"When will you divorce her?"In the private room, the girl gazed at the man before her with deep affection.Aveline stood outside the private room with cold hands and feet. Like the girl inside, she stared at the man's handsome, sharp face, as her complexion gradually turned pale.That was her husband, Lucas Tudor.He was mute, working as a server in this club. Today, she got off work early to go home with him but didn't expect to stumble upon this scene.The man who usually wore a server's uniform was now in a tailored suit, his short hair meticulously styled. His expression was noble and cold, with an air of elegance and aloofness she had never seen before.His thin lips parted, his voice low and pleasant. "I'll bring it up to her soon."She shut her eyes abruptly and turned to leave.He could speak.His voice was actually so pleasant.However, she never expected that the first words she would hear him say were about divorce.Aveline was in a daze, thinking she must have mistaken som
Earlier, when she heard his voice, it was mixed with music, making it hard to hear clearly. But now, his deep, magnetic voice came from right above her, so clear that it struck her heart, leaving her breathless with pain.He could speak.However, he hadn't told her about it immediately.In fact, he wanted to divorce her.All of it was true.Why?Why did he want a divorce?Aveline wanted to ask, but she held back.Why should he get to divorce her just because he wanted to?Over the past year, she had done nothing to wrong him. Even if he wanted a divorce, he owed her an explanation!Aveline's heart felt cold, but she craved the warmth of his body, hugging him even tighter."Yes, I heard you talking to someone, but I didn't catch what you said. Lucas, your voice is so nice."She kissed his back."Lu."It was what she called him only in their most intimate moments.Whenever he heard it, he would respond with even more passion.But tonight, Lucas pushed her away."I'm tired."Aveline's fac
Aveline looked at him. "Say something."Lucas responded, "Let's eat first."He gently pushed her away and walked to the dining table, placing the breakfast on it.Aveline's heart sank deeper into despair as she stared at his back, pain evident in her eyes.She had stopped him from saying the word "divorce," but his attitude was clear. He was distancing himself from her, not even offering a false promise.He never used to be like this!In the beginning, he just followed her everywhere, clinging to her. Later, when she decided to take him in, she taught him to read and learn sign language. His gaze on her became more focused.No matter what she did, his eyes were always on her, as if she were his whole world."Lucas, you didn't give me my good morning kiss."Aveline walked over and said, reminding him of the promise they made after they got together.Lucas pushed the milk toward her. "Let's eat first. I have something to tell you later."Aveline clenched her fists. "If I don't eat, will
When Aveline arrived at the office and sat down, a colleague immediately came over and said, "Aveline, have you heard? Our company has been acquired! The person who bought it is Lucas Tudor, Frederick Tudor's third son, who mysteriously went missing."Aveline froze. "What's his name?""Lucas Tudor. I saw his photo, and he's really handsome! They say he disappeared for a year and just recently returned to the Tudor family. As soon as he got back, he started making big changes to the subsidiary companies here. Our company was directly acquired. Oh my, having such a handsome man as a boss—I’d be smiling even in my dreams!"Aveline pulled out her phone and saw the first notification: news about Lucas, a member of the Tudor family who had been missing, returning.In the photo, the man wore a black suit, his short hair neatly parted, his features sharp and handsome, with piercing eyes that carried a cold glint. His entire demeanor exuded noble aloofness.Lucas belonged to the Tudor family, C
What did he take her for?Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart, making it difficult for her to breathe.Seeing the tears in her eyes, Lucas' gaze deepened, but his expression grew even colder. "I have my reasons. Not telling you was to protect you.""Hah!"Aveline scoffed, holding back her tears, her tone turning icy. "Let me tell you, I won't divorce you. Don't even think about it!"She turned and walked away."You wouldn't want to lose this job, would you?"Behind her, his cold voice rang out. "You're an orphan who struggled to establish yourself in this city. This job must mean a lot to you."Aveline glared at him. "What are you trying to do?"Lucas replied, "Sign the divorce papers. My previous offer still stands."He was threatening her!Aveline's hands trembled with anger. If he weren't so far away, she might have slapped him across the face!"Lucas, you're despicable!"How could he change so much in such a short time? Or was he always this cold, and the past year had b
That girl was the same one in the private room that day, asking Lucas when he would divorce.She was intimately holding his arm.Lucas had always been a clean freak.When she first brought him home, even though he had lost his memory, some of his body's instinctive habits remained. Once he became familiar with the environment, he started cleaning her house, making every corner spotless.He never accepted gifts from others, nor did he eat from street vendors. The occasional aura he exuded was something ordinary people lacked.But now, he allowed that girl to hold his arm so intimately.Was he trying to tell her that even if they didn't divorce, he would continue seeing that girl?Aveline tightly clenched the hem of her clothes, her heart aching painfully, her eyes stinging with tears.How could Lucas be so cruel?How could he give the necklace she had chosen to another woman?She took out her phone and called him. However, he hung up as soon as it started ringing. Undeterred, she kept c
