Barbara said, "How could someone want to harm you? That’s just your speculation.""Heh!" Lucas let out a low laugh and continued, "Grandma, how could I, someone who just woke up and lost his memory, end up on the street by myself? Where were the caregivers from the place I was staying at? Where did everyone go?"Barbara fell silent.Lucas continued, "At that time, it was Aveline who saved me and took me home. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be seeing me today."Barbara glanced at Aveline and suddenly said, "We can't be certain it wasn't intentional. What if she knew who you were all along?""I don't know."Aveline felt she should say something. She looked calmly at Barbara and said, "Grandma, I don't know why you are so hostile towards me, but you weren't like this before. You liked me a lot and even told him that if he ever bullied me, you would help me teach him a lesson. I still remember those words."She exhaled slowly and continued, "Of course, if you've forgotten, it doesn't
Barbara threatened with her life, causing Lucas' expression to darken immediately.Sophia stepped forward, crying, "Grandma, please don't say that. Nothing is more important than your health. Let's get you checked first, okay?"Barbara looked at her with relief. "Sophia, you're truly a good girl. The Tudor family owes you so much. If I don't do something about it, I won't rest in peace even in death."Sophia cried uncontrollably.The situation became tense. Lucas remained silent, and Barbara's condition worsened, her eyes fixed on him, waiting for his decision.Aveline walked over and said to Lucas, "Let's get the divorce first. Grandma's health is more important."Barbara looked at Lucas eagerly.Lucas turned sharply towards Aveline, a bitter smile on his lips. "Are you satisfied with the outcome now?"Aveline pressed her lips together and said, "But Grandma's health is more important."Lucas nodded. "Fine, we’ll divorce."Barbara suddenly relaxed and fainted on the bed.Doctors and n
Aveline returned to the studio.Seeing her unusual expression, Sidney asked, "Aveline, are you feeling unwell?"Aveline shook her head. "No, maybe I just didn't get enough rest."Sidney looked worried. "Do you have any tasks left? Give them to me, and I'll help you."Aveline replied, "No, thank you."Sidney wanted to say more, but Maria walked over. "Sidney, come with me for a moment."Sidney nodded. "Okay."Lately, Maria had been taking Sidney out frequently. He had proven his capability and social skills, securing many resources through these engagements. He had even started completing design drafts independently.Aveline watched them leave, feeling a slight sense of doubt. Wasn't there a bit too much socializing lately? It wasn't like this before.Suddenly, Vivian commented, "Tsk, tsk. She used to take you out all the time and valued you so much. Now it seems Sidney's skills are even more outstanding than yours."Aveline asked, "So, what are you proud of?"Vivian was taken aback, n
Aveline was a bit puzzled. "Can't it be handled in the main office?"The staff member replied, "Ma'am, the office is quite busy today. You can go upstairs."Aveline looked at the office and saw it was packed. She wondered if most marriages were falling apart these days. Pushing the thought aside, she followed the staff member upstairs.In the general counsel’s office, they still had to fill out some forms, and then came the issue of property division.Lucas handed her an agreement. "This is your compensation."Aveline took it and glanced through it, her eyes widening slightly at one name. The house in Maple Garden was being given to her. She had sold that house, hadn't she? When did he buy it back? Or was it another house? It was the first large house he had given her, holding special sentimental value, and she had really liked it.Continuing to read, she saw a divorce settlement of ten million dollars. Great, she had instantly become a multimillionaire.Lucas gazed at her deeply. "An
Selena laughed. "Don't worry, that jerk can't outplay me. When I get bored, I'll just kick him to the curb."Aveline had a nagging feeling of concern. The last thing she wanted was for Selena to push Aaron too far, as he could be even worse than Lucas.She voiced her concern, "Just be careful, okay?"Selena replied, "Alright, alright, I know."Aveline said, "I won't keep you from your work. You go ahead, and I'll hang up now.""Love you."...Aveline returned to the studio, her entire demeanor changed.Sidney was the first to notice, smiling as he asked, "What’s got you so happy?"Aveline was surprised. "Is it that obvious?"Sidney nodded, "Very obvious. You usually don't smile at work, but today you’re beaming."Aveline touched her face and then said, "Well, I've signed some big contracts. We're about to make a fortune, so of course, I'm happy."Sidney said, "Congratulations.""Thank you."Aveline smiled slightly and turned to open her computer.She glanced around the office and notic
