Cline coldly interrupted him, "No meeting."
Russell immediately seemed a bit embarrassed. "Mr. Moriarty, he is, after all, the CEO of Coburn Group. Right now, people from Coburn Group are constantly asking me for him. I can't keep him locked up forever..."
Russell's meaning was clear—he could withstand the pressure for a while, but not for long.
Cline's face darkened as he thought for a few seconds, and finally relented, "Let him go."
He then hung up the phone directly and looked at Luana, who was examining him.
In fact, Luana had already guessed who he was talking about and didn't ask.
As long as he was willing to release Calvert, she could thank him later once she had recovered a bit.
Cline stared at the IV drip for a while until the liquid in the bottle was completely gone, then he helped her remove the needle.
Luana glanced at the three bottles of medicine still on the side. Logically, they should be administered one
Cline finally put down the vegetable salad and picked up a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth.In the five years she had been with him, he had never taken care of her like this. Luana was utterly shocked.She stared blankly at the man in front of her with her clear, innocent eyes, feeling as if all of this was surreal.Cline, however, didn't seem to find anything amiss. He calmly wiped her mouth with the napkin.After cleaning her up, he took out his phone and called Eva. He asked Eva to bring medical equipment to the villa.Hearing this, Luana quickly snapped out of her daze and said, "I'll be fine with just some rest. There's no need to trouble Dr. Eva."Cline glanced at her coldly, his tone domineering and brooking no refusal. "Whether it's troublesome or not, I'm the one who decides."Luana had no choice but to keep quiet and let him arrange everything...When Eva pushed a cart full of instruments into the room, Cline
After Eva left, Cline glanced towards the guest bedroom and noticed the door was ajar. His expression darkened immediately.He unconsciously quickened his pace and entered the room, only to see Luana adjusting the IV drip.Her small, palm-sized face showed no significant emotional fluctuation. She remained as gentle and well-behaved as before.She even smiled at him when he entered, which dispelled his doubts.The volume of his conversation with Eva hadn't been loud enough for her to overhear.Cline subconsciously let out a breath of relief and sat down beside her bed, asking, "Feeling better?"Luana nodded and replied, "A bit better."Then, they fell into silence. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.Seeing that Cline had no intention of leaving, Luana couldn't help but speak up, "Mr. Moriarty, could you help me find my bag?"Her bag had been left in the banquet hall at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Her phone and other belon
Hearing this, Luana felt even more guilty. "Clarissa, he got hurt trying to save me. Could you tell him to go back to the hospital first? I'll come to see him in a few days."Clarissa latched onto the key phrase. "Save you? What's going on?"Luana briefly explained the incident with Travis's private revenge.Upon learning the truth, Clarissa shouted that she wanted to teach Travis a lesson.However, upon hearing that Cline had already dealt with Travis, she immediately fell silent."So... you're with Cline now?"Luana could only nod in affirmation, not daring to hide anything from Clarissa.Clarissa sighed deeply and muttered, "What a complicated relationship," before hanging up the phone.She put her phone in her pocket and, carrying a large pot of corn chowder, walked towards the entrance of the small apartment.She had been excited to bring the soup to Luana to help her regain her strength, but as soon as she stepped
Calvert seemed to have lost the strength to speak, only managing a faint nod.Clarissa knew his stubborn nature from childhood. Trying to persuade him to leave would be futile. So she steeled herself and told him the truth."Every time Luana is taken away by Cline, she won't be back in less than two or three days. You can't just keep squatting here, can you?"Judging by his reaction, it seemed he already knew who Luana had sold herself to back then.Since that was the case, there was no harm in telling him the truth. He wouldn't stand a chance against that man anyway.Clarissa's words hit Calvert like a sledgehammer, delivering a fatal blow."Every time?" he asked incredulously, his bloodshot eyes slowly turning towards Clarissa. "For these five years... she's been with Cline?""Mm-hmm," Clarissa replied indifferently. That single word, however, almost caused Calvert to collapse.He had thought she had only sold herself once, b
"Only a day apart, and you're already missing each other so much. It seems your old flame has been rekindled?"Faced with his sarcastic remark, Luana didn't bother to explain. She simply lowered her long eyelashes, hiding the discomfort in her eyes.Seeing her silence, Cline's face turned even colder. His grip on her chin tightened uncontrollably."Didn't you say you didn't love him anymore? Why are you rekindling your old relationship?"Luana endured the pain in her chin and forced a smile at Cline."If I can be your lover for years without loving you, why can't I rekindle my relationship with him?"It wasn't clear whether it was the first part of her sentence that choked Cline or the latter that left him speechless, but it made him so angry that he couldn't find words.Luana glanced up at him and saw his usually frosty, charming eyes gradually turn bloodshot. Her heart jolted, but she quickly suppressed the involuntary feelings that
