All Chapters of Endless Night, Swaying Hearts: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

On the very day the wager was made, Victoria Calloway ran into Caden Larkson, who had been drugged. Victoria, who already had intentions of approaching him, unintentionally became his antidote by a fortunate coincidence.After that night, Victoria seemed to have chipped a crack into Caden's perpetually icy facade.For three years, they shared an intimate relationship. And with each intimate encounter, Victoria sank a little deeper. She began to believe that Caden, revered like a deity by others, belonged to her.It wasn't until that night that she realized she was wrong. After their moment of passion in the car, she noticed one of Caden's sapphire cufflinks had fallen off. So, she picked it up, intending to bring it to him.The door to the private room at the end of the hallway was slightly ajar. Just as she was about to push it open, she heard laughter and conversation from inside."Fresh from the arms of your lover, Caden? Victoria's usually such an untamed wildcat, and she has

When Victoria finally woke up, she found herself in a hospital. A nurse was adjusting the IV drip on the back of her hand. When she saw that Victoria had woken up, the nurse said, "Ms. Calloway, you're finally awake. Your injuries are quite serious, so you'll need to be hospitalized for observation. You should also contact your family so someone can settle the medical bills."Victoria stared blankly at the ceiling, offering no response at all.The nurse repeated herself, "Ms. Calloway…""The medical bills have been taken care of," a low, achingly familiar male voice sounded from the doorway.Victoria's head snapped toward the door. There stood Caden, impeccably dressed in a black suit.The nurse glanced between them, then quietly excused herself and left the room.Caden stepped inside. His gaze swept over the bandages on her body before he reached out, as though to touch her forehead.But Victoria turned away sharply to avoid his touch. "Mr. Larkson, you are a busy man. Why tr

"Dad, Mom, I'm home!"Hugh and Marjorie, who had only just recovered from her earlier shock, immediately plastered on bright, welcoming smiles. They hurried forward, fussing over Cassandra with exaggerated concern while greeting and scraping toward Caden with servile respect.Only Caden's gaze lingered on Victoria. His brows furrowed noticeably the moment he saw her. It seemed that he was only now learning that Victoria was Cassandra's sister.At dinner, Cassandra and Caden were seated on one side of the long table, while Victoria sat alone directly across from them.Throughout the meal, Victoria watched as Caden meticulously cut Cassandra's steak for her and refilled her glass, and when a dab of sauce stained Cassandra's lip, he naturally lifted a napkin to wipe it away.Marjorie beamed at the display. "Cassie, darling, how did you and Mr. Larkson meet? Tell me all about it."A delicate blush rose on Cassandra's cheeks. "It was at a charity gala. I saw a stray cat stuck in a tre

Hugh immediately grasped Caden's meaning and barked at the bodyguards, "Don't you hear him? Give her 30 lashes! Then, lock her in the family memorial hall! She doesn't come out until I say so!""Let go of me! You're not my father, Hugh! You're an animal!" Victoria fought with all her strength, but the bodyguards held her fast.She was dragged into a side room. Marjorie stood there, gripping the sturdy riding crop, her face alight with vindictive glee."You ungrateful little bitch! You're just like your dead mother, always thinking you're above everyone else! I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your father today!" Then, she raised the whip high and brought it down with savage force.The first crack across Victoria's back sent white-hot agony exploding through her body. Her vision blacked out for a heartbeat, and she bit down on her lip to keep from screaming. The lashes rained down relentlessly, one after another.Marjorie seemed to be channeling years of pent-up hatred into every

Caden's brows furrowed deeply. He strode to the edge of the lake and reached out a hand to Victoria, his voice taut with suppressed anger. "Victoria! Get out of there!"Victoria brushed his hand aside and continued her desperate search. Only when her fingertips brushed against something cold and solid did she finally clamber out, soaked to the bone, clutching her prize tightly in her fist.It was only then that Caden got a clear look at the object she had risked her life for. It was a small gemstone necklace, appearing somewhat old-fashioned and worn.A wave of inexplicable fury washed over him, and he grabbed her arm. "You donate items worth up to a hundred million dollars without a second thought, and you jump into a lake without a care for your own life for this… this trinket?"Victoria wrenched herself free. She trembled violently from the cold and her overwhelming emotions. "You know nothing! So don't stand there making flippant remarks! You said it yourself—we're over! So d