Aveline was taken aback. "Where are we going?"Lucas, looking tense, opened the passenger door and pushed her inside, a sense of urgency in his actions.Once he got in the car, Aveline frowned and asked, "Where exactly are we going?"Lucas replied, "Grandma had an episode."Barbara? Aveline's mind flashed to the sweet old lady suffering from dementia, and she felt a mix of emotions.The entire drive, she stayed quiet until they arrived at the nursing home.Lucas walked briskly ahead, with Aveline following behind.They walked down a long corridor and arrived at a charming little building. Inside, several caregivers looked flustered, and from afar, they could hear Barbara's cries."Granddaughter-in-law, I want my granddaughter-in-law. Waaa, granddaughter-in-law..."Hearing this, Aveline was stunned.Patients with dementia often have poor memory. She thought Barbara had long forgotten her, but it seemed she still remembered after all this time.They quickly entered the building, where B
Lucas frowned and hung up the phone, then walked out.In the garden, Sophia had already approached Barbara. She held out a cotton candy shaped like a kitten. "Madam Barbara, look at this cute little kitten."Barbara's eyes lit up when she saw the cotton candy, but she didn't take it. Instead, she tugged on Aveline's hand."Granddaughter-in-law, you get me cotton candy. I don't like kittens; I like bunnies."From the moment Sophia appeared, Aveline had instinctively tensed up. But when she heard Barbara's voice, she suddenly relaxed. An indescribable feeling welled up inside her, making her feel a bit sad and close to tears."Okay, I'll get you one," Aveline said.Barbara smiled brightly. "My granddaughter-in-law is the best."Sophia, still holding the cotton candy, froze awkwardly. She slowly withdrew her hand and looked at Aveline. " Madam Barbara likes you very much."Aveline replied calmly, "She just happens to find me pleasing."Sophia smiled slightly, lowering her eyes with a hint
Aveline looked away and turned to leave the nursing home...."Lucas, thank you. I suddenly feel a lot of pain in my leg," Sophia said, leaning on Lucas's arm for support, frowning.Lucas stared at her prosthetic leg and asked in a deep voice, "Do you need a wheelchair?"Sophia shook her head with a smile. "No, this pain happens every day. I just have to endure it. It's a lingering issue from two years ago..."Realizing what she had said, she quickly added, "Lucas, don't misunderstand. I didn't mean anything by it, I just...""I'll have someone take you home," Lucas interrupted, guiding her outside.Sophia lowered her gaze slightly. She had seen Aveline and deliberately mentioned her leg pain to make Lucas support her. From Aveline's perspective, it would look like Lucas was hugging her. Though it was a misunderstanding, she felt she had to act. She needed Aveline to know she and Lucas were the true couple and that Aveline was just the third party.She savored Lucas' warmth and walked
"Darling Ave, want to come out and have some fun? I found a great new bar," Selena's excited voice came through.Aveline took a deep breath and said, "Sure, send me the location.""OK, see you soon."After hanging up, Aveline looked at the sunset once more, the pain in her chest still lingering. She scoffed at herself.He was already messing around with Sophia, so why should she care anymore?Once she got the divorce settlement, she'd be living the high life with young, handsome men on each arm, carefree and happy!Why not start enjoying that life a bit early?When Aveline arrived at Feline Bar, Selena was waiting at the entrance. She rushed up to her and gave her a big hug."Ave, how do you manage to look prettier every time I see you?"Aveline laughed. "You always know how to flatter me."Selena linked arms with her and led her inside. "I heard the DJ here is wild. You're going to love it!"Aveline teased, "Did you forget I'm a married woman?"Selena scoffed. "Why should that matter?
"Hey?"As Selena saw Aveline stagger to her feet and squint before walking towards the handsome gray-haired guy, a smile immediately appeared on her face."Not bad, not bad! Dump the jerk and start a new life!"Russell Skyler, holding an earpiece to his ear with one hand and adjusting the music with the other, exuded a devilish charm. When he smiled, it was utterly captivating. Several girls were watching his actions and screaming.Aveline pushed through the crowd and went straight to him. "Hey, handsome, want a drink?"Russell, still holding the earpiece, didn't hear Aveline clearly. He continued to manipulate the music slowly and casually, his eyes downcast."Why is he ignoring me?" Aveline's cheeks were flushed. Suddenly, she reached out and snatched the earpiece from him, putting it aside. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"The music was deafening, but the atmosphere around them instantly became deathly quiet. Everyone turned to look at Aveline, including Russell.No one had ever dared to
Sophia sat next to Lucas, holding her phone and looking at recipes. Seeing a dish she liked, she leaned closer to him. "Lucas, how about I make this dish? But we need to go to the supermarket; I don't have enough ingredients at home."Lucas frowned slightly and suddenly said, "Stop the car."The driver immediately pulled over.Sophia looked at him in confusion. "Lucas, what’s the meaning of this?"Lucas addressed the driver, "Make sure Miss Winter gets home safely." He then turned to Sophia. "I have something to do, so I need to leave."With that, he opened the car door and got out."Lucas..." Sophia called out to him, but he left without looking back.Sophia clenched her phone, her expression quickly turning cold! She saw that Lucas had been looking at Facebook and he was looking at the post about Aveline. That was why he left immediately!He had promised to go to her house for dinner!Could it be that Aveline really occupied his heart?No! She absolutely would not allow that to happe
"Ave, stop drinking," Selena began, initially frightened, but now even more scared seeing Aveline in this state.Aveline pushed her away. "If I don't finish these, what if he doesn't let us go?" She said, downing another glass.Russell's nonchalant smile gradually faded, his gaze growing colder with a hint of interest. Hah! This woman had the audacity to snatch something from his hand earlier, and now she was utterly terrified. But from her demeanor, it seemed she was drinking to drown her sorrows."Enough!" Russell said impatiently.But Aveline didn't stop. Out of eight glasses, she had already drunk five."I haven't finished yet. No way." Aveline shook her head, her vision now extremely blurry, yet she accurately picked up another glass and drank."I said, enough!" Russell suddenly stood up, grabbed her wrist, and snatched the glass from her hand, hurling it to the floor. The glass shattered into pieces instantly.Aveline swayed on her feet. Selena quickly held her up. "Ave, you don'
Lucas held Aveline, looking at her flushed, drunken face with a deep frown. "Ave, I'm taking you home.""Who are you?" Aveline's vision was blurry, and feeling someone holding her, she immediately started to struggle.Lucas patiently said, "It's me, Lu."Hearing his voice, Aveline paused for a moment, then struggled even harder. "Get off me, you bastard! Don't touch me!"Lucas' face darkened.Russell's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Buddy, didn't you hear her? She doesn't want you touching her."Lucas shot him a cold look. "This is between me and my wife. It's none of your business."Russell's smile faltered. Wife? Watching Aveline struggle, an inexplicable anger flared up inside him. "It doesn't look like it. How about you show me your marriage certificate to prove you're her husband? Otherwise, I can't just hand her over."Lucas' handsome face grew even colder, his expression darkened. He pulled the marriage certificate out of his pocket. "Is this clear enough for you?"Russell
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