"Who is he…?" Aveline’s voice trembled slightly.Russell responded, "Yes, he’s one of the Tudors' bodyguards. He bears a striking resemblance to Bobby. With a hat and mask, it’s nearly impossible to tell whether he’s Bobby or someone else."Aveline's voice quivered, "So, is this bodyguard still at the Tudor residence?""Yes." Russell nodded, sharing all the information he had uncovered.Aveline closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the scales within her tipping toward the possibility that Lucas knew about this all along. If he did know, why hadn’t he said anything? What was he planning?Russell put his phone away and looked at her pale face. "Aveline, you should be careful with him. No one can truly understand Lucas' intentions. If he’s willing to torment Bobby, knowing he’s innocent, what makes you think he won’t do the same to you? What if you end up like Bobby?"Hearing this, Aveline’s heart sank.Yes, she could end up just like Bobby.Even though they were divorced, Lucas still ha
Russell’s expression darkened as he witnessed the scene. He immediately stepped forward, intending to pull Aveline back to safety.Without turning around, Lucas coldly said, "You’d better stay out of our marital affairs. If my grip slips and she falls, you’ll be going down with her."Russell froze, his hand suspended in midair. His gaze bore into Lucas, a whirlwind of emotions passing through him, but in the end, he withdrew his hand.Aveline, terrified of falling, clung tightly to Lucas’ shirt. She glanced down and saw the drop from the ninth floor. A fall from this height would surely be fatal."Lucas, are you insane?" Aveline forced herself to speak, her voice trembling with fear.Lucas watched the fear play out on her face, feeling an unsettling sense of satisfaction as she held onto him like a lifeline. "I’ve been insane for a long time. You know that, don’t you?" Lucas’s lips curled into a faint smile, his voice low and menacing, like a devil whispering in her ear.As he leaned
Aveline found it laughable.And indeed, she let out a sarcastic laugh, looking at Lucas with clear eyes full of distrust. "You say he has ulterior motives, then tell me—what exactly are his intentions?"If he was going to accuse someone, at least present some evidence, right? If Lucas had thrown proof in her face from the beginning, she might have believed him. But all he had done was warn her to stay away from Russell, repeatedly insisting that his intentions were impure.Yet, from what she had seen and felt, Russell had only ever helped and protected her. Nothing he did had ever harmed her. In fact, he had even saved her life! How could she believe that someone like him had a hidden agenda?Lucas' brow furrowed, and the coldness around him intensified.Aveline let go of the railing and stood up, exhaling a shaky breath. "Lucas, whether or not he has ulterior motives, have you been honest with me?"Lucas slowly rose, his gaze dark and unreadable as he looked at her calm expression.Av
One of the men stepped forward with a lecherous grin. "We're here to show you a good time."The others burst into laughter and began closing in on Aveline.A wave of nausea hit her as her face grew even paler. Desperately trying to stay calm, she said, "Who sent you? How much were you paid? I’ll double it if you let me go!"The men hesitated, exchanging glances. One of them asked, "You really have that much money?"There’s a chance! Aveline quickly nodded. "I do. Name your price, and I’ll pay it!"She pulled out her phone. "I can transfer the money to you right now!"Her fingers moved swiftly over the screen, but before she could dial, one of the men snatched the phone from her hand. He glanced at the screen and sneered. "You think we’re that easy to fool?"With that, he smashed her phone on the ground, then stripped off his shirt, revealing a body covered in tattoos."We don’t want your money—we want you. Don’t fight it. Please us, and we’ll let you go quickly. Otherwise..." He pulled
Sasha stood frozen in the doorway, her face pale. "Are you all insane? This is a crime!"The men were visibly annoyed by her interruption, and one of them started toward her, intending to drag her inside as well."Perfect timing, you little witch! Come join the fun!""Ah!" Sasha screamed, drawing the attention of people in the hallway.Just then, Maria happened to come out of the nearby room. Hearing the commotion, she asked, "What’s going on?"Sasha spotted her and immediately rushed over, grabbing her hand. "Hurry, Aveline’s inside, they’re—"What?Maria’s expression changed instantly, and she bolted into the room, where she saw Aveline pinned down by several men."You bastards dare to touch someone of mine?" Maria cursed under her breath, swiftly and efficiently taking down the men holding Aveline."Hurry, call Lucas!" Maria ordered, turning to Sasha with a stern look. "This needs to be handled quietly!""I-I understand..." Sasha stammered, nodding as she shakily pulled out her phon
