Ten seconds … Thirty seconds … One minute … It was so quiet she could hear a pin drop. No one appeared from the spot Cailyn was staring at. Just as she was about to relax, there were a few loud, sharp bangs at the door."Who's there?" She quickly put the photos away and grabbed the iron bar she kept behind the door for self-defense. Then, she stared at the door warily."Cailyn."Recognizing the voice as her neighbor's, Cailyn hurriedly put away the rod and answered the door. Her neighbor was a middle-aged woman who spoke with a thick accent."Cailyn, we've been robbed. Hurry and check if anything is missing from your place.""Huh?""What do you mean 'huh'? Several units have been robbed. Take a quick look and let the cops know."Cailyn didn't own anything valuable. Her only worry was that it wasn't thieves who had been through hEr home. The police arrived quickly. But since nothing was lost, they left after taking Cailyn and her neighbors' statements.…The room was once again
Cailyn's hands rested on the table, squeezed tightly together. She looked hesitant and conflicted."You should ask Mr. Northwood, Calista. I just happened to be there when he wasn't feeling well. I learned some acupressure techniques from my lecturer. So, I gave him a massage. But, I don't know much about his health.""I see." Calista dragged out her words. She had approached Cailyn to ask about it because of her profession. As the person who massaged Lucian, she must have known something. "I'll ask him again tonight." She looked disappointed. Even her smile seemed a little forced.Cailyn envied Calista. "You and Mr. Northwood get along so well.""We do."Calista smiled at her but didn't delve deeper. She didn't want to discuss Lucian with Cailyn if it had nothing to do with his help. Soft music reverberated throughout the cafe. She absentmindedly stirred her coffee and watched as the cream on top melted into the dark brown liquid. She contemplated how to extract the informati
Calista extended her hand to stop the man's face from getting too close and forced a smile. "Don't you want to know what Cailyn and I discussed?"Lucian wasn't interested.He had been celibate for a long time. When Calista helped him onto the bed this morning, the ties on her nightgown had loosened. As a result, he spent the morning feeling restless. Every now and again, the patch of fair skin below her collarbone obscured by the sash would come to mind. It was to the extent that what he had done that morning was far from what he usually accomplished in an hour.They were working overtime on the weekend, so everyone wanted to finish quickly and go home. However, morning had come and gone, and the work wasn't even halfway done. David shot him several covert glances, but he could only choke in silent fury.But, seeing Calista's eyes begging him to ask her, he complied with her wishes. "What did you two chat about?" he asked.He thought she might've gathered some information and wa
It wasn't a hurtful statement, but it was an incredibly insulting one."Are you saying I'm stupid, Timothy?" Yara asked.The man gave her a look that said, "Why humiliate yourself if you already know that?". Still, he calmly replied, "No."Yara didn't really care much about what game they played. Picking the escape room was just a random decision. But now, she had successfully been provoked into showing her competitive side. As for Timothy, his goal was simply to go on a date with Yara. He didn't care much about the activity itself.The escape room was on the third floor. As they made their way up, Yara asked Timothy, "What are you most afraid of?"Timothy glanced at the promotional posters at the entrance and casually said, "Ghosts.""Okay. Let's go with the horror scenario, then." She took a promotional brochure from the staff. "Take a look and tell me which one you like. How about a folk-themed horror?"Timothy took a look at the eerie images. "Are you doing this on purpose
Yara hurriedly dragged Timothy along. "Hurry up. We need to follow them."He could only see the surging crowd. He didn't notice any familiar faces among them."Who did you see?""Who else but Little Miss Home Wrecker's gambling addict father?"It was such an impactful manner of address that Timothy was taken aback for a moment. It took him a split second to realize who she was talking about. He smiled wryly."What do you mean by 'Little Miss Home Wrecker'? She and Lucian don't have that kind of relationship.""That's only because Lucian hasn't responded to her. She's probably thinking that he hasn't rejected her. I'll bet you on it. If that woman doesn't have any romantic inclinations for Lucian, I'll treat you to 100 rounds of escape room games," Yara said.No matter how well she pretended to be the good guy, the look in her eyes was a dead giveaway. Timothy was at a loss for words."Didn't you know Little Miss Home Wrecker's father …"Seeing the man frown disapprovingly, Yar
Lucian noticed how Calista stood rooted in place. "What is it?"She recounted the incident at the shopping mall where Yara ran into Cailyn's father shopping with a little girl."I'm going to get a milkshake. You should go check on her." Cailyn had already noticed the pair and was limping toward them.Lucian held Calista's hand and twined their fingers together. "I'll go with you.""Ms. Webster called you out here for a reason. She probably has something to say to you.""There's nothing you're not allowed to know." He came here solely to stabilize Cailyn. She had defected to his side. He couldn't ignore the matter until he was certain that it was a ruse. Cailyn approached. It was clear that she had yet to recover from the shock of nearly being run over. She was shaking uncontrollably. There was hesitation and fear in her eyes. "Mr. Northwood, he …"Lucian had already gotten the gist of the situation through the phone. He cut to the chase and asked, "Did you see his license pla
