His eyes burned with raging fury, and his voice was icy cold.
Luana was forced to meet his furious gaze, unable to look away.
She was terrified of this version of Cline but had no idea how to explain herself.
She had lied to him that day, saying she had just met Calvert, because she was afraid of revealing Calvert's past with her.
She hadn't expected Cline to find out the truth so quickly, nor had she anticipated that he would confront her about it.
She had always thought Cline didn't care about her, so he wouldn't pay much attention to anything related to her.
But she had underestimated him. If he could find out whether she had slept with Travis, then naturally, he could uncover this too.
However, if Calvert found out she had revealed their past, he wouldn't let her off easily.
With that in mind, Luana pressed her lips together and refused to explain.
Facing Calvert's ruthless methods was still better than being misunderstood, doubted, and interrogated by Cline.
"Speak."
Cline leaned in closer, his thin lips brushing against her cheek.
She instinctively tried to pull away, but he held the back of her head firmly, preventing her from moving.
"I'll only give you this one chance."
His deep, magnetic voice, laced with restrained anger, left Luana feeling trapped.
In front of her was Cline, and behind her was Calvert. Caught between them, she felt utterly helpless.
"I have nothing to explain. Whether I know him or not has nothing to do with you."
After a long silence, just as Cline was about to lose his patience, she finally spoke.
"Nothing to do with me..."
Cline repeated her words coldly, then suddenly leaned in even closer.
His sharp, chiseled face loomed over her, and her heart skipped a beat.
His thin lips were dangerously close to hers, as if he might kiss her at any moment.
Luana didn't know what he was trying to do. She was scared and guilty at the same time.
As she clenched her fists, unsure of what to do, Cline spoke again, his voice icy.
"You lied to me because he is Albion. You didn't want me to know about your past, so you lied. Am I right?"
His words struck Luana like a thunderbolt.
How had he connected Calvert to Albion so quickly?
She realized she could never outsmart Cline.
His intellect and abilities were beyond ordinary.
Her silence confirmed Cline's suspicions.
He had only been testing her, but now he was certain—Calvert was the Albion she had been longing for!
The only notable secret about Coburn Group was that the long-lost son of the Coburn family had been found five years ago.
Luana had sold herself five years ago, and Calvert had been found around the same time. The timing was too coincidental, and they had known each other for years.
There was only one explanation: Calvert was the Albion she dreamed about.
Cline had thought she had slept with Calvert so quickly to climb the social ladder, but now he realized Calvert was her first love.
No wonder they had fallen into bed so naturally—it was a reunion of former lovers, reigniting old flames.
As this realization sank in, Cline's tall, imposing figure stiffened.
"Luana, was that the first time you slept with me?"
[$]
Luana didn't dare lie to him and nodded. "Yes."
He had a psychological aversion to impurity, and she knew better than to cross that line.
But Cline didn't believe her. "I can't tell what's true or false when it comes from your mouth."
Luana was taken aback. Because she had lied to him before, he no longer trusted her.
"You... saw it yourself that day. The sheets..." There were traces of blood.
She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
Their first time had been intense, and even thinking about it made her blush.
As she lowered her head, her face flushed, Cline sneered. "Who knows if you had surgery to fake it?"
She loved Albion so much that she cried herself to sleep over him in her dreams. How could she have remained untouched?
Luana's face turned pale, and she looked at Cline in disbelief.
His gaze was filled with distrust, as if he was certain she had undergone surgery to deceive him.
For a moment, she didn't know how to prove that she was a virgin before that night.
At the same time, she was furious. He had been the one who had broken through her barrier after several attempts—how could he still doubt her?!
Luana felt a deep ache in her chest, a mix of frustration and helplessness. She had so much to say but didn't know how to express it.
Seeing her continued silence, the anger in Cline's eyes gradually turned to disappointment.
This woman had a way of making him come back to her time and time again.
Thinking about everything he had done recently, it all felt absurd and foolish!
It was as if he had suddenly woken up.
He released Luana abruptly, and the disappointment in his eyes was replaced by cold detachment.
"From now on, I won't come looking for you again."
With those words, he walked away.
Luana stood frozen, watching his retreating figure. Her heart felt hollow.
A voice inside her told her that once that door closed, he would never return.
For some reason, she found the courage to rush forward and stop him.