"Let me go," hissed Chelsea, wincing in pain.She jerked her arm, attempting to free herself from Amora's grip. Yet her strength was no match for the woman before her.Despite Amora's slimmer figure, years of trials and tribulations had hardened her into someone much stronger than the average woman. While her strength might not measure up to men like Regis, taking on Chelsea was child’s play.‘Damn it! How is she this strong?’ Chelsea fumed internally.Desperate, she used her other hand to pull herself away, leaning her body backward. Just as she did so, Amora abruptly released her grip, causing Chelsea to stumble and fall backward. She landed right into a basket filled with unorganized clothes, sending everyone into stunned silence.Moments later, laughter erupted, filling the boutique. Amora couldn't help but chuckle at Chelsea’s misfortune, her previous anger dissipating into amusement.Even Estelle doubled over, clutching her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably. Gloria, meanwhil
"What are you looking at? Have you taken up spying as a hobby now?" Chelsea sneered nervously, quickly shoving her phone into her bag.Amora didn't respond. She turned on her heel and left the boutique, with Albert following closely behind. She paid no attention to the gazes fixed on her as she exited.Chelsea scoffed under her breath. "So arrogant for just being someone's mistress.""Your tongue really is like a venomous snake, Chelsea. Why didn’t you say that in front of that man earlier? I bet he’d have wiped you out completely," Estelle retorted sharply.Chelsea swallowed hard, nervous. The man's piercing gaze was still shaking her."Aren’t you afraid of karma for constantly bullying and insulting Amora?" Estelle pressed, her tone laced with disdain."Are you cursing me now?" Chelsea snapped, visibly angered."It’s not a curse; it’s just reality. Every good or bad deed gets its reward. I’m just worried you’ll end up dying a horrible death," Estelle replied with an icy smirk."You—
“N-no, Amora. Please don’t misunderstand me. That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to make sure the rumors I’ve heard aren’t true. I know you’re not the kind of woman who’d make rash decisions or give herself away just for money.”Estelle stammered, worried her words might backfire. She had come to speak with Amora to apologize, not to become her enemy.A soft chuckle escaped Amora’s lips before she said, “Seven years, Estelle. So much can change in seven years. The Amora Lysander sitting in front of you isn’t the same Amora Lysander you knew back then.”“And you, I can’t even be sure you’re the same Estelle Mauverick I once knew,” Amora added with a faint, bitter smile.Estelle gasped, biting her lower lip. “You’re right. Seven years isn’t a short time.”“Maybe I’ve become materialistic, but I’ve never stooped so low as to throw myself at sleazy men just to live a life of luxury,” Amora said, firmly emphasizing the principles she still held.Estelle fell silent for a moment, guilt w
A faint smile appeared on Estelle’s lips. She could understand Amora’s guarded demeanor and said, “It’s okay. I understand how you feel. You don’t have to rush to trust me again, Amora. But you’re truly incredible. I really admire you for managing to survive and hold on in your own way all this time.”The sincere compliment escaped Estelle’s lips. She genuinely admired Amora because, compared to what Amora had gone through, the challenges she faced over the past seven years seemed insignificant.“Thank you. I’ve made it this far because of my son and because God intervened in my life,” Amora replied, wiping the corner of her eyes that had begun to water.Amora couldn’t hold back her emotions. Reuniting with an old friend and revisiting her past was emotionally overwhelming for her.“What about you … is what Chelsea said earlier true? Did your father force you into marriage because of me?” Amora asked, trying to shift the topic of their conversation.Estelle gave a faint smile. Like Am
“What’s keeping you busy these days, Amora?”Estelle’s question snapped Amora out of her thoughts. She still hadn’t come up with any ideas for her business plans.Amora smiled faintly. “Right now, I’m a certified unemployed woman,” she joked.Estelle chuckled along. “That makes two of us,” she admitted.“You’re not taking over your father’s business?” Amora asked, confused.As far as she remembered, the Mauverick family still had a business. Being the only daughter, Estelle should have inherited it, even if the family wasn’t as prominent as it once was due to rising competition.“I sold my shares to my uncle, Amora. After my father passed away, I was appointed as his heir and expected to manage the company on my own. No one believed someone like me could handle it, and honestly, I wasn’t passionate about it either. Rather than letting it fail under my care, I handed it over to my uncle.”Amora nodded as she listened to Estelle’s explanation.Estelle’s gaze drifted to the diamond ring
