The sound of water flowing filled the bathroom. Amora stood under the shower, the warm water pouring over her body. She tilted her face up, eyes squeezed shut tightly.She let the water wash away the tangled thoughts from her mind. Once she felt refreshed, she turned off the shower and reached for a robe to cover her bare skin.Now, Amora stood in front of the sink mirror, looking at her flushed face. There were still traces of a kiss and red marks on her slender neck. Memories of her passionate kiss with Regis replayed in her mind.“Oh, come on! Stop thinking about it,” Amora muttered, giving her cheeks a quick slap.She hurriedly grabbed a cream from around the sink to cover the kiss marks.Amora didn’t know if she should be relieved they had postponed their intimate moment or feel disappointed like her husband clearly had. For now, she needed to think clearly to make the right decision.She reflected again on the truth she had just learned from Regis. The background of the Lorenzo
Regis sighed heavily, trying to hold back his anger toward his son.“Alright, I won’t push you to answer. But I want to know ... did you hear about this from the media or …?”“Don’t worry, Dad. I didn’t hear it from the media. It doesn’t seem like it will get to the media,” Rayden interrupted.Yesterday, he’d looked up information about the shooting case, but none of the media had covered it. Rayden guessed that his father must have kept it quiet. He had a feeling his father had the power to block the news.Hearing his son’s response, Regis paused. ‘Could it be ... he overheard me talking to Amora last night?’ he wondered.A thin smile crept onto Regis’s face. He was genuinely surprised by his son’s actions and words.It turns out that behind his son's innocent demeanor lies an impressive, sharp intuition. Regis wasn’t sure whether to feel proud of his son’s spying skills, especially since he managed to deceive him so smoothly, leaving him at a loss for words.“You still haven’t answe
The words that escaped those small lips were like a morning thunderbolt, striking Regis’s mind all at once. He hadn’t expected to receive such a piercing response.Though Regis had already heard from Amora that his son didn’t have a positive view of his biological father, hearing it directly with his own ears was much more painful.“I will never forgive him,” Rayden continued, adding salt to the wound now opened in Regis’s heart.“Ray, I thinks maybe you—”Before Regis could explain to his son, Amora entered the room and interrupted their conversation, “You two are still relaxing here? Do you know what time it is?”Amora had just finished preparing breakfast for them. Seeing no one coming out of the bedroom, she assumed both were still asleep. But who would have thought they were lost in conversation, unaware that they were running out of time to get ready?“Ray, you still haven’t showered?” she scolded when she saw her son still in pajamas, looking sleepy.Rayden gasped. Seeing his m
“Mrs. Brown, is it true that Mr. Brown embezzled school funds?”“What’s your response to your husband’s actions?”“Has he already been removed from his position at the school?”“What about the Brown family business? Was the money used to cover last year’s massive loss?”Journalists bombarded Lisa with questions. She struggled to push through the crowd until school security stepped in to help her escape the onslaught of media.Lisa’s face was pale; her usual thick makeup was gone. She looked almost unrecognizable to Amora, who guessed Lisa had faced the same barrage outside her home that morning.From her disheveled appearance, it was clear Lisa had rushed out. She still wore house slippers, and her normally sleek hair was hastily tied back.“Looks like Mrs. Jefferson has finally taken action,” Amora murmured with satisfaction.Now she no longer had to worry about Lisa using her position as the wife of the school’s vice chair to undermine her.Amora smirked, wanting to remember Lisa’s
A few pairs of eyes started to look at Amora with disdain and condescension. Inside, Amora was seething, but she knew Lisa wanted to bait her into a reaction with that sneering insult."Stay calm, Amora. Don’t let her get to you," Amora reminded herself.Gradually, a faint smile appeared on Amora's lips which were painted with nude-colored lipstick.“You really don't understand the situation, Lisa. Even after falling this far, you’re still wasting a golden opportunity. Is the lesson you received today not enough to wake you up, hm?”Lisa scoffed dismissively, still taking Amora’s words lightly.Amora could have easily lashed out, but instead, she replied to Lisa with a calm, composed expression, refusing to let her opponent get under her skin.“As I told you yesterday, you'd better make the most of your time. It might not be long before your status drops to what mine used to be. At least then, you’ll understand how hard it is to actually work for your money.” Amora’s words made Lisa’s
Lisa lowered her gaze, wringing her hands in worry, wondering how to salvage the situation quickly.“Did you leave the car because you were worried about me?” Amora asked, her voice as sweet as honey—Regis had never heard her sound like this before.She leaned her head against Regis’s chest, showing everyone how deeply he cared for her. This display impressed onlookers and made a few jealous.Amora’s playful affection made Regis’s heart stir. He smiled, knowing full well his wife was putting on a show to flaunt their relationship for Lisa, the wife of Johannes Brown. With an intense gaze, he looked at Lisa, who now seemed small and powerless.“Young Master Lorenzo, is she ... is she really your wife?” Lisa stammered, summoning her courage to look Regis in the eye.His piercing stare made her breath catch. The silent threat was unmistakable, sending a chill down her spine.Yet Lisa wasn’t ready to back down. She was determined to recapture Regis’s attention, convinced he must know all
