"My granddaughter-in-law!"Barbara seemed to remember Aveline, reaching out to her joyfully. "Where did you go? Did you not want to play with me anymore?"Aveline walked over and took her hand. "No, we agreed before. I would hide, and you would teach him a lesson."Barbara was momentarily confused but then nodded. "Yes, yes, Lucas bullied you, so I taught him a lesson."Lucas's dark gaze fixed on Aveline. "Did you come here to complain to Grandma?"Aveline raised an eyebrow. "So, what if I did?"Lucas' expression darkened further.Barbara didn't hesitate to smack him again. "I just told you, and you've already forgotten? Why are you glaring at your wife?"Lucas fell silent.Aveline turned to Barbara. "Grandma, you're so good to me."Barbara laughed cheerfully. "I like you, so of course I'm good to you. Try this, our housekeeper made these new snacks. They're delicious."She picked up a piece and held it to Aveline's lips.Aveline paused for a moment, glancing at Sophia. As expected, So
Aveline turned to Barbara. "Grandma, he's bullying me again."Without hesitation, Barbara raised her hand and smacked Lucas, not holding back at all.Lucas fell silent.His face was expressionless, but his gaze was so intense it seemed like he wanted to burn a hole through Aveline.Barbara scolded, "Lucas, it seems you never learn. If you keep bullying your wife, I'll tell her to leave you!"Lucas closed his eyes, suppressing his emotions.Aveline smiled smugly and then turned to Barbara. "Grandma, are you tired? Do you want to rest?"Barbara shook her head. "I'm not tired. I still want to play."But as she said this, she yawned.Seeing this, Aveline immediately said, "Let's go to your room and play. I'll tell you a story.""Okay," Barbara agreed eagerly at the mention of a story.Aveline walked over, nudged Lucas aside, and pushed the wheelchair towards the small building.Lucas stared at her back, his eyes dark and brooding."Lucas." Sophia's voice was soft and muffled as she approac
Aveline turned to Sophia. "Miss Winter, do you really believe this jerk? He can't even protect you and needs to use me as a cover. Don't you find that ridiculous?"Unfortunately, she had overheard the entire conversation.She was speechless after hearing Lucas' shameless words.He really did love Sophia!Loved her enough to drag an innocent person like her into this mess.All her fears, her nightmares in the middle of the night, they were all caused by him!If he didn't want her to have peace, then no one would have peace!After all, she was alone and had nothing to lose, but maybe she could take them down with her!A wave of bitterness grew in Aveline's heart, and she began to resent Lucas.Sophia's gaze turned cold. "Miss Young, if you don't know the whole story, don't speak carelessly. The Tudor family might seem glamorous, but Lucas has had a tough time these past years. I can't help him much, but I hope you won't make things harder for him."Aveline sneered. "Afraid I'll cause tro
Lucas was stunned.He raised his hand to wipe away her tears, but Aveline avoided his touch."Don't touch me," she said, wiping her face hurriedly.Lucas swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on her. "Aveline, you..."He seemed to want to say something, but the words wouldn't come. He just stared at her, feeling a constricting pain in his chest. Seeing the hurt and sadness in her eyes, he felt lost and panicked.Aveline sniffled. "Lucas, let's divorce, okay? You have so many capable people around you who can protect Sophia. I just want a peaceful life, one without you."Lucas' lips pressed into a straight line.What would his life be like without her?Memories of the past year, the moments they shared, flashed through his mind.She appeared to be simple.But was she really as simple as she seemed?When she found out his identity, why did she refuse to divorce?Suppressing the emotions churning in his eyes, Lucas straightened up, closed the passenger door, and let the cold wind blow away his c
Seeing the person outside, Aveline froze.Why was he here?Clutching the baseball bat tighter, she turned around and walked away.There was no way she was opening that door. Not now, not ever.Just seeing this man annoyed her.Aveline went into the kitchen and made a simple plate of pasta, then grabbed her tablet and started watching a TV show.She was completely absorbed in the show, not caring at all about the person outside her door.About an hour later, the doorbell rang again.Assuming it was still Lucas, she ignored it and went about her evening routine, preparing to go to bed.But this time, the doorbell kept ringing persistently.Feeling irritated, Aveline stomped over to the door and yanked it open. "Can you stop—"But her words caught in her throat when she saw two uniformed police officers standing there."What’s going on?" she asked, bewildered.The officers exchanged glances and stepped aside, revealing Lucas sitting on the ground. One officer pointed to him and asked, "Is
"Ave," Lucas' hot breath brushed against her neck, causing a tingling sensation that felt like an electric current.Aveline struggled even harder. "Lucas, let go of me!"Had he ignored everything she said before? Couldn’t he just let this month pass peacefully? Why was he here again, making her think he actually cared?The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She struggled more fiercely, but Lucas only held her tighter, his breath searing her skin.Suddenly, Aveline bit down on his shoulder with all her might, tears streaming down her face.Lucas paused but didn't release her, letting her bite him.When Aveline finally tired, her breathing was heavy. "What do you mean by this?"Lucas just held her, saying nothing.Aveline exhaled slowly and reached for his phone."What are you doing with my phone, Ave?" Lucas asked, his voice muffled.Aveline didn’t respond. She found his phone, used his finger to unlock it, and started dialing Sophia’s number.Seeing this, Lucas immediat
