The corner of Mark's mouth lifted in a mocking smile. "Are you planning to wash your hands of what you've done and throw baseless accusations at me, Miss Curtiz?"
Biana shook her head repeatedly in confusion. "Please clarify, Mr. Carter. In what way can you say that I've deceived you? We have never met, let alone known each other!"
Now, Mark had his hands on his hips. He couldn't believe he was dealing with such a complicated girl. He only wanted to ensure that the person his boss was looking for wasn't this girl.
"We've indeed never met or known each other, Miss Curtiz. But what did you do yesterday? Can you tell me if the person working under the name Biana Curtiz yesterday was you?"
Biana's face turned pale upon hearing his question. "So... you're really not..."
Mark's brow furrowed deeply, staring straight at the girl with various thoughts running through his mind.
&nb
"Amora, this is really bad!""What do you mean, Biana?"Amora frowned. She glanced at Rayden for a moment. They were sitting on the bed together, as Amora had intended to read a book to her son.Not wanting Rayden to hear their conversation, Amora signaled for her son to step out of the room for a bit.Once he was outside, Amora continued her conversation with Biana on the phone."What’s wrong, Biana? You said someone? An assistant from Royal Dragon is looking for me?" Amora asked, confused."Yes. And do you know who sent the $500 tip? It was him!" Biana shouted, forcing Amora to hold the phone away from her ear for a moment.Amora tried to process everything Biana was saying, including the misunderstanding between them. She wasn't too surprised as she had suspected it from the beginning.'So now he's sending hi
“Oh my gosh, it's already this late.”Amora glanced at the clock showing half past four in the morning. She quickly removed her apron, changed her clothes, and walked towards her son’s room.She carefully grabbed the door handle to Rayden’s room. The room was still very dark as dawn had not yet broken.Only a night light provided minimal illumination in the boy's room. Amora sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroked her son's hair, and smiled softly.Her gentle touch woke Rayden. “Mom, are you leaving already?” Rayden asked while rubbing his eyes. The boy was used to his mother’s routine.Amora nodded slightly. “I’ve prepared your breakfast on the dining table. You just need to put it in the microwave or ask Mrs. Adams to warm it up.”Rayden nodded drowsily on the bed. His mother had given a spare key to Emma so she could come over anytime to pick him up when it was time to go to school.A small smile appeared on Amora's lips whenever she saw her son's adorable behavior. “Alright, I
"Perfect!"A broad smile adorned Amora's face as she gazed at the newly arranged products on one of the display shelves. She pushed the empty trolley into storage, and she saw Biana organizing some newly arrived items."Bia, anything I can help with?" Amora asked the girl."No, it's fine, Amora. I'm almost done here," Biana replied, counting and jotting down the items on a small piece of paper.Amora nodded slightly and headed towards a special rack for storing employees' belongings at WW Mart. She retrieved her backpack from there."Oh, by the way, how about last night? Did that man continue questioning you?" Amora asked, settling into an empty chair in the storage room.Biana glanced briefly and replied, "No. He left shortly after I called you."Amora was taken aback. She was quite surprised by Biana's short response. She had felt guilt
"Mr. Carter, do you have any ideal criteria for a woman? Do you think ... I deserve to be your life partner?"A young woman dressed provocatively with a daring neckline gave Mark Carter an audacious stare. As Regis' assistant, Mark had maintained a neutral expression, his eyes scrutinizing the blind date candidate in front of him.He could tell she was seeking his attention, throwing flirtatious smiles his way. However, Mark remained unmoved by her attempts."I don't have any specific criteria, Miss Clarkson. I'm simply looking for someone who can mutually benefit both parties," Mark replied, straightforward about his intentions in attending the blind date event."Oh really? I admire men with principles. I think ... you might be the ideal man I've been looking for, Mr. Carter," she said, her tone teasing.Her hand reached for one of Mark's hands casually resting on the cafe table
"You're ten minutes late from our appointment time, Miss Lysander."A middle-aged man glanced at his expensive watch and then looked at Amora, who had just landed herself on the plush sofa directly across from him.A luxurious red rose was pinned to the man's suit lapel. It was intentionally prepared so his blind date, Amora Lysander, could recognize him.Amora immediately met the man's gaze, noticing his subtly emotional expression toward her. His tone of voice carried a hint of sarcasm."I apologize for keeping you waiting, Sir," Amora reluctantly admitted her fault.Amora knew her lateness was worthy of criticism, but she had never intended to honor this blind date from the start. If not for the thought of the penalty she'd incur from her matchmaking partner, she wouldn't have shown up at the café.Earlier, Amora had intended to ask Emma Adams and her son about this matchmaking issue. However, she didn't have enough time to return home.With a heavy heart, Amora met the stranger wh
