로그인The light in the living room hit Elena like a slap the moment she pushed open the heavy front door of the Voss mansion.
Shards of argument shattered the air.Edward Voss stood with veins bulging at his temples, jabbing a finger at Linda's face."Have you lost your mind? Undermining the Knights in front of the entire elite circles like that!""Now the engagement is dead, our reputation is in the gutter, and the Voss family is the laughingstock of everyone!"Linda's spiThe kiss descended with a searing heat.It claimed every inch of me, from my lips down to my collarbone.I pushed against his chest, my breath hitching in my throat."Wait, we aren't finished. What happened with Ethan?"Alexander's movements faltered.The raw lust in his eyes ebbed slightly, replaced by a layer of cold, sharp disdain."Sent him away.""He's on a flight this Monday. I'm putting him at the bottom of the ladder in one of the overseas branches to see if he can actually cut it."He lowered his head, his nose brushing the side of my neck.He spoke with chilling indifference."It's up to him now. Whether he claws his way back up or rots over there, it's no longer my concern."I stayed silent for a moment, then gave a soft hum of agreement.That was the path Ethan Knight had carved for himself.I had no interest in wasting my sympathy on him.Alexander seemed to recall something.He pressed his foreh
Alexander frowned. Before he could even open his mouth, I peered out from behind him, my eyes tracing the man in the doorway."Luke," I said, my voice laced with amusement. "How much did you actually have to drink?"Luke's gaze flickered to me, his eyes looking even more bloodshot under the hallway lights."Not enough," he growled. "But enough to come here and settle the score with you two."He suddenly straightened his posture, jabbing a finger toward Alexander."You. For the sake of your precious little wife, you had me seduce your own fiancée."Then his finger swung toward me."And now Elena wants nothing to do with me. So, what are you two going to do about it?"Alexander's brow tightened, his voice dropping into a cold, dangerous register."Is that why you're trying to kick my door down?""What else was I supposed to do?"Luke let out a sharp, frustrated laugh."Weren't you the one who told me to break up the en
The light in the living room hit Elena like a slap the moment she pushed open the heavy front door of the Voss mansion.Shards of argument shattered the air.Edward Voss stood with veins bulging at his temples, jabbing a finger at Linda's face."Have you lost your mind? Undermining the Knights in front of the entire elite circles like that!""Now the engagement is dead, our reputation is in the gutter, and the Voss family is the laughingstock of everyone!"Linda's spine was ramrod straight. Her face was pale, a cold smile frozen on her lips."I am the crazy one? If you weren't so desperate to climb into bed with the Knights, so eager to sell your daughter for profit, would I have had to go this far?""Now you blame me? Brother, you didn't hesitate for a second when you agreed to trade Elena for leverage!"Elena's mother stood between them, tear tracks streaking her face, her voice shaking."Stop it... What good is fighting now?""We
Luke's fingers tightened around her wrist. A barely perceptible flinch.The dim overhead light inside the car carved sharp lines along his suddenly tense jaw.He stared at her. The usual cocky grin was gone. What remained was something darker, deeper."You know?"His voice dropped low, rough with the weight of an approaching storm."Since when?"Elena didn't look away. The faint smile on her lips wavered, but she held it in place."Luke, I'm not actually stupid.""All those wild nights the past two weeks. There was always something off underneath. Something I couldn't quite name.""You showed up too perfectly. The timing of your whole'rebel phase'was too convenient. I had my suspicions back then.""You got close to me because Alexander asked you to. To blow up the engagement. Right?"She wasn't naive. Growing up in the Voss family, she'd just learned to curl into herself. To survive.But that didn't mean she was blind.
Gerald's pupils contracted sharply."Knight Group is massive,"Alexander continued, his voice steady."Strike at me alone, and the company survives."He lifted his eyes. Met Gerald's freezing gaze directly. Unflinching."But one move. And everything shifts.""If word gets out that I walk away with nothing, the stock drops. Competitors circle.""The family bleeds. For what? Nothing."His tone was calm. But every word cut.Silence.The sandalwood incense burned. Ash fell. Soft. Final.Gerald stared at him. Then slowly, he clapped his withered hands together. Veins standing out on his wrists.The silence stretched. Suffocating.Finally, a low laugh scraped from Gerald's throat."Good. Very good."His laugh was rough. Almost appreciative. But poisonous."Alexander. You're smarter than your father.""He knew how to protect his woman. But he only knew how to fight head-on. In the end, he lost everything.""Not y
I looked up at the courtyard lights swaying in the distance."Southwest China."My voice was quiet.I didn't avoid the question."We confirmed things after Yunqi Temple."Roy Shen went still for a moment.Then something clicked behind his eyes.Understanding."Of course..."He murmured it.Then a knowing smile crossed his face.Self-mocking."So that landslide. The road closure. You weren't on a business trip.""No wonder you fought so hard to get through the blocked zone.""I kept wondering what project could possibly be worth that kind of risk to you."He paused.His gaze dropped to the ring on my finger."The vibe was off back then. I just didn't see it."The night breeze stirred his hair.He turned to look at me.Studied my face."Lisa. I don't get it. What are you after?"His voice dropped.Something rare flickered in his eyes.Seriousness."The Knights.
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
Every word I'd said hit Song right in the chest.She sucked in a sharp breath.Then she grinned, excitement flickering in her eyes."So we just sit tight? Watch her dig her own grave? Wait for her to show her hand?""Exactly."I leaned back in my chair."Winnie's the
The sun dipped toward the horizon, bathing the small courtyard in a warm, amber glow.With our flight scheduled for eight that evening, Alexander and I were getting ready to head to the airport.Sir Arthur stood at the gate, his rough, calloused palm landing on Alexander's shoulder with







