Lucas grabbed her leg and casually gave it a squeeze, his breathing growing heavier. Aveline's body tensed up but soon relaxed as he made no further moves. She was really tired. It was impossible to chase him away now, and he wouldn’t leave easily. Causing too much commotion would just cause problems for the neighbors.Forget it. Let’s just sleep.…For several days, Zane didn’t contact Aveline.Lucas also became busy. When she wanted to ask him about Bobby, he hung up as soon as he heard her mention it.Clearly, he didn’t want to continue the conversation.At this moment, Maria called.Aveline answered, "Hello, Miss Maria."Maria's cheerful voice came through, "Miss Young, are you free today? Let's have a meal together."Aveline thought for a moment and agreed, "Sure."Maria smiled. "I'll send you the location, just come directly.""Alright."Maria chose a steak restaurant.When Aveline arrived, she saw Maria already there, standing at the entrance with a relaxed demeanor. Upon se
Aveline's face darkened upon hearing this. She asked, "Mr. Zane, where are you now?"Zane replied, "I'm heading back to Arthur Town. I have left many matters unattended for too long, I need to check on the situation back at home."Aveline closed her eyes briefly and said, "I'll take you there."Zane tried to dissuade her, "No need, I didn't bring much with me. Don't trouble yourself."But Aveline insisted, "Mr. Zane, it's my fault we haven't found Bobby. If you're leaving, I must see you off."In the end, Zane agreed.Aveline hung up and returned to the private room. She said to Maria, "Miss Maria, I need to leave for now."Maria stood up, "Is it urgent? Let me give you a ride.""No need, I can get a taxi. I'll manage." Aveline smiled politely, declining her offer.Maria nodded. "Alright then, take care on the way.""Thanks."Aveline left the restaurant and took a taxi to her recently rented apartment.When she got out of the elevator, she saw Zane had already opened the door, clearly
Aveline still felt something was off. She paused for a moment, then looked at Zane and asked, "What if one day you find out that Bobby was innocent? Will you regret your decision today?"Zane remained silent.The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.Aveline exhaled softly and said, "Mr. Zane, let me take you to the station."Without a word, Zane stood up, grabbed his things, and walked out.His attitude was clear. He would no longer care about Bobby.Aveline couldn’t quite understand her feelings.Was it really unforgivable if one's child made a mistake?She didn't understand.At that moment, even her belief in family bonds wavered.After seeing Zane off, her phone rang. She took it out and saw that it was Lucas calling.Aveline pursed her lips and answered, "Hello?"Lucas' deep, magnetic voice came through with a hint of joy, "Aveline, let's have dinner tonight at the Tudor House."His tone was confident as if he knew she wouldn't refuse.Of course, she wouldn't refuse.She had lost, a
Aveline's body stiffened. She tried to dodge, but his hand clamped around her like a vice, preventing any escape.Lucas' kiss grew deeper and more intense, as if he wanted to devour her whole.Aveline couldn't take it anymore and pinched his waist, only to feel solid muscle beneath her fingers.Lucas released her and chuckled softly. "Can't handle it already?"His thumb brushed across her lips, his eyes dark and unfathomable.Aveline's breathing quickened. "I'm hungry. I want to eat.""Okay."Lucas laughed quietly and said, "Wait for me a moment."He went upstairs and returned about ten minutes later, now dressed in light-colored loungewear, looking more relaxed and less aloof.They sat in the dining room.The table was filled with all of Aveline's favorite dishes.He had anticipated her arrival and had everything she liked prepared in advance.Aveline's expression didn't change when she saw the food.Lucas said, "Welcome back, my dear Mrs. Tudor."Aveline's eyelashes fluttered, but sh
Aveline's eyelashes trembled. "What do you mean?"Lucas touched her face lightly, then turned and walked away.Aveline instinctively stood up. "Lucas, what do you mean? Explain yourself!"But Lucas had already gone upstairs, leaving her without any explanation.Aveline couldn't understand his intentions, and her heart sank.What did he want? She had already stopped mentioning divorce. What more did he want from her?She gripped her utensil tightly, her fingers trembling slightly from the effort.After a long while, she calmed down and sat back down to eat. She had to eat well; no one would take care of her, so she had to take care of herself.After finishing a bowl of cereal, she stood up to leave.The butler blocked her path. "Mrs. Tudor, Mr. Tudor has instructed that from today, you will be living here."Aveline pursed her lips slightly.As his wife, she indeed should live by his side."I need to go back and pack my things," she said.The butler nodded slightly and did not stop her.
