“Don’t pretend to be dumb. I don’t find it interesting at all.”“Your friend beats my woman, and you want to resolve it with one song? Isn’t that too cheap?”Having seen Ray’s manipulative antics, Adriana could only patiently play along to deceive him. “The conditions were set by you, so aren’t you afraid of losing face by going back on your word like this? Oh, right — a man who encourages his girlfriend to pick fights probably doesn’t care about face anyway.”Ray turned to Calvin with a complaining tone. “Calvin, did you hear that? Adriana is scolding me.”Adriana felt annoyed, thinking, I should have guessed that Ray had me on speakerphone.Calvin, sitting there in his usual calm style — as if nothing in the world could faze him — replied, “Don’t you have a mouth? If you have the guts to talk back, then do it. If you don’t, just hold it in.”“Really? You won’t step in if I yell at her? You’re just going to let me handle it?” Ray asked, his tone full of villainous intent.Calvin rema
Putting down her phone, Adriana looked up at the gate of the Green Wick Community and drove into the garage with a hard press on the gas pedal.She decided to look for an apartment tomorrow. She couldn’t stand living in the same place as Calvin anymore.When her nerves were tightly wound, she hadn’t felt dizzy. But now, sitting on the sofa and allowing herself to relax, her whole body ached. Her legs felt limp, as if boneless, and when she wiped her forehead, her hand came away hot.Luckily, she still had fever-reducing pills at home. She took them with some warm water, but her empty stomach churned in protest, so irritated that she felt like she might vomit from the acid.It was 11:30 p.m., and the trending topic on the internet was still heating up. More and more dirt on Eria was being dug up — even embarrassing stories from her early high school romance had surfaced.Damn Ray!Adriana turned her anger into determination. She picked up her phone, ready to call and curse him out befo
Calvin raised his eyes and saw the woman closing hers, as if ready to die—a lifeless soul in his hands.He wanted to stab her with words, but he also wanted answers. Why had she insisted on marrying him? Wasn’t it for the reputation and status of the Walker family? During their three years of marriage, how much profit had she made for Clarke’s using her title as Mrs. Walker? Did she need him to lay out the data one by one? His brother had borrowed two billion in cash from the bank, using the Grand Empire Group branch in Los Angeles as collateral.“What role did Adriana play in this? Was she stealing beams to build her own house? Secretly scheming?’How did she still have the nerve to question me so imperiously?”Taking a deep breath, Calvin was the first to regain his composure. He lowered his voice slightly.“You’re still running a fever. Don’t fall and crack your head—I don’t want the floor to get dirty.”Adriana clenched her fists, trying to keep the tears from falling. She turned
Adriana glanced left and right in shock, afraid Calvin might do something reckless in his fit of anger. “You’re hungry and want to eat? A woman like me isn’t worth your effort!”She backed away in a panic, her movement so rushed that she bumped into the cabinet with a loud thud, the sound breaking the tense atmosphere.Calvin turned toward her, noticing her wince in pain. Without a word, he grabbed a pot, filled it with water, and lit the stove.As the water began to heat, he suddenly asked, “You completed your degree in U.K ?”The abrupt change of topic spanned years, making it feel out of place and out of context.Adriana frowned. Did Calvin’s logic get eaten by a dog?“I’m not like you. I couldn’t just stay there without studying,” she replied sharply.The U.K. didn’t allow long-term residency for foreign citizens without a valid work visa or student visa. Family leave was limited to six months at most. She hadn’t wanted to waste her education, and her parents had always emphasized
After hanging up the phone, Adriana returned to the dining room and saw two steaming plates of dumplings with a dish of vinegar in the center.How to say! Calvin was the kind of person who could make even fast food feel ceremonial. The fork and knife were arranged perfectly according to table etiquette, and the dumplings were placed in a neat circle, looking visibly pleasing.Adriana yanked her chair back. “I didn’t say I wanted to eat.”Calvin dipped a dumpling into the vinegar. “Then don’t eat.”Adriana had been hungry for a long time, and the smell of the food only made her hungrier. She was about to pick up the fork, but when he said that, she froze. So instead, she placed her hands on her lap, thinking, It’s not a big deal. I’ll eat after he leaves.“What did you want to tell me earlier?” Adriana asked.Watching her stubbornly refuse to move her fork irritated him. “You’re not punishing me; you’re punishing your body,” he said sharply. “Starving yourself is just making things har
There’s a big difference between fear and hate.Accordingly, Adriana’s answer would reveal her true attitude toward Calvin. If she feared him, it would stem from the imbalance of power between them. But if it was hate, it would suggest psychological resistance. Either way, their cooperation was hanging by a thread, and Adriana had no intention of digging a hole for herself.“Have you ever seen Party A and Party B eating dumplings at home together?” Adriana asked, her tone light but sarcastic. “You’re so condescending—of course, I’m terrified. If the service isn’t good and the cooperation fails, I’ll be the one crying about it.”Calvin picked up another dumpling and took a bite. Though it had cooled, the texture was still decent.“Is this how you live?” he asked, glancing around. “Your house has nothing in it.”The furnishings were high-end French pieces, but the layout was sparse and cold. It didn’t feel like a home.Adriana shrugged. “I’m just staying here temporarily. It’s easier to
