"Soon," Lucian said.Calista didn't know if it was just her imagination. She had a feeling that there was a momentary hesitation in his words.Selena, as Lucian's mother, knew her son best. She instantly noticed that something was wrong, causing her expression to darken. But when she turned her attention to Calista, she wore a loving and amiable smile."I'm a little hungry, Callie. Can you go get me two slices of cake?"Once Calista was gone, Selena's face turned grim. She coldly asked Lucian, "What are you planning to do about the wedding? I'm warning you. No funny business or I'll castrate you myself. The only daughter-in-law I'll recognize is Calista. No one else will take her place."She had heard about the scandal some time ago and learned that the woman in question resembled Lily. It sounded like a bad joke. If it weren't for Calista's nonchalance and Selena's fear that her interference would affect their relationship, she would've flayed Lucian open."Mom."Lucian sighed.
The two men briefly locked eyes before Lucian nodded in acknowledgment."Thank you."He then crouched down to check on Selena."How are you feeling, Mom?"Selena's condition had somewhat improved with the medication. She grabbed Lucian and pointed in the direction where the man had just disappeared. "Fletcher. He was here."Henry was worried that her emotions might escalate again and trigger discomfort in her heart, so he cut her off. "Selena, Fletcher is already dead.""It was him. I would know. That man is Fletcher Barlowe."No one else but Fletcher would call her "girl". She had no idea why he would show up in Capeton again after 20 years. He greeted her no less. There was no doubt that he had ill intentions.He was a psychopath. People like him were vindictive.Seeing how agitated Selena was becoming, Lucian quickly reassured her by holding her hand."I got it. I'll investigate and have someone check the surveillance footage. Whether he's Fletcher or not, we'll catch hi
Lucian ruffled Calista's hair. "I might be busy tonight. You'll have to be prepared to take care of Mom." With that, he turned around and said to Simon, "Let's go."Simon nodded but at Calista rather than Lucian. "I'll keep that in mind, Madam."Calista had a feeling that wasn't what he wanted to say. Lucian's interruption made him modify his words. She frowned in dissatisfaction and rolled her eyes at a certain someone's mischief. Unfortunately, he had already left. So he didn't see it.Meanwhile, Henry sat slumped in the chair next to the bed. He looked exhausted as he held Selena's hand. Nothing else seemed to matter. Calista had intended to convince him to go home and get some rest at first, but the sight had her wisely keeping her mouth shut."I'll go fetch Mom some clothes.""Alright. She doesn't like wearing clothes she has gone out in to sleep. You should bring her some—" Before he could finish, the door opened. Lucian, who had supposedly left, appeared leaning against
Selena woke up in the middle of the night surrounded by silence. The lights in the ward had been switched off, and the only illumination was provided by a small night light in the corner. However, it was still too dark for her to make out her surroundings.She opened her mouth and called out to the figure asleep on the couch. "Henry?"She didn't know how long she had been asleep. Her throat was parched, making her voice barely audible. The person on the couch didn't seem to hear her calls. Suddenly, she felt movement next to her. Some slender fingers held a straw up to her lips. As Selena was thirsty, she instinctively took a few sips. The warm water coated her throat, easing the dry discomfort. She felt much better."Why didn't you have Calista go home? It must be uncomfortable for her to be sleeping on the couch. She has to go to work the next day. What if she doesn't get a good night's sleep?"The small night light had limited reach. All she could vaguely make out was a figure
Calista followed Yara's gaze. Sure enough, Lucian was surrounded by people, and Cailyn was standing by his side. Her hands were nervously clasped in front of her.It was her first time attending a party like this. Even though she tried to stand tall, her impoverished background made it difficult for her to blend in with the heirs and heiresses from prominent families who frequented such events. She stood in the background like an outsider. She didn't fit in at all.Even if she had experienced similar plights as Calista and reacted the same way when faced with difficulties, Cailyn wouldn't have been able to pull off what her rival could. Calista, despite her hardships in the latter half of her life, knew proper etiquette.Yara noticed how Calista didn't seem the least bit surprised. "Did you know that Lucian was going to bring Cailyn? That doesn't sound right. Who are the Gordons even? Why would he attend their daughter's engagement party? There's no way they'd be able to invite Luci
Calista silently stared at the rippling pool in front of her. There was no telling what was running through her mind at that moment.Cailyn stood just a step behind her. She was close enough to touch Calista's unguarded back if she just reached out. The area wasn't a very remote one. But because Lucian was here, everyone in the hall was eager to establish a connection with him.The guests attending the party today were from the same social stratum as the Gordons. Normally, it would be impossible for them to be in the same room as Lucian, let alone interact with him. Naturally, everyone sought to make the most out of the opportunity.Leaves rustled in the wind. The sound of it echoed in her ears. Cailyn began lifting the hand which was hanging by her side.She wasn't an inherently bad person. Life had yet to temper her into becoming a callous individual. She had aspirations and hoped to give herself a decent future through her efforts after graduating from university. That being t
Cailyn felt as if she was going to die. The more water she swallowed, the less vigorous her flails became. Through the splashes, she could see Calista standing at the edge of the pool. The woman was dressed in an exquisite evening gown and expensive jewelry that Cailyn could never afford, even if she toiled away for the rest of her life. Calista watched Cailyn struggle in the water with great indifference.Humiliation overwhelmed Cailyn. If she survived, she was going to… What was she going to do? Her thoughts were in disarray. She felt dizzy and her limbs grew limp.Then, Cailyn was hit by something. It didn't hurt. Instead, it felt soft. As she struggled, she opened her eyes and saw a pink lifebuoy in front of her. She didn't even bother to think about who had thrown it. Her survival instincts made her cling to it to prevent herself from sinking.With the threat of death gone, Cailyn finally regained her composure. Once her feet were firmly planted on dry land, she turned to loo
The man responsible for keeping the door shut used all of his might to stop Lucian from squeezing in. Bright red blood oozed from the area that was being crushed and soaked through his clothes.With the situation now going downhill fast, even if Lucian could normally take on ten opponents by himself, he wouldn't be able to do much here. There was no other way except bribery.There was a stubborn look in Calista's eyes as she glanced at the door. Just a little more and she would've been able to grab the door handle. "Let go, Lucian."Blood dripped down the door frame. At this rate, his hand was going to snap clean in half. She didn't know if Lucian heard her because she passed out right after.The man behind the wheel took a moment to look back and felt anger washing over him. He screamed in annoyance, "You motherfuckers! Just knock him out and drag him in."They were a group of wanted men. Even though they had never heard of Lucian, they'd done their research online when they to