After a while, Steven finally let go of Carla. His eyes on her swollen, red lips.

"Callie, please stop saying that. You have broken my heart, over and over again. Don't you feel sad for me?" he asked.

Carla stared into his pleading eyes and sighed.

"Steven, let's be clear.

I don't want to cause any misunderstanding anymore.."

The indifference in Carla's eyes was enough for Steven to understand what she was thinking. He looked away and laughed bitterly. He felt as if Carla had put a knife through his chest and pulled his heart out with her bare hands. He had been a fool. He couldn't forget Carla even if she had rejected him again and again. He was not ready to give up. There was still a glimmer of hope in his heart. He believed that she would change her mind one day and fall for him if he continued to express his feelings for her.

He lifted his hand and stroked Carla's cheek gently.

"Callie, no matter what you say or do, it won't stop me from loving you. You are the only woman I have ever been in love with. I can't think about being with anyone else."

"But you have the right to leave, don't you?"

Carla glared at him.

"And you just want to get rid of me. Right, Callie? So that you will feel less guilty if I leave."

Steven shook his head and smiled. "But I'm sorry, I can't leave you. You'd better start getting used to me. It doesn't matter if you don't love me back. I just want to be with you. That's all I ask for."

Carla sighed.

She didn't know how to make him understand that he was wasting his life waiting for her.

Steven was just like Terence in that aspect. Once he set his mind on something, nothing in the world could change it. Carla couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Stay away from me. You have been with Lucia for a very long time. I don't want you anywhere near me,"

she said flinching her hand.

Steven burst into a fit of laughter. He rolled his eyes and slipped the ring off his finger and gave it to Carla. "Do you see what this is?"

Carla glanced at it and frowned.

"It's a ring."

"Take a closer look." Steven smiled. She knitted her eyebrows and brought the ring closer to her. A faint smell was lingering on the ring. She looked at Steven and sniffed it.

Carla liked the subtle fragrance, so she brought the ring closer and was about to take another whiff of it.

"Please don't!"

Steven caught her hand, took the ring from her, and slipped it on to his finger. "Yes, it's a ring. But there is a drug in it, which is capable of inducing powerful hallucinations."

Carla's mouth popped open in shock.

She looked at the ring and back at Steven. "You mean... You mean that you and Lucia... You two didn't.." she trailed off.

"Yes, nothing has happened between us,"

Steven had been sick and Lucia had stopped forcing him so there was no need for Steven to resort to using the ring to safeguard himself.

Everything seemed plausible and there wasn't a speck of doubt in Lucia's mind.

Carla rubbed her eyebrows and shook her head. "Wow! I don't know what to say. I don't know if you are being smart or incredibly stupid."

He could have accepted Lucia's offer to fulfil his

, stay still!"

He croaked as he quickly thwarted Lucia's attempt to stab him.

That was when he realized that Lucia was not planning to take his life. She was trying to castrate him.

Steven's eyes widened with shock. He did not have time to even catch his breath. Lucia had lost control of herself. She lunged forward with her knife.

"Be careful, Steven!"

Carla grabbed a vase from the table and threw it at Lucia from behind.

The vase crashed on the back of Lucia's head.

Her eyes widened and became completely still and her head hit the concrete with a loud thud.

Carla ignored Lucia and ran to Steven. She caught him before his feet gave way. "Are you okay?" she asked, inspecting his face.

"Yes. Thank God."

Steven gasped and looked down at his crotch.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. I didn't expect that Lucia would go to the extent of stabbing you. I should have sent more people to guard you. I will tighten the security, first thing in the morning."

It broke Carla's heart to see Steven's swollen, blood-soaked face.

She looked around and realized that Carol was missing. Lucia must have attacked her too.

Lucia had planned everything in advance. She was aware that Carla wouldn't be here at night and thought that it would be the perfect time to execute her mission.

Carla's gaze flitted to Steven. He was staring at the ground with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open.

"What's wrong?"

Carla frowned and followed his gaze.

She let out a squeal when she saw Lucia lying completely still on the ground, covered in the pool of her blood.

"Lu-Lucia?"

Carla shuddered. She stepped forward and nudged Lucia's motionless body with her leg.

Lucia did not stir. Carla broke into a cold sweat. She never thought of killing her. She threw a vase at her to prevent her from stabbing Steven.

Carla's mouth became dry. She was helpless in that situation.

"Don't move, I'll take care of it."

Steven grabbed Carla's shoulder and he pulled her away when he saw her trembling hands reach.

He took a moment to calm down, blew out a loud breath, and limped towards Lucia.