At Alden's intense reaction, Gavin softened his tone and tried to calm him down:"Come on, Alden, calm down. You're overreacting. I'm just asking questions, I don't mean to offend you.""You’re making me angry," Alden snapped immediately."I’m sorry for that," Gavin apologized sincerely."I’m not just going to let you off the hook so easily," Alden pouted, deliberately making demands. "Unless you do something to make me feel better.""Don’t be so petty, Alden," Gavin chuckled but then turned serious. "But fine, I’ll agree to something—if it makes sense."Hearing this, Alden’s expression brightened a little. He eagerly made a suggestion:"If you can, then maybe you could—""Let’s put that aside for now," Gavin suddenly cut him off, leaving Alden feeling disappointed. "Right now, I need your help to clarify something."Alden furrowed his brow, clearly displeased at being interrupted. "What is it?""Did you intentionally leave Cara alone with Dante, or was it by accident?" Gavin asked sud
Alden had thought that no one would care or even notice his absence. Everyone was focused on Cara. So, when Gavin knocked on the door and suggested a quick chat, Alden was somewhat surprised."Alden, it’s me, Gavin. Can I come in?"Alden was about to refuse but quickly understood Gavin’s nature—once he wanted something, he would get it no matter what. Reluctantly, he agreed."Come in."As soon as he got permission, Gavin opened the door and stepped in.Alden didn’t even bother trying to guess why Gavin had come. To be honest, he didn’t care. Right now, everything seemed meaningless to Alden. He didn’t want to talk, nor did he want to do anything else—he just wanted to sink into the solitude of darkness and let the pain gnaw at his soul.“The room’s so dark. Why don’t you turn on the light?” Gavin asked.A rather unnecessary question. Alden frowned. Did Gavin forget that he was blind? Whether the light was on or not made no difference.“I prefer it this way,” Alden replied indifferently
"Alden!" Gavin snapped at his younger brother as soon as he heard him speak. "Don’t talk nonsense. Making baseless accusations without solid proof can have terrible consequences, do you understand?""I'm just saying what needs to be said," Alden shrugged indifferently. "How can we truly know what’s in someone’s heart? Not even the gods can see everything, let alone mortals. It's better to double-check, just to be sure. What's so wrong with that?"Although Gavin didn’t appreciate Alden’s insolent attitude, he couldn’t completely dismiss what his brother said. After all, Alden wasn’t entirely wrong. Everyone has their own perspective—sometimes flawed, but still worth acknowledging. Still, Gavin had no desire to argue with him right now. He turned to his parents.“Cara is probably still somewhere around here. We just need to go find her,” Gavin suggested. “I’m sure we’ll find her, so please don’t worry, Mom.”"That's right. We should split up and look for her," Anna agreed, and the other
At the same time, in the living room.Mrs. Agatha was enthusiastically chatting with her husband and eldest son about the Helen family's upcoming vacation. After some discussion, they agreed to travel to Paris. As she stepped into the luxurious mansion, she planned to find her youngest son and Cara to share the good news.Normally, around this hour, Cara would be in the kitchen chatting with the maids, but today the house felt strangely quiet."Anna," Mrs. Agatha called out to one of the maids. "Where are Alden and Cara?"Anna hesitated slightly, her expression somewhat tense. "Miss Cara... is in her room, ma’am. I think she’s asleep.""Think?" Mrs. Agatha raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with suspicion."I’ve gone to her room several times, but Cara hasn’t responded. The door is locked," Anna explained cautiously. "So I assumed she’s sleeping."Sleeping? At 3 p.m.? That was truly odd."And Alden?" Mrs. Agatha pressed on."He’s in his room as well."Mrs. Agatha frowned slightly. "Wha
As soon as they entered her room, Cara quickly dismissed Dante."Thanks, Dante. I’ll take my medicine and get some sleep.""I’ll help you.""That’s not necessary."But Dante ignored her words. He bent down, lifted her from the wheelchair, and gently laid her on the bed."The bed is too big, Cara," Dante remarked, his voice tinged with seduction as he sat down beside her."Yes, Mrs. Agatha thought it would be better for me," Cara replied calmly."You’re so beautiful, Cara. And you smell so good," Dante whispered, lowering his voice as he leaned closer."Dante, I really need to rest." Cara shifted away, her voice growing colder.But he didn’t care. Suddenly, he leaned in and kissed her.Cara panicked, trying to push him away, but he was taller and stronger. Helplessness surged inside her, making fear flare in her chest. His breath against her skin made her shudder. In a burst of panic, Cara kicked him hard.Caught off guard, Dante recoiled slightly. Then he chuckled, his eyes gleaming wi