Aveline said, "Selena, I don't love him anymore."Selena, who was about to continue ranting about Lucas, suddenly fell silent."Ave..."Aveline smiled indifferently. "Since I don't love him anymore, whatever he does outside and whoever he's with has nothing to do with me."Selena's voice became cautious. "Ave, do you really not love him anymore?"Back then, the first time she saw Lucas, she couldn't miss the look of deep love in Aveline's eyes. Whenever Aveline looked at Lucas, her eyes lit up with happiness. But later, after Lucas got his memory back, that sparkle in Aveline's eyes vanished for good.Aveline responded, "I'm going to get up and wash now.""Okay," Selena said, her voice now dry.After hanging up the phone, Aveline lay on the bed, staring quietly at the ceiling for a while. Suddenly, she took out her phone and called Russell."Hello, Aveline."The call was quickly answered, and Russell's voice came through, tinged with a cheerful tone.Aveline asked, "Russ, do you know
Lucas' tone was icy. "Who else would she love besides me?"Aaron paused, silently praising Lucas' baseless confidence.He didn't want to hurt his friend's ego any more, worried it might come back to bite him. So, he said, "You're right, she's only ever loved you. But watch out, she might stop loving you. Whether she loves you or not is her call, not yours."Lucas' expression darkened. He didn't want to listen to Aaron's convoluted reasoning and hung up the phone.Ha!Aveline didn’t love him? Impossible. Those memories constantly reminded him that she loved him!...After breakfast, Aveline left the house.By the time Lucas came downstairs, having changed into a fresh set of clothes, the dining room was empty. He looked at the butler and asked coldly, "Where is she?"The butler replied, "Mrs. Tudor left after finishing breakfast."Lucas' handsome face grew even colder.Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw it was Yvonne calling.His eyes turned colder, but he still
Maria replied, "I won't."Then she set down her phone and rested her chin on her hand, watching Aveline work."A beautiful woman indeed," Maria thought, shaking her head in admiration. After a while, she picked up her phone to order takeout.Aveline had been trying to decide what to have for lunch, but right as her break started, the food delivery showed up.Maria came out of her office, smiling. "Lunch is on me. It's a tradition here for the boss to treat new employees for three days."Aveline sighed lightly. "If your studio grows into a publicly listed company, you'll spend a lot on treating people!"Maria shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, it's our tradition!""Yeah, the boss is really nice!""This tradition should be kept forever!"Three new people had recently started at the studio. One was another architect like Aveline, one was in charge of keeping projects on track, and the third was a fresh college grad interning in architecture, still figuring out
“What gossip?” Aveline's interest was instantly piqued, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gernard.Gernard leaned in conspiratorially, about to spill the juicy details. “It’s about Brother. You won’t believe what happened today…”“Ahem!”Before he could finish, Gavin appeared, clearing his throat just loud enough to interrupt. He grabbed Gernard’s arm, pulling him away. “Let’s talk about the company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.Gernard protested, “Brother, wait, I wasn’t finished!”Aveline, her curiosity fully ignited, took a couple of steps forward. “Hey bros, don’t leave me hanging! Finish the story first!”Without slowing down, Gavin replied, “He’s headed to South Africa soon. Work comes first.”“South Africa?” Gernard’s jaw dropped. “Wait, since when am I going to South Africa? I didn’t hear about this! What’s going on?”Aveline stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled. “South Africa? Does the Cooper family even have projects there?”Just then, Wilfried walked
"Got too much free time on your hands?" Gavin’s cold gaze fixed on Gernard.Unbothered, Gernard strolled over and patted his brother's shoulder, grinning. "So, what’s your plan now? I got a little bored and did some digging on the Quin family. Guess what? Turns out they’re Selena’s birth family. She left them ages ago to make it on her own, but the girl you were with? That’s Jolie Quin, the pampered princess of the family."With a knowing smirk, Gernard added, "Brother, I couldn’t help but notice—Jolie and Selena do look a bit alike. Could that be why you…?""Get lost," Gavin cut him off, not in the mood for Gernard’s teasing. He brushed past him, heading downstairs.Of course, that only fueled Gernard’s enthusiasm. "Hey, don’t walk away! I haven’t finished my gossip yet!" he called after him, but the conversation came to an abrupt end as they reached the main floor, where the guests were still gathered for the celebration....Aveline noticed Selena seemed a bit distracted and asked,
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