The next second, the tickling sensation returned to her cheek. Annoyed, she opened her eyes."What are you doing?"Lucas stood by the bed, releasing her hair. “You slept soundly," he said coldly.Aveline, already cranky from being woken up, glared at him. "Do you need something?"Wasn't he supposed to be busy with work? Why did he have to bother her?Lucas, seeing her on the verge of exploding, let out a low chuckle. He ruffled her messy hair and said, "Get ready. We're going out."With that, he turned and left the guest bedroom.Aveline, feeling frustrated, grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door.Half an hour later, Aveline emerged from the guest room and asked coolly, "Where are we going?"Lucas tossed her a jacket. "You'll find out when we get there."She dutifully helped him wear his jacket, then walked straight to the door without a moment's hesitation.Lucas watched her slender back, his eyes darkening slightly.It was already dusk. The sky was ablaze with vibrant sunset clo
Aveline said, "I'm Aveline Young. I used to work here part-time."Zane's face lit up with recognition. "Yes, yes, you’re that young girl! You got into college, didn't you?" He smiled warmly, remembering the girl who had once stood stubbornly at his shop's entrance, promising not to cause trouble and only wanting to earn some living expenses.There were laws against employing child labor, but this determined girl had insisted, vowing she just wanted to work to support herself. She had been quick and efficient whenever customers came in and had shared her dream of going to college and leaving Arthur Town.Feeling touched, Zane reluctantly agreed to employ her without much expectation. He thought she might last a few days before quitting, like many young people who couldn't handle the hard work. But to his surprise, she had worked there for three years.Zane had grown fond of the girl, treating her like the daughter he never had, often cooking special treats for her."Yes, I did." Avelin
Lucas said, "It's more interesting to hear it from you."Aveline suddenly smiled. "Alright, how about this: I tell you something about me, and you tell me something about you. Deal?"Lucas saw the bright, playful look in her eyes and nodded. "Deal."Aveline promptly stood up. "We should get some drinks for our stories, otherwise, it won't be fun."Lucas watched as Aveline eagerly fetched the drinks, his gaze deepening. Remembering her behavior when drunk, he chose not to stop her.She soon returned with a pack of beer, placing a bottle in front of him and one in front of herself. She opened hers and took a sip, closing her eyes briefly. "That's the taste!"Lucas opened his can and took a sip, a rare hint of warmth softening his sharp features.Aveline began, "I grew up in an orphanage."She raised an eyebrow at Lucas."Is that it?" he asked with a faint smile."Yes." Aveline nodded.He chuckled softly. "I once lost my memory."Aveline was speechless. She had hoped to uncover something
Lucas' eyes gazed intently at Aveline. Seeing her slightly tipsy state, he asked, "Does it really matter?"In the face of those events, did love really matter?Aveline felt her consciousness growing hazy, but she clung to a shred of clarity. "Of course, it matters. If you love her, then we... we..."She really couldn't hold her liquor. Just half a bottle of beer, and she was already losing her grip on reality.Lucas stared at her. "We what?"Aveline slumped onto the table. "Then we can't go on."Lucas' expression darkened immediately. Watching her flushed face as she drifted off to sleep, unlike before when she would cling to him, he felt an unexpected pang of disappointment.But ending things like this wasn't an option.He reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and gazed at her intently. In a low voice, he murmured, "Aveline, if you had agreed to the divorce back then, you might be free now. But it's too late."At that moment, Zane approached, smiling as he saw t
Brian shook his head vigorously. "No, you've got it wrong. The reason I respect Miss Winter so much is because she saved Mr. Tudor back then, even losing a leg in the process. Doesn't a woman like that deserve to be cherished?" Desmond scrutinized him for a moment before abruptly asking, "So, you think they've managed to deceive everyone?"Brian was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"Desmond shook his head in exasperation. "If you don't get it, forget it."He turned to leave but stopped after a few steps, looking back at Brian with a serious expression. "Make sure to protect Miss Young. If you don't, your life will be on the line."With Brian still looking confused, Desmond walked away again.Brian stood there, stunned for a long moment before collecting himself. Lucas' request to protect Aveline resonated deeply. He was prepared to defend her with his life if needed.After this incident, he understood his role clearly. He was just a subordinate, and his life belonged to Lucas.
