LOGINThe air on the hospital’s VIP floor was thick with the sterile tang of disinfectant.
Ethan Knight lay motionless, his head swathed in bandages, a raw gash slashing his temple. His skin was ashen, dark circles bruising the hollows under his eyes. He stared at the ceiling, his gaze vacant.Lost.A car crash.A brush with death.In that hazy limbo between consciousness and oblivion, shards of memory had slammed into him—distorted, unrelenting, like a broken fA heavy silence blanketed the lawn.Every eye was fixed on me, awaiting my response.The artificial glow of countless roses illuminated a sea of expectant faces.The acrid scent of spent fireworks lingered in the air.Beside me, Roy Shen's knuckles tightened around his champagne flute, the chill of condensation seeping into his skin.Watching Ethan's grand display, a cold disdain settled in Roy's chest. Embers that had smoldered for years suddenly flared, hot and bright.Too late.He only saw it now? Only felt regret now?He'd treated me as an afterthought, and now had the gall to stage this selfish spectacle?Memories of their RISD years surfaced. How many times had he witnessed Ethan mock her earnest efforts? How many nights had he seen me flee their fights, my figure a lonely silhouette under the harsh streetlights?Back then, he'd been relegated to just the classmate with a warm drink. He'd stood by, powerless, watching me slowly
The evening dragged on, a predictable loop of small talk and networking.As it finally wound down, I grew antsy.I didn't want to keep Alexander waiting.I already had my exit planned.Then the emcee invited everyone to stroll the campus, a trip down memory lane.People began drifting toward the familiar tree-lined paths.Soft light and gentle music filled the air.Song Sheng grabbed my arm.Excitement sparkled in her eyes."Come on! Let's see what drama we can dig up!"I hesitated."You go ahead. I'm leaving."I checked my phone."I'm tired. Heading home."Song Sheng's face fell."What? It's still early! You can't miss the main event!"Roy Shen's gaze fixed on my distracted expression."Are you feeling unwell?""No."I shook my head."My dog needs his dinner."I turned to leave.A hand lightly caught my wrist.Roy released it immediately, his touch barely there.H
The air in the private hospital suite plummeted, turning frigid.Alexander slowly shifted his gaze back.He stared at his son in dead silence for several long seconds."Then what you'll lose will be far more than just your position at Knight Group.""More than your freedom.""You're free to think.""Think until you're completely clear-headed.""Or until you've gone utterly mad."Ethan's pupils contracted violently.His blood ran cold.He didn't doubt for a second the truth in his father's words.If Alexander said it, he would absolutely do it.Alexander didn't look at him again.He turned and walked toward the door.His hand closed around the polished brass doorknob.He paused.He half-turned his face.The hallway light spilling from behind him carved out a sharp, unyielding profile."Ethan."His voice had dropped lower, each word weighted with unyielding gravity."A man's value lies
The air on the hospital’s VIP floor was thick with the sterile tang of disinfectant.Ethan Knight lay motionless, his head swathed in bandages, a raw gash slashing his temple. His skin was ashen, dark circles bruising the hollows under his eyes. He stared at the ceiling, his gaze vacant.Lost.A car crash.A brush with death.In that hazy limbo between consciousness and oblivion, shards of memory had slammed into him—distorted, unrelenting, like a broken film reel. He was the star, yet the man on screen felt like a stranger.He saw himself: pathetic, chained to Winnie Carter’s whims, begging for her scraps of attention. He saw himself pushing Lisa away, his words like shards of glass, snuffing out the light in her eyes. His wedding to Winnie—lavish, hollow, a performance for no one but the cameras. Lisa in a detention center, her spirit crushed beneath the weight of his mistakes. Then a grimy alleyway, her body broken, life bleed
As the morning glow filtered through the frosted glass, I lay sprawled on the sofa, breathing heavily.It was true, this time hadn't been as frantic as before. He'd kept himself in check.I didn't feel completely wrecked. Just thoroughly spent, a pleasant, lazy ache humming through my body."Someone's almost human today."I teased him on purpose.Alexander looked up at me.Then he bent down and bit my collarbone, not too lightly, not too hard, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin."It's because I was afraid you'd get angry again, baby. Run off in the middle of the night. Hide where I couldn't even touch your hand."I gave a soft humph.He really was learning.I forced my heavy eyelids open and glanced at the brightening sky."I need to leave by seven."I couldn't let the staff see me leaving the CEO's office."Mmm."He agreed, but his arm tightened around me."It's still early."Overcome by exhaustion, I
Alexander lowered his gaze. He didn't look the least bit embarrassed at being caught."Mmm."He admitted it frankly, his thumb stroking the soft skin at my waist."I watched.""Every day."He bent his head, his nose brushing against the shell of my ear. His breath was hot."I watched you work late into the night.""Watched you buried in work, looking so serious.""I watched you whispering secrets with Clara."My heart skipped a beat.I hadn't expected him to admit it so easily—or to have noticed such little details.I turned, looping my arms around his neck, tilting my face up to meet his deep gaze."The boss spies on his subordinate?"I let out a soft laugh."What does that mean?""It means inspecting what's mine. In advance."He spoke the words slowly, deliberately, each one weighted with implication.His warm lips pressed against the pulse on my neck, feeling how fast it was racing."I
My smile froze on my lips, Clara’s chattering fading into the background."That man is not right."I slammed my coffee cup down on the nearest surface."Huh?"Clara followed my line of sight, craning her neck to look."He's just a mover..."I turned around and
A lingering gloom hung over the White Mansion.Since the scandal at Nebula Hotel and the ten million ransom, the White family had been severely weakened. Chloe White stayed home all day, her former arrogance gone.Winnie Carter’s visit felt like an unwelcome intrusion."Chloe
Ethan's head spun. A vein bulged at his temple.She dared to call him that?He instinctively took it as a vicious insult, payback for the things he'd hurled at her back at the cove."Lisa!"His voice came out as a low growl. His fists clenched tight at his sides.He wante
Copying sutras?Last time, he’d done it with such ruthless focus because desire had burned inside him with no release.Copying scriptures had been the only way to force down the urge to pin her right on the pages and take her apart.But last night, she’d calmed that res







