Just then, the bedroom door swung open. The person walking in seemed slightly taken aback to find her awake, but quickly smiled and said: "You're up already? Let's go down and have breakfast." Patrick's tone was casual, as if this was a routine scene that had played out a thousand times before. He walked over to the window, pulling the curtains aside to let the sunlight stream in, before leaving the room. "Flora…" Morela's voice drew out, sounding rather dubious: "Don't you have something you want to explain to me?" Flora blinked in confusion: "About what?" "Don't think I didn't hear that. A man just called you for breakfast. That was Patrick, right? Are you two back together? Dear Flora, you're starting to lie now…" "Morela!" Flora cut her off sharply: "Stop spouting nonsense. I got drunk last night, so…” "I get it, you got drunk and did something stupid... Matthew is a despicable man who left you for another woman. It's good that you can go back to Patrick." As long as it w
As she was immersed in myriad thoughts, brainstorming on how to "deal" with Flora, the thorn in her eye, there was a knock at the door once more. Her eyes lit up brightly: "Have you returned?" Yet the man who entered from the outside was not the one she had been longing for. "Winky?" Selena frowned: "Why are you here? How many times have I told you not to appear before me unless you've been summoned!" Her mood was already fraught, and Winky's uninvited presence only aggravated her further. Noting her interrogative tone, Winky deflated, sighing heavily. His long scar, stretching from his forehead, twitched. "But I... Miss, I can't help but care for you and the child!" Winky had been Selena's shadow for years. Being abruptly dismissed now, he could hardly bear it. Selena's brows furrowed further, her voice raising: "Didn't I already give you money? Go! The farther, the better! I don't need you anymore! Go quickly!" She hadn't forgotten that this mansion was owned by Matthew, a
Seeing Matthew appear in front of Flora, Patrick hastily pushed open the car door and ran down. Standing in front of Matthew, he gritted his teeth: "Matthew, do you truly understand the implications of your actions? You're a married man, stop toying with others. Flora is not someone who will accept your groundless harassment! Stay away from her!" Matthew's deeply dark eyes bore into Patrick, devoid of any trace of warmth. Silently, he advanced a few steps. The pressure emanating from a man who had grappled with the underworld for years was chilling enough to instill fear in others. He seized the collar of Patrick's shirt, and in the moment Patrick was still taken aback, he pushed him forcefully to the ground. "Patrick!" Flora shrieked, rushing forward to support Patrick, and then turned her questioning gaze towards Matthew: "Matthew, what are you doing? If there is an issue between us, speak openly! Why are you resorting to physical aggression?" Matthew's eyes turned darker, h
After walking a bit more, Flora turned around. In the heavy rain, she could no longer see the faint lights from the villa. It was only then that she realized she had lost her way in a forest. Cold raindrops pierced through the thick canopy, falling straight onto the ground. The forest was dark and cold. "Ah, there's a signal now!" Without hesitation, she called Matthew. What came from the phone's speaker was still the icy voice: “The subscriber you have dialed…” From her wet clothes and hair, the rain seeped into her body, making her shiver with cold. Her mind began to descend into a dreamy haze, and she took each step with deliberate slowness. Tripping unexpectedly over a brittle twig, she stumbled, her knees crumpling to the ground. Her umbrella was flung aside, splattering muddy water in all directions. A sharp pain shot up from her knee, spreading its torturous tendrils into her brain. Unable to contain her distress any longer, she burst into tears. "It hurts so much..
Flora had merely caught a cold from the rain, and collapsed due to fatigue from wandering the woods for nearly an hour. A little rest, and there was nothing to worry about. Upon the doctor's reassessment, confirming her health had resumed its normal pace, Matthew arranged her transport home. As for him, he had been on a plane since the crack of dawn, traveling to some far-flung land, with a promise to return and clarify the recent happenings. "Take care of your health while I'm away, wait for me..." Flora kept reading and re-reading Matthew's last messages sent before his departure. A subtle upward curve played on her lips involuntarily. Her mood was so buoyant that the very air around her seemed to have a sweet flavor to it. Just then, the doorbell resounded incessantly. She straightened, peering through the peephole. A young girl stood outside, her hair short, in a dress that looked like a school uniform, blinking at the door. Beside her stood a pink suitcase, covered with
From the moment she discarded the gun, Emma had silently positioned herself in front of Flora, mentally preparing to sacrifice herself in protection. Without a word, Winky picked up the gun and threw himself out the window. His figure disappeared into the solid black night, as though he had never appeared. Emma dashed to the window to shut and latch it, finally sighing a breath of relief. "Miss, that was a daring move! Do you realize my heart was in my throat the entire time?" Emma feigned wiping sweat from her forehead. "Emma, why do you know martial arts? Also, why do you call me 'Miss'?" Flora asked straightforwardly, with an assured follow-up: "You're not an ordinary housemaid." Such skills couldn't possibly be attained without years of training. She didn't have the chance to ask while Winky was there. Now that the immediate danger had passed, she turned her doubtful gaze towards the person beside her. Emma casually confessed: "I'm indeed a housemaid, but also a bodyguard. I'
Selena furrowed her brow, her disdain growing ever more profound: "You piece of trash! Cowardly and useless! Unable to deal with a single woman! What good is a worthless cur like you to me? I should have never trusted you from the beginning! So-called killer without batting an eye, extraordinary martial skills… Damn it! Nothing but a piece of garbage!" The more she spoke, the more furious she became. Anger ignited like a raging fire, consuming her rationality. "Get out! Get out of my house!" "Ding dong..." The sudden ring of the doorbell interrupted, the conflict paused from one side. Selena took a few more steps, her body shivering as she peered through the peephole. Outside stood a somewhat familiar man. Selena shoved Winky's arm, causing his body to sway: "Get out of sight! It's someone from Matthew!" She absolutely could not let Matthew's people know about Winky's existence. "Miss White, are you still sleeping?" The implication being she had kept the outsider waiting too lo
“By the way, Boss, you mentioned Flora was attacked. Our men reported a sudden appearance of a 14-15 year old kid by her side. That night, the kid protected Flora and seems to have earned her trust.” A mere teenager, yet capable of defeating Selena's guards. A force not to be underestimated. In an intricate dance of elegance and subtlety, if the Whites were just an ordinary influential family, it would be one thing. But their association with the underworld was unnerving. Winky, their bodyguard, had skills which undeniably placed him among the upper echelon of talents in this clandestine world. Matthew furrowed his brows: "Have we investigated?" He asked, albeit without holding out much hope. A force capable of producing someone like that certainly had the capacity to conceal all pertinent information. As expected, his subordinate shook his head: "We've looked into it, but there's not a shred of evidence. It's as if the kid just appeared out of thin air." He pondered before sugg