"Remember to use the scar-removing medicine," Eva said. With her delicate and elegant appearance, she was the epitome of beauty—her face couldn't afford to be marred by scars.Eva nodded in agreement and left with her medical bag.As the dean of a private hospital, her schedule was usually quite busy.Had it not been for Cline, it would have been nearly impossible to get an appointment with her.Thinking of Cline, Luana felt a lump in her chest.She couldn't understand his intentions. He was about to get married to his fiancée, yet he kept her locked up at home.Did he want Runa and yet couldn't bear to let go of her?If that was the case, Cline was being incredibly greedy.Luana glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows. At some point, the sky had darkened and a heavy downpour had begun.The weather matched her mood perfectly, prompting a deep sigh from her.As she sat on the bed, hugging her legs and
"So you did plan this with him!" Cline's cold, emotionless voice came from above Luana's head, making her pause for a moment."I didn't.""Then how did he know you were here?""I'm not sure, maybe it's because..." Her explanation was cut short by Cline's cold interruption."Stop making excuses. Getting your bag back wasn't just to contact him, was it?"Seeing Cline's stubborn and indifferent expression, Luana fell silent.He had already made up his mind that she had contacted Calvert to pick her up. No amount of explanation would convince him; it was futile."He comes to pick you up as soon as you're recovering. If that's not premeditated, then what is it?" Cline's distrust and relentless questioning left Luana feeling exhausted.She took a deep breath and replied indifferently, "Yes, I did arrange with him. The day I could walk again, I asked him to come and get me."Hearing her admission, Cline's lips curled into a col
Luana never expected that after Cline let Calvert in, he would continue to kiss her.It wasn't until she heard Calvert's voice that she understood his intention.Although she had already let go of Calvert, seeing his eyes turn bloodshot with despair still startled her.She couldn't help but feel that the man struggling to rush towards them wasn't Calvert, but Albion.Because only Albion would lose control when he saw her being hurt by another man.Instinctively not wanting to upset Albion, she struggled desperately.But the more she struggled, the harder Cline kissed her, even going so far as to slide his slender fingers inside her clothes right in front of Calvert."Cline, don't touch her!" Calvert roared in a fit of madness, wishing he could rush over and kill Cline.But his body was pinned down by the bodyguard, leaving him helpless as he watched Cline take possession of Luana bit by bit.Luana forcefully pushed Cline
Cline held tight to her arm, as if he'd never let go unless Luana gave him a chance to speak.Luana, brows furrowed, sighed and relented, "Five minutes, right here."Cline's cold gaze shifted to Dorian, who shot him a glare before turning to Luana."Five minutes, then home," Dorian warned.Luana nodded meekly, "Okay."Only after Dorian strode into the villa did Luana turn to Cline, her voice cool and impatient."Well?"In Dorian's presence, Luana had been the picture of obedience, just as she used to be with him.Now, though, Cline saw a change in her—calm, distant, and edged with impatience.This new version of Luana only deepened the ache in his chest.He longed to reach out, to brush his fingers against her face, but as his hand rose, she flinched violently, stepping back as if struck.Luana stared at Cline's right hand, her pupils suddenly clouded with fear, as if the ghosts of past trauma had res
Luana nodded in agreement and turned toward the stairs.But after just two steps, she froze, her fingers brushing the banister.Slowly, she turned back, her voice hesitant. "Clarissa, I came back as Dorothy... What about Gehrmann?"Clarissa had guessed that Luana had returned as her sister Dorothy the moment she heard Dorian call her by that name.Clarissa's smile was warm, reassuring. "I won't say a word to him or Cline. Your secret's safe."Relief flickered in Luana's eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, the word soft as a feather.As Luana walked away, Clarissa watched her retreating figure, worry knotting her brow."Is this luck or a curse?" she thought, "Leaving Cline only to be trapped by Dorian."At the car, Luana opened the passenger door and slid in."Home at ten seems early," she ventured, her tone tentative.Dorian glanced over, his indifference palpable. "Make it eight, then."Luana's lips twitched
Clarissa watched Luana's fingers tighten around the phone until her knuckles whitened. "When I first saw those messages flooding in, I tried luring him out myself—posed as you, planned to bring the cops. But instead of catching a creep, I got..."She trailed off, the memory of the man in the café still prickling her nerves.A man as cold and heartless as Cline—why would he cling to memories of Luana like this?"Anyway," she shrugged, "he never showed. Guess some ghosts stay buried."Luana's voice was a whisper. "These things... they should've been my fight. Not yours."Clarissa cut her off, "If it were me in this mess, you'd do the same. So quit with the thanks already."Luana nodded meekly, her lashes drooping as she glanced back at the phone screen.The mystery gnawed at her—Mr. Night's messages reeked of obsession, yet he hid in plain sight. Why?She couldn't fathom it, and frankly, didn't care
