"If I drink these, you won't bother Roy again, right?"
Cynthia glanced at the three glasses of red wine, which were filled to the brim, before looking up at the man sitting across from her, who wore a series of earrings in his left ear. She asked.
This man, Frank, has recently been the subject of a major interview for the magazine Cynthia works for. But in the course of his work he repeatedly tried to get close to her. Her colleague and friend, Roy, had been punished by Frank to help her, and even their camera had been smashed.
Meanwhile, that interview didn't go ahead, and their supervisor was unusually angry, leading to both her and Roy being punished.
Cynthia was here today to apologize for Roy and to try to persuade Frank to continue with the interview.
Frank, half-lying on the sofa, stared at her. She had a strikingly beautiful face, but it was her perfectly tailored suit that wrapped around her slender frame that caught his attention.
To him, she was even more enticing than women who wore barely anything at all.
His eyes briefly flickered with interest. He lounged casually on the sofa and flashed a confident, almost arrogant smile. "Of course. I never lie."
Cynthia picked up the glasses and drained them in one go, the crowd around them cheering.
She wiped her mouth with a napkin, then stood up and extended her hand towards Frank, still lounging lazily.
"So, the interview..."
Frank smirked, his lips curling into a mocking smile. Slowly, he stood up and grasped her soft hand, his voice filled with innuendo.
"We can continue. Your supervisor is smart, sending such a beautiful woman. How could I say no?"
Without warning, Frank tightened his grip, pulling Cynthia into his embrace. For a brief moment, she felt dizzy.
Then, she realized his hands were sliding down her waist, caressing her.
A husky voice whispered in her ear, "Sweetheart, if you're willing to spend the night with me here, I can buy your magazine company and give it to you. Do you want that?"
Cynthia felt disgust rise in her chest, but kept her smile intact. She pushed his hand away from her chest. "I didn't know I was worth that much."
She pushed him away and stepped back, only to bump into someone coming toward her. The impact felt like crashing into a wall.
When she turned around, the color drained from her face, turning it as pale as a ghost.
She never imagined she'd encounter him here, at this moment!
Her ex-husband, Lucien Brown, the man who had divorced her six years ago.
His words from that day still echoed in her ears.
"I'm giving you freedom, Cynthia. But remember, if I ever meet you again, you'll know what hell is!"
And now, the man who once swore to ruin her stood right in front of her.
His perfect face sent a sharp jolt through her, stirring her nerves. Everything else faded from her mind.
However, he merely looked at her coldly, as if she were a stranger.
Standing beside him were two or three young men, along with a strikingly beautiful man, his features were almost feminine, a blend of allure and masculine charm, like a dark fairy stepping out of the night.
The beautiful man noticed Lucien's unwavering gaze on Cynthia and wrapped an arm around his, asking in a teasing tone, "Lucien, you know her?"
"My ex-wife, a slut," Lucien replied nonchalantly, as if he were talking about a nobody.
He then turned his attention to Frank, who was standing beside Cynthia, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. "Frank, do you actually need a hooker?"
With that, Lucien strode forward, his long arm reaching out to grab Cynthia by the neck, pulling her roughly into his grip.
His eyes remained cold, but the ice in them seemed bottomless, chilling anyone who dared to look. "So, you've had vaginal rejuvenation surgery to fool people again? Bitch."
His words struck like a slap, and the crowd around them fell into stunned silence.
Frank's face went from pale to green with fury. He looked at Cynthia as if she had truly seduced him.
Cynthia felt Lucien's large hand on her neck, squeezing so tightly that she thought it might snap.
The moment she saw him, all her words seemed to vanish, leaving only the cold, mocking tone of his voice echoing in her mind.
Her face turned even paler than before, but her eyes had sharpened with cold resolve.
"Heh, if I'm a slut, then you must be the world's biggest joke, my dear ex-husband." she grimaced in pain, but still managed to mock him, her lips curling into a smile that made Lucien want to crush her.
For a split second, Lucien's eyes flashed with an icy storm, and a deadly silence settled over the room.
The air seemed to freeze, and the onlookers couldn't help but shudder, sensing that he might snap Cynthia's neck without a second thought.