"Did you know Emma used to be a stripper at a nightclub before she pretended to be a nurse just to get close to you?"Alden ignored Lyna at first, but her question immediately caught his attention."What the hell are you talking about?" Alden asked urgently, his voice tense. "How could that be true?""Judging by your reaction, it's clear you had no idea." Lyna smirked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "I have to admit, Emma is good at hiding things. She managed to fool even you – someone known for being suspicious and sharp. Or maybe… you’re just a fool?"Alden suddenly became agitated. He grabbed Lyna by the shoulders, his grip firm and accusatory. Though he couldn't see her, he grasped her with surprising precision."Speak. Is what you just said true?" Alden demanded, his tone cold and terrifying enough to make Lyna flinch for a moment."Talk!" he snapped impatiently when she hesitated."It’s true," Lyna finally admitted hesitantly, regaining her composure. "I met Emma back when she was
Dante didn’t seem to care at all about her clear attempt to avoid him. He tilted his head, a dangerous smile playing on his lips."You’re truly beautiful. I’ve never seen a girl as stunning as you."His voice dripped with flattery, the words so insincere that Cara could hardly suppress a bitter laugh. But she held herself back, maintaining a calm expression."Thank you for the compliment. But I think you're going a bit too far," she said, trying to keep her tone polite, while reaching for a piece of cake, pretending to focus on it to avoid his predatory gaze.But he wouldn’t let up."I’m speaking from the heart," Dante emphasized, his voice slightly insistent. He was trying to earn her trust, using any trick he could. If possible, he would probably swear an oath right now."Yes, I’m very flattered," Cara responded indifferently, making an effort to keep her distance.Dealing with Dante was exhausting. She silently wished for someone to show up and rescue her from this situation. Normal
"So, it turns out your mother brought her home," Lyna exclaimed, a bit surprised. Deep down, she hadn’t expected Alden to come up with such a clever response. By passing it off onto Mrs. Agatha, the issue was effectively resolved. No one would dare challenge or criticize the actions of the former judge."That's right. Thanks to the kindness of Madam, I have the privilege of staying here." Cara responded this time. She genuinely appreciated the Helen family."And how long will you stay here?" Lyna continued her probing. She wasn’t going to waste time fighting with Cara. Lyna knew Cara wasn’t the type for Alden, but life—who could predict what would happen? Over time, even a distant relationship could grow closer. Having Alden so close to Cara made Lyna uneasy. What starts as unfamiliar could turn familiar; what isn’t intimate might become so."Maybe until I recover," Cara answered briefly. In truth, she hadn’t thought that far ahead. For now, she was focused on the present, concentratin
Alden just wanted to rest, so he intended to return to his room. However, Dante and Lyna wouldn’t let him have peace. They insisted on pulling Alden into the living room to talk. The truth was, Dante didn’t care whether Alden stayed hidden in his room or not; his main goal was to see Cara. What he wanted most was some private time with her.But unlike Dante, Lyna was eager to see Alden again after a long time apart. She was in love with him, though her feelings had never been returned. When Alden married Emma, Lyna cursed that the marriage would fall apart quickly. And as she had hoped, Alden and Emma did get divorced. As soon as she heard the news, Lyna rushed back from abroad, hoping she could be by Alden’s side once more. Today, she came here with Dante, hoping to take advantage of this opportunity. Lyna believed that, in Alden’s moment of grief, she was the one who could soothe his heart.Now, in the living room, the atmosphere was heavy with silence. Alden, Dante, and Lyna all rem