At that moment, Cyrus seemed to snap out of it, slowly releasing Josephine from his grasp.Josephine's delicate face immediately flushed a deep red. She lowered her head, unable to meet Cyrus's gaze. She was gasping for breath, as if she had just finished a long run. Her chest heaved unevenly, the erratic rhythm betraying the turmoil in her heart."I'm sorry. I acted impulsively," Cyrus said, his voice muffled behind his mask but heavy with guilt. He knew all too well that if he had forced Josephine into anything, the consequences would have been both unpredictable and severe. It wouldn't just hurt Josephine but also leave him in a situation beyond repair.Josephine bit her lip, her mind a chaotic tangle of thoughts she couldn't unravel. She didn't know how to face this man, someone she had always seen as a hero, familiar yet suddenly so unfamiliar. What he had just done had caught her completely off guard. Nor did she know how to handle the storm of emotions roiling

Early the next morning, Josephine cast a resentful glance at Cyrus. Without even bothering to have breakfast, she drove off to work. However, halfway there, she collided with another car.The driver of the other car turned out to be a hooligan. When he saw Josephine, a hint of malice flashed in his eyes. He got out of his car, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and swaggered over to Josephine's car window, knocking on it.Josephine rolled down the window and frowned. "You hit my car."The hooligan chuckled slyly. "You can't blame me for this, sweetheart. You're the one who ran into me."Josephine, furious, shot back, "You swerved lanes out of nowhere!"The man leaned in closer to Josephine, the acrid smell of smoke wafting into her face. "Don't get so worked up, gorgeous. How about we settle this privately?"Josephine eyed him warily. "How do you propose we settle this?"The thug gave her a lewd smile. "Have dinner with me, and we'll call it even

"Sorry to bother you," Rose said, though a flicker of displeasure crossed her heart. Years of navigating the business and social worlds had taught her to adapt quickly. She turned and left with the same elegance in her stride, but her mind was already turning, quietly pondering the backgrounds of these two individuals.At that moment, a commotion broke out on one side of the hall. Cyrus and Shadow exchanged a glance, immediately understanding each other, and walked toward the source of the noise. They saw a group of people gathered around a man in a luxurious suit. That man was none other than Winston. Surrounded by the crowd, Winston was chatting and laughing, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible ruthlessness in his gaze."Boss, that's him," Shadow whispered to Cyrus.Cyrus gave a slight nod, his sharp eyes locking onto Winston as if trying to see through his every thought.Winston seemed to sense Cyrus's gaze and turned his head. Their eyes met, the tens

Josephine took a deep breath, her gaze serious as she looked at Cyrus. "You must be Sarah's son, the son of the Parker family, Cyrus Parker, right?"Long-buried memories resurfaced, and scenes from the past unfolded in her mind like a once-sealed painting. Back then, the Parker family faced a sudden upheaval. To save a little boy, she paid a devastating price—her appearance was ruined, and she was left confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Now, all the clues pointed to one undeniable truth: the little boy was Cyrus.Otherwise, Cyrus wouldn't have treated her the way he did from the very beginning. Initially, his appearance and actions had been full of mysteries in Josephine's eyes. But now, as everything connected to his identity, it all made sense. His special care for her, the deep emotion and guilt he occasionally revealed, and the indescribable complexity of his feelings. It all seemed to have a logical explanation.Cyrus froze for a moment, a f

"Time to eat!" Elena's voice came from outside, breaking the heated atmosphere in the room. Her voice went clearly through the tightly closed door."Let's go," Josephine said softly, her eyes full of tenderness. She slowly got up, picked up the clothes placed on the side, and began dressing Cyrus gently. Her fingers moved deftly around his collar and cuffs, every movement filled with care and affection.Cyrus watched Josephine's focused expression, a warm feeling rising in his chest. He savored this rare moment of intimacy. After their heartfelt conversation the previous night, their bond felt deeper than ever. Their every glance and action seemed to convey their love for each other.Josephine finished tidying Cyrus's clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles at the hem. She looked up and smiled at him. "All done. Let's go out now so Mom doesn't have to wait too long."Cyrus nodded, taking Josephine's hand, and the two walked out of the room hand in hand.When the