The afternoon passed peacefully, with no one paying any more attention to Jacqueline. She slunk away, thoroughly humiliated. Hogan remained professional and focused on filming until the very end, which moved Pearl to tears.Cynthia had plans with Gina, so she completely forgot that Lucien had mentioned picking her up after work. The moment she clocked out, she left with Gina, and the two of them headed to a nearby restaurant for dinner.After confronting Cynthia earlier, Gina had already started to regret it. Yes, Cynthia had lied to her, but after cooling down, she questioned herself—what was she doing? She had only ever admired Lucien from afar. It had always been one-sided. What right did she have to hold her friend accountable for that?She trusted that Cynthia had her reasons.But she never expected Cynthia to drop a bombshell on her."Lucien is my ex-husband."Gina was utterly stunned, staring at Cynthia in shock, unable to proce
Shortly after.As Cynthia stood in front of the familiar doorway, she was met with nothing but cold emptiness.This was a place she had once loathed with every fiber of her being, yet it was also the place she had been forced to rely on.She had been gone for six years—who knew how much had changed?She pressed the doorbell, her expression utterly calm.The door swung open, revealing Toby standing shirtless, a large, inky-black tattoo sprawled across one shoulder. It was an indistinguishable mess. The moment he laid eyes on her, a sinister grin spread across his face. "We've been waiting for you."Cynthia stepped inside, her movements unhurried. Toby's gaze raked over her, sizing her up. "Looks like you've been living quite the luxurious life these past few years. Just look at those clothes, shoes, that bag—every single piece screams designer."She continued walking into the living room, her voice indifferent. "That's righ
Lucien stood at the doorway, clad in a perfectly tailored black suit, his posture straight and imposing. His sharp, hawk-like gaze locked onto Cynthia the moment he spotted her.When he noticed she was still wrapped in her male colleague's jacket, his brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing through his eyes.Cynthia lifted her gaze and met Lucien's eyes.Why did he always seem to appear out of nowhere? Did he secretly install a tracker on her or something?Lucien strode over to her, lowering his head slightly as he gazed at her. His voice was calm but firm. "Are you done here?"Cynthia met his eyes with an unshaken expression. "They want me to borrow money from you—to pay off another million for Georgia. Would you still be willing to lend it to me?""If you want it, I'll give it to you,"Lucien replied without hesitation.Cynthia let out a soft "hmm,"as if contemplating something. Then she turned to
Sitting in the car, Cynthia stared silently out the window. After a long while, as if gathering all her courage, she slowly turned her head and softly asked, "How did you know I was there?""I told you we'd go home together after work. Why didn't you wait for me?"Lucien's tone was noticeably cold.Cynthia froze, suddenly recalling that he had indeed mentioned this. Lowering her eyes slightly, she murmured, "I forgot,"with a hint of barely noticeable guilt in her voice."You remember everything when it's about other people, but when it comes to me, you forget it all completely,"Lucien said, visibly annoyed. His eyes fell on the clothes she was wearing, and his expression darkened even more. "Take it off."Cynthia was still startled by his earlier words, and now, hearing this sudden command, she frowned slightly. Is he seriously thinking about... here, in the car?"What? Do you just love wearing another man's clothes that much?"&nbs
After the call ended, Cynthia sat frozen in her seat, her mind blank. Several seconds passed before she slowly came to her senses and took a deep breath — a breath that seemed to drain all the strength from her body. After hesitating for a moment, she stood up and headed straight to her manager's office to request leave.She knew full well that, no matter how strained her relationship with Georgia had been, she couldn't just turn a blind eye. Blood was thicker than water — no matter how much she tried, she couldn't cut those ties completely.When she arrived at the hospital, she went directly to the Radiology Department. Spotting Edric sitting there, Cynthia stormed over."Where's Georgia?" she demanded."She's inside, getting some scans done," Edric replied calmly, looking up at her."What exactly happened? And why are you here?" Cynthia's tone was sharp.Edric furrowed his brows slightly but still explained patiently, "I accidentally scraped her with my car, so I brought her here ri
