It was the Tiara that Vivian had donated. It had been several months since then. What was unexpected was seeing it displayed in the glass cabinet and left untouched since she last worked on it.She had a special attachment for all the artifacts she handled. Once she started, she hoped to be involved until the restoration was completed. If it had to be handed over to someone else midway, it always felt like she was having her child taken away from her. She wondered if others felt the same way. Augustus waved a few people over. Once they gathered, he said, "They were hoping to work together on restoring the piece once you've returned. This tiara has been beckoning us. Now that you're finally back, it takes the pressure off my shoulders. You should all get started and strive to get it done as soon as possible."He left after saying his piece. If he stayed any longer, he might delay their work.The tiara had caused a big stir when it was brought into the country. Conservators both d
All David's attention had been solely on Lucian just now. Now, he noticed the man wheeling him in. It was David's nemesis—Simon Prescott. Was this not a case of enemies meeting? It was like sparks flying between a wife and a mistress trying to vie for a man's attention.When he noticed the man's legs in plaster casts, David was that much closer to beating himself up for having not visited his boss earlier. Even if it was just a perfunctory visit, he would've still had the chance to salvage this. He had reached a dead end. There was now no other way but to find a new path.He grabbed the handles on the wheelchair and pushed Simon aside. Then, he began his exaggerated performance."You're finally back, Mr. Northwood. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I waited day and night for you to return. I lost weight because I was worried you wouldn't have enough to eat. I wondered if you were dressed warmly …"Lucian frowned and cut him off mercilessly."Did you break the scale in the pant
Yara's eyes lit up. That was a fantastic idea. She could afford to raise a child on her own. But upon further consideration, she decided against it. Raising a child was not the same as raising a pet dog. Children need to grow up in a loving family with both fatherly and motherly love. But, before she could dismiss the notion, Timothy spoke up, cold and indifferent from behind her."No."He startled Yara so badly that she nearly leaped out of her chair. While she was gasping for breath, the spice of the grilled meat had her choking. It caused her to cough violently. Once she finally regained her composure, her words sounded disjointed as she bemoaned, "Are you a ghost? Why do you walk around without making a sound? Then, you just speak out of nowhere."She was nearly scared witless. Timothy raised a brow and retorted, "Should I wear military boots and stomp around you until you notice before speaking?"Yara's cheeks were red from the incessant coughing. She gulped down two can
Yara's words and the tone in which she said it implied that it was something perverted. What did she mean by "having fun"?Calista met Lucian's gaze. He seemed to be trying to force a confession out of her. But, she only understood as much as he did. Yara shot her an ambiguous wink. With two fingers extended, she whispered in a volume she thought no one else could hear, "50 for one go. Two for one. Make sure he's handsome and has a good body. Most importantly, he has to have technique …"Before she could finish, Timothy dragged her away by her arm."Hey …"She was already unsteady on her feet. The man dragging her away had her feeling as though she had been thrown into a washing machine that was spinning at high speeds. Her mind spun. She couldn't even remember who she had been speaking to. "Let go of me. I'm going to … throw up."She frowned and rejected Timothy's assistance. But just as she pushed him away and tried to take a step, she swayed uncontrollably to the side.T
"What's so great about them?"Timothy raised a brow,"All it takes is fifty bucks for these 'perfect' men to play a game with you while calling you their baby and their sweetheart."Yara said nothing in response. The 50 dollars was to be split between the two people. It was only 25 dollars for each.But saying it out loud would surely invite ridicule. She hadn't found those terms particularly problematic while she was gaming. So, why did they sound so embarrassing now that she was hearing them again?She glanced at Timothy. The man's features were cold and stern, amplifying the serious look on his face. Being called "baby" by a man with that face made her feel like she was being lectured. How could she be attracted to him? With the game closed, the tension from trying to defeat the boss was now gone. Her drunkenness returned with a vengeance. Yara was exhausted and too lazy to care about what Timothy was up to while he tinkered away on his phone. "I'm tired. I'm going to sle
Calista knew her alcohol tolerance wasn't the best. So, she made a conscious effort to not drink too much. After seeing off her guests, she massaged her sore neck and returned to her room to take a bath. Then, she applied a face mask. An hour had passed by the time she had dried her hair and gotten changed. Lucian had already taken a shower and was now leaning against the bed's headboard replying to messages. Calista climbed underneath the covers before grabbing her phone off the bedside table to send Yara a text. She should've gotten home by now. When she pulled up her WhatsApp, Calista realized that her friend had sent her an invitation to a game half an hour ago. There was also a 30-second-long voice message. When she read the invitation, she finally realized what Yara's words meant. She had been repeatedly invited to play a few games recently. So, she knew about the gaming companions. Once Calista figured it out, she didn't dare to play the voice message. There was
Of course, men couldn't be trusted when they claim to only want a kiss.Calista could barely get out of bed the next day. Fortunately, it was the weekend so she didn't have to go to work. She lay in bed as she stared up at the white ceiling overhead."Lucian, you beast, liar, jerk!"Just as she went into her tirade, the door opened. Lucian stood by the doorway. Seeing how she was now awake, he said, "It's time for breakfast."In contrast to her miserable state that left her too exhausted to get out of bed, the man looked extremely refreshed and pleased. After all, she was the one who exerted the most effort the night before.Lucian was the one who prepared the generous spread. Calista slowly descended the steps while supporting herself on the stairs' railing. Her legs felt shaky.He had already set the table. A smile tugged at his lips when he looked up to see how embarrassed she seemed. Anyone could tell that he was delighted. "Do you want me to carry you?"Calista couldn
Yara's lips tightened into a thin line."It wasn't him. I was the one who started it. He never consented to it, but I pressed him down …"She had only been drunk. It wasn't as if she had experienced memory loss. As for what happened last night, she didn't recall the details. But, she did have a vague recollection of what happened.With how remorseful she seemed, Calista also felt guilt wash over her. She should've insisted on keeping Yara at the Everglade Manor last night."So, what now? Do you want to give Timothy a go?""No way."Calista didn't think Yara would outright refuse. "Are you not interested in him at all?"If she had the tiniest inkling of interest for the man, surely she would extend an olive branch after what happened."It's not about whether I'm interested or not." Yara covered her mouth and whispered in her ear, "He can't perform.""Huh? No way."Calista hesitated for a moment before speaking."I thought Mr. Howard was in top shape and had stamina to boo