His Obsession Began After Losing Her-Chapter 55: Not As Planned

Shuri could tell Hana was getting emotional, almost like a spouse catching a partner in bed with another woman.

She tried to calm her mother down. "Mum, I can explain this..."

But Hana cut her off, her pitch higher than usual, startling Shuri. "What's there to explain?!"

Shuri had never seen her mother acting like this.

Hana was always cheerful and lovable, never raising her voice.

She was shocked by the intensity of her mother's reaction.

Was Hana really that upset to catch her daughter lying?

"Riri, I can't believe you..." Hana's voice trembled, sounding deeply hurt.

"Mum, listen to me..."

"How could you keep Noran Kingston all to yourself?!" Hana burst out loud.

"..."

A heavy silence filled the air.

Shuri couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"Huh?"

"You know I'm his fan! How could you hide such a handsome man from me?"

Before Shuri could respond, Hana turned to look at Noran with sparkling eyes, her demeanor suddenly changing to that of a star-struck fan meeting her idol.

"Noran Kingston! It's really you! I can't believe my daughter has been hiding you all this time!"

Shuri wanted to retort, but Noran was quicker.

He flashed a polite smile and extended his hand out to Hana. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Lee. Now I understand where Shuri gets her beauty."

He wasn't lying.

Despite being in her late forties, Hana looked relatively young for her age.

Her features were striking, with high cheekbones and a radiant smile that mirrored Shuri's.

Her eyes sparkled with the same cheerfulness that Shuri often displayed, making it clear that her daughter had inherited both her looks and her sunny disposition.

"Kya~!" Hana shrieked a little like a fan girl as she reached out to shake Noran's hand.

She grasped his hand with both of hers, shaking it vigorously and showing no signs of letting go.

Shuri stood at the side, dumbfounded.

Her mother was acting like a star-struck teenager, and Shuri couldn't believe her eyes.

It was like looking at herself from her first life, all giddy and infatuated with Noran.

Did she inherit this side from her mum?

"Mum, please... stop this..." Shuri said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

But Hana simply ignored her, too enthralled by Noran to pay her daughter any mind.

She continued to fawn over him, showering him with praise and admiration.

Hana had been a fan of Noran for many years, captivated by his good looks and talent for recreating classical compositions, which she deeply appreciated as an ex-pianist.

She often wanted to gush about Noran with Shuri, but Shuri always brushed it off as if she wasn't interested.

So, Hana was rather displeased when she found out that Shuri had been hiding Noran from her.

How could she forgive her daughter for that?

"You flatter me, Mrs. Hana. I'm glad that you enjoy my music," Noran said, smiling.

"Of course, I've watched all your performances online because you're so talented, Mr. Kingston," Hana gushed. "And you're even more handsome in person!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Hana. And please call me Noran."

"Oh, it feels like we have become closer. I'm so happy!"

Hana clasped her hands together in joy and added, "Can I invite you over for dinner this Sunday, Noran?"

Shuri was startled by her mother's boldness. "Mum! You can't just..."

However, Noran interjected her and replied with a charming smile, "I would be delighted to join you for dinner, Mrs. Hana."

Hana's eyes lit up with excitement. "Great! I have so many questions about your music."

Shuri sighed inwardly.

This was not how she had envisioned things would go.

She was supposed to be keeping her distance from Noran, not arranging family dinners.

Shuri couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

This was going to be more complicated than she ever imagined.

...

The following afternoon at KE Law Firm.

Karlene meticulously reviewed the evidence Roy's team and Lloyd Media had managed to gather over the past few weeks.

There were numerous photos of Anne with different men, suggestive private messages, and even a few compromising videos.

Karlene murmured to herself, "One really can't underestimate the power of the Lloyd family and their media empire. Their efficiency is truly impressive."

Just then, her phone rang, and Karlene recognized the number as Roy's.

She frowned.

She had only given her clients her office number, so how had he obtained her personal number?

Taking a deep breath, she picked up the call and immediately asked, "Mr. Roy, obtaining my personal number without my consent is a serious breach of privacy. Do you realize I could sue you for that?"

There was a brief pause before Roy responded, his tone playful. "Please don't. Finding another attorney as beautiful and capable as you to defend me would be quite the challenge."

Karlene rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. "Let's get back to business. I've received your evidence, and with it, our case is much stronger. Were you able to contact your friend to help testify?"

Roy briefly recounted his meeting with Sophia and how she threatened to use Maylin as leverage over him.

"The Carter Group?" Karlene murmured, realizing that this had escalated beyond just a divorce settlement.

"But I managed to get in touch with Maylin. She agreed to meet at her place, but I thought it might be a trap. So, I suggested we meet at a friend's party tonight instead."

Karlene was rather impressed by Roy's tactfulness. "Alright, update me on how it goes then."

Roy's tone shifted back to his usual playful manner. "Please update me about your daily life too."

Karlene couldn't help but roll her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.

She ended the call, shaking her head in disbelief.

It was baffling how Roy could find every opportunity to flirt with her.

Yet, his playful nature reminded her of her own mother, who always had a way of lightening the mood.

She couldn't help but think that, under different circumstances, they might even become friends once this case was over.

...

Roy arrived at the Royal Crescent, a high-end club renowned for its luxury and exclusivity.

The entire place had been booked for the night by his long-term friend, Brian Lewis, to celebrate his birthday in grand style.

The club's elegant décor, with its plush velvet seating and glittering chandeliers, exuded sophistication and luxury.

As Roy entered, he was greeted by the sight of many familiar faces from the upper echelons of society.

With his extensive social circle, he moved through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and nods of acknowledgment.

Despite the warm reception, his eyes scanned the room for one particular person—Maylin.

He sent her a few text messages but received no reply, so he sent his bodyguard to look for Maylin.

Spotting Brian with two women draped over his arms, Roy approached him. "Brian, have you seen Maylin?"

Brian, distracted by the attention of the women, replied, "Maylin? I haven't seen her around. Maybe she hasn't arrived yet. Her family isn't doing so well lately. I only invited her because you asked, Roy."

With that, Brian returned to his carefree activities, kissing the two ladies in his arms.

Roy sighed, feeling a pang of nostalgia for the carefree life he once led.

But those days were long gone.

As the vice director of Paragon, his responsibilities were immense, and his current predicament with the divorce settlement only added to his burdens.

The weight of his duties made it impossible to live with the same abandon as Brian, who thrived on family wealth without a care in the world.

After some time, Maylin finally replied to Roy, informing him that she was in a private room on the fourth floor.

"Isn't the fourth floor exclusive for VIPs? How did she manage to secure a room there?" Roy wondered.

Deciding not to dwell on it, he texted his bodyguard to meet him in the private room, cautious not to be seen alone with her.

He headed towards the elevator but found it temporarily out of service.

A crowd had gathered, causing a commotion.

Roy clicked his tongue in frustration, cursing his bad luck.

He proceeded to the back stairs, noticing a few people going up and down due to the broken elevator.

However, he was the only one ascending to the fourth floor, reserved for VIPs.

As soon as he reached the fourth floor and opened the door to exit the stairway, he felt a presence behind him.

All he could remember was a sharp pain exploding at the back of his head, and his vision going black.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he finally regained consciousness.

"Ugh!"

A throbbing pain pulsed through his head as he groaned, trying to piece together what had happened.

The room was dim, casting eerie shadows that made it difficult to see clearly.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was lying on the floor, a knife clutched in his hand.

His heart pounded wildly as his gaze traveled to the pool of blood beside him.

His eyes widened in horror as he saw Anne lying motionless in the blood, her lifeless eyes staring back at him.