Lucien strode over to Cynthia, pulled her into his arms, and firmly clasped her waist. Towering over the disheveled Edric on the ground, his eyes glinted with disdain. "If you want to speak to my wife, you'll have to get my permission first."Cynthia instinctively tried to push him away. "Lucien!" she called softly.At the sound of her voice, Lucien turned his head slightly and glanced at her. That one look sent a sharp jolt through Cynthia's heart. In his eyes, she saw overwhelming possessiveness, fierce protectiveness, and a trace of barely contained rage.Edric scrambled to his feet, looking utterly pathetic. His suit and face were smeared with dirt, and his bloodshot eyes locked onto Lucien and Cynthia with seething anger. His clenched fists trembled slightly, but he dared not make another move.Lucien glanced at him with contempt before lowering his gaze to Cynthia. "Darling, let's go home."His tone was gentle, but chilling to anyone who heard it.Simon helped Georgia from the t
Cynthia slowly regained consciousness, only to find that Lucien was already gone. As she moved slightly, a wave of soreness spread through her body, as if she had endured some kind of harsh punishment. Yet, she couldn't deny that Lucien's skills in bed were nothing short of extraordinary—just as they had always been.After taking a shower and changing into fresh clothes, Cynthia stepped out of the bathroom, only to realize that night had already fallen. The room was shrouded in darkness. She reached for the switch, and with a soft click, light illuminated the space. As her gaze landed on the glass tank, her footsteps faltered.The turtle had been placed back inside. It lay motionless at the bottom of the tank, quiet and still.Cynthia slowly approached, her eyes locked onto the small creature. Lucien's words echoed in her mind: You're just like this turtle.As much as she hated to admit it, there was some truth to his cruel remark.Her marriage to Lucien was like that glass tank—an en
Cynthia gently closed Georgia's bedroom door and took a few steps forward. As she lifted her gaze, she caught sight of a flickering glow near the balcony, the faint arcs of light piercing through the darkness. She hesitated for a moment, then, almost instinctively, moved toward the glow. When she got closer, she realized who it was—Lucien.Without thinking, she blurted out, "You haven't left?"Lucien turned his head slowly at the sound of her voice, his expression calm as he met her gaze. "Where else should I go?" he asked in return.His words caught Cynthia off guard, as if something lodged in her throat, rendering her momentarily speechless. Indeed, given the tangled mess of their relationship, it wasn't exactly surprising that he was still here.Just then, a faint but distinct creaking sound came from the balcony railing.A warning flashed through her mind—the landlord's reminder: The railing is old and unstable. Don't lean on it, or you might fall.Before she could even think, her
Lucien nearly crushed the steering wheel when he got Vicky's call. By the time he arrived, the scene in front of him made his blood run cold—Erica gripping a kitchen knife, dragging Cynthia behind her, Harley charging ahead with a broom, and Vicky chasing them in a panic. It looked like a total madhouse.Just as he got out of the car, he heard Harley's sharp little voice shout, "You big meanie!"A piercing screech of brakes tore through the air.A scooter came speeding from the side. Harley stood frozen in the bike lane, the broom falling from his hands with a clatter as he squeezed his eyes shut in fear."Harley!" several voices screamed in unison.Lucien moved on pure instinct. He lunged forward and scooped the child into his arms at the last possible second. They both crashed into the roadside bushes, dry branches tearing jagged scratches into his skin.Cynthia rushed over and grabbed Harley, her fingers trembling as she checked him all over. "Tell Mommy—does anything hurt?"Harley
Cynthia raised her hand to hail a taxi to Erica's place, but before she could, a strong hand clamped around her wrist. Lucien was suddenly there behind her, his eyes a storm barely contained."You hate me that much?" he said hoarsely. "You can't even stand to stay one more minute?""Stay?" She let out a cold laugh. "What, to talk about how many mistresses you have? How many illegitimate children? Maybe we should count now, just so your grandfather won't have to bring them home one by one. That way, I'll know how many people I'm supposed to share you with!"Lucien's temple twitched with rage. "I told you, no one but you is worthy of having my child! You're the one who wanted her to keep it!""Oh, so now it's all my fault?" Cynthia's eyes turned red with unshed tears. "Should I thank you for giving me the exclusive privilege of bearing your children?"Her voice trembled. "You think an abortion makes it go away? And when the next one comes along, you'll have her abort it too, all for me?
