LOGINAt the Este family estate, Mars looked at his boss with visible hesitation."Sir, you deleted those videos completely. There's no way to recover them now. The only option is to have Mitaly send another copy, assuming they still have it stored."Francesco waved him off impatiently, signaling him to contact the casino in Mitaly.At the time, he had assumed Bianca had already delivered the gift to Adriana. So when Adriana accused him of being childish, he had deleted all the videos in a fit of anger. The only one left was the damaged file on the USB drive.Mars returned quickly. "They said too much time has passed. If we want to retrieve it, we'll have to wait.""How long?"Francesco paced with his hands on his hips, Odysseus trotting closely behind him as man and dog moved back and forth across the living room."Two or three days. Are you in a hurry, Sir?""Not really."Francesco dropped onto the sofa, the impatience in his eyes fading into a lazy indifference.Chris had alread
Daisy took Adriana's hand and noticed faint calluses at the base of her fingers."Adriana, your hands are meant for scientific research; not for cooking and scrubbing pots."Adriana's eyes grew warm. She gave a soft "Mm."She might not excel in many things—but taking care of others was one of them.As they ate, Oliver arrived, carrying a large bag of breakfast.Seeing the spread already on the table, he let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I specially had the chef at home prepare a nutritious breakfast. Looks like I got here too late."Daisy looked pleased. "This was all made by Adriana herself. Much tastier than what you brought.""Then I guess I'm out of luck. I'll go share this with the medical staff."Oliver left with the bag and soon returned empty-handed."Aunt Daisy, don't worry too much about Uncle Dean's situation. I'll go ask my dad for help."Because of what Adriana had gone through, Neo had sworn never to cooperate with the Slater family again. That made his father
When Adriana got home, she showered and was about to go to bed when the doorbell suddenly rang.She glanced at the time—it was already two in the morning.Through the smart lock's camera, she confirmed it was Chris and Jimmy before opening the door."It's so late. What is it?"Chris dismissed Jimmy, then said, "I'm staying here tonight."Adriana hesitated. "Edward will probably be looking for you."It had been a long time since she and Chris had lived under the same roof. His sudden appearance felt no different from a stranger barging in and announcing he would stay the night. It was too abrupt.A trace of displeasure crossed Chris's face. "Tonight, it's just you and me. Don't bring up anyone else."He wheeled himself toward the master bedroom, but Adriana quickly stepped in front of the door."I'm used to sleeping in the master bedroom. You can take the guest room—I'll make the bed for you."Back when they had shared a bed, the mattress had been chosen for his comfort—too so
Thirty minutes later, Adriana met Francesco at the café.He was the only one there. The dim, amber light fell over him, casting a soft halo around his figure.No matter how long she had known him, every time she saw him, her heart still stirred. Like a small fish gliding through a quiet stream—leaving no ripples, yet graceful all the same.On the table sat a cup of espresso, along with a glass of plain water.He slid the water toward her. "You should just have water."Adriana didn't mind. She hadn't come here for coffee anyway."The video you gave me—the last half-minute is completely unclear. Did you edit it that way on purpose, or…?""Maybe the USB got wet. Did you watch the first part?"Francesco took a sip of his coffee, the bitterness spreading from his mouth down into his chest."I did."Adriana nodded. After a brief pause, she changed her tone."But in extreme situations, people can unleash extraordinary physical potential. That video alone doesn't prove Chris has bee
Adriana opened the USB drive. Inside, there was only a single video, about seven or eight minutes long.When things had grown intense between her and Francesco, they had recorded some wild videos together. Could it be…Uneasy, she clicked it open. The content was clean, but it still made her nerves tighten.Dawn was just breaking. Pale morning light spread across the sky. Chris sat alone on a bridge spanning the river, looking down at the water as if waiting for something.The cold wind tousled his hair, his face drained to an ashen pallor. He glanced at his phone, the hand holding it trembling slightly.Then, bracing himself against the wheelchair, he leaned forward—and without hesitation, plunged into the river.Adriana covered her face, unable to keep watching.This was from the day she had been kidnapped—the moment Chris had jumped into the river to save her.Even just watching the footage made her heart pound in terror.The bridge stood more than twenty meters above the w
After an indeterminate stretch of time, Adriana's knees had gone numb with pain. At last, Daisy lifted her head from Adriana's embrace and slowly pushed herself to her feet.Oliver stepped forward to steady her unsteady frame. "Aunt Daisy, if anyone is bullying you, you have to tell me.""Thank you." Daisy's voice was soft. She limped as she made her way out."I'll take care of it," Adriana said with a nod to Oliver before hurrying after her.She helped Daisy into the back seat and drove straight to the Nash family's private hospital.Upon arrival, she went to find Alex."Alex, I need a female doctor who can keep things confidential."Alex glanced at Daisy's haggard appearance. Without asking a single question, he immediately arranged for a reliable young female doctor.Adriana spoke gently, reassuring her, "Daisy, the director of this hospital is my friend. It's safe here."Daisy nodded obediently. She was too exhausted—too exhausted to care about anything anymore, even herse
Oliver knew about their past and deliberately avoided Adriana's workstation."Mr. Este, this is the core laboratory of our building—the largest in terms of floor space."This machine was imported from Djarmany, worth over ten million dollars. Apart from me, it's the most valuable asset in this bui
A boyfriend is temporary, but a best friend lasts a lifetime.Adriana felt like she'd found a savior, almost moved to tears with relief."Bella, you're literally my lucky star."She explained the business trip to Bella."That's easy. I'll go with you to Mitaly.""No need to trouble yourself. Yo
Francesco sent Adriana a location from the airport.Francesco: [Arrive before 10 a.m. Private jet.]He didn't mention who would be traveling with her—probably couldn't be bothered.Adriana checked with the company. Charlie confirmed that she would be the only one officially on the trip, though th
"I'm going to take a bath."Adriana sank into the bathtub, letting the warm water envelop her. It was soft, comforting, and alive with a gentle warmth. She closed her eyes, letting herself slowly slide under the surface, her body sinking, merging with the water.Until she could no longer hold her







