Elena never expected the press conference this morning to shake the world so quickly. From the moment she stepped out of the Royal Empress Corporation building, her cell phone had not stopped vibrating. Thousands of messages, calls from the media, and even offers of cooperation from various big companies rained down on her.But what surprised her the most was not that.It was the two handsome, young, and successful men who came to her door for one purpose: to propose."Miss Elena," said George Moreau, CEO of Canada's largest technology company, with a charming smile and an intimidatingly confident demeanor. "I've been following your career for a long time. And after seeing that press conference... I knew I couldn't keep quiet any longer. I'd like to take you out to dinner. Would Miss Elena be willing?"Before Elena could answer, the second man spoke up."As for dinner, I've already made a reservation," interrupted Felix D'Angelo, the young Italian CEO who was known as a playboy but a
Nathan touched Elena's chin, lifting her face slowly. "I love you so much, Elena..." he whispered, his eyes deep and expectant. "Can I kiss you again?"Elena's face flushed, but she turned her head to the side, shying away. "No, Nathan..."Nathan paused. His face tightened, disappointed but appreciative."Why?" he asked quietly.Elena let out a long breath. "I'm not the slut I was five years ago when I asked for your touch in the car." Elena looked down, if she remembered that incident, she felt very embarrassed. Nathan was about to speak up, but the sound of shoes stomping on the floor made them both turn their heads.A man in an elegant navy suit entered the room with steady steps. His face was gaunt, his jaw firm, and his eyes held a deep hurt."Damian," Elena murmured, her body instantly stiffening.Nathan stood in front of Elena reflexively, protecting her.Damian raised a hand. "Elena, where is my son, Alva."His eyes bore into Elena - and for a moment, there was an indescribab
"So, what about Mrs. Sonia? Your mother?" asked Elena quietly, looking at Nathan doubtfully. "Will she approve of us? I know... she has high standards for a woman worthy of being her daughter-in-law."Nathan smiled a little and sat down next to Elena. "You know what? I've always admired Queen Elisabeth's designer work."Elena looked at Nathan with dilated eyes. "Really?"Nathan nodded. "She didn't know you designed for the brand. But when you appeared at the press conference in a black dress of your own design, my mom immediately said, 'This Queen Elisabeth designer seems to understand the taste of noblewomen. Elegant but not pushy. She also said that you deserve to be my wife.'"Elena could hardly believe it. "But will your mother accept my four children?""Yes, my mother accepts your four children, Elena." Nathan grasped Elena's hand tightly. "My mother will never reject you again."Elena was silent. Her heart seemed to be gently soothed. For the first time, she felt accepted."Than
Damian still sat silently on the park bench behind the crematorium. A light rain had begun to dampen his hair and shoulders, but he didn't care. His fingers still clutched David's small cross necklace.Isabella walked over, her black dress dragging a bit of wet earth. She sat silently beside Damian, looking straight up at the gray sky.A few minutes passed in silence, until Isabella finally asked softly, "Damian, are you going to divorce me after this?"Damian turned his head slowly. "What do you mean?"Isabella smiled bitterly, still staring ahead. "I've heard the viral news. Elena... she is Queen Elisabeth. She also revealed that Alva is of Lancaster descent."Damian frowned."Are you going after her?" Isabella continued, her voice low but piercing. "Because she has given birth to an heir. A son, the heir you crave."Damian stared at his wife for a long time, his face unreadable.However, instead of answering, Damian stood up. He wiped his face wet with rain and tears."I have to ge
Damian looked at Elena, his eyes hopeful, yet also afraid of the answer that would come out of her mouth."Elena, do I deserve a second chance?" he asked softly.Elena let out a long breath, bowing her head for a moment. The wind blew softly, carrying the scent of wet soil and jasmine flowers from the newly sown gravestone."A second chance?" repeated Elena softly. Her eyes slowly looked at Damian, deep, clear, and full of hurt."I'm sorry, Damian..." she said calmly but firmly. "There are no second chances."Damian frowned. "What do you mean?""I've been through a lot, Damian. Years of hiding who I am, raising four children on my own, enduring humiliation from your family, from your mother. And when all those wounds haven't really healed, you come asking for a chance? You have no shame! Woe!""But I'm sorry, Elena. I made a mistake back then. I was too happy when Isabella gave me a boy. If I'd known-""You hurt me even before David was born," Elena cut in sharply. "Not to mention you
The next morning, the sky was still gray, leaving behind the residue of the previous night's rain. Damian stood in front of the old colonial-style house on the edge of town where Elena and her children lived. His hand clutched a small box filled with toys and children's books, something he had bought in the middle of the night when his heart couldn't settle.When the door opened, Elena stood in the doorway, wearing a loose gray sweater and casual pants. Her hair was tied up in a simple bun. Her eyes looked tired."Elena...," Damian began, his voice low, almost hesitant."Damian, it's early in the morning," Elena said calmly. She leaned against the door frame. "What's wrong?""I just... I wanted to see them. Olivia, Katty, and Delya," he replied, trying to smile. "If I may."Elena stared at him for a few seconds. There was no anger, but no warmth either. She nodded slowly, then opened the door wider."Come in."Damian stepped inside, the house was warm and smelled of cinnamon. He brief
