Calista rolled her eyes."When someone disappears, they usually come home with a beautiful fiancee. You, on the other hand, brought home a father with a few screws loose."Lucian frowned. Part of him felt wronged and misunderstood."I didn't …"He paused before he could finish and turned to her with his expression bright with joy."Did you just say I went missing and brought home a father …? Does that mean you believe me, Callie? Do you believe I'm Lucian?"He looked overly thrilled. Calista deliberately messed with him."No."He appeared so sharp when Kyros was around. It was enough to subtly clue her in about the man knowing the number of pills in the bottle.So, why was he acting so foolishly now? If she didn't believe him, would he be allowed to kiss and touch her without being slapped?Lucian panicked. Seeing Calista approach the couch, he reached and grabbed her."But, you just said …"She had no choice but to face him. It wasn't as if she could walk away either. She
"How do you test for lovesickness? Do you take me for an idiot?" Calista pushed him away and turned to open the door."You're still in the enemy camp. Focus on staying undercover. You're already being forced to take medicine. You should hurry and come up with something. I can only cover for you once. I can't stop you from taking it every time.""You're just taking them as they come. Aren't you afraid you'll end up turning into an idiot because you keep taking the pills?" With how practiced Kyros seemed, it was likely that it wasn't his first time feeding them to Lucian. Despite knowing that he wasn't a good person, Lucian still reached for the "medicine".The thought infuriated Calista. But, she knew that he wouldn't put himself in harm's way if there were other courses of action he could take.Calista was about to turn the doorknob when Lucian hugged her from behind. His lips brushed against her."Stay tonight?"Their hands were interlocked over her abdomen. She was relieved
"Go on, Kyros. Bark like a dog. Do it. Woof woof …""Hurry up, Kyros. You're one of them, aren't you? Look, it's a female. You should treat her better. Who knows? She might be your wife when you grow up. Isn't she pretty? Come on, kiss her."The children had picked up the behavior from watching television."Woof woof …""Hahaha …"The dog's barks mingled with the sound of human laughter was piercing to the ears.Kyros, who was in bed, suddenly opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was shrouded by darkness. All he could see was the faint outline of the light.He stared absentmindedly at it. With no one around, his bitterness, indifference, ferocity, and hatred all came spilling out from his eyes. In his eyes, the shadow slowly transformed into a dog.It was such a disgusting creature …He stayed lying in place for a while before getting out of bed. He walked barefoot to the table and poured himself a glass of wine.He downed it all in one gulp. The burning sensation of the st
"You had Mr. Beaumont advise me to not give up on my interest last time. I ultimately decided to remain at the Northwood Corporation. But still, thank you."Calista grabbed her car keys. Then, she stopped in her tracks as she was brushing past him. "I'll think about it. Thank you, Paul."Paul watched her retreating figure and felt hesitation surface in his heart. He didn't know who was the one to have Augustus offer her advice. But, he could hazard a guess.However, Calista wrongly assumed that it was him. If he went along with the misunderstanding … She had already grabbed the door handle and was about to get into the car."Calista …" Paul stopped her with a gentle smile playing on his lips."This is my first time."Calista turned to stare at him, shocked. She was in disbelief. The man's smile was warm as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said."Umm … Huh?"What did Paul mean by that? She was at a loss for words. What did he mean by it being his "fir
The only person who had the passcode to Lucian's home was Kyros. He was also the only one who would barge in so impolitely without knocking. "Jordan."The man's voice carried a hint of youth. Kyros approached on bare feet. The carpets had muffled the sounds, leaving his footsteps silent."Are you asleep, Jordan?"Lucian sat up from the couch with his legs apart and elbows resting on his knees. He rubbed his brows tiredly."No. I drank a little too much. I don't feel like moving around right now. Why are you here?""I got bored. So, I came to see you."Kyros sat down next to him, flicked on the lights, and switched on the television. He was enthusiastically flipping through the channels.With so many streaming services available, they could watch anything they wanted just by a quick search online. Not many people watch television broadcasts anymore.The television hadn't been switched on since it was installed. Why was Kyros suddenly so interested in watching a live broadcast
Lucian was staring at his phone, seemingly uninterested. He glanced up briefly and lowered his head."I don't know."Kyros stared intently at him."Do you not …"Before he could finish, the commercial break ended.The host, in her overly enthusiastic tone, shouted, "And, Mr. Mulligan says it's genuine!""The bronze artifact is indeed confusing. It's normal for Claude to have made a mistake. She may be an excellent conservator, but she lacks experience in artifact appraisal. It's easy to find yourself in a deadlock when you stick by the books. "She missed a few subtle details. This bronze piece had a plain surface. Its simplicity is a standard for Kashgar Dynasty vessels. The rust is naturally formed after millennia of precipitation. "Also, take a look at these decorative lines. They're discreetly hidden. You'll miss them if you don't study it closely. Fake decorative lines are generally in more conspicuous places or deliberately polished to look even …" Mr. Mulligan said.Ca
The pills lay scattered all over the floor as Kyros stood frozen mid-motion. There was something dark hidden in his gaze as his eyes followed Lucian's every move. "Why won't you take your medicine, Jordan? Is it because …"Did he already know something? Kyros paused. He ultimately decided against asking directly. "Is there something wrong with the medicine?"Lucian was making a phone call. Upon hearing Kyros' question, he turned around. His stern gaze shifted from his face to his feet."My illness isn't going to kill me if I don't take my medicine. Take a look at yourself. What is wrong with you? Can you not see the glass shards on the ground? Even if you don't see them, do you not feel any pain?"He frowned at the sight of the blood oozing from Kyros' feet. The carpet had been dirtied. Once the call connected, Lucian turned away. His tone had turned cold."Hello, Dr. Davis. I'm Jordan. Can you please drop by? Kyros injured his feet.""Yes, he was pierced by glass shards. He'
Yara was an easy-going person but she was always careful with her words. She couldn't reveal anything about the possibility of Lucian's return even if it were done subconsciously.She glanced at the person behind her and said impatiently, "Does he not have to support his wife anymore just because he's missing? The tab is right there. He can pay it off once he returns."The lights were dim in the private room. The man didn't notice Yara's displeasure. He thought she was engaging in casual conversation.With how noisy it was, it wasn't out of the ordinary for him to raise his voice."He's been gone for so long. Don't you think he's probably dead by now?""Have you ever paid respects to your forefathers? Do you not ask for blessings to get rich? There are ways to care for your wife while you're still around. There are also ways to care for her even when you're gone. Even without the husband as the breadwinner, he can still ensure the wellbeing of his wife."The man stared at her, to