”You can take a day off and come back to work tomorrow.”Ha!Aveline let out a bitter laugh, her eyes devoid of any emotion.Last night, she had gathered all her courage to say those things. She wanted a response, an explanation from him.Even a perfunctory answer would have sufficed.But his attention didn't seem to be on her words. When did he stop caring about her?It made her feel that asking him that question last night was incredibly foolish.A self-inflicted humiliation.Aveline composed herself, completed the discharge procedures, and went home. There, she saw the file folder on the cabinet. Opening it, she found the property deed, a check, and a key inside.Maple Garden.A prime location in Cloudflare City, with top-tier greenery, 25 floors, and 500 square meters.Wow, it was even larger than expected.Did he think this would make her grateful?Aveline's eyes remained emotionless as she took out the check. The amount of six million dollars was clearly printed on it, along with
He gave her what she wanted; she should be happy. But just now, her expression didn't seem pleased. Why?Lucas grew more irritated the more he thought about it. Just then, his phone rang. It was Desmond. "Mr. Tudor, Mr. Hang has arrived.""Okay, I'll be back right away." Lucas replied coldly, then hung up. He cast a long look in the direction of Aveline's house before turning the car around and leaving....In the evening, when Selena arrived, Aveline had already prepared four dishes, with two more and a soup still cooking."Ave, there’s so much food!" Selena exclaimed excitedly, hugging her and rubbing against her.Aveline said, "It's alright. Go wait outside; it'll be ready soon."Selena replied, "Okay, I brought some alcohol."Aveline sighed, "I can't drink it; I took cold medicine."Selena was surprised. "You’re sick? But you look fine."Aveline answered, "You'll see why I look fine in a bit."Selena went outside, and soon after, Aveline brought out two plates of food. The soup was
"Bring me some medicine, something's wrong with me."With that, the call abruptly ended. Aveline stared at her phone, puzzled by the sudden disconnection, her brows furrowing.Did he really dial the wrong number?Didn't he hear her speak?Aveline pressed her lips together and called Desmond."Hello, Miss Young."The call connected quickly, and she could hear a faint background noise on his end."Mr. Blake, Mr. Tudor called me by mistake just now. He asked for you to bring him some medicine. Can you go to him?""I'm afraid that's not possible," Desmond replied directly. "I'm on a business trip and already at the airport. Miss Young, could you deliver the medicine for me? I can tell you the name of the medication; you can get it from any pharmacy."Aveline's brows knit tighter. "You're on a business trip?""Yes," Desmond confirmed, and she could faintly hear airport announcements in the background."Miss Young, I'll send you the name of the medicine. Mr. Tudor's condition is quite distre
Aveline was stunned! What was going on with him? Was he not fully conscious?She began to struggle violently, but the disparity in strength between them became evident. Her struggles only seemed to provoke him further. He grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and pinned them above her head.His scorching breath trailed down from her lips, sending a chill across her chest, quickly followed by heat and wetness.Aveline's eyes widened. "Lucas, what are you doing?"Wasn't he supposed to be sick? Yet, he seemed so full of energy. Or did he mistake her for another woman?Sophia?The thought pierced her heart, and she fiercely kneed him.All of Lucas's movements stopped, his heavy body collapsing on top of her."Get up!" Aveline twisted uncomfortably beneath him.In response, Lucas bit down angrily on her collarbone. "Aveline, do you want to live as a widow?"So, he knew who she was? But..."Are you mistaken? We're about to get divorced. How could I be a widow?" Aveline's breathing was err
"Ave, sleep a little longer," a familiar, affectionate voice sounded behind her. The man’s chin gently nuzzled the top of her head.Aveline froze.This was how they used to be.When she woke up early in the morning, Lu would be like this—gentle and clingy, saying such things.Aveline lay there in a daze, unable to distinguish the past from the present.How could she tell them apart?Because whether it was the past or now, the one saying these words was always Lu.Her heart ached with bitterness, but she bit her finger and didn’t get up.She still craved this embrace.She craved his warmth, his scent, everything about him.She wished time could freeze at this moment—no divorce, no Sophia, no Tudor family drama...Just them, as they used to be....When she woke up again, Aveline immediately met Lucas's playful gaze.Her expression stiffened. "Why are you staring at me like that?"It was early in the morning and quite unsettling.Lucas's voice was deep. "Why are you here?"Aveline looked