Damian was still sitting on the couch when Alva appeared in the living room, rubbing his eyes, his steps slow and still lazy. The five-year-old boy was wearing dark blue pajamas with rockets, his hair a little messy."Mommy, big sister, who is she?" he asked innocently, pointing at Damian who immediately stood up and looked at him with a longing look.Damian looked down, kneeling down to be at Alva's level. A genuine smile was drawn on his face. "Hi, Alva... You know, I'm your Daddy."Alva was startled for a moment. She took a step back, her expression changing. "Huh? No! You're not my Daddy!" he said loudly, swatting away Damian's hand that was about to touch his shoulder."Alva..." Damian leaned closer again, his voice soft. "You're a smart boy. Daddy just wants to get to know you better. Daddy loves you...""NO!" snapped Alva, pushing Damian's body with his small hands. "I don't know you! You're not my Daddy!"Damian was silent, stunned. The look in his eyes dimmed.Alva turned qui
Damian had just opened the door to his luxurious downtown home when the sound of sobbing greeted him. The cold air from outside had not yet left his body, but in here, the heat was overwhelming-not because of the temperature, but because of the burning emotions.Isabella sat on the sofa, still wearing her blood-red satin nightgown. Her eyes were swollen, her face wet. In her hand is a picture frame of David, their son who died two years ago. Her fingers gripped it tightly, as if afraid of losing it again."David was our only son," Isabella murmured softly. "The only one you're proud of."Damian threw his coat on the chair, ignoring all the pleasantries. His voice was instantly piercing, cold. "I just got back from Elena's house. I want to get back to Elena."Isabella slowly looked up. The look in her eyes was hazy, but there were still embers there. "What do you mean, Damian?"Damian stood straight, his face without hesitation. "I want a divorce, Isabella. I'm going back to Elena. For
Chapter 88 - Damian's rageThe sound of a car door closing loudly boomed in the hotel's basement parking lot. Damian pushed Isabella into the back seat of their black SUV. His face was red, his eyes blazing wildly."Shut up! Don't open your mouth one word!" he hissed, breath catching.Isabella staggered into the car, her feet dragging on the floor. As soon as the door closed, Damian entered from the other side, sitting next to her, immediately closing the glass partition between them and the driver."I ask you again, ISABELLA-IS THIS TRUE?!"Isabella twisted her body, her face still wet with tears. "Damian... I can explain...""EXPLAIN?!" Damian shouted so loudly that the window shook. "The whole world saw that video! That's your face! Your body! In a hotel bed with a fucking stranger! You... You've ruined my reputation!"Isabella grabbed Damian's arm. "Please, listen to me first. I'm doing this for you... for our company. We need investors, Damian! You know that! They won't give me m
It's been one month since the video scandal took the world by storm. Elena chose to remain silent without clarifying, she worked quietly to organize legal measures, rebuild her image, and most importantly-prepare her final weapon. The day after tomorrow, the custody battle would begin. But today was the day when Elena, the famous designer with a business empire, would no longer remain silent.That morning, the ballroom at one of Manhattan's five-star hotels was packed. Rows of cameras, microphones and journalists from various countries filled the room. Whispers and speculation filled the air.At 10 o'clock, Nathan entered first, standing next to the podium. Shortly after, Elena emerges from behind the curtain. Dressed in an ivory white suit, hair in a neat bun, her face was calm but her eyes were sharp. The whole room immediately fell silent."Thank you for coming to this press conference," Elena said, her voice clear and steady. "Today, I stand not as a designer, not as an entreprene
In the afternoon, Elena, Nathan and the children returned to the apartment. The children had already gone up to their rooms.Nathan closed the door and took off his tie as he took a deep breath."Wife, would you like some hot tea?" he asked as he headed for the kitchen."Sure," Elena replied from the living room. She slipped off her shoes and sat on the sofa. "I think my neck is a little sore..."Before Nathan could make it to the kitchen, the television automatically turned on-a smart feature that instantly brought up the breaking news from the local channel.Breaking news! A shocking scandalous video has been widely circulated for the past hour. It is strongly suspected that the woman in the video is Elena - the famous designer, Queen Elisabeth.^Nathan immediately stopped walking. Elena looked quickly at the screen.The two-minute video showed a naked woman riding the body of a middle-aged man identified as William Hargrave, 55, Elena's former business partner at the German branch.
