LOGINUnderstanding exactly what his wife wanted, Cale could only let out a long breath and shake his head faintly. He refused her unspoken request. To him, this was not the right time.Then he looked at Naomi for several seconds. “I did know your father well.”“That’s not an answer,” Naomi shot back at o
“Why not?” Naomi demanded, unable to hide the indignation in her voice. “They were my parents. Why can’t I visit their graves?”Cale took a slow step toward her while Naomi continued glaring at him.The photo frame was still in her hands as the atmosphere in the room tightened even further. Her fing
“Aunt Lydia!” the little girl squealed dramatically. “I missed you!”She bolted straight toward Lydia, completely ignoring her father’s warning to be careful. The young man who had seemed absorbed in his own world suddenly broke into a run as well.“Oh, my darlings!” Lydia welcomed them warmly.She
Three days after arriving in Hong Kong, Naomi’s fever had finally broken completely.Her body still tired easily, but color had begun to return to her once-pale face. The room prepared for her was on the eastern side of the mansion, overlooking a wide garden with a small pond and carefully arranged
Several minutes later, Falcon raised a hand.Everything stopped.Andrew collapsed face-first onto the floor, his body trembling from pain.“Why are you still holding on?” Falcon asked.Andrew spat blood across the marble, then looked up at him through swollen eyes. “Because... there are people worth
Don Falcon’s study still carried the remains of anger that had not yet burned itself out.A crystal glass lay shattered in the corner, its fragments glittering across the marble floor. One chair had been shoved violently out of place, and the heavy scent of alcohol mixed with cigarette smoke lingere
“No!” Vanessa cut in quickly. “You’ve misunderstood, Daven.”She rushed toward him, desperate to close the space between them. She wanted—no, needed—to hold her husband. It had always worked before; if she acted sweet, maybe cried a little, Daven would usually soften.Vanessa truly believed he’d for
“And you can draw your own conclusions from what we’ve explained, can’t you?” Chris asked. The easy humor was gone from his eyes; there was nothing casual about him now. When it came to work—especially anything involving Harold—Chris could become an entirely different man.“This project is worth a g
“So… you know what to do, right?” Chris asked, eyeing Josh.The boy beside him grinned from ear to ear. “Of course. I’m not about to tell anyone we spent all that time at the arcade. Or that we had hamburgers, then ice cream, pizza, and… soda.”Chris chuckled. “You’re a good little reminder.”“But U
The midday air in Mighatan felt oddly cold despite the blazing sun overhead. A brisk wind swept through the cemetery, tugging at Althea’s hair until she had to smooth it down more than once. But the moment she reached her mother’s grave, she ignored the chill, the sunlight, and the wind.She stood s