Aveline closed her eyes for a moment, then suddenly spoke softly, "Okay, no divorce. Get up, and I'll make you some sobering tea."Lucas stopped mumbling and looked up at her, trying to discern if she was telling the truth.Aveline gazed at him calmly.After a long pause, Lucas lightly brushed his nose against hers. "Really no divorce?""Yes."Aveline forced herself to remain calm, suppressing the fluttering in her heart.Lucas seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and released her.Aveline stood up and walked straight to the kitchen.Lucas rubbed his forehead."Lucas, the sobering tea is ready."Aveline's voice came from the kitchen.Lucas froze. That was quick?He looked up, and in the next second, a basin of cold water was thrown over him.Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, letting the water flow down his body, soaking the sofa and the carpet.Aveline's voice was cold. "Are you sober now?"Did he think that getting drunk and acting crazy would make her forget everything that had happened?S
Lucas ignored her words, and Aveline closed her eyes, giving up on struggling.She had given up struggling long ago.She couldn't break free.If she kept struggling, she was sure he would leave her exhausted on the bed.Sleep overtook her, and Aveline closed her eyes.Lucas' kisses traveled to her ears, and as he gazed at her closed eyelids, his expression became more complex and deep.The water on his body had been replaced by sweat. He stared at her swollen lips from his kisses and suddenly grabbed her chin to kiss her again.Aveline, who had finally fallen asleep, was awakened once more."Mmm... you bastard," Aveline mumbled, pushing him weakly, but he didn't budge.Lucas deepened the kiss, his actions deliberate, as if he wanted to merge her into his own body.Maybe this way, she wouldn't say things that made him angry or talk about divorce so casually.The next morning.When Aveline woke up, Lucas was no longer in the room.The chaotic memories of the previous night lingered in he
"Let… let me go!" Jolie struggled with all her might, but the drugs were quickly sapping her strength, leaving her powerless to break free.The man, too impatient to care, ignored her pleas and began dragging her toward the back exit."Hey! She told you to let her go. Are you deaf?" A sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.The man froze, startled, and looked up to see a girl standing not far away."Who the hell are you? This has nothing to do with you. Get lost!" He snapped, not recognizing Selena, his tone turning nasty.Selena’s expression grew colder as she took in Jolie’s disheveled state. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped the man hard across the face, then yanked Jolie away from him."Letting yourself fall into the hands of this scum? Where’s your fight?" Selena said sharply.Jolie’s blurry consciousness flickered at the sound of her familiar voice. When she realized it was Selena, her tensed body finally relaxed, leaning heavily into her for support."Take me
Jolie watched Selena’s retreating figure and shook her head in frustration. What could she do? Selena’s emotional wounds ran deep, and no matter what Jolie tried, it seemed impossible to bridge the gap between them.Returning to the party, she glanced around at the crowd of men and women mingling with champagne flutes in hand, but her mind wasn’t on the event. She casually picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and sipped it slowly.What she didn’t notice was a man standing across the room, watching her. As she drank, his eyes darkened, and he licked his lips suggestively.After finishing about half the glass, Jolie started feeling strange. Her body was growing weak, her skin hot and feverish, and a strange itchiness spread through her veins.Her brows furrowed in confusion. What was happening? She headed toward the restroom, but as she rounded a corner, her legs gave out, and she had to grab the wall for support to keep from collapsing."Did someone drug me?" she murmu
Maria looked at the two little ones, absolutely delighted, and then turned to Aveline. "I’ve got some happy news to share as well."Selena guessed, "You're pregnant?"Maria nodded. "That’s right."Selena gave her a thumbs-up. "Wow, that was fast! You said it and made it happen."Maria smiled. "I couldn’t fall too far behind. I need to make sure my kid has the best opportunities and chances, right?" With their babies close in age to Ethan and Emma, Maria thought it would be perfect for them to grow up together, maybe even become childhood sweethearts.She looked at Selena and asked, "Weren’t you eager at first too? Why haven’t you made any moves yet?"Selena sighed. "I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m a little scared."Maria reassured her, "Take your time, no rush."Selena got up and left the room, heading outside for some fresh air. Seeing Aveline go through the struggles of pregnancy and the dangers of childbirth genuinely frightened her. On top of that, she worried she wouldn’t be a good m