No one dared to intervene.
That beautiful man rushed over, trying to pull his hand off her neck. "Lucien, we should go. Mr. Smith is waiting for us."
Lucien didn't move. It was as if he could only see the woman in front of him.
The man tried again, desperation creeping into his voice. "Lucien..."
With a sharp motion, Lucien tossed Cynthia aside, sending her crashing to the floor.
Her wrist slammed into the table, and the pain shot through her. The spilled wine splashed all over her face, blurring her vision.
No one offered to help her. The crowd stood there, merely observing.
Lucien stared down at her, his gaze as cold as the grave.
Finally, he stepped over her, not sparing her a single glance as he walked away.
The sterile white lights of the hospital corridor cast a harsh glow as Cynthia stood at the far end, her chest tight as if a weight were pressing down on it. Lucien had vanished again—without a word of explanation, without even a glance back.She walked slowly toward the emergency unit, only to stop abruptly when she saw Marcus standing rigidly outside the ER. He had always been calm and respectful, but now, his presence sent a chill down her spine. That car with the failed brakes... was it really an accident? Or had someone tampered with it?"Cynthia." Marcus noticed her and walked toward her. "The doctor said Jessica has multiple fractures. She'll need time to recover.""And the baby?" Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears—dry, brittle.Marcus hesitated. "Still waiting on a full evaluation." He lowered his voice, eyes scanning the hallway. "The chairman will hear about this. You and Lucien... need to prepare yourselves."Cynthia looked up sharply, catching a flicker of genuine c
Cynthia gripped the car keys so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her fingers trembled as she jammed them into the ignition. The engine roared to life, and she floored the accelerator, tires shrieking against the gravel as the car shot out of the estate like a bullet.She had to stop Lucien—before he did something that couldn't be undone.The landscape blurred past in a dizzying smear of color. Cynthia's fingers danced across her phone screen again and again, dialing Lucien's number, but every call ended in the same soulless busy tone. Each beep sank her heart a little further.Just as panic began to drown her, she spotted it—the sleek, familiar car ahead.BANG.A dull thud, then Jessica's body tumbled from the vehicle, her forehead split open, blood pouring down her face. Lucien's car screeched to a halt, and he jumped out just in time to meet Cynthia's wide, horrified eyes through her windshield.There was panic in his face—real panic. And that terrified her more than anything.She
Inside the study, Marcus was quietly organizing books on the shelves when the wooden door was suddenly slammed open.Leo stormed in, seething with rage. With a swift motion, he slammed the door shut behind him and hurled a folded report straight at Marcus's face."You think you can screw me over?" he snarled, grabbing Marcus by the collar and slamming him back against the bookshelf. "I paid you, and you still didn't fix the damn report? Do you believe I won't have my father kick his little watchdog out of the house?"Marcus remained still, his expression impassive, his silence as solid as stone.Leo sneered. "Fine. That's fine." His eyes glinted with venom. "I'll go straight to Father right now—""A little scared Grandpa might get too excited about having a great-grandchild?"The cold voice emerged from the shadows, freezing Leo in place.Lucien was lounging on the sofa, one arm in a sling, the other casually tucked into his pocket. No one had noticed when he'd entered."Lucien!" Leo
Lucien led Harley by the hand toward Thomas and gave him a subtle nod. Understanding the cue, Harley obediently knelt and bowed three times, as tradition demanded. Yet he kept his distance, refusing to inch any closer.A flicker of disappointment passed through Thomas's eyes, quickly masked as he waved his hand."A Lamborghini. A private library. And ten million for his early education fund."Gasps rippled through the room. Even when his other grandchildren were born, none had received such an extravagant welcome. Only Mandy had ever been honored like this.Now, Mandy clutched her skirt so tightly her nails threatened to pierce the fabric.Stacey's eyes lit up. Her face transformed into a facade of maternal warmth as she reached out to embrace Harley. But the moment he saw her hands coming toward him, he recoiled. When she forcibly scooped him up, he burst into loud, panicked sobs.Cynthia quickly took him back into her arms, gently soothing him. Her inner voice brimmed with cold cont
