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
It was true that more than 20 hosts were called. But Calista hadn't done anything to cross the line. She hadn't even touched their hands. She simply sat there singing.However, she felt uneasy with the way Lucian was staring at her. She unconsciously licked her chapped lips. "That was a misunderstanding. We were just helping them with their performance targets.""Oh." Lucian pulled her close. "I'm feeling dizzy. Let's head back to our room so we can talk this over."Meanwhile, Yara pinched Timothy's arm. But, the man was so well-built that he didn't even feel it."You can insult me all you want. Why did you drag Calista into this? Are you aware that you're sowing discord between them?""Sorry. It's an occupational habit. I tell the truth out of habit," Timothy said.Yara was at a loss for words. He shouldn't have explained at all. The more he did, the worse it sounded.Seeing how Lucian was dragging Calista away, she hurriedly said, "I was the one who called for the hosts. All o
Calista looked down at the hand that held her own. When she looked back up again, she shot him an annoyed glare."If I didn't believe you, you'd be sleeping out in the corridor by now."The photographer and the makeup artist that Lucian had arranged for were already at the door. He opened it to let them in.Calista already looked good. With Lucian's request that the photos not deviate too much from reality, the makeup, styling, and clothing selection took less than half an hour.The photoshoot went smoothly. Even though neither of them were professional models, their good looks and figures made any angle look good. The photographer hadn't taken on such an easy job in a long while. "Good job. Let's take a few more photos of you two play fighting in bed. We can wrap it up after that."Calista froze as soon as she sat on the bed. The bed was moving… It was a waterbed meant to spice things up. She finally understood why it was called a couple's suite.The photographer was going thr
Kenneth noticed Calista pausing and asked in confusion, "Is something wrong?"Rather than answering, she got closer to take a discreet whiff. But, all she could make out was the scent of a classic cologne.Calista rubbed her nose. She must've been mistaken. Since she couldn't recall where she had smelled that fragrance, she didn't take it to heart.She took the cup and made up an excuse. "It's nothing. It's probably because I skipped breakfast this morning. My blood sugar might be a little low. I felt a little dizzy."While speaking, she fished for a piece of candy from her drawer. She peeled off the wrapper and was about to put it in her mouth when she noticed Kenneth staring at her with bated breath. More precisely, he was staring at the candy in her hand.Calista was at a loss for words. She wanted to ignore him at first. But, he looked so desperate that she couldn't turn a blind eye."Do you want some?"She thought she may have been mistaken. Most men weren't fond of sweets.
The little girl visibly tensed at the mention of the stick, fear filling her eyes.Lucian frowned. Anyone who would lay hands on a child was no better than a beast.Cailyn arrived in a hurry. "Hannah."Hannah Webster hurriedly got off the stool upon hearing her sister's voice. Concerned that Hannah might stumble, Lucian instinctively reached out, protecting her from behind.Hannah rushed into Cailyn's arms. "I got lost, Lynn. I was so scared. So, I borrowed Mister's phone to call you."Cailyn comforted her before leading the distressed Hannah over."Thank you for helping me again, Mr. Northwood.""It has nothing to do with me. It was the child who was clever," Lucian responded indifferently. "Still… thank you," Cailyn said.Knowing Cailyn's tendency to worry about minor details, as seen at the parking lot, Lucian anticipated she would feel indebted to him regardless of his reassurances. So, he responded, "No need to thank me. You can settle the debt by covering the cost of
"Ms. Webster," Lucian cut Cailyn off as he directed his cold gaze at her. "If you have nothing else to say, my wife and I plan to have dinner."It was an obvious hint for her to leave. She immediately caught on, causing her eyes to redden. There was a tremble in her voice."I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all that…."Cailyn couldn't say any more than that. In her haste to leave, she had forgotten that Hannah was sitting beside her. She accidentally bumped her knee into Hannah."Lynn." Hannah had long ceased eating her cake. She timidly glanced up at Cailyn, refraining from making a sound despite the evident hurt from the collision.Cailyn took Hannah by her hand and quickly left.Hannah cast a reluctant glance back at the partially eaten strawberry cake on the table and licked her lips. Despite her hesitation, she obediently followed Cailyn.It wasn't until they were out of Lucian and Calista's sights that Cailyn stopped in her tracks. She turned to take a long look in the di
