MasukThe heavy rain outside gradually subsided into a thin drizzle, leaving behind a piercing cold that penetrated to the bones. In the apartment yard, Juna's body no longer had the strength to support its own weight. His lips turned a dark blue, and all his joints were as if locked by an extraordinarily intense stiffness.*Thud.*With one heavy gasp of breath, Juna's consciousness collapsed completely. His tall body slumped, lying helpless on the cold, muddy ground with his eyes tightly closed.Behind the second-floor curtain, Ziyi witnessed the very moments of the man's fall. Ziyi's hand that gripped the curtain fabric instantly trembled violently. There was a strong urge inside her chest to immediately run down and embrace that frail body, but Camelia's words buzzed loudly in her mind again. *Don't give forgiveness easily. Let him struggle.*"I must be strong..." Ziyi whispered hoarsely, wiping away the tears that fell again, wetting her pale cheeks. She turned her bod
Thunder rumbled relentlessly across the night sky in the southern outskirts of China, followed by a sudden downpour that poured down mercilessly. Fierce winds whistled through every crack in the buildings, carrying a chilling cold that sent shivers down anyone's spine. Yet amidst the raging storm, a tall figure remained standing firmly in the middle of the apartment courtyard, allowing his body to be battered by thousands of raindrops falling mercilessly from the sky.Juna did not move an inch. His shirt clung tightly to his soaked body, revealing how violently he was beginning to shiver as the temperature dropped drastically. Rainwater streamed down his forehead, nose, and sharp jawline, disguising the tears of frustration that had long been falling from his eyes."Ziyi..." Juna whispered hoarsely, his voice trembling violently between his chattering teeth as he struggled against the overwhelming cold. "I won't leave... I don't care..."Behind the thin curtains on the second floor, Z
Ziyi had just placed her teacup on the small dining table in her apartment when a loud knock echoed from behind the front door. Her brows furrowed. In this remote place, she hardly knew anyone, let alone received visitors this late at night.Knock! Knock! Knock!"Who is it?" Ziyi asked, stepping closer as a sudden sense of unease crept up the back of her neck.There was no verbal response from outside, only a series of knocks that grew increasingly impatient. Ziyi took a short breath, then slowly turned the lock and opened the wooden door.Click.Ziyi's body froze instantly at the doorway. Her eyes widened in complete disbelief as she stared at the tall man standing before her in wrinkled clothes and with a face that looked utterly worn out."Ziyi..." Juna whispered, his voice hoarse, filled with an overwhelming sense of relief after spending days lost and directionless in a foreign land."You... how did you find this place?!" Ziyi shouted, her voice suddenly rising sharply, filled wi
The crystal chandeliers on the ceiling of the presidential suite emitted a warm golden glow, creating an atmosphere that was both highly intimate and sensual. Camelia stepped out of the bathroom with the remnants of warm water vapor still steaming thinly around her body. Her porcelain-white skin appeared freshly flushed, with her long hair left wet and loose, framing her beautiful face. She was only wearing a single large white towel wrapped around her body from her chest down to her thighs.Before Camelia could take another step closer to the bed, a well-built silhouette suddenly lunged forward, blocking her path. Calvin was already standing there. The man had already shed his shirt, leaving his sleek, muscular body clearly outlined under the dim lights of the bedroom."Calvin, you startled me—"*Sret!*"Ah!" Camelia shrieked under her breath as her words were cut short in midair.Without warning, Calvin’s sturdy fingers moved with a swift jerk, pulling the end
The gentle sea breeze softly brushed against their skin, carrying the familiar scent of salt and a sense of freedom that had long been absent. A week after all the complicated paperwork and the Collyn family's drama had finally settled down, Kuta, Bali became the silent witness to the return of laughter that had once disappeared. Without bringing Aurora and Daven, this trip was purely a long-overdue honeymoon for Calvin and Camelia.Beneath the late afternoon sky that had begun to glow golden, Camelia walked cheerfully across the stretch of white sand. She was wearing a sleeveless cream-colored beach dress that fluttered gently in the wind, making her look like the most captivating foreign tourist along the shores of Kuta that afternoon.Rustle.A fairly thick cotton coat was suddenly draped over Camelia's smooth shoulders from behind, blocking the gazes of several men who had been glancing in her direction.Startled, Camelia turned around with a furrowed brow."My goodness, Calvin! W
The heavy bass of fast-paced music reverberated violently inside an elite nightclub in the center of the capital city of China. Neon lights crossed each other, casting red and blue hues shimmering over the marble tables. In a slightly dim corner of the room, Juna sat alone with a bottle of whiskey that was already down to a quarter. His appearance was completely disheveled. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, his tie had disappeared somewhere, and his hair was messy.“Ziyi… where are you actually?” Juna muttered hoarsely, his voice almost drowned out by the loud club music.He lifted his glass and drank the thick liquid in one gulp, letting the burning sensation scorch his throat. His bloodshot, sharp eyes stared blankly at the glass in his hand. An overwhelming sense of despair was now gnawing at his chest. Where should he go from here?Meanwhile, in her quiet hiding place in the southern outskirts of China, Ziyi had just finished her simple dinner. She sat on the edge of h
Chapter 47That afternoon, Calvin’s hospital room felt quiet. Mira had just gone home for a while, while Samantha went out to buy something. For the first time since being hospitalized, Calvin was truly alone.He leaned against the bed while playing with his phone.Work notifications kept coming in
Chapter 11The sharp smell of antiseptic stung Camelia’s nose as her consciousness slowly returned. Her eyelids felt heavy. She tried to open her eyes, then closed them again because the light was too bright.“You’re awake?”A man’s voice sounded near her. His tone was firm, but there was something
Morning had not fully arrived when Calvin stood on the second-floor balcony of his house. Cold air seeped through the thin shirt he was wearing, but he didn’t care. Both of his hands rested on the balcony railing, his eyes fixed on the sky that was still dark.The bedroom light
The next morning.Calvin stood in front of the bedroom mirror, adjusting the cuffs of the white shirt he was wearing. Behind him, Tata moved back and forth with focused concentration, making sure Calvin’s work outfit looked perfect.“The shirt fits well,” Tata said with a smile. “This gray tie matc