Lucas suddenly stopped, her gaze making him uncomfortable."I really don't understand what you're thinking," Aveline asked softly. "Are we getting divorced or not?"Lucas's lips tightened abruptly. He got up from the bed and headed straight to the bathroom.Aveline closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.Let's not do this.If they were going to divorce, it should be straightforward.It would be easier for both of them.When Lucas came out, Aveline was gone. She hadn't even stayed for breakfast.She had only sent him a message on WhatsApp, “I'll be waiting for you at the lawyer’s office.”Lucas's face looked as if it was covered in frost, his entire demeanor icy and intimidating.The housekeeper came out, looked around, and asked in confusion, "Mr. Lucas, did Miss Young leave?"The housekeeper knew Aveline had come last night but had been informed not to disturb them. He had expected to see her this morning but found no one.Lucas put away his phone, his expression even colder. "Do you
"Mr. Tudor went to Labor City for his business trip."Aveline responded, "Send me his detailed itinerary.""Alright, no problem."Desmond agreed and hung up. Shortly after, he sent Lucas' work schedule to Aveline.Aveline glanced at it and immediately booked a flight. Without hesitation, she headed straight to the airport.It only took three hours to fly from Cloudflare City to Labor City.Once she found Lucas, they could find another lawyer to handle the divorce proceedings and then return, without wasting much time.The two cities were close, with similar climates. After landing, Aveline took a taxi directly to the hotel where Lucas was staying. She booked a room and sat in the lobby, waiting for him to appear.This jerk wasn't answering her calls.Ha!Did he think he could avoid her by going on a business trip?Impossible!Aveline waited for a long time. The sky outside darkened before Lucas' tall figure finally appeared at the entrance.Her eyelids felt heavy, but when she saw him,
Lucas' room was on the 9th floor. Just as the elevator was about to reach the 7th floor, he suddenly canceled the 7th-floor command."What are you doing?" Aveline frowned, asking immediately.Lucas replied, "Everyone here knows we're married. It wouldn't be appropriate to sleep in separate rooms."Aveline retorted, "I doubt anyone cares about your private life."Lucas said, "Just in case."By the time Aveline reached for the 7th-floor button, it was too late; the elevator had already stopped on the 9th floor. Her expression darkened.Lucas walked out of the elevator and went far ahead before Aveline finally stepped out. However, she didn't follow him. Instead, she headed toward the stairwell.Seeing this, Lucas tugged at his tie and called out, "Aveline."She paused. "What?"She didn't turn around, so she didn't see the deep, dark look in his eyes.Lucas sighed almost imperceptibly and said, "There’s no major conflict between us. Can't we just get along peacefully?"Aveline's hand clen
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
To mitigate the impact of the incident, the Fletcher family arranged a marriage with the Skyler family, setting the wedding date for just one month later, a rather hasty decision. Aaron officially became the head of the Fletcher family, and despite any grievances Nathalie might have had, she didn’t dare voice them, keeping her frustration to herself.Selena, on the other hand, finally had some leisure time. With Aaron busier than ever, she felt bored and decided to visit Aveline in Larbor City.Aveline’s belly had grown quite large, and with just a month left until her due date, her feet had started swelling, looking puffy and rounded like little pillows. Seeing her condition, Selena couldn't help but remark, "Pregnancy looks so tough. I'm starting to get a little scared."Aveline glanced at her. "Are you planning to get pregnant?"As far as she remembered, Selena had never mentioned such plans.Selena nodded, then shared the idea she had previously about arranging a marriage between
