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
The place had been deserted for a long time. As she fell, she could taste the dust on the ground in her mouth. Using her elbow to break her fall, the full weight of her body landed on her arm, causing an immediate sharp pain to spread through it. Lucian's emotions spiraled out of control as he witnessed Calista falling. He glared at the kidnappers furiously and exclaimed, "Don't you fucking touch her."The veins on his neck bulged as anger surged through his body. But he was tied up and helpless. He had never planned to involve Calista. However, not only did she appear at the party, she also ended up getting kidnapped. What surprised him even more, however, was that the kidnappers chose to target Callie, an outsider. Lucian's hand reached out to touch a scar that had recently healed on his wrist.Upon hearing his cries of anger and agony, Calista stifled her sounds of distress. Peering through her disheveled hair that covered her face, her eyes focused on one of the men. He was
In the video, Lucian was laid face down on the bed with his bare back fully exposed to the camera. There wasn't a single patch of skin that wasn't swollen or covered in blood. The white bed sheets he laid on had been dyed crimson from his blood. Calista finally knew why he had all those scars. The Lucian who was lying on the bed had unfocused eyes and was motionless. If he hadn't been in front of her now, she would've thought he was already dead. The man in the video threw the blood-stained rod to the ground and walked out. The breath Calista had been holding slowly escaped as she watched his departure. Even though she was heartbroken by the gruesome scene she had just witnessed, she could now breathe normally. However, before she could fully catch her breath, she saw someone else walk in. Lucian laid on the bed motionless and did not even bat an eyelid. She was unsure if he had passed out or not. This time, it was a middle-aged man who appeared on screen. Compared to the prev
Selena was having another nightmare. Her mental health had spiraled downward ever since the incident at the hospital. She still couldn't decide if it had been reality or a dream.Henry had been vigilant and tried to stay constantly by her side. He had even consulted a psychologist for her. However, despite his efforts, Selena's heart condition, aggravated by her recurring nightmares, showed no signs of improvement. Eventually, the only option was to admit her to a hospital.The reason why they had not summoned a doctor to their home was because her heart condition demanded sophisticated medical equipment, which they could not provide at their home. As Selena awoke from her unsettling dream, she saw a nurse in a cap and mask seated next to her bed. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she asked, "Could you pour me a glass of water, please?" A subtle sense of foreboding lingered within her, hinting at something ominous. But in her daze, having just woken up, she couldn't think st
Cade got out of the car and shouted, "Uncle Fletcher!"Fletcher used to be the vice-chairman of Northwood Corporation, so he enjoyed a fairly close relationship with Henry. Cade used to go over to Stansend Manor to play when he was a kid and their paths always crossed. Fletcher was like an uncle to him.Cade didn't get too close, considering they had not exited their car. It would have been dangerous for him to approach them blindly. The car window rolled down, revealing Fletcher.His gaze swept over the few police cars in the background. Even in this desperate situation, his face showed no signs of panic or anger. He even greeted Cade warmly. "Cade.""I'm here to take Mrs. Northwood back to the hospital.""Selena says that she wants to go abroad with me. Since I've coincidentally met you here, please let your uncle Henry know that I'm extremely thankful to him for taking care of Selena all these years."Cade glanced at his watch and frowned impatiently. He was being irritati