“Why didn’t you wait for me in the car? Aren’t you concerned about revealing our relationship so openly in front of everyone?” Amora questioned Regis as they entered the school building, now quiet with classes underway.Regis smirked, continuing to walk with one arm around her waist as if to show he didn’t want to be apart from her.“I was just curious why you were taking so long,” Regis said. “Then I saw that woman had the nerve to insult my wife. Do you think I’d stay silent watching someone mistreat you?”His answer warmed Amora. She hadn’t expected him to stand up for her so openly in front of everyone, let alone display affection to reinforce her status as his wife.“Looks like Lisa won’t dare to insult me again,” Amora chuckled softly.“Of course not. She’ll be living like a ghost from now on,” Regis replied, his words making Amora furrow her brow.She paused for a moment. “Did … did you do something behind my back?” she asked, suspicion in her gaze.Although she and Regis had o
“But, as for what kind of details, I couldn't get any data regarding his work there.”Regis was stunned at the report Beth gave. The old woman's information network is quite extensive too, he thought.However, the information Beth Jefferson gathered wasn’t as detailed as Mark’s findings. Earlier, his assistant had provided him with a similar report. But Mark had managed to uncover something crucial about the man named Bobby Turner. He was once the son of a poor laborer who eventually sought his fortune in Turkey through illegal means. It wasn’t easy for an undocumented immigrant like Bobby Turner to find legal work. Mark discovered that the man had changed his name to Jay Turner after joining a criminal organization in that country. After further investigation, Mark found out that Bobby aka Jay Turner was one of Levent's subordinates!Although Regis didn’t have solid proof of Mark’s findings, the information led him to suspect that Levent was behind last night’s shooting. Altan De
"T-That person ... isn't Grandma?!" Amora's mind reeled in shock.The woman who looked like an old lady was actually one of Diego’s men in disguise!Amora had been tricked. “So that means ... Regis ….”She bit her trembling lip hard. Regis had been right all along. This whole thing was a trap, set up by Diego’s men. Their one and only goal was to lure in Amora and Regis and eliminate them.Amora’s body trembled with dread as the truth hit her. Because of her stubbornness and ignorance, Regis had now become their main target.Several of Jack’s men, who had been lying in wait, finally stepped out of hiding and surrounded Regis, guns raised and ready.Back to Regis’s situation—Amora’s husband showed no sign of surprise at the ambush by Jack and his dozens of armed men.Jack, on the other hand, looked genuinely confused by Regis’s calm demeanor. “You already knew about the disguise?” he asked, aiming his gun right at Regis’s face.A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Regis’s lips. “That d
"A trap?" Amora whispered, shocked. Once again, she had nearly made a foolish move.Regis gave her a small, knowing smile as he saw her surprised face. "I think from the very beginning, my father planned to target you for breaking your promise," Regis explained, sharing his theory with his wife.Amora’s face turned pale. She realized that her mistake had caused everything to spiral out of control. “But Regis … if this really is a trap, what about Grandma? I—”"I’ll count to ten! If you don’t come out, I’ll take it as your agreement to send Old Madam Lysander to the afterlife!" Jack shouted again, his threat loud and clear.Amora’s eyes widened in panic, her mind clouded by fear. She was terrified Diego’s men might actually carry out that threat if she didn’t come out of hiding.But Regis held her hand firmly and shook his head. “Leave everything to me, Amora,” he said, still trying to calm her down."But Regis ...."Sensing what she wanted to say just from her eyes, Regis continued, “
"Aaaahhh!"Amora’s scream echoed through the forest, followed by a rapid burst of gunfire. Birds took to the skies in a frenzy, their alarmed chirps blending with the chaos as they fled their disturbed habitat.Her face went pale. For a moment, Amora thought she was going to die—right then and there. But she didn’t.“Re-Regis, you .…” Her voice cracked, disbelief evident in her eyes. She hadn’t expected Regis to throw himself in front of her, shielding her with his own body.Tears welled up in Amora’s eyes and started to fall. She thought Regis had taken the bullet meant for her—he wasn’t moving at all.But Regis was just in shock. His face was as pale as hers, convinced for a second that Jack had shot him. Yet, he didn’t feel anything aside from a small scratch on his arm.Slowly, Regis let go of Amora. He could see the fear in her hazel eyes, reflecting his own face. But now wasn’t the time for comforting words. His priority was making sure they were safe.As he looked around, Regis
