had been exposed. Calista laughed dryly under everyone’s curious gaze and said, "This is embarrassing." Lucian lowered his gaze, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips and a hint of amusement in his eyes. Now, those who had been wary of her going crazy after drinking had even less courage to offer her more alcohol.However, Calista had already drunk a lot earlier, and as time passed, the alcohol began to take effect. She rested her chin in her hand, her gaze unfocused, her face flushed, and her lips were rosy and moist. Although she was naturally beautiful, she appeared even more enchanting half-drunk. Even if she did nothing, she was a living, breathing work of art. Lucian’s eyes darkened as he sensed people stealing glances at he
Lucian was on top of her, kissing her gently across her cheeks. He traced his kisses slowly under her jaw, down her neck, and finally paused to nip at her collarbone. "Um..." Calista couldn't help but let out a moan. Her hands were wrapped around his neck. Her fingers clenched tightly. Her knuckles turned white from the pressure, and even her toes curled together. Unconsciously, she tilted her head back, her fair neck drawing an elegant line due to this movement.This brought them closer, closing up the remaining distance between them, and she almost delivered herself to Lucian's lips. Lucian rolled over and lay beside her, one arm around her waist and the other holding her shoulder. He effortlessly lifted Calista and placed her on his abdomen. She had a slim waist that he could almost encompass it with his hands. Calista sat upright for barely two seconds before she lost all her strength and collapsed onto him. Her cheek pressed against his chest, and she could hear the r
Lucian didn't know who was there, but the bodyguards outside hadn't stopped anyone, and they could unlock the fingerprint lock downstairs. It was either his parents or Cade and Paul. But either way, he didn’t want any of them to witness this scene. He lowered his gaze to look at Calista. Her clothes were a bit messy, but she was still dressed. In comparison, he looked worse, with his clothes half-off and bound to the bed. As he tried to break free from the handcuffs and listened carefully to the sounds outside, the carpet muffled the footsteps, making them barely audible. The phone continued to ring incessantly, and after listening for a while, he didn't hear anything. Then he realized that he had been scammed by Hector. The handcuffs that could have been easily broken that day now seemed unbreakable, no matter how much effort he put into it.This was a real pain in the ass. "Damn you, Hector!" He couldn't help but swear, but before he could finish, Cade's voice came fro
The woman in the painting appeared to be in her thirties. She had a classic oval face, gracefully arched eyebrows, and plump lips that seemed to carry a perpetual, enigmatic smile.But lurking in her eyes was an unmistakable air of ambition, making her appear somewhat unapproachable.Calista's artwork was exceptionally lifelike. It captured every detail, including the faint freckles beside the woman's nose bridge. Hugo furrowed his brows as he examined the woman in the painting."That's how she looked over a decade ago. She should be in her fifties now. Her looks hadn't changed much, but she's gathered a few more wrinkles over the years," Calista remarked.The last time they had been in Apthon, she only managed to glimpse Julia's profile.Worried that her portrayal might not be accurate and could mislead others, Calista had opted to depict Julia in her younger days.Hugo carefully stowed away the painting and replied, "I can't put a name to her face."He was confident this woman
Calista glanced at the document provided by the staff and discovered that the family member on record was Charlene Blake.She was registered as the deceased's sister, and her phone number was recorded.There wasn't much additional information in the records, so Calista snapped a photo of the document and left the office with Hugo.Calista couldn't confirm whether Charlene and Julia were the same person until June 16, the day she intended to pay her respects.Until then, she had to be careful and avoid revealing their investigation too soon. Hugo and Calista returned to their car respectively."I'll look into this woman named Julia that you mentioned. If you're not keen on going abroad, avoid traveling until we've identified the mastermind behind all this," Hugo advised.Calista agreed, "Alright, I appreciate your help."Hugo didn't head straight home but instead went to Jean's house. It was a suburban villa in a relatively new development area constructed over the past few years
Throughout the journey, Calista couldn't shake the thoughts of the tombstone. She pondered whether it was a case of mistaken identity or, indeed, her mother's resting place.If it was the latter, she wondered who had placed it and what purpose it served. Calista unlocked her phone and stared at the numbers while approaching a red traffic light."Charlene ..." she muttered.Suddenly, Lucian's call came through."Hello," Calista answered."Where are you?" Lucian spoke in a deep, indifferent voice."I'm ..."Suddenly, Yara's voice interrupted her urgently, "Calista, you're in trouble. This guy ..."Midway through her sentence, Lucian, on the other end of the line, raised his hand, and Yara fell silent. She had forgotten that Lucian had paid her for changing her mind.Yara started to regret her decision and reluctantly corrected herself through clenched teeth."Mr. Northwood deceived me."Yara's face was contorted by a fierce, seething hatred, as though she longed to rip Lucian