His fingers lightly traced the back of her hand, bringing an indescribable itch, like an electric current flowing through her heart. Quiana quickly pulled back her right hand.
"Why are you here?"
Durrell Landon's eyes still held a hint of a smile. He simply reached out and tucked the loose hair hanging over her forehead behind her ear.
"Quiana, look at you, not taking care of yourself. You've been staying at the apartment for four days and drinking so much already. Come back to Imperial View Manor with me."
Quiana: "..."
What madness had taken Durrell Landon? He actually called her Quiana? Even before Durrell lost his memory, they weren't this close.
She pushed away his presumptuous hand, her expression slightly cold:
"I lived just fine before I knew you. I don't need you to take care of me."
Durrell helped her up from the ground, pulling her gently but firmly into his arms:
"Come back with me to Imperial View Manor, and I'll give you the painting."
She looked up at him, slightly amused:
"Doesn't Young Master Landon always say things he doesn't mean?"
"That's for others. For you, my word is my bond."
Quiana: "..."
Durrell Landon could be so shameless? She could clearly sense the change in his attitude toward her but didn't think it was necessarily a good thing.
She reached out to push Durrell but was surprised to find she couldn't move him at all, so she simply gave up struggling.
"Durrell Landon, what do you really want?"
Durrell reached out and held her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, "I want to regain my memory, and you're the only one who can help me do that."
She sneered: "More effective than treatment?"
He answered firmly: "Of course!"
Quiana looked into Durrell Landon's deep, vortex-like eyes, suddenly feeling very strange.
She had never been so resolutely chosen by anyone before, bringing a shock along with a slight fear of the unknown.
But she quickly cast this unusual feeling aside.
No matter what, she needed to get the painting and the divorce papers.
She finally agreed to return to Imperial View Manor.
...
As soon as they returned to Imperial View Manor, Quiana asked him, "The painting."
Durrell was briefly stunned, then quickly chuckled softly: "You really are straightforward and cute."
Quiana rolled her eyes.
Durrell acted as if he didn't see it: "The painting is in the study, come with me to get it."
Durrell handed her Starry's original work, and she took it, slowly unrolling the painting.
It was the first time he saw such tenderness in her usually cold eyes, not the kind of smile veiled in mist but genuine softness from her heart.
He subconsciously asked quietly: "Is this painting very important to you?"
Upon hearing Durrell's voice, her eyes filled with tenderness slowly lost their warmth.
"Young Master Landon, you ask too many questions."
With that, she left the study with the painting.
Durrell watched her leave, and indeed, he yearned for her to look at him like that just once.
A wise man doesn't fall in love, but he was determined to bring her into the web of love with him.
The signature on the painting was of Sior Vendara, said to be highly talented in art. Supposedly, he could have been world-renowned, but unfortunately, he died young, leaving few paintings, so his influence wasn't great. Yet, his talent was undeniable, with few surpassing him.
At this moment, his phone rang. He glanced at it and saw it was a call from his elder brother, Zeke Landon.
He pressed the answer button.
"Big brother..."
Zeke Landon heard the slightly cold tone of his voice and sighed softly.
"Durrell, come home tomorrow. Grandpa and the others want to see you."
"Do they want to see me, or do they want to warn me again not to fight with you for Universal Corporation?"
Hearing Durrell's slightly mocking voice, Zeke Landon scolded disapprovingly, "Durrell—"
Realizing his voice was too loud, his tone softened: "Grandpa and the others don't mean that. They heard about your car accident and just want to check on you, nothing else."
Durrell had a faint smile on his lips, but it was clearly cold and ruthless.
"I know, I'll go back to the Landon Family's old house tomorrow."
After saying this, he hung up the phone and stood motionless by the window, even the gentle moonlight couldn't dispel the fierceness on his face.
...
The next day.
Quiana came out of her room, surprised to find only Oliver Gale at the dining table.
She instinctively glanced around.
Oliver Gale sipped a cup of coffee, smiling warmly at Quiana. Her return to Imperial View Manor was not surprising to him at all.
"Are you looking for Durrell? He's gone back to the Landon Family's old house."
Quiana felt a bit awkward at being seen through, "I wasn't."
Oliver didn't expose her and just put down the coffee cup, sighing slightly, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Do you think Imperial View Manor is beautiful?"
Quiana didn't understand what he was getting at but still replied:
"A manor designed by Samuel Linnel, it could even be considered one of the most outstanding designs of this century, comparable to a piece of art. How could it not be beautiful?"
"Unfortunately, in Durrell's eyes, maybe Imperial View Manor is just a luxurious cage… a cage that he can't escape from his destiny."
Quiana frowned slightly: "What do you mean?"
Oliver stood up, didn't answer her question, and only left her with a mysterious smile:
"I've said enough. If you're interested, you can ask Durrell yourself."
After Oliver left, Quiana found the food in her mouth suddenly tasteless.
Fortunately, at this moment, Isabelle Somerville messaged her, wanting to meet. Her suppressed mood finally eased a little.
Before going to meet Isabelle, she planned to buy a small cake at the Honey Sugar Workshop.
There was a small cake at the Honey Sugar Workshop, very popular among young women. Isabelle was no exception and was quite passionate about it, recommending it to her many times, though she wasn't fond of sweets.
Honey Sugar Workshop.
Quiana immediately saw there was only one box left of the small cake she wanted to buy. Just as she reached out, another hand grabbed it first.
She looked displeased at the young man beside her.
"Don't you understand 'first come, first served'?"
Joseph Grant was taken aback and instinctively turned to look at Quiana. Even wearing a mask, with those eyes and that familiar voice, he immediately recognized her: "It's you?"
Quiana hadn't expected to encounter Joseph Grant over a small cake and spoke calmly:
"This cake should be mine."
Joseph, upon hearing this, placed the cake back and spoke softly:
"My apologies; it indeed should be yours."
Quiana: "..."
She said nothing more, just took the cake and left the Honey Sugar Workshop.