The night was deep and dark. The sky, faintly lit by moonlight, was gradually covered by dark clouds. Raindrops began to fall, eventually turning into a torrential downpour. The rain streaked down the windows, creating a chaotic pattern of lines that cast a fragmented, shadowy light into the room.Aveline bit down hard on Lucas' shoulder, her eyes filled with hatred as she trembled and cried uncontrollably. Lucas' shoulder muscles tensed like stone, veins bulging at his temples, and his eyes were filled with cold, piercing fury."I hate you, Lucas, I hate you!" Aveline sobbed, hitting him with her fists, struggling and gasping for breath, refusing to give in.Lucas, however, was overwhelmingly forceful, as if he wanted to devour her whole. His aggression was relentless.She eventually ran out of strength, left helplessly crying. Why was he treating her this way? He was already slept with Sophia, so why did he still need to take out his frustrations on her? Why not just divorce her
Brian was silent for a moment before he said, "Miss Young fainted and was taken by Mr. Russell."Lucas' voice was laced with cold anger. "Why didn’t you interfere?"Brian paused before responding, "You instructed me to ensure her safety, and Mr. Russell did not harm her."Lucas hung up the phone without another word.Brian sighed, thinking to himself, "Did I do something wrong? I was just following orders."...Aveline's world spun, her body cycling between feverish heat and chilling cold. Consciousness ebbed and flowed like tides, leaving her adrift. Muffled voices reached her ears, but their words were lost in the haze. Without warning, something acrid touched her tongue, and she reflexively expelled it."Aveline?"The voice became clearer and somewhat familiar. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Russell's devilishly handsome face close to hers.She blinked in surprise. "Russ, what are you doing here?"Russell frowned and said, "You fainted, and now you have a fever. Take the medicin
Aveline didn’t hear his words; she had already fallen asleep.At some point, the rain had stopped. When Aveline woke up again, it was already daylight. She felt weak and sore all over and coughed a couple of times."Awake? Are you hungry?" A tired, raspy voice came from beside her. Aveline turned her head and saw Russell sitting on the sofa. His short hair was a bit messy, and his eyes showed signs of fatigue.She sat up and said, "Russ, did you stay up all night?"Russell replied, "Yes, I kept an eye on you, afraid something might happen."He stared at her intently after speaking. Aveline paused, then looked at him gratefully. “Russ, thank you. If only we were truly family."Russell fell silent.A hint of frustration flickered in his eyes. Did she really not see him in a romantic light at all?How was he supposed to deal with this?Russell irritably ran a hand through his hair.Seeing this, Aveline quickly asked, "Russ, what's wrong?"With his head down, hands tangled in his hair, he
A man like that was trouble, plain and simple. The sooner they steered clear, the better. Russell made a mental note: once this mess outside was sorted, he would need to have a serious talk with Aveline.Stepping outside the mansion, he saw Lucas' car ramming the gate once more. This time, the gate couldn't withstand the impact and was forced open. The car screeched to a halt just thirty centimeters from Russell, drawing gasps from onlookers.Russell's devilishly handsome face remained impassive. "Lucas, you're quite rude."Lucas opened the car door, a chilling aura surrounding him, and walked up to Russell. "Where's Aveline?" he demanded coldly.Russell replied, "I have no idea."Lucas' expression darkened, and he started towards the mansion. But Russell extended his arm to block him.A mocking smile appeared on Russell's face as he looked at Lucas. "Mr. Tudor, first you damage my gate, and now you want to trespass. What exactly are you planning to do?"Lucas' cold gaze fixed on Russ
Aveline struggled with all her might, but his grip was too strong as if he intended to crush her wrist. The pain made her face turn pale. In desperation, she bent down and bit his arm hard.Lucas' movements halted, but he didn't let go, simply watching her bite him. The taste of blood filled her mouth, and Aveline, out of breath, looked at him with reddened eyes. "Lucas, what madness are you on about? I don't want to see you. Let me go!""Have you forgotten your place, Aveline?" Lucas tightened his grip, pulling her closer and grabbing her by the neck, his eyes flashing with cold fury. "I told you, I won't agree to a divorce. You will remain mine forever. Moving into another man's house before our divorce is finalized? Are you asking for trouble?"Aveline struggled with all her strength but having just recovered from a fever and not eaten, she had little energy left. Her face turned red with frustration."Lucas, I am not your prisoner! We may not be divorced yet, but you have no right
Lucas' cold, mocking laughter echoed in her ears as he gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "So, concerned about him? How about I just kill him, and you can cry your heart out once and for all?"Aveline trembled with anger. "Lucas, I already said I'd go with you. What more do you want?"Lucas' voice was chilling. "Seeing you cry for him infuriates me. What should I do about that, hmm?"Aveline closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down."That's better," Lucas said with a satisfied smirk. Seeing her stop crying, he pulled her into his arms and left the mansion.Russell watched them leave, his eyes bloodshot and his jaw clenched tightly. Soon after, the ambulance arrived, and the butler helped him onto it. Just as they got on, the butler received a phone call, his face turning grim."Mr. Russell, the people from the main house somehow got wind of this and have snatched the investor you've been dealing with."Despite the pain, Russell sneered. "They move fast."The b