"I had no choice but to pull a dumb move—I seduced Gehrmann and took Naomi's spot as his bedwarmer," Clarissa said flatly, her voice echoing off the brick walls."I thought I could use him to get back at Cline. Turns out I was dumber than a bag of hammers—Gehrmann wouldn't lift a finger against Cline for any woman." She kicked at a pebble, watching it skitter into the shadows. "By the time I figured that out, he wouldn't let me walk away."Clarissa shifted her weight, catching Luana's profile in the dim light."But don't you worry, Luana. I ain't falling for Gehrmann's charm. This world's got exactly one good man left—Albion. And he's six feet under."So, I won't be that girl anymore—the one who pours her heart out for every little kindness, even when it's not worth it."Mentioning Albion again made Luana's eyes dim as if the light behind them had been switched off.She lowered her lashes, hiding the sorrow pooling th
Third Person's POVLuana tightly embraced Clarissa, hoping to alleviate her pain.Clarissa, however, patted her back with a smile and said, "It's alright. After finding out the truth, I was devastated for a while, but then I pulled myself together. I installed surveillance cameras and recorded every moment of their infidelity, which I sent to my lawyer."I won the lawsuit, but I couldn't get the house back. I could only recover the mortgage payments, the money I spent on him, and compensation for emotional distress..."However, what I didn't expect was that someone would expose Albert's bigamy online, ruining his reputation. His company fired him, and no other major firms would hire him. As far as I know, his current salary isn't even enough to cover the mortgage. Plus, his mother has cancer, which is why he keeps begging at my door."Clarissa's voice turned cold as she continued, "He thinks I'm still the naive woman I once was, that if he kneels a
Clarissa took a deep breath, opened the bedside table, and took out a marriage certificate, handing it to Luana."You two weren't entirely meant to miss each other. At least he kept his promise from when you were young and married you."Seeing the marriage certificate, Luana's eyes welled up.She reached out and slowly unfolded it...Name: LuanaName: AlbionBeside them was a composite photo of the two, dressed in white shirts, with a red background, their faces beaming with happiness.When Luana was eighteen, she had asked Albion, "When are you going to marry me?"Albion, engrossed in a book at the time, looked up and playfully tapped her nose with his pen, saying, "When I'm capable of giving you happiness."Luana pouted, dissatisfied, "But when will that be?"Albion held up his book and replied, "After I've mastered all this knowledge and become someone worthy, then I'll marry you."Luana rested her chin
Last time, it was her negligence that failed to keep Albion by her side. This time, she was determined to do everything in her power to protect Luana.Clarissa raised her hand and gently patted Luana's shoulder, hoping to offer some warmth.Time ticked by, and they remained in the same position until a man in a gray suit approached.Clarissa looked up at him, noticing his gaze fixed on Luana, and her tension grew.Before she could inquire about his identity, the man stepped forward and gently pushed Luana's head with his slender fingers."It's ten o'clock. It's time to go home..."Luana, recognizing Dorian's voice, didn't lift her head, her lifeless eyes fixed on the floor.Dorian frowned at her silence, then bent down slightly and spoke patiently, "Dorothy, come home with me."Luana raised her weary head and said, "I don't want to go home today..."She wanted to stay and support Clarissa, to quietly live for herself for
She couldn't believe it. Even with the news reports and Clarissa's own words, she still refused to accept it.Albion, the gentle and considerate young man who had cherished her, how could he have taken his own life in such a tragic way? It was impossible.Luana shook her head in disbelief. "No, he wouldn't do this..."Clarissa stepped forward and embraced Luana. She felt Luana's body growing cold, and her heart ached."Luana, I don't want to believe it either, but..."Clarissa's words trailed off, tears streaming down her face.Three years ago, fearing Albion might do something rash, she had followed him to the cemetery.There, she found no sign of Albion, only bloodstains on the tombstone.Her unease grew as she searched for him, but he was nowhere to be found.The next day, the news reported that Coburn Group's CEO, Calvert, had committed suicide at the cemetery.Only then did she realize Albion had truly done s
"Clarissa..." Albert wept and pleaded, "My mom has cancer, I got fired from my job, and the baby still needs milk. For the sake of our years together, treat me like a beggar and spare me a little help.""If you were truly a beggar, I'd give you some money to send you on your way, but you're not..."A clear voice cut through the air, tinged with exhaustion, coldness, and a hint of ruthlessness. "You're nothing but scum!""Clarissa!""Gag him and get him out of my sight!"At the command, the bodyguards immediately seized Albert and shoved him into the elevator."Humph, this despicable man!"Luana followed the voice and spotted a familiar figure leaning against the bar.The woman had a slender figure, waist-length curly hair, and fair, slender fingers holding a slender cigarette, while her other hand toyed with a wine glass.She tilted her head, staring into the red wine in her glass, as if observing another world from afar