Sasha was startled by Aveline’s sudden outburst. "What’s wrong with you?"Maria held Aveline close, feeling the intense emotions radiating from her. It pained Maria deeply—no girl could remain calm after experiencing something so traumatic."Aveline, it’s over now. You’re safe," Maria murmured softly, trying to offer some comfort.But Aveline suddenly shoved Lucas away, her eyes still brimming with tears, but now burning with fury. "You’re going to avenge me? Don’t you find that laughable?"Lucas’ brow furrowed, his expression darkening. The violent energy that had surrounded him moments ago seemed to dissipate, leaving him unable to respond.Aveline trembled as she spoke, her voice filled with bitterness. "Last time, Sophia and Barbara teamed up against me. They tricked me into going to the hospital, drugged me, and locked me in a container by the sea. The water kept rising, and I almost drowned! And what did you do? When Sophia tried to kill me, what did you do? What did you do?"She
"I want her dead—I want her to suffer a fate worse than death!" Aveline clung to Lucas' arm, her tear-filled eyes blazing with intense hatred."Alright," Lucas agreed almost instantly, without a second thought. He then turned to Sasha. "Go bring her here."Sasha hesitated for a moment, then quickly responded, "Okay." But as she reached the door, she paused and looked back. "If she sees Aveline like this…"Lucas realized the issue and looked down at Aveline, who was trembling against him, too exhausted to speak. "I'll have someone take her out. You can watch everything from the surveillance room, okay?"Aveline, having just poured out all her emotions, was too drained to respond. She simply leaned against Lucas, her body still shaking.Lucas turned to Sasha. "Keep an eye on Sophia. Don’t let her leave too soon.""Got it." Sasha nodded before leaving the room.Maria stood up, exchanged a glance with Lucas, and then gently said to Aveline, "Let’s go home and get you changed, alright?"Av
Aveline replied, "If I don’t see her punished with my own eyes, I won’t be able to rest."Hearing this, Maria decided not to press further.The two of them set off again, returning to the Ninth Mansion, but this time they stayed in the car.Aveline dialed Lucas’s number and said, "I’m back.""Alright, I’ll send someone to get you," Lucas’ deep, magnetic voice came through the phone.Aveline didn’t say anything more and ended the call.About five minutes later, someone approached the car, tapped on the window, and respectfully asked, "Are you Miss Young?""Yes, that’s me," Aveline responded.The man said, "Miss Young, please follow me. Mr. Tudor is waiting for you."Aveline got out of the car and followed the bodyguard.Maria, still in the car, said, "I won’t go in with you."Aveline nodded. "You can head back. I’ll handle the rest."Maria suggested, "Take tomorrow off. Rest at home, don’t think about anything. It’s all behind you now."Aveline gave her a small smile. "Okay, I will."Sh
Lucas responded in a calm, low voice, “You won’t get that chance in this lifetime.”Selena huffed. “You better hope so!”She lifted her chin defiantly and then playfully winked at Aveline. Aveline smiled softly, a hint of exasperation in her eyes. When would these two ever stop bickering?Once they arrived at the mall, Selena dragged Aveline into a whirlwind shopping spree. Whatever caught their eye, they bought—no hesitation, no restraint. It felt exhilarating to indulge so freely!Lucas followed quietly behind them, occasionally making a few phone calls and handling work without missing a beat.After shopping all morning, the group started to feel tired. Selena led Aveline into a restaurant across the street.“I read reviews on this place, and they say the food is amazing. They’ve got some dishes from Cloudflare City too. It’s been a while since you’ve been back—want a taste of home?” Selena asked, grinning while flipping through the menu.Aveline nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been craving it
Daisy’s expression darkened slightly at Jolie’s words, but she held back from lashing out. “That’s all in the past. What’s the point of bringing it up now? You and Selena are sisters, after all. You should reach out to her more. Convince her to come back. She’s still part of the Quin family.”In recent years, both her parents, especially her father, had become fixated on reconnecting with Selena. Despite multiple attempts, Selena had kept her distance, and even after finally making contact, she barely exchanged a few words with them before cutting off all communication again. The more they tried, the further she drifted away.Jolie remained quiet, observing Daisy. She had no right to criticize her mother—after all, it was she who had always been favored growing up. The Quin family had never done anything wrong by her.“I understand. I’ll try,” Jolie finally relented, though the thought of facing Selena’s distant and prickly demeanor again made her uneasy. Perhaps, deep down, her sist
“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