Slap!Lucas struck her on the backside, his voice cold. "Behave yourself!"Aveline was both ashamed and furious, her eyes filled with hatred for him.Once inside the villa, Lucas placed her in a bedroom on the second floor. Seeing the emotions in her eyes, his gaze remained icy."Aveline, I was too lenient with you before, which gave you the courage to scheme against me. This time, you'll stay here until you realize your mistake and give up on the idea of divorce. Then I'll let you go."Aveline's eyes widened in shock. "You intend to imprison me?"Lucas looked at her pale, frail form and said coldly, "Think of it that way if you want, but you brought this on yourself!"With that, he turned to leave.Panicked, Aveline got off the bed. "No, you can't do this! I have no idea what you're talking about!"She tried to run out, but Lucas grabbed her back."Aveline, my patience has limits. Don't test me!" Lucas glared at her, the thought of her sending Sophia to him filled him with rage, makin
Lucas sat in the car, a cigarette in hand. Smoke swirled around him, obscuring the cold emotions in his eyes.Thinking back on how he had been emotionally moved by her recently, he now felt only contempt.In her heart, there was no place for him. She even tried to send another woman to his bed. How could she be so despicable?Taking a deep drag on his cigarette, Lucas pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Where are you?"Aaron's voice sounded tired. "In Stonefall City. What's up?""Why did you go so far?"Aaron replied, "I'm here to keep an eye on Selena for you. What's going on over there?""You don't need to watch over her anymore. I've decided not to let go.""Huh?" Aaron was surprised. "Aveline looks like she wants a divorce from you. Aren't you afraid she'll hate you if you don't let her go?"Lucas let out a cold laugh. "She crossed me. Do you think I'll let her get what she wants?"Feeling curious, Aaron eagerly asked, "What happened? Tell me so I can enjoy some gossip.""
Jolie stirred, her eyes fluttering open in the dimly lit cabin. The sharp, handsome features of the man before her were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath. His lips, carrying his familiar scent, gently traced hers, as if torn between waking her and letting her sleep. Her breath hitched, a brief moment of confusion washing over her. Gavin noticed and, in response, pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Did I wake you?" "You did that on purpose," Jolie replied, her voice soft and husky from sleep. "Mm." Gavin didn’t deny it, his tone unapologetic as he leaned down to kiss her again. Still groggy, Jolie found herself caught off guard, his lips capturing hers with a growing intensity. By the time she realized what was happening, he had deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing and tangling with hers in an intoxicating rhythm. Her breath quickened, and she instinctively pushed against him. Gavin pulled back, only to trail kisses along her cheek and down her neck, his
The night air was cool, a gentle breeze slipping through the car window and lifting the strands of hair framing her face. They fluttered across her vision, briefly distracting her, yet she could still clearly see his eyes. At that moment, the unease and uncertainty stirring in her chest melted away, replaced by an inexplicable sense of calm. It felt as though there was nothing he couldn’t handle. As long as he wanted to. Jolie smiled softly and said, "Alright." When they arrived at the private airstrip, the captain came forward to exchange a few words with Gavin. Standing nearby, Jolie watched and couldn’t resist asking, "How long will you be staying?" Gavin glanced at her. "How long do you want me to stay?" The overly intimate tone of his words, spoken with such casual ease, caught her off guard. Her cheeks flushed immediately—especially since there were others around to hear it. Lowering her gaze shyly, she murmured, "You can stay as long as you want." She turned he
Gavin looked at her, his gaze steady, and replied in a calm voice, "You’ve got the leverage to do it." Oh... Jolie’s heart skipped a beat, her pulse momentarily thrown off rhythm. What was this feeling? It was as if someone was spoiling her, cherishing her unconditionally. Even though it was just a simple conversation, it carried a warmth she couldn’t ignore. For a moment, she realized that what she once thought was affection and care had been nothing but an illusion. A smile unconsciously curved on her lips as her eyes lit up. "Does this mean I can walk around Larbor City like I own the place?" Gavin raised an eyebrow. "Are you a crab?" Jolie burst into laughter, her mood instantly lifted by his quick-witted remark. Her earlier irritation dissipated, replaced by lightheartedness. Whether or not he meant it, the fact that he sided with her made her happy. "I’m full. Should we head out?" she asked, her appetite long gone after everything that had happened earlier.