Calista left without hesitation. She didn't bother waiting for Lucian and showed no intention of seeing how he was going to handle the situation. She took the milkshake out of his hand and left.The sound of her heels clicking against the sidewalk gradually faded away, leaving Lucian's hand hanging in midair.Behind him, Cailyn propped herself up on the ground with her hands and slowly managed to stagger to her feet. Her wounds had split open again, and bright red blood trickled down her fair calves.A passerby took note and said, "Oh dear, you're bleeding so much. That looks bad. Why aren't you taking her to the hospital to get her injuries treated? What kind of boyfriend are you?"Lucian frowned impatiently. What was with people rambling on about things they didn't understand fully? But, before he could rebuke the woman, Cailyn explained, "He's not my boyfriend, Ma'am."Since there was no need for him to clarify any further, he turned to Cailyn and asked, "Should I call an ambul
Lucian was at a loss for words.Calista ignored him once she said her piece. She looked down leisurely, excited for her meal. She had just cut a slice of steak and was about to put it in her mouth when Lucian grabbed her hand."Are you doing this on purpose?""You said it yourself. 'Anything is fine'." She gestured toward the metallic utensils sitting before him with a jerk of her chin. "Go ahead. Don't be shy."Every time she asked, he would respond with "Anything is fine" or "Whatever". It was annoying to eat with him. It extinguished most of her enthusiasm for the meal.Lucian leaned over, took her hand, and ate the steak she had just cut into in one bite. Calista fell silent.Night fell as they finished their dinner. The hot spring resort had a much more enchanting atmosphere at night compared to the day. Clusters of fairy lights adorned the trees. The lawn was also filled with jellyfish-shaped lamps. It was gorgeous and gave off a romantic vibe.Lucian had already booked
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
Cade began unbuckling his belt as he spoke. When it came to this sort of thing, men often had a strong sense of competition, especially in the presence of a woman they were interested in."Such a dark atmosphere isn't right for our situation."Cameron didn't like him to begin. In such a dark atmosphere, there was no telling what kind of grotesque creature she might imagine him to be. It would be strange if she felt attraction for him.She leveled a steady stare at him. Cade's shirt was half undone, showing his tense muscles underneath. Under the influence of alcohol, his skin took on a faint reddish hue. There was a heart-pounding tension in the air as if something was about to ignite. Occasionally, his slightly heavy breaths could be heard."You haven't been working out recently, have you?" Cameron asked.Cade was confused.Cameron pressed her hand against his chest, right below his ribs, and gave it a little push. After a moment, she commented, "Your muscles are a little soft
Cade tossed his phone onto the table in frustration when he saw who entered. He pressed his hand against his brow."Leave. You should see Diane for a work uniform.""Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Carter?" Rosalia approached the desk with a glass of milk in hand. "I learned how to give massages. Why don't I…" "Get out."Cade abruptly got to his feet and avoided Rosalia's outstretched hand, causing the milk to spill all over him. He glanced down at his now-stained shirt with a dark expression and pressed his lips tightly together. After a long pause, he asked through clenched teeth, "Did my wife ask you to send this up?" Every syllable was pronounced with the gnashing of teeth.Rosalia froze under his piercing gaze."It really was Mrs. Carter who asked me to bring it to you, sir," she stammered."Leave. From now on, you will not enter my study unless you have permission."Rosalia had come to work as a housekeeper to land herself a wealthy husband. She had even bribed the manager
On the next day, Cameron was discussing the fashion show with Monica when she suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. "Cammie…" It was Blaire.Although Monica didn't fully know about Cameron's past, she didn't like Blaire at all. What kind of mother wouldn't protect their own child, after all?However, it wasn't appropriate for her to intervene as much even though she was Cameron's close friend. After all, it was Cameron's family matter.Monica stood up with her notebook in hand and said, "Well, I just remembered that there's still a few more invitations to send, so I'll go and take care of that. Let's discuss more about the fashion show later."After saying that, she glanced at Blaire and left without even greeting her.Cameron got up and nodded at Blaire. "Is something the matter?"She thought that her distant attitude last night had made it clear enough that she didn't want any more involvement with the Yorksworth family. She didn't expect that Blaire would come and loo
Cameron pushed the door open. She looked tired as she laid down her bag. As she changed her shoes, she caught sight of the food on the dining table out of the corner of her eye."Diane, didn't I tell you I wasn't coming back for dinner? Why did you make so much food?"Diane glanced upstairs. "It's for Mr. Carter. He hasn't eaten yet."The moment Cade was mentioned, Cameron dropped the topic. She rubbed her sore shoulder as she headed upstairs. "I see.""Madam…" Diane called out hesitantly, looking troubled. "Mr. Carter asked you to call him down for dinner when you got home.""Me? Call him down for dinner?" Cameron stopped in her tracks and turned around in confusion. "Why?""Mr. Carter seems to be upset. Did you two have another fight?""So If he's in a bad mood, I'm supposed to go upstairs and invite him down to eat? Should I also say 'Your meal is ready, my liege!' while I'm at it?" Cameron scoffed. Her sarcastic smirk quickly faded. "He can eat if he wants. If he doesn't,