Everyone paid a price to mature.Barbara looked at him as if he were a stranger and finally sighed, "Fine, I won't force you to marry Sophia right away, but her status as your fiancée can't change. I only recognize her as my granddaughter-in-law."Lucas asked, "Which grandson are we talking about here?"Barbara frowned. "You're my only grandson right now!"Lucas replied, "So, if the family gains another grandson, she wouldn't have to marry me, right?""You!"Barbara was truly enraged, causing the alarm on her medical device to go off as her face grew increasingly pale.Lucas stood up. "I'll be very busy from now on, so I won't come around to upset you anymore. Honestly, you were better off when you were still confused."Without looking back at Barbara's expression, he left.Doctors and nurses rushed in to check on Barbara and stabilize her blood pressure.When Sophia entered, she saw Barbara looking unwell and gasping for breath."Grandma, what's wrong?" she hurried forward, gently rub
Sophia walked toward the office carrying the lunchbox. Desmond quickly said, "Miss Sophia, there are guests inside. Maybe you should wait a bit?"Sophia looked at him and saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. A gleam flashed in her own eyes as she said, "It's already lunchtime. What kind of guest would be here at this hour?"With that, she headed straight to the office.Desmond watched her back but did not stop her.Sophia pushed open the office door and immediately saw a woman standing close to Lucas, leaning over to speak to him intimately.Seeing this scene, anger surged in Sophia's eyes. "Lucas, who is she?"Lucas paused and glanced at Sophia. "Did you knock?"Sophia tightened her grip on the lunchbox and took a few steps forward. "Lucas, don't forget what Grandma said."Lucas turned to the woman. "Have a seat."Judy glanced at Sophia, clearly sensing the hostility directed at her. She raised an eyebrow slightly. She knew about Sophia. Lucas had once almost divorced Aveline fo
As the streetlights began to glow, they illuminated half of Lucas' face, his eyes shrouded in the darkness inside the car, making it impossible to discern his expression.He asked coldly, "So, do you have a place to stay tonight?"Aveline nodded. "I can stay with Selena or at a hotel. Cloudflare City is so big, and I have plenty of money. There's no way I won't find a place to stay.""Heh!"Something in her words amused Lucas. He chuckled softly and then said, "Maple Garden is already in your name. You can go back there tonight."Aveline was surprised. "You acted that quickly?"Lucas replied, "I can even be generous enough to give you a ride."Aveline said, "That's not necessary."With that, she turned and walked away.From behind, Lucas called out, "We're divorced now. Are you afraid I'll devour you?"Without turning back, Aveline replied, "We're not related anymore. It's better to keep a distance to avoid misunderstandings. I don't want to be blamed for anything."Lucas didn't say an
“Got something on your mind, Dad?” Gavin asked, noticing Wilfried’s serious expression as he entered the room. His own demeanor softened a bit.Wilfried didn’t waste time, sitting down heavily on the sofa with a stern look. "What are you planning to do about what happened today?"Gavin froze for a moment, realizing that the whole situation had become an open secret within the family. His response was calm, though. "I don’t have any specific plans."At this, Wilfried’s expression darkened even further. "That won’t do. You’ve taken advantage of someone, so you need to take responsibility. I’ll have someone look into that girl’s background tomorrow, prepare the bride price, and we’ll go make the proposal immediately."Gavin blinked, his typically composed expression faltering slightly. After a brief silence, he replied, "Dad, I’m willing to take responsibility, but what if she doesn’t want to marry me?"Wilfried paused, momentarily caught off guard by this possibility. His gaze swept over
“Hmm, you’re right. I’ll talk to your brother and see what he thinks,” Wilfried said thoughtfully.Aveline nodded and went on her way....In the study, Gernard sat on the sofa, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. “Brother, why didn’t you let me finish? I was about to spill the best part.”Gavin ignored him and pulled out a document, handing it over. “Take a look at this. If everything’s in order, you’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”“What’s this?” Gernard blinked, taking the file and flipping it open. His eyes widened as he scanned the pages.He shot up from his seat, staring at Gavin in disbelief. “Wait, you’re serious? You’re actually sending me to South Africa? Do people live there? When did we even expand into that region?”Gavin, seated in his leather chair, remained cold and composed. “Recently.”Gernard’s face twisted in disbelief. After a long pause, he finally blurted out, “No way. I’m not going.”Gavin’s gaze flickered over to him, calm but stern. “You don’t hav
“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