Lucas's cold eyes swept over Russell, and he sneered, "Just checking to see if Mr. Skyler has kicked the bucket yet."The smile on Russell's face faded slightly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you.""No problem. Next time I'll hit harder, and maybe I won’t get disappointed," Lucas said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. He picked up the bowl and utensils and began eating unceremoniously.Aveline immediately protested, "That’s not for you!"Lucas raised an eyebrow at her. "Isn’t food meant to be eaten?""You!" Aveline's face darkened with anger. How could this man be so shameless? Coming to the hospital to steal Russell's food without any sense of shame!Lucas clearly didn’t care. He ate with great enthusiasm.Seeing this, Russell didn't delay and started eating as well.With only one person's portion, it wasn’t long before the two men finished all the food.Aveline was speechless!Lucas put down the utensils and elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin. He glanced at Aveline and said, "No
Russell said, "You're still young. It would be better for you to find a job and stay busy. Sitting idle every day will only lead to mental fatigue."Aveline replied, "Hmm, I'll consider it."Russell then offered directly, "How about joining my company? I happen to be short of staff lately."Aveline laughed. "Russ, don't joke around. I'm not capable enough. What if I mess up your work?"He looked at her intently and said, "It's okay, even if you cause a huge problem, I'll back you up."Aveline hesitated, about to say something, when the door to the ward opened again, and Rina walked in."Why are you here again?"Rina's face initially had a smile, but seeing Aveline, it vanished instantly. Her eyes filled with caution, she quickly walked over and said, "Since you're married, you shouldn't always come here. Russ is still single; others would misunderstand your relationship with him.""Rina!"Russell didn't expect her to come, but he quickly realized that someone must have called her over.
After speaking, she turned and left.Russell looked at the delicate pink food container, then withdrew his gaze without touching it....Aveline returned to her neighborhood and smelled a faint scent of tobacco as she entered the corridor. It wasn't unusual for someone to be smoking there, so she didn't pay it much attention.But as she climbed the stairs and entered her apartment after inputting the code, a hand suddenly grabbed the door. With a slight force, the door was pushed open, and Aveline was shoved inside.Bang!The door slammed shut, and Aveline stared in shock."Lucas, what are you doing?"Lucas’ tall body cornered her in the entryway, his hand gripping her waist. With a slight effort, he lifted her onto the shoe cabinet.His nose touched hers, his voice husky. "My wife cooks for another man and goes to comfort him. What do you think I should do about that?"As he spoke, his grip tightened, as if he wanted to break her waist."Should I kill him, or should I deal with you, h
Aveline's fingers trembled slightly, a hint of fear surfacing within her.Lucas' hand landed on her clothes, ready to tear them apart with a little force."If you do something crazy here, I will hate you for the rest of my life!" Aveline's voice rang out, filled with shame and anger.Lucas paused, feeling the delicate fabric in his hand. It would tear easily if he applied just a bit more force. However, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes, he suddenly felt annoyed.They were husband and wife! What was wrong with being intimate? Why was she so reluctant? He had always made sure she would feel good!Lucas took out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and reached for his lighter. As he was about to light it, he noticed her trembling eyelashes and smirked. "Light it for me."He shoved the lighter into her hand, his eyes half-closed with a playful glint.Aveline wanted to throw the lighter at his face, but since he had finally calmed down, she had to make the most of it. She held
He previously stole food from Russell at the hospital and now came here to compete with her for more!Was this man so deprived of food?Tensions simmered at the dining table.When it came to the last piece of rib, Aveline quickly reached out, but Lucas was faster, grabbing it before she could. He raised an eyebrow at her."You can eat it, I've poisoned it," Aveline said.Lucas stared at her and began eating the rib, showing no fear at all.Aveline pressed her lips together, remembering how he had suspected her when he was poisoned by her cooking before. Yet now, even when she outright claimed to have poisoned it, he ate without hesitation.Was he certain she hadn't poisoned it, or did he simply not fear death?Suddenly, Aveline asked, "Lucas, if I really poisoned it, aren't you afraid of dying?"Lucas replied, "Before I die, I'll make sure to kill you first. We can be companions on the road to the afterlife."Aveline rose expressionlessly and walked away.Lucas watched her until she
Lucas looked at his empty hand and suddenly asked, "Why did you let go?""What?" Aveline thought she misheard him."Holding hands," Lucas clarified.Aveline was speechless! She said, "You're the heir of the Tudor family, the president of DK Group. Can you stop doing such childish things?"Lucas finally focused on her face. His dark eyes and cold, handsome face made it impossible to guess what he was thinking.Aveline frowned, unwilling to guess, and turned to leave. She didn’t have to stay at the hospital; Russell could eat on his own."Come with me to a place," Lucas suddenly said.Aveline refused without hesitation. "No."Lucas stared at her intensely. "If you don't go, I'll come find you tonight."Aveline stopped in her tracks, glaring at him. "Where?"Lucas' lips curved into a slight smile as he walked toward a car parked by the roadside.Aveline watched his tall, straight back, wishing her gaze could bore holes into it.Once in the car, Aveline sat as far from him as possible, p
Just as Aveline was about to give up, Lucas suddenly averted his gaze and walked towards Bluewater Bay Villa."Follow me," he commanded coldly without looking back. He wasn't worried about her running away. She had no power or influence and couldn't escape his grasp.Aveline clenched her fists and had no choice but to follow. However, instead of entering the beautiful villa, Lucas walked towards the garden.Suspicion flashed in Aveline's eyes. Why were they going this way? What was he planning?Her questions were quickly answered.At the far end of the garden stood a two-story building, guarded by several bodyguards at the entrance."Mr. Tudor," they greeted respectfully upon seeing Lucas."Open the door," he ordered coldly.One of the bodyguards took out a key and opened the door. Aveline, standing a bit farther away, frowned as she peered inside. The small building was pitch dark, but she could see someone sitting on a chair.The sudden light made the person inside raise a hand t
Lucas noticed her gaze and suddenly looked over at her. "What are you looking at me like that?"Aveline's eyelashes fluttered.Sophia also saw her at that moment and suddenly said, "Aveline, you see it now, don't you? You should never have saved him! I lost a leg for him, and now he treats me like this. You took him in and even married him, but how does he treat you? He doesn't deserve your love at all!"Aveline frowned. Was Sophia out of her mind? Saying such things in front of Lucas, wasn't she afraid he'd kill her on the spot?As expected, Lucas' face darkened, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he glanced at Sophia's prosthetic leg. "One prosthetic leg is quite an eyesore. How about I replace your other leg with a fake one too?"Sophia looked at him in disbelief. "You... Lucas, are you insane? How dare you treat me like this!"A surge of anger flickered in Lucas's eyes, but he suppressed it with great effort. "If both your legs are useless, I'll make sure you're taken care of
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