After dropping Calista off at Yara's store, Lucian received a call from Simon."Mr. Northwood, we found the person."Lucian parked his car on the roadside and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'll send my location to you, come pick me up."When Simon arrived, Lucian had already gotten into the backseat. His eyes were closed as he had dozed off. The car's engine was still running, and the air-conditioning was still on."Mr. Northwood?""Drive," he ordered.…Simon drove into the underground car park of a shopping mall. They sat in the parked car in silence for a while. At no point did Lucian open his eyes, or indicate that he intended to get down from the car.He simply remained silent, and Simon did not dare to disturb him or make any decisions on his own. He could only glance at Lucian occasionally through the rearview mirror.Simon wasn't sure if Lucian had fallen asleep or was struggling to open his eyes due to a headache. His expression revealed nothing. He took a quick glance… And
Lucian put his phone away and answered hesitantly. "I suppose."Although the video was not very clear due to poor lighting, Cailyn's actions were still clear. Despite her innate survival instincts, she managed to drown herself in the 5-foot-deep pool. Recalling Cailyn's words from that night, Calista said, "That person seemed to have captured the girl and used her as leverage, Cailyn probably—" But before she could finish her words, Lucian reached out and covered her mouth. "Resolving the murder and rescuing the hostage are the responsibilities of the police. Our role is to hand over the video, clear your name as a suspect, and bring this matter to an end." She had no reason to be worried about Fletcher. Lucian held her by her shoulders and walked her out. As he did so, Calista turned to Yara and said, "I need to head to the police station, but I'll come back later." She and Yara had made dinner plans for later at night. Yara simply laid on the couch, hugging a pillow. She
Calista regarded him with suspicion and warned, "If you lie to me again, this engagement ring will turn straight into a break-up ring."Lucian, already laid bare to his core, saw no reason to persist. He raised his hand and ruffled the top of her head. "I won't lie to you anymore, but you might not understand the examination reports even if you read them yourself.""You don't need to worry about that. Stop making excuses. Head upstairs and fetch your report."When he brought the reports down, Calista was busy cooking in the kitchen. She wore a simple apron, and her hair was pulled back with a clip. A few loose strands framed her face. The sunlight shone on her, casting a subtle warmth on her thin earlobes and even revealing a thin layer of fuzz on them. This scene radiated warmth and nostalgia. It made Everglade Manor, which had always been cold and empty, suddenly feel like home. Lucian froze at the sight and hesitated to move forward. He was afraid that his appearance might
In the kitchen, the half-cut vegetables remained on top of the chopping board, and their clothes were scattered across the floor. She raised her hands to cover her face, embarrassed by herself.Bending down, she picked up the clothes one by one. When she picked up Lucian's suit, her hands paused. It felt heavy. There was something inside.Reaching into his pocket, she found a palm-sized diary. The cover was the texture of craft paper and wasn't too thick. From the side, the paper seemed a bit worn by the writing inside.Reflecting on the diary that Lucian had mentioned before, her heart suddenly raced. She lost interest in preparing her supper and went straight to the living room with the diary in hand.Calista switched on the lamp beside the couch and sat down with her legs folded. She took a deep breath and began to earnestly flip through the diary. It started with the date, followed by the events.…"She was bullied by her stepmother and step-sister. She arrived at school with
Looking at the closed doors before them, Lucian reminisced about the last time they did this. The first time they got married, they had arrived at the marriage bureau separately and hadn't specified a date or time to meet. After taking their pictures and filling out the necessary forms, the two sat in silence in the hall until they received their marriage certificate. A passer-by would be forgiven for thinking that they were there to file for divorce. But this time was different from the last. Lucian gazed at the elegantly dressed woman beside him, and his lips naturally curled upwards. He held her hand and their fingers intertwined, just like a normal couple."No, I gave them money.""You gave them money, and they just accepted it?""Well, they didn't refuse it I guess."Calista couldn't believe what she was hearing. These couples must have valued ceremonies and celebrations if they had bothered to come so early and stand in line. But Lucian… had just bought their places… lite
"I'm not." Calista turned to look at Lucian, who was following behind with his hands full of bags. Sensing her gaze, he lifted his head and gave her a pitiful look, causing her to giggle. "Mom, please keep those skincare products for yourself. I have plenty at home.""Skincare products are like clothes to women. You can never have too many."Hearing this, Lucian couldn't resist and interrupted, "She's probably worried they'll expire. She has a whole drawer full of them. She can't finish them even if she used them to paint the walls."Selena turned around and playfully swatted him on the head. "Why are you interrupting when I'm talking to Calista? Why are you playing the troublemaker? Are you envious that our relationship might be better than yours?"Selena waved her hands dismissively, urging him to leave. "Hurry up and go cook. Don't be a bother while Calista and I are chatting. You're always spouting nonsense with your foul mouth. It seems like you're trying to provoke me every
After their meal, Selena wanted to take Calista for a stroll but Lucian interjected, his face filled with frustration. "Mom, we just got married again today. Can't you leave us some time alone?"Selena looked at him. Although she seemed annoyed, her eyes didn't contain the same disdain it did before. "I guess you're wiser now. Alright, I'll give her back to you." With that, she withdrew her hand from Calista's arm and gently pushed her toward Lucian. "Since you've already gotten your marriage certificate, now it's time to set a date for the wedding. Why are you taking so long to settle on a date? Are you trying to find some unique day with a total solar eclipse for your wedding?"Lucian was left speechless by her sharp words. Selena turned around and left, holding Henry's hand. The satisfaction from mocking Lucian was evident on her face. She had even posted a collage on her social media, featuring nine pictures. There were eight beautiful pictures of Calista, followed by a pictu
They were all small matters. So small, in fact, that he couldn't even remember most of them. But surprisingly, Calista still remembered them. Some of her most vivid memories were of the early days of their marriage.She remembered when he returned and the words he had spoken to her, though they weren't the most pleasant words. She also remembered how he led her through the chaotic underground boxing gym to confront her debt collectors to settle the debts that were suffocating her. She also mentioned that during that time, to her, he was glowing. During that time, Calista was still new to it all and not yet desensitized to everything. The slap from Zachary left her deeply upset. How could she be aware of someone following her? "Are you crazy? It was the middle of the night and you watched me cry instead of going back to sleep." Lucian's tone was nonchalant, having no intention of boasting. "It was midnight and the amusement park was in a remote area. It wasn't safe for a girl."