Yara was nothing if not a master at speed typing. While Calista was still reading the messages, another ten more arrived in quick succession."He's sowing discord in our friendship."It was immediately followed by another wave of stickers expressing extreme anger. It filled the screen with brutal imagery."Oh damn.""I made a mistake.""Lucian didn't send me money because he fell in love with me. He wants me to stay away from you.""That scumbag accused me of sending you explicit photos and is calling me a bad influence."Calista turned to look at Lucian. Lucian had lowered his head slightly. She found no imperfections in the lines of his jaw. Currently, a furrow lay between his brows as his fingers swiftly danced across the screen. Calista wondered if he was texting Yara.She couldn't help but smile at the thought of the usually stern and indifferent man sending money to Yara over a few random images that could be found with a single Google search. A hint of a smile coul
"Installments? It would still take up to three months, even if I gave you one every day. A child would've been born by then," Yara scratched her head in irritation. She then glared at Timothy, who was eyeing her like an exam proctor."I'll copy your legal provisions. Get out."The disheartened Yara sat down in her working chair, picked up her pen, and started to write. It didn't seem like much. But copying it a hundred times over was tiresome.If she refused, Timothy was going to talk drivel to Tabitha. It was better to endure this than be sent away as an unwilling bride. It was never too late to get back at Timothy. Yara vowed to settle the score with him one day. When the time came, it wouldn't just be a hundred copies. She envisioned making him kneel on a foot massage mat while he completed the task.When she noticed that the man beside her hadn't moved, Yara looked up in anger and huffed."Do you plan to keep standing here until I finish copying everything?"Timothy pursed
Fabian said, "Mr. Ackerman was taken away by the Office of Inspector General this morning. Madam Cameron and the Bark family are reportedly the ones responsible."The Carter Group hadn't broken any laws, nor had they been financially entangled with the Ackermans for over a decade. Still, the long-standing ties between the two families ran deep. If Victor Ackerman had skeletons in his closet, Cade would have a hard time avoiding the fallout.Cade propped his hand against his cheek. "What about my wife?""Madam Cameron…" Fabian had to steel himself to answer Cade. "Madam Cameron left the country. She applied for a long-term visa."Even with reporters hounding him, that sentence rang loud and clear in Cade's ears.A long silence stretched before he let out a quiet, bitter laugh.He had never realized how much Cameron had orchestrated behind his back. The Ackermans or the media could trip him up for now, but her betrayal cut deeper. Every move had been calculated.And the most absur
Cade crossed the room as Cameron, already seated, leaned her cheek against her hand, skimming the menu. "Want a drink?" she asked casually.His heart skipped a beat.Cameron's appearance radiated deliberate perfection. From her flawlessly styled hair and expertly applied makeup to her impeccable outfit and carefully chosen accessories, every detail was considered. Even her expensive "Allure" perfume hinted at a desire to captivate.A private dining room meant for couples with only spouses in each other's company…Given the setup, sharing a drink seemed like an implicit invitation.Cade pressed his lips into a line, trying to ignore the rising curve of a smile. "Sure," he replied, his tone deceptively even. "We'll start with two bottles of Magnolia's Pulpit," Cameron said.Cade choked on his water, coughing as he asked, "Seriously?"Who would start a date with such a strong distilled spirit? With two bottles, no less.Cameron propped up her chin and raised an eyebrow. "Is that
Cameron stared at her screen, where Gale had just sent a single word. "Ready." Her lips curled up involuntarily.Cade noticed the smile. He didn't know who she was messaging, but it irritated him for some reason. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly and asked, "What if the Ackermans refuse to settle?"Cameron didn't bother to answer. She knew Violet and Victor would soon be in hot water, so she hadn't considered the aftermath. However, to Cade, her silence only confirmed his assumptions—she was reckless, unprepared, and acting purely on emotion. He clenched his jaw and finally stopped holding his breath. Then, suddenly, he pulled the car over with a sharp twist of the wheel. "Did you think it through before turning yourself in? What if the psych evaluation comes back clean, and the Ackermans insist on pressing charges? What then? You hurt Mirabelle badly. You think you'll have it easy in prison with the way they dote on her?" In contrast to Cade's exasperation, Cameron remaine
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