With her back solidly pressed against the wall and her hands pinned above her head, Adriana stared at him with wide, furious eyes. Accusations and objections were written all over her face, but her mouth was not free to curse him.Calvin's lips claimed hers with a force that left her reeling, tasting the sweet, familiar flavor of him. No matter how fiercely her expression resisted, her body betrayed her, trembling in response.To be honest, the moment he hugged her and kissed her, he hadn’t thought at all. But if he had stopped to think for even a second — half a second — he knew he wouldn’t have done it. Yet his instincts had once again overpowered reason.He simply wanted to conquer her.He wanted to punish her.Wanted to make her beg for mercy. Wanted to make her cry.When he finally released her, his grip remained firm on her wrists, preventing her from raising a hand to slap him. His gaze dropped to her red, swollen lips, and he couldn’t help but reach out to trace them with his
Calvin was in a foul mood. He hadn’t slept well the night before, and waking up early only made things worse. Since it was the weekend, he didn’t go to the company. Instead, he sat in his study, scrolling through emails with a frown.That morning, he received a call from his grandfather, George Walker, instructing him to meet with the Blake family.“Since you’ve decided to formalize the relationship, you need to make an effort,” George said firmly. “The Blake family is taking this marriage very seriously, and you need to show them the same respect. Choose a few gifts and visit them. Don’t lower the Walker family’s status.”Calvin’s voice was calm but firm. “The engagement is still up for discussion. There’s no need to rush a decision.”George’s tone immediately sharpened. His health wasn’t great, and Calvin usually tried to keep things light to avoid upsetting him. But this time, his grandfather wasn’t having it.“What are you talking about? Your marriage to Anna Blake is already on t
She had quite a bit of potential for uttering so many non-repetitive curse words in one night.Calvin caught her hand, not allowing her to leave.Then, right in front of her, he dialed a number.The call connected after just a few rings.“Mr. Walker? Wow, what an honor! What brings you to call me?” the voice on the other end said, half-joking.Calvin said coldly, “Contact Richard. Get him out of there — use whatever excuse you need.”The person on the other side didn’t dare to ask for details. “Yes, understood!”Calvin hung up and turned to look at Adriana, whose eyes were red with rage.“Aren’t you going to thank me?” he said lazily.Adriana tried to shake off his hand but couldn’t.“Calvin, you’re only making things more awkward between us. Please pay attention to boundaries…”Calvin leaned in and said lowly, “If I hadn’t watched my step tonight, you'd be lying on my bed right now, under me, crying for mercy.”Adriana’s face flared with anger.Without hesitation, she raised her foot
Last time, she had been half-proud of herself for bravely refusing to go home with Calvin — but she didn’t expect to be back here again, in the blink of an eye.Adriana scratched her hair in distress.“To be clear, I’m just borrowing the room,” she muttered.Calvin glanced at her miserable-looking face and said lazily, “I suggest you clean yourself up first. I won’t lay my hands on a female ghost — even if I’m horny.”Adriana rushed into the restroom, only then realizing how horrible she looked with half her makeup removed during the car ride.Come to think of it, Calvin had kept his cool the entire way — not even driving the car into the green belt.His psychological endurance was strong enough, she had to admit.The bathroom was fully stocked with toiletries.After showering, Adriana came out wrapped in a bathrobe, only to find Calvin on the balcony, making a call.He stood near the window, one hand in his pants pocket, his back straight and imposing.“Send someone to keep an eye on
On what grounds?Because he was Calvin — a character you couldn’t afford to mess with, couldn’t afford to offend.Adriana wanted to answer for him, believing, you don't have a second choice.But Calvin’s actual response was more official and impossible to refuse: “Believe it or not, it’s up to you!”His desire to catch him worked. After a brief moment weighing his options, Darren engaged in a more thorough conversation with Calvin, roughly covering how to help him clean up his act, as well as the cooperation that would follow.The matter was negotiated without Calvin needing to mobilize a single soldier.Darren cheerfully took the initiative to toast, saying, “Since we’re partners now, can you tell us your name?”Calvin didn’t touch his wine glass. “Next time, I’ll naturally let you know.”Kevin crossed over and spoke to Darren: “Mr. Darren, waiting for your good news in three days!”Richard and Liam looked at each other in dismay. Darren was normally a cautious man; otherwise, his bu