At first, the twin really did look quite wrinkly and not very cute, but as time passed, they started to fill out and became more and more beautiful. The baby boy had a calm demeanor, rarely crying or fussing. He spent most of his time either eating or sleeping, with large, dark eyes like black grapes, a high nose, a tiny mouth, and chubby, round cheeks full of baby fat.The baby girl, on the other hand, was much more lively and prone to fussing, expressing her displeasure whenever things didn’t go her way. She cried the most between the two.The baby boy was born first, and the girl was the younger sister. Every time, the sister seemed determined to make her brother cry, but she never succeeded. Once fed, she would calm down.“Have you thought of any names for them yet?” Selena asked, looking at Aveline, who was slowly recovering, while playfully toying with the little ones in the stroller.Aveline replied, "We’ve chosen some temporary nicknames, but we haven’t settled on their full n
Aveline said, "Braden is probably not interested."“Huh? Why?” Selena asked, confusion spreading across her face.Aveline explained, “Baron, Braden, and Maria all have a special bond with Lucas. No matter what, they wouldn’t betray him.”She paused for a moment, her thoughts drifting to Brian, the man who had always seen it as his duty to protect Lucas. She wondered how he was faring now.Selena shrugged. “Alright, I suppose. He’s helped me a lot recently, and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have handled everything so smoothly.”Aveline replied, “It’s all over now. Taking him with you wouldn’t really serve any purpose.”“True,” Selena agreed, nodding as she let go of the subject.She ended up staying in Larbor City for a month. One night, Aveline suddenly went into labor. The family rushed to action—though there was some initial chaos, they quickly regained control. Drivers got the car ready, calls to the hospital were made, and everything unfolded smoothly.At the hospital, Lucas h
To mitigate the impact of the incident, the Fletcher family arranged a marriage with the Skyler family, setting the wedding date for just one month later, a rather hasty decision. Aaron officially became the head of the Fletcher family, and despite any grievances Nathalie might have had, she didn’t dare voice them, keeping her frustration to herself.Selena, on the other hand, finally had some leisure time. With Aaron busier than ever, she felt bored and decided to visit Aveline in Larbor City.Aveline’s belly had grown quite large, and with just a month left until her due date, her feet had started swelling, looking puffy and rounded like little pillows. Seeing her condition, Selena couldn't help but remark, "Pregnancy looks so tough. I'm starting to get a little scared."Aveline glanced at her. "Are you planning to get pregnant?"As far as she remembered, Selena had never mentioned such plans.Selena nodded, then shared the idea she had previously about arranging a marriage between
Aaron held her hand and led her directly out of the room upstairs.Meanwhile, inside the room, Nathalie had someone forcibly separate the two entangled people. Ernest looked utterly disheveled, still trying to grab onto Lila and continue.Lila, now slightly regaining her senses, realized the situation. She let out a piercing scream, wrapped herself in the blanket, and cried out in distress."How could this happen? Why did it turn out like this? Why am I here? Mom, wasn't that bitch Selena supposed to be in this room? Why is it me? Why me!"The sensation in her body was undeniable, and seeing Ernest in his dazed state, she could already imagine how wild things had been between them. Worse yet, many people had witnessed it!This scene was supposed to fall on Selena!What went wrong?Nathalie hugged her, trying to calm her down, "Don’t get worked up, Lila. You can’t afford to get upset right now. It’s okay, mom’s here with you. I’ll take care of this."But Lila was inconsolable, sobbing u
The servant stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded. How... how could this have happened? How did Lila end up in the room instead of Selena?She distinctly remembered helping Selena into that very room and watching as the family doctor applied the patch to her ankle. The patch, once applied for more than a minute, should have released the drug into Selena's system, gradually taking effect. But now everything had gone terribly wrong.Pale and trembling, the servant knew that her role in this failed scheme had been exposed. There would be no good outcome for her. She began to retreat, hoping to slip away unnoticed."Leaving so soon?"A lazy, magnetic voice suddenly spoke from behind her.Startled, she spun around to see Aaron standing in the doorway. His tall, imposing figure blocked the exit, preventing anyone from leaving easily."I... I..." The servant stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence, trapped in her fear.Aaron’s expression remained neutral, b
"Such a big issue has to be cleared up, don’t you think, Aaron? What if someone is deliberately trying to smear your wife’s name?" "Exactly! We’ve all met your wife—she’s beautiful and sharp. There’s no way she’d do anything to betray you.""We need to open the door and clear up any misunderstandings before things get out of hand."The crowd voiced their concerns, their words filled with feigned sympathy, but their eyes gleamed with anticipation.Kendrick arrived just behind Aaron, and upon hearing the whispers, his expression darkened."Who said this?" The servant timidly raised her hand. "I... I did."His voice hardened. "Are you sure of what you saw?"Though visibly frightened, the servant nodded firmly. "I’m sure.""I don’t think she’s lying.”"Maybe it’s true. If it is, then she really couldn’t keep herself in check, especially at Lila’s birthday party. How shameless.""Unbelievable! With a husband like Aaron, she’s still not satisfied? I can’t understand women like that."A few