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
Calista had been too lazy to carry a bag, and her evening gown didn't have any pockets. So, before coming, she had left her phone in Yara's bag. If she had known how things would turn out, she would have carried it with her.However, since they had already gone to the extent of kidnapping, they probably wouldn't leave their phones with them. She was just testing her luck by asking. "No," Lucian replied. His suit clung to his body, allowing him to see at a glance whether his phone was still on him. As soon as he replied her, their surroundings became eerily quiet. Although Calista wasn't claustrophobic or scared of the dark, she was afraid of ghosts. On TV, they said that places that were pitch-black, eerie, damp, and dilapidated were most likely to be haunted. She struggled to move the chair to Lucian's side, but she eventually managed to and sat next to him. By his side, she felt less scared. However, it was only when he groaned that Calista realized she had been leaning aga
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,