Slap!Aveline struck Lucas across the face."I have no dignity? You're the scumbag cheating during our marriage, and that's dignified?"Lucas's eyes widened in shock. He never expected her to dare hit him! Raised in luxury, when had anyone ever treated him like this?Pressing his tongue against his cheek, he grabbed Aveline's wrist and pinned her to the bed."Aveline, have I spoiled you too much?"His eyes were cold and his presence oppressive, bearing down heavily on her.Aveline was stunned, a flash of fear passing through her heart. How had she forgotten? He was part of the Tudor family, raised in privilege, with an unparalleled status!He had probably never been treated this way and would undoubtedly be furious.However, he was also her husband! He was cheating, and yet he had the nerve to act righteous?Aveline tried to ignore her fear, her eyes red but defiant as she looked at him. "As Lu, you might have spoiled me, but as Lucas Tudor, what have you ever done for me? Don't you f
Aveline looked at him. "What if I don’t want to do it?"Desmond smiled. "You can’t turn this down."Aveline rolled her eyes and took the file straight to Lucas's office. Desmond tried to stop her, but he couldn't.She pushed the door open and walked right in.Lucas, tall and imposing, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, talking on the phone. Hearing the door being pushed open, he turned and frowned."Let's leave it at that," he said, ending the call."Who allowed you to come in?" he asked coldly, his eyes icy.Aveline slammed the file on his desk. "Did you do this on purpose?"Lucas glanced at the file and replied coolly, "Isn't this part of your job? What's the problem? If you don't want to do it, you can quit. Plenty of people want this job."Aveline fumed silently. This jerk was definitely doing this on purpose!He was retaliating because she had slapped him last night!That was why he pushed her to the limit last night and sent her to a construction site today.Seeing her angry b
Jolie frowned. "Mom, I told you, I’m not close to Mr. Cooper."Daisy replied, "Of course, you won’t be close to him if you don’t stay in touch with him. The more you connect, the closer you will be. Get in touch with Mr. Cooper soon and let us know once you’ve arranged everything. We’ll handle the time and place."After saying that, she didn’t bother to see Jolie’s reaction and went back to arranging flowers.Jolie felt a deep sense of helplessness. How could they think she was close enough to Gavin to casually invite him to dinner? They were so confident, weren’t they? Jolie got up and left. She had originally planned to meet some friends for a photoshoot today. As a freelance photography enthusiast, she enjoyed capturing moments outdoors, but now, she wasn’t in the mood. She wandered around on her own. At the entrance of a mall, she unexpectedly ran into Selena. Selena had come to pick up something she’d forgotten to buy while shopping with Aveline yesterday. Neither of
As soon as Jason Lowe got home, he told his mother, Wendy Evans, all about what had happened at lunch.Wendy immediately passed the news on to Daisy, saying, "Oh Daisy, Jolie is really something! I didn’t realize she knew Mr. Cooper! You should’ve told me earlier—we’re friends, after all! “If I’d known she had that connection, we could’ve avoided all those setbacks. You should talk to Jolie. Let’s arrange a dinner with Mr. Cooper for both our families. It’ll help strengthen ties and make the partnership even smoother."Jolie, observing her mother’s bright, eager expression, could already guess what she was thinking. She frowned slightly and said, "That guy from the Lowe family basically told me that if I 'entertained' him, he’d consider giving the Quin family a bit more influence in the deal."Daisy’s smile vanished instantly. "How outrageous!" Her expression darkened with anger. She had never imagined Jason would be so shameless and despicable. Jolie was the daughter she had care
Selena continued her playful banter, even giving Lucas a pointed glare without missing a beat.Aveline stifled a laugh, listening carefully to the story Selena was recounting. After a moment of thought, she asked, "So, you stayed downstairs that long because you were planning to help out?"Selena's expression shifted to one of mild discomfort, her tone defensive. "I wasn’t going to help. If she’s getting pushed around, she deserves it!"Her words didn’t fool Aveline. She had known Selena for years and was well aware of her complex feelings toward the Quin family. While Selena often expressed her disdain for her parents, she had never spoken ill of Jolie.It was clear to Aveline that Selena cared about her sister, even if she wouldn’t admit it outright. But since Selena wasn’t ready to talk about it, Aveline decided not to press the issue."Alright, let’s eat. The food’s here.""Good idea."...Downstairs.After the man had scurried off, Jolie looked visibly more relaxed. Once she had f