Darren was an unfamiliar name to Adriana.But Calvin wouldn't mention someone unrelated for no reason.After thinking for two seconds, Adriana understood: this man, Darren, who hadn't shown his face until now, was probably Scar’s big brother.Scar himself didn’t even know what his Big Brother’s real name was — so how did Calvin just point it out directly?Richard’s face shifted from green to white, little by little.He felt that the worst kind of situation was about to happen.This strange man seemed to know far more about them than he should.And the more this became apparent, the more Richard dared not be careless.He forced a smile and tried to stall: "Darren? Which Darren is Brother referring to?"Not only Richard — even Liam, who was nearly drunk, and Austin Mark, still dizzy from slamming into the wall, were staring at Calvin warily.With their connections in New York City, most powerful people at least had recognizable faces.But this man — no one had any information on him at
Mina’s eyes could see six ways at once; she thought tonight felt unusual. She didn’t know who he was, but she knew she had to serve people because of Liam. If anything went wrong, Darren’s business could be soaked, so she smiled carefully."Two brothers, if there's something to say, let’s say it properly. Roughness can scare people off, you know."Kevin’s skin practically crawled from her flattery, and he snapped, "None of your business."Mina smiled softly and picked up a glass of wine. "Handsome, don’t be angry. Why don’t I have a drink with you?"She drank it all in one go, tilting the glass upside down to show not a single drop remained. "Satisfied, handsome?"Kevin said coldly, "Not satisfied."Mina blushed profusely, tugging awkwardly at the corner of her mouth. "Then, what would satisfy the handsome man?"Kevin kept a stern face and said nothing.Mina circled around the table and half-squatted down, trying to tap Calvin’s leg, but he dodged her with a disgusted look, as if a sl
Calvin’s cold and clear presence stood out starkly in the room—like a noble eagle trapped among vultures. From the moment he sat down, the atmosphere shifted. It was as if this seedy box suddenly became a royal court, simply because he was in it.Adriana had to admit, deep down, that sometimes it wasn’t the place that mattered—it was the people who entered it.Calvin turned to the man and asked flatly, “Tell me, what kind of dog are you?”“Damn it! Did you just insult me?”Furious, the man raised the wine bottle and swung it toward Calvin’s face.Crash!With a smooth backhand, Calvin caught the bottle mid-air—and in the next second, red liquid flowed down the man’s head. It was a mixture of wine and blood, trailing from the broken shards that remained.The man stood frozen in place, stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected anyone would dare lay a hand on him.&l
Adriana hurriedly stood up, letting Richard's arms miss her as she fled to the song selection table. She quickly picked a song she was already tired of hearing herself.The prelude began. Adriana sat on a high stool as the disorienting lights flickered and danced, casting her features in shifting patterns of light and shadow. In the haze, her face became half-hidden, half-revealed—mysterious and luminous.As the song started, the room fell silent.Mina, holding her glass of wine, joined a few men in turning their attention to the small stage.There, in the corner, sat a woman like a frightened deer—yet somehow too mesmerizing to be real.Where did she come from?Was she just trying to help out a newcomer, or had she accidentally brought in a job-stealing troublemaker?Fortunately, that lecherous Darren Venzor wasn’t around tonight. If he had been, he would’ve already been seduced by that little fox.Adriana sang with her lips,
Interesting. Things were getting more and more intriguing.If she could catch evidence of Richard cheating, she could kill two birds with one stone today.“Good… Good!”Adriana’s red lips curved into a subtle smile, though no one could see the sharp calculation flickering beneath her eyes. She extended her long, slender legs. Her clothes weren’t particularly revealing, but her confident stride and graceful movements hinted at an understated allure.It wasn’t delicate, but it was undeniably captivating.Richard smiled, his eyebrows raised, and patted the seat beside him. “Sit next to me!”The woman on his lap let out a reluctant grunt and clung to his neck. “Richard, don’t you love me anymore?”Richard slid his hand along her leg and said, “Be good. Wait for me.”Obediently, the woman moved to the side, vacating the seat, and shot Adriana a venomous glare.Adriana leaned over and sat down, still catching her breath, when
A few moments later, Anna wiped her tears and walked out of the parlor—no one came to see her off.Leon spotted her first. “Brother, Anna’s here!”“Sit tight. I’m going out.”Peter got up quickly and followed her, gently offering a handkerchief.Anna kept her head down as she walked, not looking around. Suddenly, the appearance of a handkerchief and a dark figure startled her—she mistook it for Calvin and instinctively smiled,“Calv—”She stopped mid-word, realizing it wasn’t him.“Peter?”Peter stood there with his arms folded, his black suit crisp and sharp. A faint smile played on his lips; he looked like a knight in polished armor.“Did Calvin bully you? I’ll straighten him out if he did.”Anna clutched the handkerchief, shaking her head. “No…”“Oh? Then maybe Grandpa gave you a