On the way to pick up her son from school, Amora sat quietly in the backseat, lost in thought about her conversation with Estelle.A wedding organizer isn’t a bad idea. But ….Her eyes caught Albert Parker’s reflection in the rearview mirror as he focused on driving. “Mr. Parker,” she called.Albert glanced briefly at her before returning his attention to the road. “Yes, Ma’am,” he replied.“Could you help me investigate something?” Amora asked, noticing his sharp look through the mirror.“I mean, do you know someone trustworthy who can handle discreet investigations?” she clarified.Albert smirked faintly. “You can count on me, Ma’am. Even though I’m just a driver, I’m quite a skilled informant,” he said confidently.He wasn’t bluffing. Both Regis and Mark often relied on him to gather critical information. Albert had an impressive network.“Really?”Amora was taken aback but thought for a moment before hesitantly asking, “Then, could you look into Estelle Mauverick?”Albert raised h
Regis's car stopped in front of a building surrounded by tall gates adorned with dragon heads carved at the center. He stepped out of the car without bothering to park it properly.He was currently at the Royal Dragon residence and headquarters to fulfill his father's order to meet him. As usual, the atmosphere around the residence was cold and quiet.A few subordinates greeted him briefly as he walked past them, continuing his way inside until he encountered Liliana Ritter, who had just stepped out of the elevator within the building.“Regis, why didn’t you let me know you were coming?” asked the woman, surprised. She hadn’t received any word about his return.“Are you staying the night here?” Liliana added.However, Regis ignored her questions and walked straight toward the elevator.“That boy ….” Liliana clicked her tongue in annoyance at being dismissed by her stepson and continued her steps out of the residence.Regis's sharp, hawk-like eyes followed her figure until the elevator
"Are you sure you didn't make any mistakes, including challenging Levent?" Diego questioned sharply.Regis understood that his earlier actions were risky. However, he felt he had no other choice but to assert himself to Altan Demir, making it clear that he was not someone to be trifled with."Father, he started it first. I was only giving him a little warning," Regis defended himself."Oh?"Diego raised an eyebrow and fixed his sharp gaze on his son.Understanding the meaning behind his father's look, Regis recounted the events that forced him to confront Altan Demir. However, he deliberately left out any mention of Amora, not wanting to drag her into the conflicts between organizations."You haven't forgotten, have you, that we have an agreement with Levent?" Diego probed.Diego believed Regis shouldn't have meddled in the dispute between Altan Demir and Beth Jefferson, as it was outside their jurisdiction.He also thought that Regis should just simply block Altan's attempts to spy o
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
Regis and Amora had just entered their rented house, but Regis was still gripping his wife’s wrist tightly, causing her to wince in pain.“Regis, didn’t you hear me? Let go of my hand!” Amora snapped, clearly annoyed at being dragged around by her husband.The sound of the bedroom door slamming made Amora jump. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the fury in Regis’s eyes.Amora swallowed hard and muttered, “That hurts, Regis.”Seeing how helpless she looked, Regis finally let go of her wrist. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the red marks left by his grip.Even though guilt started to creep in, Regis didn’t say anything. He still couldn’t bring himself to forgive what Amora had done.His lips curled into a bitter smirk as he glanced at the small suitcase behind her. “So you’re leaving, huh? Who told you to do that?”His voice was laced with a mix of anger and disappointment. Amora nervously bit her lip, slowly lowering her gaze, unable to meet his eyes.“Why are you quiet? A
“Did you bring what my boss asked for?” Pablo asked, his expression completely unchanged.Amora looked down at the document in her hands, her heart heavy. The papers were divorce papers—something she had prepared at Diego’s request, and a requirement to get Rayden accepted into the Lorenzo family.The truth was, she still wasn’t ready to divorce Regis. But the pressure and threats from Diego had completely worn her down. Unlike Diego, she held no power. And more than anything, she didn’t want to see Regis crushed under the weight of his own father.“Miss, my boss isn’t someone who breaks his promises. He’ll accept your son as part of the Lorenzo family, just like he said. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain,” Pablo assured her on his employer’s behalf.Hearing that, Amora felt something heavy lift from her chest. ‘I’m sorry, Ray. I know I made this decision on my own, but I believe one day, you’ll understand this was the best thing I could do for you,’ she thought.Amora handed the docume
"See you later, Mom. Don’t forget to come, okay?" Rayden said as he said goodbye to his mother.They had just finished breakfast, and Regis was the one taking their son to school. Amora had claimed she needed to finish some housework first so she could fully enjoy the event Rayden was participating in later.Amora only gave a small nod to her son’s words. She kissed his forehead lightly and murmured, "Take care of yourself, Ray."Rayden frowned. "I’m not gonna hurt myself, Mom," he replied, assuming she was still worried about his archery performance later.Amora gave a faint smile. Her eyes shifted to Regis, who was looking at her with a meaningful gaze. But she quickly looked away and said, "Go on, or you'll be late.""Come on, Dad! Let’s go!" Rayden called out as he grabbed his backpack."What is it?" Amora asked, puzzled, when she noticed Regis still hadn’t moved from his spot, even though their son had already jogged toward the door."Aren’t you forgetting something?" Regis asked
