Lucian was still conflicted because of Calista's evasive response. "I don't know. I forgot," he answered placidly.He then recalled the information relating to Cade he had previously seen. It prompted him to add, "Don't get too close to her.""Why?" Calista asked. His warning only piqued her curiosity about Cameron. This wasn't the first time he had cautioned her this way. Lucian frowned. It took him a moment to come up with an appropriate descriptor for Cameron. "She's a fearsome woman who isn't afraid to raise her hand." Calista was at a loss for words.Lucian remained downcast throughout their journey home. When Calista asked questions, he would answer. If she didn't speak, he remained silent. When they got back to the Everglade Manor, he immediately went to the study on the second floor. His despondent behavior left her confused. How could his mood change so unpredictably? Women were one thing. Did men also suffer for a few days every month?Meanwhile, Lucian went through t
Calista's words dispelled the gloom that had plagued him. That night, Lucian had a dreamless slumber.The next day, he opened his eyes to the sight of Calista's serene countenance still lax with sleep. Her slightly curled hair was scattered messily on the pillow. A few strands of hair stuck to her face. The warmth had tinted her cheeks pink, and even her lips were a rosy shade.Lucian leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her lips. However, Calista was deeply asleep and showed no signs of waking up. So, he kissed her again. After several attempts, her long, curled lashes fluttered. She wrinkled her brows as she struggled to open her eyes. Her voice was still raspy with sleep. "What time is it?"Lucian reached for the phone on the bedside table. The screen unlocked immediately after the device scanned his face. He checked the time and said, "9:30 a.m."After answering her question, he tapped on the notification informing him of a new message on WhatsApp. After a quick glance, his
Lucian was in a terrible mood with two unwanted groomsmen trying to force themselves into his eagerly anticipated wedding. His expression stayed visibly dark for several days which caused unrest among the company's staff. Even David and Simon, who were always at odds with one another, shared the same opinion for once. They believed that Lucian was suffering from pre-wedding jitters.David, who was constantly being verbally berated, sighed mournfully. "This isn't even his first time. What's there to be anxious about? Poor Mr. Northwood."Simon was going to ignore him at first. However, just as he was about to leave, he noticed someone standing at the door out of the corner of his eye. It was a man wearing leather shoes and trousers. He was dressed in a somewhat familiar style. So, he cleared his throat."Mr. Northwood is nervous because he cares too much about Madam Calista. What do you know?"Quarreling with Simon was par for the course. David would've gotten back at him if the
Calista spotted Lucian, dressed in a light gray coat, standing by the car when she got to the door. He was on the phone. His sleeve shifted as he moved, revealing a watch on his wrist. It was a sunny day, and the sunlight seemed to dance off him.Lucian's gaze was fixed in their direction. He immediately noticed when Calista and Hugo walked out. He quickly wrapped up with the person on the other end of the line, hung up, and strode over."Dad. Callie."Hugo couldn't help but hide his face in his hand at the sight of Lucian acting like a dog that was being offered a bone. There were sparkles in his eyes. Hugo feebly corrected him, "Stop calling me that. I haven't permitted you to do so."If possible, he wanted to keep Calista by his side for a few more years. The Jacquez family wasn't lacking in money or power. She could have anything he wanted. Having a man around would only influence his daughter's shopping habits. Everything she was wearing was part of last year's collection.
The words hit a little too close to home. What was even more heartbreaking was that Lucian thought it made sense. He and Calista must've been on bad terms at the time. Otherwise, he wouldn't have followed her in secret. There was no way Joan Everhart would've been happy with him. The thought had Lucian pursing his lips in silence.Calista noticed how dejected he seemed and was afraid that he would start overthinking things again. So, she rubbed her thumb soothingly over the back of his hand."Dad might have a sharp tongue, but he has a tender heart. He's just teasing you. Mom is very happy with you.""Okay," Lucian responded obediently and held her hand in return.Hugo rolled his eyes. Lucian was the president of a listed company. Why was he behaving like a fool and believing a blatantly false lie? While he was mocking the situation to himself, Lucian suddenly turned his head and locked eyes with him. There was a faint hint of amusement in Lucian's eyes. He showed no signs of d
"Well…" Lucian sounded upbeat. He was beaming with pride, but Calista's dark expression had him swallowing his words. He stiffly changed the subject. "I missed you, Callie."Calista didn't buy his act at all. She repeated her question. "How did you get up here?""I… climbed up here," he said softly.She knew that, but she wanted to hear him admit it. They were on the second floor. There was nothing for him to hold onto on the outer wall of the villa except for the guard rails. It required him to run up, wall hop, and grab onto the railing to get up. Not only did he need to accurately calculate the distance, there could be no slip-ups.If he fell, he would have a twisted ankle at best, or break a leg at worst. It could even be fatal if luck was not on his side.But rather than fearing the consequences, Lucian was demanding praise. She was angry. But considering how he climbed up here and risked danger just to see her, she swallowed her anger. "Don't do that again.""I won't." Wi