A modern room on the third floor of a law firm in Midtown Manhattan. The room contained wooden shelves of law books, thick carpeting, and wide windows overlooking the busy city.Damian Lancaster sat at the end of a long glass-topped desk, his suit perfect without a single wrinkle. Beside him, Isabella looked elegant, but the look in her eyes was sharp. Across from them, Jared Matthews-a lawyer specializing in custody and family cases-is staring intently at the file Damian has just handed him."All the documents are there," Damian said, his tone firm. "DNA test results, records of the Elena scandal."Jared flips through the pages, his brow furrowing occasionally. He doesn't speak right away."Add to that the news that just went viral last week," Isabella interrupted, handing over a cell phone with a link to Elena's scandalous past. "That woman has a bad track record. Not fit to be a mother."Damian gave her a quick glance. "That's what I used as evidence of moral judgment. I don't mean
The next day."Hold on, Mom, my hair is still messed up!" said Olivia, the eldest, as she smoothed her bangs in front of the small mirror in the waiting room of the registry office.Elena smiles and fixes the collar of Delya's shirt, who is standing next to her. Nathan sat in the next chair, holding his youngest, Alva, who looked curiously at the uniformed officer."Are you sure we don't need a party or an invitation?" Nathan whispered softly."Sure. This is enough. I just want the day to go smoothly," Elena replied, looking at her children. "The important thing is that we're officially husband and wife."Nathan nodded. "Okay. But after this, we'll celebrate with them, okay? Whatever you want.""How about some ice cream? But Daddy has to buy all the flavors," Delya said, her eyes narrowing playfully.Nathan laughed. "Sure thing, kiddo. Daddy will buy a whole case if necessary."A uniformed officer approached them. "Mrs. Elena and Mr. Nathan Drake Sebastian?""Yes," Elena and Nathan re
Elena opened her eyes, looking at Nathan who was now parking the car slowly in front of her apartment."But, I've given birth to four children, Nathan. You know that."Nathan looked away, still waiting."Do you... still want to have your own biological children as a descendant of the Sebastian family?" she asked softly.Nathan looked at her with a look that was hard to describe: gentle, calm, and respectful."Elena," he said with a sigh. "I never made children a requirement. I fell in love with you, not because of the possibility that you may or may not give birth again.""But..." Elena bit her lip. "What if you regret it one day?"Nathan smiled, then took Elena's hand, holding it tightly."Your four children are enough for me. They're not just a part of you, they'll be a part of my life too. And if they let me, I'll consider them my children too."Elena was silent. Nathan's words came in like a wave sweeping over her last stronghold."I didn't think you could care that much," she whi
Elena's black car drove smoothly through the dark night. Beside her, Nathan sat in silence, occasionally glancing at Elena who seemed to be seriously staring at her cell phone screen."I thought you'd be relieved after Nuno was arrested," Nathan muttered at last.Elena didn't answer immediately. She opened her contact list and selected a name labeled "Only If Desperate"."You know I'm never really relieved before the game is over," she said quietly. "Nuno is just the surface. We haven't touched the mastermind yet."He pressed the call button.The connection was made. A deep, heavy voice greeted from the other side. "Hello, Queen Elena.""I need your help," she said quickly. "Starting tonight, I need you to monitor Isabella Lancaster. Discreetly, not to be suspicious. Where she goes, who she meets, even if she's just shopping report it to me."The detective paused for a moment before replying, "Does that mean I have to watch her 24 hours?""Y, of course. But don't let her get suspic
That afternoon, the air was stale. In the middle of the deserted streets of an abandoned industrial estate, an old metal door was half-hidden behind a grove of bushes. That's where Nuno Gract was hiding - the man who had been a shadow in cyberspace, hacking, manipulating, spreading lies from behind a screen.Elena got out of her black car. Behind her, Nathan followed, his face tense, jaw hardened. Two plainclothes policemen were also standing by, their jackets slightly open, revealing weapons at their waists."This is the place," Nathan whispered, pointing to the door. Elena gave a small nod, her eyes as sharp as daggers. Silently, they approached, footsteps muffled by the dusty ground.One of the policemen signaled a countdown. Three... Two... One.BRUKK!The door was forced open. The sound of metal creaking echoed.The dark room was immediately ambushed by flashlights. Thin smoke billowed - the smell of dampness and burning wires was overwhelming.In the corner, Nuno Grac
That morning, the sky was clear with no clouds.A black car pulled up slowly in front of Alva's school gate. From inside, Sisca - Alva's nanny - got out first, making sure it was safe before opening the door for the little boy."Alva, come on, we're here," Sisca said with a smile.Alva, who was still hugging her little doll, nodded slowly, then went downstairs with cheerful steps.As soon as her little feet touched the ground, several casually dressed bodyguards immediately moved around them. Not flashy, but tight enough to make anyone think twice about approaching.Since the kidnapping case the other day, Elena didn't want to mess around with security anymore. Especially since Alva, her flesh and blood, was now her top priority.Sisca straightened Alva's small bag. "Remember, don't leave the classroom until Auntie comes. If there's anything, go straight to the bodyguard uncle.""Yes..." Alva said with a small nod, then ran towards her friends who were already playing in the school ga