LOGINLorenzo lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek. “Wife, I’m always on your side. I’ll help you. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. As long as you don’t leave me, I’d give you my life if I had to.”Looking at Lorenzo so close, Anna suddenly felt life wasn’t so bad after all. Meeting him felt like all her past misfortunes had been leading up to this—everything lost was worth it for what she had now. He was her salvation, the only light in her world for so many years.As her emotions gradually settled, Lorenzo spoke. “Feeling better now?”“Much better.”&
Anna sprinted across the courtyard. The café’s tropical-themed décor was full of lush plants, but the yard was quiet—not a soul in sight.The door loomed ahead. She inhaled deeply and threw it open.Who was behind all of this?The room was empty—no one, not even Olive.“Boss, they got away!”“I left someone at the door. They might run, but they won’t escape. Call the security team—whoever it is, stop them!”“Yes.”
Anna pulled a sharp dagger and pressed it against Olive’s neck. “That year, I didn’t even get to see my mother one last time. I know her body better than anyone—she was so young. Falling from the height of the villa wouldn’t have killed her. You botched the rescue… or did you take the opportunity to kill her? Was it you?”At the word *kill*, Olive trembled violently. Her neck grazed the dagger, and a trickle of blood ran down, but Anna didn’t flinch. Instead, she pressed on.“No! It’s not like that! I didn’t kill anyone!”Her expression was so tense that Anna was certain this woman was involved.
Anna had spent the past week in a daze, her mind consumed with thoughts of the returning attending physician. No one knew the details of her mother’s case better than she did.A hand, sharply jointed and precise, waved in front of her eyes. Anna blinked and focused.Lorenzo was staring at her intently. “What’s got you thinking so seriously?”“Sorry… I was thinking about the attending physician. She arrives tomorrow. I’ve arranged for someone to intercept her the moment she lands. What’s wrong?”Lorenzo held a tablet, the screen displaying several cocktail dresses. “These are all
Lisa quickly replied, “The exact arrival time is next Friday at 11:45 a.m. Once we locate her, everything will be clear.”Anna exhaled, relieved. “Good. Keep an eye on her. She can’t get away.”“I understand, boss. Don’t worry.”The day passed leisurely. Anna felt less like she was working and more like she was on vacation.Before leaving the office, she received an anonymous text:[Arrived safely. Don’t worry.]No signature, but she knew exactly who it was.
Randall wasn’t like Forrest. With a single command, he could uncover a web of details.His assistant cautiously laid out Xandra’s movements over the past month. “Mr. Davidson, your mother visited Xandra three times. Xandra met Valerie four times: once shopping at a mall, once at your home, once privately, and the last time at Mr. Hamilton’s engagement party. We only caught two of their meetings on surveillance entering a café—we don’t know what they discussed.”He handed Randall the footage. Watching Xandra pick gifts, she was not only snatched at by Valerie but even shoved around. Without Anna and Laura present, who knows what else Valerie might have done?
Lucas sobered almost instantly.He stood there, staring at the scene in front of him, wondering if he was dreaming.He had never seen Anna like this.And he had certainly never seen Lorenzo like this.The uncle his own father treated with caution now knelt before a woman like a devout believer at h
His words made Anna flush.His rough thumb brushed her cheek. “And the second condition?”His body felt hotter than before. Everywhere he touched sparked.It had only been twice. Was her body already this tuned to him?“I can accept that you might one day like someone else,” she said carefully. “Bu
Not wanting to disrupt the stores’ business, Anna slipped toward the stairwell instead of taking the elevator. She planned to head upstairs quietly.This section of the ship was oddly deserted. Most guests used the elevators. Even the lights in the stairwell had gone out, left unrepaired.Only the
No wonder Lorenzo said he would arrive later. The ship had already left the harbor. How else would he board?Because this was his ship.He could come home whenever he pleased.Anna had worked for over a decade and still could not touch even the edge of Lorenzo’s world. Things she once chased desper







