The bedroom door shook with a thunderous crash.


    As soon as Adrian saw his father return, he tried to break free from his mother''s grip to run over. M instinctively tightened her hold, her voice almost a whisper, pleading.


    "Adrian, don''t go."


    Adrian, angry at what he perceived as deceit, jerked away forcefully and ran to his father, tears streaming down his face, clutching his leg as he wailed.


    "Dad, Mom lied to me!"


    Lysander nced at the pale-faced woman crouched by the wide-open window, then looked down with a gentle smile, softly ruffling his son''s hair.


    "Oh, really?"


    "Well, let me ask your mom what she lied about, okay?"


    His gaze briefly flickered to Leonard, who stepped forward and gently picked up the child, carrying him out of the room.


    Adrian was unhappy with his father''s response and resisted, but he was no match for the adult''s strength. As he was being carried away, he caught the faint sound of sobbing. It seemed to echo from the depths of his heart, drawing his eyes back to his mother, whose tear-streaked, helpless eyes met his.


    He froze, his struggles weakening.


    He had never seen his mother cry or looked so lost. Her eyes were filled with a despair he couldn''t understand, aplexity that tugged at his young heart, leaving him feeling distressed.


    "Mom..."


    He called softly, wanting to go to her.


    But Leonard held him tight, ignoring his struggles, and stepped out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.


    Adrian stared at the closed door, tears welling up in his eyes. His voice was choked and bewildered as he spoke.


    "Mom... Mom''s crying."


    Leonard held his head close, cradling his face against his neck, shielding his eyes from the sight.


    "Don''t look, it''s okay."


    Inside the room, M half-knelt by the window, watching as Lysander drew closer, her breathing in shallow gasps.


    She wasn''t sure what she was thinking-maybe nothing at all.


    The next second, she had already stepped onto the window ledge, not bothering with the makeshift rope she had tied. She stepped out, aiming for the garden below.


    But scorching, strong hands seized her waist, pulling her back inside with a forceful yank. Her back hit the wall with a thud, and before she could cry out in pain, a hand mped down on her slender neck.


    Her breath caught, cheeks flushing crimson.


    The bag in her hand was snatched away, and Lysander casually tipped it over, scattering documents and a phone across the floor.


    "Heh."


    Looking at the scattered papers, Lysander chuckled softly, his grip on her neck tightening, his smile growing more radiant.


    "M, you''re quite something."


    Her face turned scarlet as she beat against the arm restraining her, desperate for air, and then her lips were captured in a forceful kiss.


    The kiss was long and suffocating, leaving her dizzy and near fainting.


    When it ended, his tall frame loomed over her, head resting on her shoulder, his breath a soft whisper, like a lover''s murmur yetced with a barely controlled, seething hatred.


    "So, that''s why you were so insistent on the divorce. You''ve already found someone else."


    "What is it?"


    "Use me up, and now that your old me is back, you think you can just discard me? M, what do you take me for, treating me like this?"


    Struggling to breathe, M''s chest felt like it was about to burst. She couldn''tprehend what Lysander was saying, and he seemed uninterested in hearing anything more from her.