Shock!That one word perfectly described the expression on Amora's face at the moment. She truly hadn't expected to run into the man she least wanted to see.Regis Lorenzo suddenly interrupted her blind date and called her "Honey". Of course, this made Amora wonder.'Is he crazy? Why is he calling me that?'Amora could only grumble hysterically in her heart because she didn't want to embarrass herself. She still thought maybe Regis had a slip of the tongue and accidentally called her that."It seems you've mistaken me for someone else, Sir," Amora said, trying to correct Regis' mistake.Unfortunately, Amora never expected Regis to smile unapologetically and say, "Are you still mad at me, Honey? I'm sorry for canceling our date yesterday.""What?" Amora was again astonished.Before she could question her confusion, Regis had already spoken to the man sitting across from her.Felix's face was just as shocked as Amora's."Felix Wright, I didn't expect to meet you here. It's quite a coinc
Amora’s chest was rising and falling rapidly. She struggled to keep up with Regis’s pace as he walked ahead, still gripping her wrist tightly as if afraid she’d run away if he let go.“Sir, stop! It looks like he’s not chasing us anymore,” Amora said, panting heavily.Amora glanced back and saw that Felix Wright wasn’t following them as she had feared. She figured there was no need to keep running, especially after Regis’s threats.However, Regis kept walking and pulling Amora along. She had hoped he would let her go.“Sir!” Amora called out louder than before, her breath coming in gasps as she tried to match Regis’s stride.Finally, Regis slowed down and stopped. They were now in a parking lot with a shiny, luxurious car parked nearby. Amora guessed it belonged to him.“Please let go of
"What do you want?"Amora asked Regis directly, without any preamble. She didn’t intend to lie to him about her identity anymore.Based on her research on the Lorenzo family through the internet, Amora knew that Regis had full power to easily obtain information if he wanted to. It wouldn't be wise to stick to her lies.Regis didn't answer Amora's question directly. Instead, he glanced at Mark, who had just exited the cafe.With just a brief glance, Mark understood what his boss meant. He took out his car keys, pressed a small button to turn off the car alarm, and unlocked the door.Regis smiled with satisfaction, then opened the back door of his car and said to Amora, inviting her inside, "Get in, Miss.""Why do we have to talk in the car?" Amora replied suspiciously.Regis shrugged nonchalantly. "No problem if you want to talk outside, but I don
"Wa-wait! I’ll talk!" Amora blurted out as Regis leaned closer, his lips just a whisper away. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, blocking him before he could take advantage of her silence.Regis halted, his lips curving into a smirk. One thick eyebrow arched, silently urging her to speak.Amora hesitated but eventually lowered her hand. Her eyes glared sharply at him, her lips pursed in frustration over how powerless she felt against him.She then recounted her day, including her meeting with Estelle Mauverick. However, she intentionally omitted the part about being mocked and bullied by Chelsea Harrison and Gloria Barclay.Amora refused to be seen as someone who only complained. Moreover, she didn’t want Regis to dirty his hands when dealing with those two women.“So, you’re thinking about starting a business?” Regis murmured, clearly surprised at the collaboration Estelle Mauverick had proposed to his wife.Amora nodded. “I just can’t sit around doing nothing and living of
“I'm sorry. My phone died completely and I really didn't know that my message wasn't delivered.”Regis expressed his regret to Amora. He then recounted everything that had happened to him throughout the day, including his dramatic entrance into the Jefferson residence.Amora lifted her face and looked at Regis in shock when he told her about his actions in capturing the perpetrators of the Jefferson family members.“You …. you’re not hurt, right? Are you okay?”Without waiting for an answer, Amora anxiously began inspecting Regis. She lifted his arms and turned him around to ensure he hadn’t sustained any significant injuries.Suddenly, Regis pulled off his plain T-shirt, revealing his broad chest, and tossed it carelessly onto the floor. “Want to check this part too?” he teased.Seeing the finely chiseled muscles of Regis’s body, Amora’s face flushed instantly. “Wh-why are you taking your shirt off?” she protested, flustered.“I’m just trying to make it easier for you,” Regis replied
"Speak," Amora replied indifferently.Her nonchalant attitude made Regis boil with frustration. He didn’t speak immediately, observing how Amora deliberately ignored him by staying glued to her phone, as if disregarding his presence entirely.Finally, Regis snatched the phone from her hands.“Regis, give me back my phone!” Amora snapped.But Regis held the phone behind his back. “It’s late, Amora. Who could possibly be bothering you at this hour?” he questioned.Before Amora could respond, Regis checked her phone himself. The screen merely displayed a game she’d been playing.“No one’s contacting me, are they? Satisfied now?” Amora said lazily, brushing off his accusation.Amora knew she shouldn’t act so childish but couldn’t help herself. It reminded her of her son earlier that afternoon, who had thrown a similar tantrum.“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you,” Regis said, returning her phone. “I thought you were still mad at me and ignoring me on purpose.”“You must still be drunk