The girl stared in disbelief, her hands clutching her face. "You hit me?" Jolie blinked innocently at her. "Weren’t you the one insisting I hit you earlier? I just gave you another slap to match your story. You should be used to it by now." "Jolie Quin!" Ian had reached his limit, his voice full of anger as he glared at her. "Apologize to her!" Jolie glanced at him, her expression calm but icy. "Get lost." She had thought he might be reasonable, but clearly, he was blinded by infatuation. She had no patience to deal with him any longer and turned to leave. Before she could take a step, Ian grabbed her arm roughly. "Jolie, you’re not leaving without apologizing! I don’t think I’ve ever wronged you, have I? We used to get along just fine, didn’t we?" "Let go," Jolie said, her brows knitting in disgust. She hated being touched, especially by someone she considered beneath her. Ian tightened his grip, his hand digging into her arm hard enough to cause pain. "Jolie, yo
Jolie was completely baffled, a string of question marks running through her mind. But when the girl suddenly dropped to her knees, it genuinely startled her.She quickly reached out to help her up. "Get up first. We can talk properly."Before Jolie could react, the girl grabbed her hand and slapped herself hard across the face with it.Smack!The crisp sound echoed in the quiet hallway, leaving Jolie frozen in shock."Why did you hit me?" The girl, who had just been crying like an innocent damsel in distress, now clutched her face and loudly accused her. "Ian and I are the real couple! You’re the one coming between us. How could you hit me?"Jolie blinked, completely dumbfounded, as the girl’s voice rang out.A few passersby paused, glancing over to witness the commotion.Meanwhile, Ian, who had been waiting and wondering why his girlfriend hadn’t returned, came looking for her. The scene he walked into—his girlfriend on the ground, crying and accusing Jolie—made him stride forward,
The person in the hallway glanced at her briefly but quickly looked away, as though she were a stranger. Jolie’s hand, lifted halfway to wave, stalled in mid-air.What... was that? Gavin noticed her reaction and asked in a low voice, "What’s wrong?" "Nothing," Jolie replied, shaking her head and brushing it off. The man outside was Ian. Pretending not to know her was probably his way of avoiding unnecessary trouble—after all, they had already "broken up." The door to their private room shut completely, and Gavin hadn’t seen Ian or his group. He turned back to her and asked, "Do you come here often?" "Yeah," Jolie nodded. "I come here a lot with friends." So, this was one of her favorite hidden gems. The fact that she was willing to share it with him felt significant somehow. Gavin caught himself lingering on that thought and was momentarily taken aback by his own reaction. He kept his expression neutral, not letting on what had crossed his mind. The food arrived qui
The reason it wasn’t the same was simple—her plan would fall apart if she got caught.Of course, that wasn’t something she could admit.Jolie simply said, "I just don’t want any unnecessary complications. Since you’ve already arranged the flight, let’s just leave directly."Gavin’s dark eyes fixed on her for a moment, but he didn’t press the issue.It was clear she didn’t want to talk about it any further, so he let it drop.When the elevator doors opened, the two of them walked out together. A car was already waiting at the entrance. Gavin, ever the gentleman, opened the door for her.The car pulled away from Cooper Enterprises, and Gavin asked, "What do you want to eat?"Jolie, busy typing on her phone, replied, "I know a good restaurant."It was a cozy place she loved, one she often visited with her friends."Alright," Gavin replied, pulling out his phone to respond to some emails. With his work condensed into such a tight schedule, he seized every spare moment to handle it.Jolie p
Gavin suddenly recalled Wilfried's words, "That girl doesn’t even like you."Lowering his gaze slightly, Gavin pushed the thought aside without explanation, his expression remaining cool and indifferent as he watched her. After Jolie finished looking through the photos, she turned to him and asked, "Why do you have pictures of all these women?" "My father brought them over," Gavin replied. "Oh." Jolie nodded knowingly and didn’t press further. It was easy enough to figure out—the Cooper family obviously wanted him to consider an arranged marriage, so they sent over these photos for him to choose from. She could understand that. In fact, she even helped him look through them, just in case one of these women turned out to be a good match for him. After all, their relationship wasn’t meant to last forever. When he grew tired of her and she had her fun, they’d part ways, and everything would return to normal. As she neatly organized the photos and placed them back on the ta
It was Jolie’s first time visiting Cooper Enterprises, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of curiosity about the place.No, to be precise, it was her first time stepping into any corporate office. The Quin family also had company, but she had never visited, nor had Daisy or Terence ever asked her to.The private elevator for the CEO was stunningly opulent, its polished surface gleaming like a mirror, perfectly reflecting their images. Jolie’s heart began to race with an inexplicable excitement.The assistant glanced at her and said with a warm smile, "Miss Quin, there’s no need to be nervous. Mr. Cooper will definitely be delighted to see you."Jolie nodded and replied, "I’m not nervous."The elevator moved swiftly, and as they neared the executive office, Jolie adjusted her cap and mask, pulling them snugly to hide her face as much as possible.Meanwhile, near the adjacent employee elevator, Rosalie was holding a stack of files, ready to head downstairs.She froze the moment she s