"Yes, sir," replied the man across from Gavin, who was clearly his assistant, Quentin Rhett.Jolie had figured out the situation. The Southside business district project was primarily led by Cooper Enterprises, with various companies competing for the most lucrative contracts and land rights. It seemed the Lowe family’s bid had been favored so far.The arrogant man sitting across from her immediately adopted a more respectful demeanor upon recognizing Gavin. "Mr. Cooper, our bid is solid. There are no issues."Gavin, still ignoring him, continued with his meal.Jolie smirked slightly before standing up and walking directly to Gavin’s table."Hey, you—" The man started, then quickly silenced himself, nervously watching Gavin's reaction to her. If they were connected, his earlier attitude would make things extremely awkward for him.Without hesitation, Jolie called over a server, requested utensils, and casually began eating at Gavin’s table.Quentin, surprised by her boldness, spoke up,
Lucas responded in a calm, low voice, “You won’t get that chance in this lifetime.”Selena huffed. “You better hope so!”She lifted her chin defiantly and then playfully winked at Aveline. Aveline smiled softly, a hint of exasperation in her eyes. When would these two ever stop bickering?Once they arrived at the mall, Selena dragged Aveline into a whirlwind shopping spree. Whatever caught their eye, they bought—no hesitation, no restraint. It felt exhilarating to indulge so freely!Lucas followed quietly behind them, occasionally making a few phone calls and handling work without missing a beat.After shopping all morning, the group started to feel tired. Selena led Aveline into a restaurant across the street.“I read reviews on this place, and they say the food is amazing. They’ve got some dishes from Cloudflare City too. It’s been a while since you’ve been back—want a taste of home?” Selena asked, grinning while flipping through the menu.Aveline nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been craving it
Daisy’s expression darkened slightly at Jolie’s words, but she held back from lashing out. “That’s all in the past. What’s the point of bringing it up now? You and Selena are sisters, after all. You should reach out to her more. Convince her to come back. She’s still part of the Quin family.”In recent years, both her parents, especially her father, had become fixated on reconnecting with Selena. Despite multiple attempts, Selena had kept her distance, and even after finally making contact, she barely exchanged a few words with them before cutting off all communication again. The more they tried, the further she drifted away.Jolie remained quiet, observing Daisy. She had no right to criticize her mother—after all, it was she who had always been favored growing up. The Quin family had never done anything wrong by her.“I understand. I’ll try,” Jolie finally relented, though the thought of facing Selena’s distant and prickly demeanor again made her uneasy. Perhaps, deep down, her sist
“Got something on your mind, Dad?” Gavin asked, noticing Wilfried’s serious expression as he entered the room. His own demeanor softened a bit.Wilfried didn’t waste time, sitting down heavily on the sofa with a stern look. "What are you planning to do about what happened today?"Gavin froze for a moment, realizing that the whole situation had become an open secret within the family. His response was calm, though. "I don’t have any specific plans."At this, Wilfried’s expression darkened even further. "That won’t do. You’ve taken advantage of someone, so you need to take responsibility. I’ll have someone look into that girl’s background tomorrow, prepare the bride price, and we’ll go make the proposal immediately."Gavin blinked, his typically composed expression faltering slightly. After a brief silence, he replied, "Dad, I’m willing to take responsibility, but what if she doesn’t want to marry me?"Wilfried paused, momentarily caught off guard by this possibility. His gaze swept over
“Hmm, you’re right. I’ll talk to your brother and see what he thinks,” Wilfried said thoughtfully.Aveline nodded and went on her way....In the study, Gernard sat on the sofa, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. “Brother, why didn’t you let me finish? I was about to spill the best part.”Gavin ignored him and pulled out a document, handing it over. “Take a look at this. If everything’s in order, you’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”“What’s this?” Gernard blinked, taking the file and flipping it open. His eyes widened as he scanned the pages.He shot up from his seat, staring at Gavin in disbelief. “Wait, you’re serious? You’re actually sending me to South Africa? Do people live there? When did we even expand into that region?”Gavin, seated in his leather chair, remained cold and composed. “Recently.”Gernard’s face twisted in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, “No way. I’m not going.”Gavin’s gaze flickered over to him, calm but stern. “You don’t hav
“What gossip?” Aveline's interest was instantly piqued, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gernard.Gernard leaned in conspiratorially, about to spill the juicy details. “It’s about Brother. You won’t believe what happened today…”“Ahem!”Before he could finish, Gavin appeared, clearing his throat just loud enough to interrupt. He grabbed Gernard’s arm, pulling him away. “Let’s talk about the company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.Gernard protested, “Brother, wait, I wasn’t finished!”Aveline, her curiosity fully ignited, took a couple of steps forward. “Hey bros, don’t leave me hanging! Finish the story first!”Without slowing down, Gavin replied, “He’s headed to South Africa soon. Work comes first.”“South Africa?” Gernard’s jaw dropped. “Wait, since when am I going to South Africa? I didn’t hear about this! What’s going on?”Aveline stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled. “South Africa? Does the Cooper family even have projects there?”Just then, Wilfried walked