Leonard frowned at Christine's words.
He did not agree with Christine. Christine joined the Black Thorn Pack later, whilst he was always by Patrick's side, protecting Patrick. In Leonard's eyes, Gabrielle, Damon's sister, was the love of Patrick's life. Gloria was nothing to him. He said with dissatisfaction, "There are some things that you don't know. Don't give random comments." Christine smiled. She figured that Leonard was the one with all self-righteousness. "Call her over," Leonard said as he pointed at Lillian's photo. Christine nodded. She disliked Lillian anyway. Lillian was called to Christine's office. On Lillian's way here, she had been uneasy all along. "Christine." Lillian now was very humble. Unlike the first time she went to Christine's office, she was no longer contemptuous when talking to Christine. "I'll cut to the chase. Tell us about what happened in the room on the third floor today," Christine sa"Lillian, I told you to be kind the last time I spoke to you. Obviously, you didn't take my words seriously at all. You brought it to yourself. You have no reason or right to hate anyone," Christine looked at Lillian and said with blunt hatred in her eyes. Christine then looked at Gloria and continued, "Gloria, you don't need to help her. She deserved it." Lillian cried hard. She was no longer as arrogant as she had been before when she faced Gloria. Grabbing Gloria's clothes in both hands, she begged, "Gloria, please! Help me. This is the first time I've ever asked you for anything." Gloria stood in situ expressionlessly. She was amused by Lillian's words. She said, "That's right. This is the first time. Because the boss of Fittro Club won't believe you this time even if I play along with you and help you lie." "Gloria, you're here to twist the knife, aren't you?" Lillian's face was full of grief and indignation. She looked like she knew
Patrick thought, 'Do as I say? Is that how you were, Gloria Carter? I don't think so.' Patrick put his hand up. His arm was propped on the arm of the sofa while he supported his chin with his hand, looking lazy. He looked at the woman in front of him silently. Time ticked, and Gloria began to feel restless. Patrick never looked away from her face. The light was too dim for her to see the emotion on his face. Occasionally, she would look up tentatively, yet she could only see his cold eyes in the dimness. A few minutes later, she finally gave in, finding it hard to keep sitting still anymore. She raised her head and said, "Mr. Hammond, I'm here to ask you to forgive someone." She cut to the chase. Patrick nodded while sitting on the sofa. He said lazily, "I know. I was waiting for you to speak." Gloria was stunned for a second. Only then did she realize that the reason why Patrick was sitting there and staring at
Gloria thought, 'I know what it's like to owe someone her life because I can't pay it back. Even though I am working my ass off, trying to save money to get my freedom back, I know Mica will never see any of my efforts. I don't care about Lillian. I don't like or hate her, though she is selfish and insolent, and she has crossed the line many times. Also, it's not my intention to meddle in others' business and come here to plead for her. I simply don't want to owe someone her life, whether it's a nice person or not, and whether it has something to do with me directly or not. I just don't want it whatsoever. That's why I came here after all, though I was so reluctant.' When Gloria was yelling, she said she didn't want to owe someone her life, and Patrick heard her. Patrick pondered for a while, and he had his guess. Patrick did not know that Gloria was referring to Mica. Instead, he figured that Gloria was repentant for causing Gabrie
Patrick didn't cut off the mind link. He looked at the unconscious Gloria, who was lying on the bed. He walked over and pushed her to the side. Then he slowly lifted her shirt. As her shirt was lifted gradually, his gaze landed on her waist. Patrick saw a hideous wound and his pupils contracted. "Our mate!" Leo said in a pained voice. He couldn't feel his mate. Only a faint breath told him that Gloria was his and Patrick's mate. "Who did this?" Patrick's voice was as cold as a sudden blizzard. He saw an ugly scar on the left side of Gloria's waist. He stretched out his hand, wanting to stroke it. His large hand could not help but tremble. His slender fingers touched the scar. Covered by the scar, her skin was no longer smooth. The second he touched it, he felt as if his fingertips had been scalded. Sean could tell from Patrick's voice that he was having mixed feelings. He scolded with a teasing tone, "She
Sean suddenly thought of what he had said to Gloria today. He told her that she let him down, and he blamed her for changing. Now that he thought about it, he regretted it so much. He wasn't the one who had been suffering. Sean continued, "When I went to see her before, she wasn't in a serious condition. I don't know why she fainted again, but I suggest that you take her to the hospital now. She has gone through so much, including drowning, having a fever, and blacking out. Even healthy werewolves couldn't deal with those, let alone her. Werewolf herbs can relieve werewolves' symptoms, but it is our strong resilience that does most of the trick. Gloria does not have her wolf now. She may be more vulnerable than humans." "Alright. I'll drive her to the hospital now." "OK. I'll see you there." Then Patrick and Sean cut off the call simultaneously. Patrick stood by the bed and looked at the woman on the bed. Sean's words still echoed in his mind, "D
Patrick looked at Gloria somewhat obsessively. Losing in his memories, he found it impossible to resist Gloria. He had been drawn to her increasingly day by day. "What the heck is going on?" Patrick asked his wolf in his mind. "She is our mate," Leo emphasized again. He responded in Patrick's mind, "We, werewolves, need to be with our mates. Such a bond will make us feel secure and happy." Patrick was silent and did not respond to Leo. Leo said to himself, "It would be better if you could mark her as soon as possible. I get annoyed when our mate is around, yet you can't mark her." "I've already rejected her," said Patrick. "But she didn't reject you, so, it didn't take effect," Leo said disapprovingly. Just as Patrick wanted to ask Leo about Gloria's wolf, he suddenly received a call request in his mind. It was from the pack. He accepted the request, and then Leonard's voice sounded in his mind. "Alpha Patrick,
"What is it?" Patrick finally put the document away. He raised his eyebrows elegantly and glanced at Gloria. "Is Lillian alright?" Gloria asked cautiously. No matter how good-tempered Patrick was now, he couldn't hold back after hearing Gloria's question. "Gloria, are you being too hypocritical? Look at you. How can you be concerned about someone else when you are in such a condition?" Patrick said angrily. Gloria bit her lips and looked at Patrick seriously. "Mr. Hammond, you were wrong. I want to plead for her by asking you to spare her life and not torture her. As for the rest, Mr. Hammond, you can do whatever you want." "I thought that you were so hypocritical that you could be friends with people who hurt you so much." Patrick snorted. He was blatantly mocking Gloria. Gloria did not refute him. She looked at Patrick seriously and said, "She is your employee. Mr. Hammond, you can punish her, but I ask you to spare her life. If Lillian offends you again in the future,
"Well, since you love your work so much, then work hard. Within a month, transfer a million dollars to my card and I will let you go. Otherwise, it will be pointless no matter where you run to." Patrick said to Gloria with a cold face. "Mr. Hammond, you are right. I still owe you a million dollars. You ordered me to pay it back within a month." Gloria did not refute him. She continued, "Well then, Mr. Hammond, I'll go to work now." Patrick was furious, and his eyes were even colder. He stared at the woman in front of him. She wanted to pay back the debt as soon as possible and wanted to leave him so badly. Why? For that Mike? All sorts of emotions emerged; anger, jealousy, and heartache. Patrick didn't notice the change in his emotions. He just knew that Gloria had made him angry. "She's too sick to continue working." Leo's voice sounded in Patrick's mind. "I know," said Patrick. After watching Gloria leave the ward, Patrick took out his phone and called Christine.
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