“I don’t want it!”Adriana’s reaction was like an electric shock—or rather, it didn’t even make it past her brain. She instinctively and firmly refused.Regardless of Calvin’s reasons for giving her equity, once they became entangled in long-term interests, disentangling themselves completely would be extremely difficult. She had long seen through Calvin’s cleverness. If he wanted to achieve something, even if it took going around in a hundred circles, he would do it. Xavier was proof of that—and she could be next.Calvin seemed to have anticipated her refusal. His reaction was calm.“That island is very suitable for people suffering from illnesses caused by chronic mental stress. It can be a good way to regulate both body and mind. Grand Empire will hire the best psychiatrists from home and abroad to create the first royal physical therapy center there. Anyone wishing to convalesce on the island must be carefully screened by the team—from identity to financial ability. Anyone who doe
Hanging up the phone, Adriana quickly replaced the flash of embarrassment on her face. “Are you going to see Calvin?”Kevin acted as if he hadn’t heard anything and simply nodded. “The president is recuperating and won’t allow outsiders to disturb him. He’s not very busy at the moment. Does you have a message you’d like me to pass along?”His words were clear—Calvin was idle, so if Adriana had something to say, now was the time. It wouldn't be considered a bother.Adriana, however, hesitated. What could she say? He was surrounded by top-tier doctors, first-class security, state-of-the-art equipment, and impeccable service. Everyone around him would treat him like royalty.“There’s nothing. Go ahead,” she said calmly.“Alright. Lawyer Clarke, if you need anything, feel free to reach out. I’ll be here for the next few days.”Kevin gently closed the door behind him, still thinking about the “who” mentioned by that strange girl over the phone.If he guessed correctly, that code name refer
Kevin had once thought it was impossible to hear a kind word from Carson's mouth. Still, after all these years of following Calvin, his psychological resilience had improved—by at least three or five points, so to speak—and he wasn’t so fragile as to lose his composure after a bit of hardship.“It’s good that you aren't seriously injured, considering the circumstances,” Kevin said.Carson shot him a cold look. If his eyes were lasers, the room would have been filled with a swarm of sharp, poisonous spikes.“So, you came to see if I’m dead, for your master? Well, I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you.”Calvin smiled. “You’re overthinking it. The president didn’t even mention you.”Carson choked on air. “What about him? Is he dead?”Kevin was now absolutely certain—Carson wasn’t just unfriendly toward the president. He hated him. This couldn’t just be about business rivalry. If it wasn’t career-related, then it had to be... women.Miss Adriana?Thinking along those lines, Kevin replied, “The
People’s psychological defenses plummet in the face of death. In such a critical moment, even enemies who would never see eye to eye might shake hands and make peace.Adriana’s heart softened. She had decided to tell Calvin the secret she had sworn she would never reveal.“We actually have a—”Boom!She was only halfway through her sentence when the room’s partition, strained under intense pressure, began to warp. The wooden panels broke free from their rivets, suddenly tilting and flying forward, propelled by water pressure and wind.Adriana didn’t even have time to scream.She saw Calvin lunge toward her—but just before the board hit him, it twisted in mid-air and struck her instead, rebounding off her body at an awkward angle.The unexpected blow sent Adriana into total darkness. Her vision vanished, and her consciousness sank as if into the deep sea.****She woke the next afternoon.Adriana’s head throbbed with pain. Her body was sore and weak, and even opening her eyes to a narr
In the distance, the black sea rose like an unattainable wall built from thin air — a tumbling, dark barricade swelling at the horizon, pressing inward with a suffocating force that seemed to split the sky itself. The wall of black pressure loomed over the boundless ocean, as if the heavens had lifted a corner to reveal their wrath.Just as they caught sight of the enormous wave, a tidal surge slammed into the ship. It swept over the parapet, crashing onto the deck with a ferocity that echoed like thunder.“Ahhh!”Alice screamed in shock as another massive wave surged toward them, threatening to tear the ship apart.Calvin’s gaze was stern. In a cold, commanding voice, he shouted, “It’s a tsunami—get inside!”Adriana had never faced a tsunami before. But staring at the monstrous black wave bearing down on them, she knew this was no ordinary storm. They had likely run straight into the first disaster of the summer.She broke into a run, only for a crashing wave to hit her, drenching he
Adriana retreated in order to advance. “Since it’s inconvenient for Mr. Darren, why don’t we talk about it another time? Taking advantage of someone’s misfortune is hardly the act of a gentleman, after all.”Calvin continued fishing leisurely. Every now and then, a fish took the bait. Sometimes he kept it, sometimes he simply tossed it back into the sea.He was a player in this game too, yet it felt as though none of this concerned him.Xavier was uneasy about Darren’s sudden departure. Given his understanding of Darren’s business map, he couldn’t help but suspect that something sensitive was involved.If Darren’s problems were truly escalating at such a critical moment, Xavier feared their cooperation might fall apart.“What does the young lady think?” Xavier asked.It hadn’t been easy for him to clean up his image, and now he had to consider public perception again. Facing Serena’s delicate concerns from beginning to end, he also didn’t want to risk losing the fruits of their effort