Aveline said, "That does sound like a solution."Yvonne's smile deepened. "Actually, I do quite like you. If you and Lucas could stay together, it would be wonderful."Aveline gave a faint smile. "I'll think about it."Yvonne nodded. "Alright, if you need anything, just let me know. I will certainly help you.""Thank you, Mrs. Tudor."Aveline was polite on the surface, but she suspected Yvonne might have ulterior motives. However, given Yvonne's status, Aveline didn't have the leverage to confront her. So, she just went along with whatever Yvonne said, but whether she would act on it was another matter.Aveline stood up. "Mrs. Tudor, I need to go home now. Goodbye.""Alright, take care."Yvonne smiled and watched her leave, sipping her coffee leisurely. She then took the phone from her lap and pressed the button to end the recording. A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes before quickly disappearing....When Aveline got home, she received a call from Selena. She put it on speakerpho
Aveline was startled. Russell was nearby?"Oh, okay."After hanging up the phone, Aveline went to the door. Soon, the doorbell rang. She opened it to see Russell standing there with his signature purple hair."Russ, you're here," Aveline said with a slight smile.Russell smirked, his already strikingly handsome face becoming even more roguish. His captivating eyes seemed to draw people in. "What's going on?"Aveline let him in and briefly explained the situation.Seeing the vegetables on the table, Russell raised an eyebrow. "So, you left the police station earlier because of this?"Aveline nodded. "Yes."Russell continued, "Why didn't you tell me when I asked?"Aveline felt awkward and rubbed her nose. "I hoped this matter could be resolved quickly, but the police's efficiency isn't that high. I didn't want to carry this burden any longer, so I wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible."She paused. "I thought it would be too much trouble to involve you, but now I have no
Aveline asked somewhat nervously, "Is it... not good?"Russell looked at her and suddenly said, "Just one meal isn't enough.""Huh?" Aveline was confused. "Then how many meals would be enough?"Russell laughed at her puzzled expression and held up three fingers.Aveline laughed too. "Three meals? No problem. Just let me know when you're free, and I'll cook for you."Her respectful and humble attitude made it clear she saw him as a friend. Russell felt a strange sense of familiarity with this dynamic and slowly lowered his hand. "We'll see when I'm in the mood.""Sure, no problem," Aveline agreed readily. Cooking a few meals wasn't a big deal. She just wanted to repay this favor.Despite feeling a bit uneasy, Russell had to admit Aveline's cooking was really good. It suited his taste perfectly. He ended up eating two extra servings!Seeing the dishes nearly empty, Russell began doubting his own appetite.Aveline came over to drink some water, glanced at the table, and asked, "Russ, was
The next day, Aveline arrived at work to find another pile of chaotic tasks waiting for her. However, today she wasn't angry; she was looking forward to lunchtime.At noon, Russell called to tell her the results were in and had been emailed to her."Thank you, Russ!" Aveline said excitedly.Russell replied slowly, "Knowing which vegetables are poisoned doesn't prove your innocence."Aveline paused. "I think these vegetables were bought at the supermarket. There might have been an issue there. I need to check the surveillance footage."Russell said, "It's been so many days; it might be difficult."Aveline's lips tightened. She knew that if she had checked on the day it happened, it might have been easier. But she had to try.Russell spoke casually, "Of course, if you cook ten more meals for me, I might be able to figure something out."Aveline couldn't help but laugh. "Russ, don't you have a chef at home?"Russell replied, "Just say if you'll do it or not.""Deal," Aveline agreed witho
"Hello?"Aveline answered the call, her tone turning colder.Lucas' voice was even colder than hers. "Where are you?"Aveline paused. "Do you need something?"Was this about the divorce again? She had made it very clear that she wouldn't agree to a divorce until the matter was fully investigated. Why was he so persistent?Unexpectedly, Aveline thought of his previous attitude and began to understand. Watching someone get anxious over something while she remained detached felt oddly satisfying."Come to the hospital now. I have something to ask you," Lucas said and then hung up abruptly. His tone was commanding and icy, leaving no room for refusal.Aveline frowned at her phone. What was wrong with him? Why should she go just because he said so? She put her phone back in her bag and decided not to go to the hospital. She needed to return to work.After the confrontation with Gwen, she was probably furious and might dock her a lot of pay. She needed to make up for it.However, when she ar