“Maybe Albert and the others were right. The more I stay silent, the more Father will keep using his power to pressure Amora. I need to put a stop to this—fast,” Regis thought to himself.His face was filled with distress. His mind was racing with plans he had crafted with his loyal subordinates. He’d originally planned to check in on his wife, but changed his mind and stood up, needing to confirm something first before taking any action.Meanwhile, Amora sat silently on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone screen, her thoughts consumed by the message she had just received.Tears streamed steadily down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with one hand to muffle her sobs so no one outside her room could hear her crying.She quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked again at the message on her screen. It was from Chris. He had saved her number without her knowing.[Amora, I’m not sure if you’ve found out yet or not … but I just want to say congratulations. Accordin
The sky had already turned dark. Xavier had just left after having dinner with Regis’ small family.Now, Amora was cleaning up the dishes from their meal in the kitchen. Her body felt better after a full day of rest and some vitamins prescribed by the hospital.But mentally, she was still drained. Diego’s threats continued to haunt her, clouding her thoughts with anxiety and emotional exhaustion.She felt trapped. She had no choice if she wanted to protect her grandmother, but the idea of leaving Regis tore her apart.Part of her wanted to tell Regis everything. But deep down, she feared what he might do if he found out. If he confronted Diego, things could spiral out of control. And the one thing she couldn’t risk … was her grandmother’s life.‘What am I supposed to do? Should I leave Regis, just for a while, and make sure Grandma is safe first? But if Mr. Lorenzo finds out I’m lying… he might—'Amora took a deep breath and shook her head hard. ‘No. It’s too risky to lie to him. That
"Albert’s still handling it. But there are a few things that need a deeper review," Regis replied, referring to something he had done behind his family’s back.Yesterday, Regis held a closed-door meeting with several Royal Dragon subordinates—at their own request. Albert was the one who arranged the secret meeting. Yes, that man had survived the pursuit of Diego's subordinates.Pedro had also made it out alive, but he wasn’t as lucky. He’d suffered serious injuries and was still recovering. Both men were saved by loyal Royal Dragon members who still supported Regis. To them, Diego’s recent actions had gone way too far.Lately, Diego had become increasingly authoritarian and ruthless, especially toward those who remained loyal to Regis. Many of them felt like they were living under constant threat.Eventually, they decided to take a stand. They begged Regis to return and reclaim control of the Royal Dragon. They just couldn’t stand watching Diego abuse their fellow members any longer.
“Thank goodness you’re okay, Amora.”Regis’s voice echoed in Amora’s ears, followed by the sound of his relieved sigh.Amora had just arrived in front of her rental house. But before her feet even touched the yard, her husband came running out of nowhere and wrapped her in a tight hug.Amora froze in place, confused. She hadn’t even seen his face clearly yet, but from the way he held her, she knew Regis had been seriously worried about her.“R-Regis … I can’t breathe,” Amora squeaked as he tightened the hug even more.Regis slowly loosened his hold and stepped back. “Sorry … I guess I got too excited seeing you.”Amora smiled gently and shook her head. “Where were you coming from?” she asked him.“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Regis shot back, narrowing his eyes at her.Amora swallowed hard. She had expected him to question her. Thankfully, she’d already come up with an excuse.“Do you have any idea how worried I was when Ray told me you—”Regis stopped mid-sentence. He had
"Really?" Amora murmured, clearly seeing through the man's lie."So what if I am? You want to see her or something?" Chris shot back, turning the question on her."No, I was just curious. I heard the Lysander family went bankrupt. She must be devastated, seeing her parents like that," Amora replied softly.Chris fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, the Lysander family is beyond saving. I never thought my father-in-law would embezzle that much money. Even my dad doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore," he explained.Bianca’s position as the Walden family’s daughter-in-law had taken a serious hit ever since the Lysander Group scandal broke out. Cassandra Winston and her husband were embarrassed to be related to the Lysanders, so they didn’t care when Chris mentioned he was thinking of divorcing Bianca.Amora gave Chris a sidelong glance. He clearly didn’t want to go into detail about Bianca, but from what he said, she could tell things weren’t going well for Bianca in t