Finally, the taxi Regis was riding in came to a stop near a narrow trail that led into the mountains, surrounded by dense forest. Amora also asked her driver to stop, just a short distance behind the taxi ahead. She pulled out all the cash she had and handed it to the driver.“Sir, if you don’t mind, could you wait here for me? If I’m not back within fifteen minutes, please contact the authorities,” Amora said, her voice tense.The driver gave her a small nod after accepting the money. As soon as she stepped out of the car, the driver pulled out his phone and dialed a number.It didn’t take long for the call to connect, and a deep male voice came through the speaker—it was Alejandro Volker!That’s right—the taxi driver who had been taking Amora around was actually one of Alejandro’s men in disguise: Hank Watts.For the past week, Alejandro had sent Hank to tail Amora, using various disguises to monitor her every move and report back.Today, Hank happened to be undercover as a cab driv
Mark's car had just pulled up at the arrival gate. He glanced at his young master, who was resting his eyes in the backseat.Regis looked exhausted. For the past two nights, he’d been tied up in a series of private meetings with Royal Dragon’s subordinates, carefully planning the strategy to take over the power held by Diego Lorenzo.At this point, Regis and a few of his loyal aides had managed to secure the support of some underlings willing to serve him. However, there were still others who refused, afraid of becoming the target of Diego’s wrath if their plan was ever exposed.“We’ve arrived, Young Master,” Mark said, gently waking his superior.Regis slowly opened his eyes and took a moment to assess his surroundings before stepping out of the car. Standing by the departure entrance, he spotted Albert waiting to greet him.“Have you found Old Madam Lysander yet?” Regis asked bluntly.“Not yet, Young Master. We have no idea where she’s heading. My team and I had to split up to searc
The tension in the Royal Dragon leader’s office was palpable. Everyone’s face had gone pale when Pablo Varon returned with a report that darkened Diego Lorenzo’s expression.“What did you just say?” Diego asked, his tone cold and sharp.“I’m sorry, Boss. I failed to take Miss Lysander with me. The young master showed up and took her away first,” Pablo replied, bowing his head deeply.Diego stood from his chair and approached Pablo. He placed a hand on Pablo’s shoulder and gripped it hard.“How long have you worked for me, Pablo? And you still can’t handle a single woman? Are you trying to disgrace the name of Royal Dragon, huh?” Diego hissed, a cynical smirk curling his lips.Pablo could feel his boss’s rage and disappointment. “I’m truly sorry, Sir. I’m ready to accept any punishment,” he said, dropping to his knees in front of Diego.From the beginning, Pablo had known the risks of letting the young master’s wife go. He never once thought of escaping the consequences.“My ungrateful
“H-How did you find out about this?” Amora mumbled, still feeling dazed.She had tried so hard to hide her pregnancy complications from Regis. She didn’t want his excitement over the baby to waver because of it.“You don’t need to know how I found out,” Regis said firmly. “All you need to know is that I’m never going to let you go, Amora.”His eyes burned with anger at his wife’s deception. But a few seconds later, his gaze softened.Regis took both of Amora’s hands in his and looked at her gently. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he saw the regret in her eyes.He let out a quiet sigh and spoke gently, “I hope you won’t make the same foolish mistake again, Amora. I know my father crossed the line this time. But please, trust me … I’m going to stop him.”Amora’s hazel eyes were still wet with tears. “But how can you stop him, Regis? Grandma’s already been taken to the airport, and .…”Her voice cracked as her sobs took over. Seeing his wife cry, Regis actually smiled.
“Regis, your father actually had a reason for doing all of this.”Amora’s words made Regis frown for a moment, but then he let out a short, dry chuckle.“A reason? What reason could he possibly have other than wanting to control his rebellious son?” Regis scoffed.Just like Amora once had, Regis had no idea about the real reason behind his father’s constant efforts to keep them apart.Seeing the hatred in Regis’s eyes whenever he mentioned Diego Lorenzo, Amora finally decided to share what Diego had once told her.She thought maybe—just maybe—it would help lessen Regis’s hatred toward his father. She could’ve easily kept it to herself, letting Regis continue to resent Diego as payback for everything that man had done to her.But her conscience wouldn’t let her pretend she didn’t know the truth.“Regis … your father did all this out of hatred and revenge toward my dad,” Amora said, leaving Regis completely stunned and confused.“What do you mean, Amora?” Regis asked, his gaze narrowing
Seeing the deep regret on Amora’s face, Regis let out a sharp sigh. He hadn’t meant to scold her. He just wanted her to understand how her actions affected them both.Regis tried to keep his emotions in check, not wanting to lash out. He knew Amora was clearly torn and dealing with a difficult inner conflict.“Haven’t I told you time and time again not to carry everything on your own, Amora?” Regis reminded her gently.Amora didn’t respond. Her head remained lowered until Regis reached out, cupped her chin, and lifted her face so their eyes could meet again.The look in Regis's eyes, which looked shady and sad, made Amora feel both comforted and hurt because she felt guilty for hurting him with the divorce papers she’d filed.“I’m your husband, Amora. Didn’t we agree to face all our struggles together? Can’t you give me just a little time to prove that I can turn this around without asking you to sacrifice everything?” Regis asked, his voice soft but full of emotion.He still believed