The ginger water Amora had prepared was now boiling. She poured it into a clear glass and carried it, placing a coaster beneath the cup.She also brought two boiled egg whites, something Noel once told her was helpful for reducing excess stomach acid.Amora walked to the bedroom since Regis was no longer in the living room. Upon entering, she heard the sound of running water from behind the bathroom's glass door.She placed the glass of ginger water and the plate with the boiled egg whites on the small table next to the bed.Amora thought about leaving the room before Regis came out of the bathroom. However, the sound of water had stopped, and moments later, Regis emerged wearing only a bathrobe.Amora quickly turned her face away. “The ginger water is over there,” she said, pointing to the glass she had set down earlier.Regis gave it a brief glance before turning his gaze back to her.“Drink it when it’s not too hot. I also made boiled eggs for you. Eat them before you sleep,” Amora
Regis had arrived at his penthouse. He entered the access code for the door and stepped inside as it swung open.The interior was dimly lit, with only a few lights casting soft glows in scattered corners of the room.“Amora? Ray?” Regis called out. But there was no response from either of them. The entire space was eerily quiet, the only sound being his own footsteps.‘Looks like everyone’s asleep,’ he guessed.He glanced at his watch, the face on his left wrist showing it was already nine in the evening. The drive to the penthouse had taken longer than expected, thanks to heavy traffic.After swapping his shoes for indoor slippers, Regis headed toward the living room. He stopped abruptly when a sharp pain flared beneath his chest.His hand instinctively reached out to steady himself against something. He bent slightly and leaned against the piano in the room. But his weight accidentally pressed down on the keys, sending an echoing note reverberating through the space.Regis let out a
"Leave your son’s problem to me, Regis. I’ll make sure he’s safe."Hearing Xavier’s assurance, Regis smiled and nodded. He trusted the young man wouldn’t disappoint him."What are you guys talking about? Can’t you discuss something I actually understand?" Gino chimed in, feeling even more left out of the conversation.Xavier chuckled. "It’s better if you don’t know—if you value your life," he teased.Clicking his tongue in irritation, Gino opted to sip his vodka rather than look clueless. He already knew Regis had deliberately kept him in the dark to avoid dragging him and the Moonstone family into dangerous matters.Even without asking, Gino understood that most of Regis’s problems were life-threatening. It wasn’t that Gino didn’t want to help; he just knew his limits. He’d only end up being a liability. Besides, he was confident Regis could handle things, especially with Xavier’s help."So, Xavier, what’s brought you here? Can’t you just talk things out with your father? I bet they’
Regis handed the bottle of vodka Gino had just opened to Xavier. “Done already?”Xavier nodded, grabbing an empty glass and accepting Regis’s offer of a drink.“What else do you have to do besides the task I gave you, Xavier?”Regis was curious about his friend’s busyness. All he’d asked Xavier to do was keep an eye on his son for a bit. To ensure Rayden’s safety at school, Regis had enlisted Xavier’s help.Regis couldn’t trust anyone else to protect Rayden because of the threats posed by Levent and Golden Snake, both of which required him to be vigilant about his subordinates.When Regis learned of Xavier’s arrival, he couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the mission.His trust in Xavier wasn’t based on instinct alone; their long-standing relationship had given them ample time to understand each other.After the jewel heist case was resolved, Regis hadn’t seen Xavier anywhere in New York City. However, fate had reunited them in a different place a year later.When Regis’s fathe
"Hey, Kid. We came here to celebrate your arrival. Could you at least appreciate me a little?" Gino quipped at Xavier, who was still engrossed in his laptop.The moment Gino called him "Kid," Xavier shot him a sharp glare. Even though he was much younger than the other two men, he refused to be underestimated. Not wanting to engage in an argument, Xavier simply ignored him.Gino let out a heavy sigh. Hearing about Xavier’s arrival from Regis yesterday, he’d been so excited. He caught the latest flight, even traveling from another continent, just to meet him. But now that he was here, he was being ignored."Why am I even friends with people like you two?" Gino grumbled, his face set in a look of exaggerated annoyance. Of course, he wasn’t serious. It was just his way of expressing frustration.Since the incident that had involved them in a case of theft and auction fraud, Gino had grown to admire both Regis and Xavier. When he found out Xavier was in London, he didn’t think twice about
Laughter echoed in the soundproof room, filling the space with an almost contagious energy. A man with ombre blue hair, reminiscent of ocean waves, held a wine glass in his hand as he strolled over to Regis.“If I hadn’t done that, I’m not sure I’d ever have the chance to meet someone as honorable as you, Your Highness,” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.“Should I buy a lottery ticket today? I must be lucky if someone as busy as you managed to attend my invitation,” the man continued, slinging an arm around Regis’s shoulder as he guided him toward the plush seating area.Regis, however, brushed off the gesture and glared sharply at him. “I didn’t realize someone as carefree as you even existed. Maybe I should switch careers and become a gemstone tycoon instead of a mafia boss, Young Master Moonstone,” Regis shot back coldly.The stylish man from head to toe was none other than Gino Moonstone, heir to a renowned gemstone empire.One of the ten largest precious gemstone mines in t