Aaron held her hand and led her directly out of the room upstairs.Meanwhile, inside the room, Nathalie had someone forcibly separate the two entangled people. Ernest looked utterly disheveled, still trying to grab onto Lila and continue.Lila, now slightly regaining her senses, realized the situation. She let out a piercing scream, wrapped herself in the blanket, and cried out in distress."How could this happen? Why did it turn out like this? Why am I here? Mom, wasn't that bitch Selena supposed to be in this room? Why is it me? Why me!"The sensation in her body was undeniable, and seeing Ernest in his dazed state, she could already imagine how wild things had been between them. Worse yet, many people had witnessed it!This scene was supposed to fall on Selena!What went wrong?Nathalie hugged her, trying to calm her down, "Don’t get worked up, Lila. You can’t afford to get upset right now. It’s okay, mom’s here with you. I’ll take care of this."But Lila was inconsolable, sobbing u
The servant stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded. How... how could this have happened? How did Lila end up in the room instead of Selena?She distinctly remembered helping Selena into that very room and watching as the family doctor applied the patch to her ankle. The patch, once applied for more than a minute, should have released the drug into Selena's system, gradually taking effect. But now everything had gone terribly wrong.Pale and trembling, the servant knew that her role in this failed scheme had been exposed. There would be no good outcome for her. She began to retreat, hoping to slip away unnoticed."Leaving so soon?"A lazy, magnetic voice suddenly spoke from behind her.Startled, she spun around to see Aaron standing in the doorway. His tall, imposing figure blocked the exit, preventing anyone from leaving easily."I... I..." The servant stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence, trapped in her fear.Aaron’s expression remained neutral, b
"Such a big issue has to be cleared up, don’t you think, Aaron? What if someone is deliberately trying to smear your wife’s name?" "Exactly! We’ve all met your wife—she’s beautiful and sharp. There’s no way she’d do anything to betray you.""We need to open the door and clear up any misunderstandings before things get out of hand."The crowd voiced their concerns, their words filled with feigned sympathy, but their eyes gleamed with anticipation.Kendrick arrived just behind Aaron, and upon hearing the whispers, his expression darkened."Who said this?" The servant timidly raised her hand. "I... I did."His voice hardened. "Are you sure of what you saw?"Though visibly frightened, the servant nodded firmly. "I’m sure.""I don’t think she’s lying.”"Maybe it’s true. If it is, then she really couldn’t keep herself in check, especially at Lila’s birthday party. How shameless.""Unbelievable! With a husband like Aaron, she’s still not satisfied? I can’t understand women like that."A few
"What’s going on?" Nathalie’s brow furrowed as she took in the situation. She immediately called over the servant who had been with Selena earlier. "Is Selena in that room?"The servant nodded nervously. "Yes, I helped Mrs. Fletcher into the room."Nathalie’s expression hardened. "Then why won’t the door open?"The servant’s face turned pale, her eyes darting around anxiously. She stammered, "Madam, maybe it’s best not to disturb Mrs. Fletcher. She just needs to rest, and I’m sure she’ll come out soon.""Why are you acting so suspicious?" someone nearby asked. "And why weren’t you inside taking care of her?"Nathalie narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the servant. Suddenly, her tone sharpened. "Why are you hiding something? Tell me what’s really going on!"The servant flinched under Nathalie’s gaze, her face paling even more. Trembling, she said, "Madam, I-I don’t know for sure. I was with Mrs. Fletcher, but then she asked me to leave… I didn’t go far, I was keeping an eye on things in
After speaking, the servant promptly left the suite, standing guard outside.Selena smirked, her eyes hardening with a cold glint.She stayed in the room for a while, eventually deciding to get up and leave. But as she stood, a wave of dizziness hit her out of nowhere.Frowning, Selena called out, "Come here!"The servant appeared but kept her distance. "Mrs. Fletcher, what do you need?""I don’t feel right. Go get the family doctor."The servant’s eyes flickered with something unreadable before she replied, "Of course, I’ll fetch him right away."She turned and hurried off.Selena sat at the edge of the bed, focusing on regaining her composure. She slowly made her way to the balcony, opened the doors, and breathed in the fresh air. Instantly, she felt better.That patch definitely had something off about it!"Miss Selena," a hushed voice called out.Startled, Selena turned to see Braden standing at the windowsill of the adjacent room, blending into the shadows of the night.Surprised,