Yara was beyond inebriated after the wedding reception. She held Calista's hand as she babbled. "Please be happy, Calista. Come to me if that jerk Lucian tries anything funny. I'll give him a piece of my mind."Calista patiently replied, "Okay.""I thought you learned from your mistakes and moved on. So why are you right back where you started?" The thought of the hardship Calista had to suffer had Yara constantly whining. Yara wouldn't stop talking and seemed to want to rehash old scores. Timothy sprang into action by gathering her into his arms. "I'm sorry, but she's drunk. I'll take her home and make sure she gets some rest."Yara's emotions were still in full swing. When she heard someone claiming that she was drunk, it directed her attention to him. Noticing that it was Timothy who had called her out, she blew up at him."I'm not drunk! Which part of me looks drunk to you? I can still have another wine. Try me."Timothy knew he couldn't reason with a drunkard, so he playe
Timothy lifted Yara and set her down on the vanity for convenience. He smeared makeup remover all over her face as if he were plastering a wall. Despite her discomfort, she didn't dare to say a word. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, he was going to put the makeup remover into her mouth. When he turned to fetch a towel to wipe her face, Yara finally took the opportunity to speak up. "Do you even know how to remove makeup, Timothy? You need to emulsify it with warm water before thoroughly washing it off."Timothy snorted and expressed his gripes. "It's just one thing after another. How do you emulsify it?""Just use some warm water…" Yara guided him on how to remove her makeup. Her words were also interspersed with gibberish. "You need to learn this. Otherwise, no woman is going to want to marry you.""Hah…" He had never heard that he had to learn how to remove someone's makeup to get married. The requirements usually ended at gold bars, wedding gifts, a house, and a c
Cade turned, frowning in confusion. Mirabelle had just stumbled into the café, unkempt, disheveled, and utterly unlike her usual self. The grace and poise she once wore like armor were gone. Her hair was tangled, her outfit wrinkled, and one of her heels had snapped clean off.But it was clear—she hadn't come for him. The instant her eyes found his, she froze. Then, almost frantically, she adjusted her clothes and ran trembling fingers through her hair.She walked over, chin lifted, as if her heel wasn't broken, as if she hadn't just staggered in like a ghost of herself."Cade," she said, summoning the haughtiness of an Ackerman heiress. "Are you really willing to throw away everything between our families for Cameron?"She had begged nearly everyone she knew that day—men and women who owed her family countless favors. All of them had turned their backs. She finally understood what it meant to be on a sinking ship, swarmed by rats scurrying for safety.Mirabelle knew she should be
Fabian said, "Mr. Ackerman was taken away by the Office of Inspector General this morning. Madam Cameron and the Bark family are reportedly the ones responsible."The Carter Group hadn't broken any laws, nor had they been financially entangled with the Ackermans for over a decade. Still, the long-standing ties between the two families ran deep. If Victor Ackerman had skeletons in his closet, Cade would have a hard time avoiding the fallout.Cade propped his hand against his cheek. "What about my wife?""Madam Cameron…" Fabian had to steel himself to answer Cade. "Madam Cameron left the country. She applied for a long-term visa."Even with reporters hounding him, that sentence rang loud and clear in Cade's ears.A long silence stretched before he let out a quiet, bitter laugh.He had never realized how much Cameron had orchestrated behind his back. The Ackermans or the media could trip him up for now, but her betrayal cut deeper. Every move had been calculated.And the most absur
Cade crossed the room as Cameron, already seated, leaned her cheek against her hand, skimming the menu. "Want a drink?" she asked casually.His heart skipped a beat.Cameron's appearance radiated deliberate perfection. From her flawlessly styled hair and expertly applied makeup to her impeccable outfit and carefully chosen accessories, every detail was considered. Even her expensive "Allure" perfume hinted at a desire to captivate.A private dining room meant for couples with only spouses in each other's company…Given the setup, sharing a drink seemed like an implicit invitation.Cade pressed his lips into a line, trying to ignore the rising curve of a smile. "Sure," he replied, his tone deceptively even. "We'll start with two bottles of Magnolia's Pulpit," Cameron said.Cade choked on his water, coughing as he asked, "Seriously?"Who would start a date with such a strong distilled spirit? With two bottles, no less.Cameron propped up her chin and raised an eyebrow. "Is that
Cameron stared at her screen, where Gale had just sent a single word. "Ready." Her lips curled up involuntarily.Cade noticed the smile. He didn't know who she was messaging, but it irritated him for some reason. After a long pause, he exhaled slowly and asked, "What if the Ackermans refuse to settle?"Cameron didn't bother to answer. She knew Violet and Victor would soon be in hot water, so she hadn't considered the aftermath. However, to Cade, her silence only confirmed his assumptions—she was reckless, unprepared, and acting purely on emotion. He clenched his jaw and finally stopped holding his breath. Then, suddenly, he pulled the car over with a sharp twist of the wheel. "Did you think it through before turning yourself in? What if the psych evaluation comes back clean, and the Ackermans insist on pressing charges? What then? You hurt Mirabelle badly. You think you'll have it easy in prison with the way they dote on her?" In contrast to Cade's exasperation, Cameron remaine
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