After freshening up, Aveline came out and saw Lucas sitting on the sofa, with Desmond reporting something to him. During their conversation, Lucas would occasionally cough.Aveline quietly ate her breakfast and, after finishing, said, "I want to leave Arthur Town."Lucas immediately looked up at her. "After everything that's happened, you still want to leave?"Aveline replied, "Staying here is the most dangerous option. Leaving would be safer."Lucas stared at her intensely. "What if I don't allow you to go?"Aveline shrugged. "Then I won't go."Lucas was taken aback by her obedience.Aveline, sitting diagonally across from him, said, "But why keep me here? I don’t want to be held responsible for upsetting you further.”Lucas glared at her coldly, suddenly coughing violently. The pale hue of his face was tinged with red, adding an almost otherworldly charm to his appearance.Desmond said, "Mr. Tudor, please don't get upset." He then turned to Aveline. "Miss Young, Mr. Tudor is concern
Damn it!Aveline's chest heaved with anger.Desmond hesitated before speaking up, "Actually, this matter...""Shut up!" Both Lucas and Aveline exclaimed simultaneously. The synchronized shouts silenced Desmond instantly, and he dared not say another word.He was terrified, thinking how hard his life was as Lucas’ assistant.Aveline's temper flared. With a cold laugh, she turned and walked away. But as she opened the door, she was met by several bodyguards standing there. Seeing her, they immediately moved to block her path.Aveline acted as if she didn't see them and walked straight ahead.The bodyguards' expressions changed, knowing that if they didn't move, they'd end up touching Aveline inappropriately. If that happened, Lucas would surely have their hands cut off!Instinctively, they stepped back while still trying to block her.Realizing their concern, Aveline pressed forward even more determinedly.In this strange standoff, they all moved towards the elevator.The lead bodyguard
Three days later.Lucas had wrapped up affairs in Arthur Town; now, it was time to dispatch others to finalize the assessment and prepare for signing the investment deal. His presence was no longer required here.They departed for Cloudflare City.The bodyguard placed Aveline's suitcase in the car. Lucas took her hand. "What are you thinking about?"Aveline glanced at their clasped hands but said nothing. Lucas looked at her for a moment before helping her into the car.Just as they left Arthur Town, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, his expression grew colder. It was a call from Rebecca."Hello?" he answered, his tone noticeably icy."Lucas, I'm leaving the country. Do you want to see me off?" Rebecca's voice came through.All this time, Rebecca had not apologized to Aveline. Through his business dealings, Lucas had taken direct measures to sanction the Johnson family, leaving them in dire straits. Unable to oppose his daughter's wishes, Reynold had to send her abroad and humble
She even asked the flight attendant for a blanket, but it didn’t help her feel less cold.The woman glanced at Lucas and noticed his dark expression as if she had owed him millions. She suddenly understood why the previous girl had swapped seats with her. Sitting next to someone like that would make anyone's nerves frayed.The woman stood up, took her belongings, and went back to economy class. Aveline was sleeping when she was suddenly woken up. She removed her eye mask and saw the woman who had swapped seats earlier."Hi, I don't want to swap seats anymore. I prefer my original seat. Let's switch back."Aveline was puzzled. "That's business class. The seat there is more comfortable."The woman insisted, "I like my original seat. It was mine to begin with, so please give it back."Aveline paused for a moment before silently agreeing to swap back.Returning to business class, she found Lucas sitting with a stern expression, his eyes fixed on her."Why did you come back?" he asked cold
The small two-bedroom apartment had a good location and was in demand.Aveline placed her suitcase in the hotel before returning to her home in the Waterfont District. She paused as she opened the door, feeling a strange sense of unfamiliarity after being away for so long. This place held too many memories of her and Lucas, memories she preferred to avoid.She walked through the apartment, and just then, her phone rang. Seeing it was a call from the real estate agent, she answered, "Hello?""Hello, Miss Young. Someone is interested in buying your apartment and would like to discuss it. When can you meet?"Aveline's face lit up with joy. "I can meet right now.""Great, I'll contact the buyer and arrange a meeting.""Alright," Aveline agreed readily.She hadn't expected her apartment to attract a buyer so quickly. Deciding to wait, she spent some time tidying up the place. Just as she finished, her phone rang again—the buyer had arrived.Aveline went to the elevator to wait. Soon, th
After Maria finished speaking, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She realized she had made a mistake. She really should think before she speaks."Hehe... Boss, I was just talking nonsense because I had too much to drink. Don't take it seriously," she laughed nervously, trying to backtrack.Lucas' cold voice came through. "Come over and move everything.""Okay, got it!" Maria quickly agreed, but she didn't dare to hang up right away.Cautiously, she asked, "Boss, is there anything else?"After a long pause, Lucas finally responded, "Did she really say that?""Say what?" Maria was momentarily confused.Lucas hung up without another word.Maria blinked in bewilderment, then started the car and headed to the Tudor mansion, unsure of what Lucas was thinking....Aveline sold her apartment and immediately informed Selena. She hadn't been in touch with her much lately because Selena had ventured into a remote jungle with poor signal reception for a film shoot. Aveline couldn't qu
"Mr. Fletcher, here's your water," Selena said, handing him the cup without looking at him.Aaron took the cup, sipping it slowly. "Do you really want to murder me right now?" Selena forced a smile. "Mr. Fletcher, you're joking. Committing murder is against the law."Aaron chuckled lightly. "So, if it weren't illegal, you'd murder me?"Selena smiled at him, and Aaron couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine.He stood up and started walking toward the woods. After a couple of steps, he noticed Selena still standing there and asked, "What are you waiting for?"Selena asked incredulously, "Do you need me to follow you to pee?"The veins on Aaron's forehead bulged. "Follow me!"Selena's expression changed as she looked at him like he was a pervert, even taking a step back. "I refuse."Aaron laughed at her reaction. "I'm not going to the bathroom."Selena eyed him suspiciously. "Then why are you heading into the woods?"Aaron fell silent.Why did everything she said have an under
Aaron froze. He too had heard the sound of something cutting through the air. When he turned around, he saw Selena diving towards him, taking the bullet meant for him.It was utterly shocking!He caught her, watching in disbelief as blood flowed from her shoulder and her face grew pale. "Why?" he asked, confused.Selena was in so much pain that she couldn't speak. Hearing his voice through the haze, she wanted to slap him hard. Why was he asking such a dumb question? Couldn’t he just get her to the hospital already? Did he plan to let her die and bury her right here? This damn man!"Mr. Fletcher, are you alright?" The discreetly positioned bodyguards emerged from their hiding, having captured the shooter, and approached him.Aaron snapped out of his daze, his face darkening. "What were you doing just now?"The bodyguard bowed his head. "Sorry, Mr. Fletcher, it happened suddenly, and we were caught off guard."Aaron couldn't describe what he felt. He picked up Selena and ran qui
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