The hospital corridor was bathed in a harsh, sterile light. Marcus had been waiting for some time. When Lucien tossed the paternity test results into his hands, he barely glanced at the page before his expression froze.Without a word, Lucien turned on his heel and walked away.Marcus stared after his retreating figure, shoulders taut with silent resignation. That man hadn't even looked at the results.In the waiting room, Harley threw himself at Lucien the moment he entered."Daddy! Am I really your son?"Lucien ruffled his hair. "What do you think?"Harley's eyes lit up and he spun toward Cynthia. "Mommy, Daddy said I'm really his son!"Cynthia's gaze dropped to Lucien's empty hands. "Where's the report?""Didn't read it."Lucien's voice was cool and resolute. "I've never needed a piece of paper to tell me who my son is."Cynthia's breath caught. She had braced for skepticism—six years apart, and Harley look
The air in the room felt frozen. Cynthia's fingertips had gone cold as her eyes flicked across the food scattered on the floor—typical. Thomas couldn't bear to see them have a moment's peace. First, he sent Jessica to stir the pot, and now he was "kindly"suggesting they move back into the Brown estate. What a performance—perfectly timed.Lucien's profile looked especially hard under the light, his jaw set tight. Harley clutched at Cynthia's shirt hem, her wide eyes darting anxiously between her parents.Cynthia took Harley's hand and walked around to the other side of the bed. She didn't speak right away. Instead, she reached out and gently touched the tense nape of Lucien's neck, her fingers brushing the bristly short hair."Let's go home,"she said softly. "It's too noisy here. Harley's exhausted."Lucien's head snapped up, surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected her to be so calm, let alone to suggest going back on her
Time rewound to the days they spent in the hospital.Cynthia, having sustained mostly bruises, was the least injured of the three. Lucien had a fractured right hand, and Harley was still recovering from his neck injury. To be safe, the family of three had to remain in the hospital for several more days.Ironically, the sterile white hospital room became an unexpectedly warm haven, a place where they could savor the simple joy of being together.After coming so close to death, both Harley and Lucien grew unusually attached to her. Whether they were heading to a check-up or simply strolling the halls, the trio was inseparable. These few days became the happiest moments Cynthia had experienced since reuniting with Lucien—no, since their remarriage. Of course, it would have been even more perfect if the Brown family hadn't kept turning up uninvited.Thomas only visited once, then disappeared entirely. Jay, Leo, and Kirk came by in turns, but Cynthia qui
The golden rays of the setting sun slanted through the glass window, casting a warm glow across the tabletop. The café's air conditioning had chased away the last traces of summer heat. Cynthia and Marius sat across from each other, a delicate silence hanging in the air between them.Cynthia took a small sip of coffee, her gaze still fixed on the street outside."You asked to meet me. I assume you have something to say?"Marius looked more worn than usual—gone was the carefree arrogance he once carried. Turning his head slightly, his voice came low and hoarse."I came to apologize.""If I hadn't taken Harley without permission, none of this would've happened."His fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of his cup. "I owe you an apology."Cynthia's fingertip slid slowly along her own cup, her tone calm."Even if it hadn't been you, Jacqueline would've found another way. She hated me far too much to ever let it go."&nbs
Cynthia gently pressed her fingertips against the back of his hand, her voice soft but resolute."Don't be angry. I believe Hogan didn't mean to play a joke on me."After this terrifying ordeal, she finally saw her heart clearly—her feelings for Lucien ran far deeper than she had ever admitted to herself.Lucien's gaze burned into her, the warmth in his eyes reigniting. Seeing her goal accomplished, Erica tactfully slipped away."What if I really died?" he asked suddenly, his voice low and rough.Cynthia's heart jolted. In that moment when she'd believed him gone, she hadn't known what she would do. The only thought that had consumed her was to bring him home—back to their home, and stay by his side with Harley.Lucien had once said that if she died, he would follow her in death. Was he now expecting the same promise from her?She held Harley closer. The little boy looked up at her with his clear, innocent eyes. Cynthia stroked his hair gently, her voice calm and clear."I would bury