Back at the apartment, Cynthia walked straight to the bedroom without so much as glancing at Hogan."I'll find you some clean clothes,"she said."Um…"Hogan rubbed his nose, a sheepish smile spreading across his face. "If you've got any... new underwear..."Cynthia paused. "Take a shower first. I'll bring it over when I find some."Throughout the exchange, neither of them acknowledged Lucien, even though his shirtfront was just as soaked.Sensing the tension radiating from Lucien, Hogan raised his voice deliberately. "Lucien, I'm going to shower now~ Where are the slippers?""Let Stephen bring the underwear,"Lucien said coldly. "The only ones I have are ones I've worn."Hogan blinked. "There's a supermarket downstairs. They probably sell them—"Before he could finish, someone grabbed the back of his collar. Lucien was already dragging him toward the door."Go dry off outside.""She's
Lucien's expression shifted subtly as he stepped toward her. "We do have a son. His name is Harley."His gaze never left Cynthia's face, but she wouldn't spare him even a glance."Impossible!"Janet shrieked, springing to her feet. "You've been divorced for six years! That bastard could be anyone's—""Janet."Cynthia's glare was sharper than any knife. "You'll regret saying that."She turned to Lucien, her tone calm as if speaking of someone else's life. "I found out I was pregnant after the divorce. I gave birth to him alone… raised him alone..."Her voice finally trembled. "I never planned to let you know."Lucien recalled the strange sense of closeness he'd felt when he first met Harley. His heart was struck like a gong. She had borne all of this—alone."I know."He pulled her into his arms, his voice hoarse. "Harley is my son."Mandy approached slowly. Cynthia immediately noticed the brui
Cynthia had just stepped out of the kitchen when she nearly collided with Marcus, who stood at the doorway with a frail-looking girl. The girl kept her head down, her steps hesitant."Come in,"Marcus said, stepping aside. But when he looked up and saw Cynthia, his expression shifted dramatically.The girl slowly lifted her head, and the moment their eyes met, both she and Cynthia froze in place.That face—it looked so much like hers. Even more than Jacqueline ever had. Put them side by side, and no one would doubt they were sisters."Dinner's ready..."Lucien's voice came from behind, but at this moment, it sounded sharp and jarring."Lucien..."Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she stared longingly at the man behind Cynthia, yet she didn't dare take a step closer.Cynthia turned and saw Lucien's face clouded with dark fury. She said softly, "She's here for you."His pupils contracted. He reached out for her,
Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains. Cynthia carefully helped Lucien slip into a T-shirt, her fingers pausing for a moment when they brushed against the bruises on his back."You should really get checked out at the hospital," she said softly."You'll come with me?" Lucien pulled her into his arms like a child asking for candy."Mm-hmm." She agreed without hesitation, lifting her gaze to meet his deep, intense eyes. On impulse, she rose onto her toes and brushed a light kiss against the corner of his mouth. "Good morning."The sudden kiss lit up Lucien's entire face, so radiant it was almost blinding. Cynthia's ears burned red as she hurriedly pushed him away."We should get going."He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingertips. "Okay."Every small act of tenderness from her was a priceless gift to him. He had all the patience in the world to wait—until she opened her heart completely.When they stepp
"Mommy can't come home tonight, okay? Be good and listen to your auntie,"Cynthia said gently into the phone.From the other end came Harley's exaggerated wail, "That uncle tricked you again! I'm never talking to him again! Hmph!"Erica took the phone from Harley. "You're staying at the Brown estate tonight? They accepted you back this fast?"Cynthia looked out at the night sky, her voice tinged with fatigue. "Not exactly. Lucien got beaten half to death by his grandfather just to bring me back. If you had seen it…""What?!"Erica shrieked. "And you? Are you okay? I swear, what kind of century are we living in where people still solve things with violence? Should I call the police?"Cynthia instinctively rubbed the red marks on her arm. "I'm fine. He took all the hits for me.""That's a relief,"Erica muttered, then lowered her voice, "That scumbag didn't give you any trouble, did he? If he so much as touches you, just
Cynthia's face flushed with sudden heat.This room held too many sordid memories—countless nights of skin on skin, countless moments of surrender. Back then, she'd been nothing more than a doll locked in a glass case for his amusement. The way he had devoured her, night after night, still made her fingertips tremble at the memory. And even now, she couldn't seem to resist the pleasures of his bed. It was as if the marks he'd left on her body and soul had never truly faded.Back then, her world had revolved entirely around Edric. Her memories with Lucien had slipped through her fingers like water, forgotten as quickly as they'd formed. Maybe she'd blocked them out on purpose. Or maybe she had never cared enough to remember them. Now, only a few fragments remained—chief among them, the murderous rage in his eyes when he discovered her betrayal. That expression clung to her like a parasite. Everything else was a hazy blur, too shattered to piece together.
The heavy silence in the study was broken only by the occasional crackle from the fireplace.Brady tucked away his blood pressure monitor, glancing at the numbers. "Your blood pressure is holding steady, but at your age, sir, you shouldn't let yourself get so worked up."Thomas gripped the arms of his chair, knuckles whitening. "Stay calm?" he rasped, voice shaking with rage. "Those little bastards are tearing the house down!"Suddenly, he slammed his palm onto the rosewood desk, rattling the teacups. "They won't stop until they've broken every last bone in my old body!"Brady quietly packed his medical bag, preparing to leave, but Thomas barked, "Wait. That bastard's injuries...""Eight contusions," Brady said, shooting a glance at Marcus, who stood silent and motionless nearby. "No broken bones, but he should get X-rays to be safe. As for the young lady's arm—""Enough!" Thomas snapped, cutting him off. His white beard trembled with