It was a man knocking on the window. He was tall; his height evident from the bent of his body. He wore a black hoodie with the hood covering the upper half of his face. A black mask covered the lower half.Calista's car was parked by a streetlamp. When he bent down to look in, the light beat down on his back, making his shadowed face appear much darker. He looked … like a ghost.Calista reached for the safety hammer in the compartment between the driver and passenger seats. Then, she held the pointed end toward the man while swiftly hitting the ignition button."It's me, Madam Calista. Calm down."The man hurriedly pulled down his mask and pressed his face up against the glass so she could see him better. "Don't go. I was sent by the boss."She was at a loss for words. He was the man who clamped her mouth shut back at the parking lot a while ago. He was one of Lucian's men, though she had long since forgotten his name.Relieved to see a familiar face, Calista finally eased u
Lucian was finally alone with Calista. He didn't want to continue discussing these unpleasant matters."Let Sett help you move."All he wanted was for her to pick up her essential items and leave the rest behind. They could always get her new ones. But, if he left a trail behind, there was a chance she would use it as an excuse to move out again. Calista gave it some thought."Alright."Since she was currently "on vacation", she didn't have to report to work at the Northwood Corporation. There was no need for her to live in a business center where even getting on the subway required a struggle. It'll also keep Lucian from being distracted because of her.Now that he successfully convinced his wife to move back into their home, remarriage wasn't far off. Once they dealt with Kyros, he was going to take her to the City Hall to legalize their marriage lest more troubles arose. Then, they would address the matter of his nonexistent child. But if she were to get pregnant, it me
Calista moved back into the Everglade Manor. David had preserved the flowers in the parlor and placed them in the vacant room on the second floor to avoid triggering her. The servants had cleaned the manor inside and out and changed the bed sheets in anticipation of her return.As it was extremely late by then, Calista didn't have the energy to unpack the boxes of luggage she brought from her apartment. She had originally only planned on bringing her daily necessities. Everything including clothes were at her disposal at the manor. However, Sett insisted on packing everything.What was once a nice apartment had been turned upside down. Safe for the furniture that had been there from the start, everything had been taken to the dumpster downstairs.Calista hastily took a shower and climbed into bed.The next day, she was awakened by the ringing of her phone. Having slept late the previous night, she was so tired that she could barely open her eyes. Her thoughts were muddled."He
However, Cade was extremely busy. The call lasted for all but two seconds."He told you to stay put at the Everglade Manor."How could Calista possibly stay put in a situation like this? Even if she wanted to stay, she had to know that Lucian was safe. The news was flooded with reports of his disappearance. She felt ill at ease without first learning if this was his or Kyros' plan.Calista got dressed. The moment she set foot outside, she ran into Paul. He let out a sigh of relief to see her well.After he learned of the goings-on with the Lancaster Group, he rushed to her apartment. However, after knocking on the door for a long time and receiving no response, he considered calling her. Yet, he was afraid she hadn't seen the news yet. Since she wasn't at her apartment, he thought of trying his luck at the Everglade Manor. Unexpectedly, he encountered Calista just as she was about to leave. He couldn't help but feel relieved. If he arrived a minute later …"I'm going to see
Lucian's answer tormented him. The masterpiece Kyros had been so proud of had been a lie from the start. He had been played for a fool."Given your state, why did you refuse to compromise?"Lucian had been on the verge of dying and was struggling to speak. Coupled with prolonged sleep deprivation, his mental state had teetered on the edge of collapse.Brice had mentioned that Lucian's mental state at the time was ideal for hypnosis. Resisting would mean enduring pain multiplied by a thousandfold. An average person wouldn't be able to withstand that. It would be akin to someone taking a chisel to their brain.So, when Brice told Kyros that Lucian had become an entirely different person, he readily believed the doctor. Even if he were to show cracks, he could rely on himself to patch him back up."I didn't want her to cry," Lucian said.He wasn't certain whether or not Calista would cry upon discovering that he didn't remember her. But, the mere possibility prevented him from for
Calista was on her way to Timothy's law firm when she received the message. Upon seeing the photos, she immediately called the number. Unfortunately, their phone had been switched off.Paul was sitting next to her and also saw the photos."Lucian isn't that weak, Calista. He may have his plans."He feared Calista's impulsiveness would lead her to fall into a trap. Kyros likely had something up his sleeve if he sent the photos. He wasn't telling her anything to make her panic and leave her feeling helpless. With her beloved's life hanging in the balance, even the most resilient person would come apart at the seams over time. Once she was broken in, her focus would shift solely to the immediate problem, making her an easy target to manipulate."I know." Calista forced herself to look away from the photos. She turned off the phone screen to ignore the problem."I'm not going to act impulsively, nor am I going to hand myself over on a silver platter. Kyros is holding back becaus
Lucian calmly leaned against the headrest instead of responding to Kyros' words. His composed demeanor showed no signs of anxiety. He hardly seemed like a man under someone's thumb.His reaction was entirely different from what Kyros was expecting to see. He expected Lucian to be fearful, frantic, and begging for mercy. Instead, he was as calm as a millpond. It was as if he were sitting in his own home.Kyros grabbed him by his face and spoke through gritted teeth, "Your reaction leaves me feeling useless, Lucian. Aren't you scared?"Lucian wasn't angered by Kyros' actions. He showed no inclination to engage. The calmer he remained, the more hysterical Kyros became. He forcefully tore Lucian's clothes, exposing the scars on his chest. "Have you forgotten the pain after your scars healed?"His fingers danced across a scar and forcefully dug his nails in. Blood dripped down between the cracks of his fingers and onto the sheets."Shall I help jog your memory? Back in that basemen
The words finally caused a change in Lucian's facial expression. He watched as Kyros left the room. "Where do you plan on taking me?""You're my brother. You'll be going wherever I go. But for now, just enjoy yourself. Don't waste the gift I prepared for you."Someone delivered a punch to Lucian's stomach as soon as he finished speaking. He was already severely weakened due to the drug. The blow left him even more powerless. He let out a grunt.Lucian doubled over. He was drenched in cold sweat as an intense ache blossomed from his abdomen. He endured the pain. "Are you planning to abandon those who follow you and escape like a drowned rat, Kyros? Or have you fallen to the point where these are the only people you can use?"Kyros brightened."Are you worried about me, Lucian?"Lucian was at a loss for words. He was truly a delusional man."The illegal fundraising case has been filed. The police have probably already issued a citywide warrant for me. I don't think your connec