Lucas stood in the doorway, his expression dark and stern. His deep, narrow eyes were as cold as ice, completely lacking warmth.Aveline felt the air around her grow colder, a chill rising from her feet. It was as if the atmosphere itself was pressing down on her.Her expression turned equally cold. "Why did you call me here? What do you want?"Could it be what Sophia had mentioned? Was he blaming her for some absurd incident?Lucas' deep voice demanded, "Why did you kidnap Sophia?"Aveline immediately let out a cold laugh. So, it was about that!He had actually summoned her to question her over something so baseless!"Lucas, are you crazy? I'm an orphan with no connections or power in Cloudflare City, and I don't have any money. How could I possibly kidnap her? With a strand of hair?" she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.As she finished speaking, she found it laughable and couldn't help but laugh out loud. But as she laughed, a layer of sorrow clouded her eyes.He didn't trus
Brian had taken Sophia straight to the hospital. She had been so terrified that she fainted from crying. Brian had already captured the men who kidnapped her. After some interrogation, they confessed that someone named Aveline had ordered them to do it.Lucas' first reaction was disbelief. Then, he received that recording in his email.The impossible suddenly seemed possible.Lucas kept quiet."Lucas!" Sophia looked at Lucas with tear-filled eyes. "I won't blame you for loving another woman, but you shouldn't love someone so cruel. She doesn't deserve to be by your side!"Lucas' dark eyes turned to her. "You didn't rest well last night. I'll have Brian take you home to rest, and he will protect you for now."Sophia pointed at Aveline. "What about her? What do you plan to do with her?"Punish her?Aveline's long eyelashes trembled slightly before she looked at Sophia and said, "Whether you believe it or not, I never had anyone kidnap you."Sophia's eyes filled with hatred as she looke
Sophia shook her head, refusing to come down. Her eyes were still filled with tears as she looked at Lucas. "I know, I'm no longer important. I have been living this life for you, and if you don't need me anymore, there's no point in me staying alive."She turned around, spreading her arms wide, like a butterfly about to take flight."No!" Lucas shouted in alarm.Suddenly, a cry of pain echoed nearby."Miss Winter, she's kneeling to you!" Brian's voice rang out.Everyone looked over to see that Brian had somehow forced Aveline to the ground, making her kneel in front of Sophia.Aveline struggled. "Let go..."But she was no match for Brian. He held her down firmly, keeping her from getting up.Brian stared intently at Sophia. "Miss Winter, it's her who did wrong, not Mr. Tudor. Don't blame Mr. Tudor. She took advantage of his gratitude and refused to divorce him!"Aveline's eyes widened in shock.Sophia turned to Lucas. "Lucas, is this true?"Lucas said nothing, his lips pressed into a
Gavin said nothing and simply hung up the phone, his expression darkening by the second.Behind him, Jolie’s soft, pained whimpers filled the air. She was writhing on the bed, her delicate skin flushed a faint pink.Gavin clenched his jaw, tugging at his tie. It had already loosened from when she’d pulled on it earlier, and with a rough yank, it came completely undone. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior.Where was Selena? She was supposed to be finding help, but she still hadn’t returned.His frown deepened as he reached for the door, ready to leave."Please… help me…"Her desperate voice, laced with a hint of a sob, echoed from behind him. The softness of it hit him like a lit match to his chest, sparking a heat he wasn’t used to feeling. "Please… I’ll pay you… I won’t take it for free…" Jolie’s voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She was sobbing now, her words dripping with helplessness and shame, as if offering him money would somehow make her request more bear
"Stop moving," Gavin growled in a low voice.But Jolie, completely under the control of the drugs, was acting purely on instinct, seeking out what her body craved most. She didn’t register his words at all. Instead of stopping, she slipped her hand inside his shirt, feeling the hard muscles of his chest."Mm..." Jolie let out a soft sound, whether from the satisfying feel of his muscles or because the touch of his skin intensified the drug’s effects, it wasn’t clear.Gavin's breathing became heavier. He couldn’t stay here any longer—this drugged and irrational woman could do anything at this point, and there was no telling what she’d attempt next.Quickly surveying his surroundings, Gavin spotted a quieter route. Without hesitation, he carried Jolie out through the back door, re-entering the villa through another entrance. He headed upstairs and slipped into the nearest empty room, laying her down on the bed.Just as he moved to leave, Jolie, still hazy and half-conscious, sensed his d
"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