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
After a few minutes, Hector returned holding a windbreaker. He unfolded it and draped it over Calista's shoulders. The windbreaker belonged to him, and it was broad and large. It covered her to her hips.She adjusted the lapels and asked, "How did you and Paul find out where we were?"While she was inside the warehouse, she felt that it was old and speculated that it had probably been abandoned for quite some time. However, once she came out, she realized that the place was not just remote, but also in a state of disrepair. Even if someone happened to pass by, they would likely never venture inside for a further look. Hector tilted his chin towards the direction of the emergency room where Lucian was."You can ask him once he's conscious. Judging by his condition, he'll probably need to be hospitalized for two days. Check with the doctor later to see if there's a private ward available."Calista remained silent and looked at him with confusion. Since when did Hector and Lucian
Sensing Lucian's gaze on him, Simon quickly said, "Mr. Northwood, please ignore me or pretend that I don't exist." Any task was achievable with sufficient compensation.Calista pushed Lucian's hand away. "I will deal with you later."Hector stood up, his gaze sweeping over Lucian. "Calista, why don't you go get him some breakfast now that he's awake? It would be a pity if he starved to death after all the trouble we went through to save him." Calista caught on that he wanted to speak with Lucian and nodded. "Okay."Once she had disappeared, Hector looked at Lucion seriously and asked, "Given your headache, did you consume anything you shouldn't have?"Lucian's lips moved slightly. He mumbled, "No…""Are you sure? Could it be that you accidentally consumed something without knowing? You mentioned being hypnotized. Could it be that you consumed it but forgot?"According to the doctor, there was nothing wrong with his test results. If his body was fine, what could cause such sev
Of course, Calista wouldn't let him have it. She avoided Lucian's outstretched hand and set everything down on the nightstand bed."I wasn't sure what you felt like eating, so I got a little bit of everything. Which one do you want? There were bread rolls, pastries, almond milk, oatmeal, and even instant chicken noodle soup… Those were the only options available outside the hospital.Lucian gave his options a quick skim before answering, "Chicken noodle soup."The chicken noodle soup was packed in a plastic container. It had to be eaten hot and would be difficult to hold with one hand. Lucian would end up spilling the soup.Considering the injury on his arm, Calista removed the utensils from their packaging of the utensils and handed them to him. "You should sit by the bed to eat. You'll get it everywhere if you carry it around."Lucian's injuries were concentrated on the upper half of his body. Because his legs were fine, it was still possible for him to get up on his own. Howe
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,