The call connected, and Aaron's cheeky voice came through."Give Selena something to do," Lucas said coldly."Hmm?" Aaron asked, puzzled. "What did she do to provoke you? Let me guess, she's advising Aveline to leave you, isn't she?"Lucas' eyes turned icy. "You're quite perceptive."Aaron retorted, "Hey, you're asking me for a favor. Could you at least be a bit more polite?""Oh, you're really perceptive."Aaron sighed. "Fine, fine. I know I'll never hear a kind word from you, but don't worry. I'll take care of it."Lucas acknowledged, "Keep an eye on things over there too.""Don't worry, everything's under control," Aaron reassured."Good."...After finishing her morning routine, Aveline came out to find breakfast already delivered by the hotel. They ate together before heading to the hospital.Lucas needed his arm re-bandaged and to receive injections. Aveline couldn't bear to watch, turning her face away when the bandages were removed.Lucas stared at her, his lips pressed into a
Unfortunately, Aveline couldn’t turn back time. If she could go back to the past, she would have done so already!Aveline turned her head towards the window, her lips pressing into a tight line. Lucas, too, looked out the opposite window, the tension between them thickening.When they arrived at Celestial Heights, Lucas had barely stepped out of the car when a petite figure dashed towards him."Lucas!" Rebecca's eyes sparkled as she looked at Lucas, but before she could reach him, Desmond intercepted her.In response, Rebecca swung her hand and slapped Desmond across the face. "Who do you think you are? How dare you stop me? Mark my words, if I were to complain to Lucas about you, he’d fire you on the spot!"Rebecca's sudden outburst caught everyone off guard, and Aveline's brows furrowed as she glanced at Desmond. Although he was Lucas' lackey, Desmond had never made things difficult for her. They weren't close, but she couldn't help feeling indignant on his behalf.Lucas' expressio
"Yes, sir." Desmond quickly nodded and turned to carry out the orders.Given the diamond mine deal and Reynold’s promise to ground Rebecca for a month, Lucas had let the matter slide. Yet, within days, he allowed Rebecca to venture out. If Reynold couldn't enforce discipline with his daughter, he would have to deal with the consequences.Aveline poured Lucas a glass of water and placed it in front of him before turning to leave.Lucas stared at her and asked, "Don't you have anything to say?"Aveline's expression was indifferent. "You didn't do anything wrong. Why should I say anything?"Her words unexpectedly lifted Lucas' gloomy mood. In the past, she would have scoffed at his actions. Could it be that she was beginning to care for him again?With this thought, Lucas reached out and pulled her towards him.Aveline frowned. "What are you doing?"Lucas locked his eyes onto hers as his gaze fell lower. He leaned in to kiss her."Are you crazy?" Aveline pushed him away and hurried back t
One of Jolie’s long, slender legs was exposed to the cool air, and Gavin’s fingers instinctively tightened, as if they could still feel the smoothness of her thigh under his grip. His gaze darkened, though his expression only grew colder. His sharp, chiseled features gave him a distant, unapproachable aura—a man who seldom smiled and whose demeanor warned others to stay away.He was cold, almost like an ice block."Debt’s owed," he said flatly, tossing out the two words before sitting on the sofa and picking up the phone to make a call.Jolie blinked in surprise, processing what he said. Debt owed?Was that something you could even keep on hold?But thinking about it, he probably didn’t need anything right now. So, if he wanted to leave the debt hanging, so be it.Stretching lazily, Jolie sat up and said, "Have someone bring me a change of clothes."With that, she pulled the blanket aside, slowly rising from the bed despite the discomfort between her legs and headed toward the bathro
As the effects of the drug finally began to fade, Jolie lay exhausted on the bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her skin, especially across her delicate shoulder blades, bore faint marks from their encounter and her breath ragged as it brushed against her own back. Her vision was hazy, and she barely had the strength to speak."I... I’m fine now... you can stop," she murmured, her voice weak and broken from the strain of what had just happened.The madness of moments before still pulsed through her, the aftershocks of it lingering in her body. She never expected that grabbing a random man for help would lead to this, nor did she expect him to have such relentless stamina.Yet, the man behind her didn’t stop. He didn’t respond either. His large hands remained firmly gripped around her slender waist as if he were trying to squeeze the very breath from her."Stop... I told you to stop, didn’t you hear me?" Jolie’s anxiety spiked as he continued. What was wrong with him? They’d agreed he was
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