Aveline's expression darkened instantly. "So, your happiness is built on my suffering?"Lucas replied calmly, "If you're feeling hurt, you can always come to me for protection."Aveline let out a bitter laugh. "Protection? As your mistress?"Lucas didn’t respond, simply watching her with that faint, mocking smile.The thought was nothing short of insulting to Aveline. Give up the role of his wife to become his mistress? Not a chance.She turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her."Bang!"Lucas closed his eyes for a moment, the smirk fading from his face. He walked over to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a drink, and slowly sipped it. His gaze fixed on the dark night outside, though his eyes were even darker.…When Aveline returned home, Selena immediately asked, "Did he give you a hard time?"Aveline shook her head. "No, just his usual nonsense."Selena burst out laughing. "That’s a pretty accurate description."After washing her hands, Aveline sat down beside Selena, gr
“Ave—Aveline?” Lucas called out, but there was no response from the other end. Only the sound of steady breathing reached his ears.He chuckled softly, then put the phone on speaker, letting it stay connected. As he listened to her gentle breathing, the chaos in his mind gradually eased. If she were beside him right now, he thought, he might feel even more at peace.…The next morning, Aveline opened her eyes and instinctively reached for her phone to check her messages. To her surprise, the phone had shut off on its own.Huh? What happened? Why did it turn off?Confused, Aveline plugged it in to charge and waited for it to power back on. When it did, a flood of messages appeared, and she realized she had been on the phone with Lucas for four hours the previous night—from 3 a.m. until 7 a.m.!Aveline stared at her phone in bewilderment. A phone call? How was it possible she had no memory of it?Just then, there was a knock on the door.Selena poked her head in and, seeing that Aveline
Though she couldn’t shake the thought that she might have said something like that, Aveline refused to believe it without hearing the recording. Wait a minute… If Lucas wanted to stop her, he could easily do it. So why would he worry about her deleting the recording? If he wouldn’t let her listen, maybe he was bluffing.Convinced she was onto something, Aveline rolled her eyes in exasperation and left the complex.She returned to the villa site, but this time she brought some help with her.Sidney looked around at the vast area and said, "You should’ve called me yesterday."Aveline replied, "I didn’t realize it was this big. Let’s get started.""Got it."With two people working, the task went much faster. By noon, they had finished all the measurements.After double-checking the data to make sure everything was correct, Aveline said, "Let’s go. Lunch is on me."Sidney walked beside her. "Are you cooking?"Aveline paused, caught off guard.Sidney scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.
Rina's position was undeniable—she was the spoiled princess of the Johnson family, with strong ties to Russell that made her untouchable. The doctors and nurses knew better than to challenge her.The nurse was doing her best to intervene. "What are you doing? This is a hospital! You can’t just throw people out!""Get her out of here!" Rina ordered harshly."Stop!" Sidney rushed forward, blocking the doorway to his mother’s room. He glared at Rina, demanding, "Who are you? What right do you have to kick us out?"Rina gave him a dismissive once-over and sneered, "I looked into your background. You can’t even afford the hospital bills, yet you think you can stay here? Where do you get the nerve? Do you think the hospital is a charity?"Sidney’s expression darkened, but he stood tall, his voice cold as he said, "That’s none of your business! The hospital agreed to let us stay."Rina crossed her arms and glanced at the doctor beside her. "Oh, really? He can’t pay his bills, and the hospital
Rina narrowed her eyes. "Are you threatening me?"Aveline shook her head. "Isn't it you, Miss Johnson, who does the threatening?"Rina let out a cold laugh. "Do you really think this will make me afraid of you?"She stepped closer to Aveline, her eyes filled with open disdain. "Taking you down would be as easy as squashing a bug. So go ahead, wait for your end, you wretch."With that, she turned and marched off, her bodyguards trailing behind her in a show of force.The other patients and their families in the hospital continued to peek out from their rooms, watching the spectacle unfold."Mom, Mom!" Sidney's urgent voice suddenly broke through the tension.Aveline's expression shifted, and she rushed over, only to find Sidney's mother unconscious in the hospital room."Doctor! Doctor!"...Sidney’s mother was rushed into the emergency room.Sidney stood by the door, his posture slumped, his face noticeably paler than before.Aveline stayed beside him, offering comfort. "She’ll be alri
Aveline paused, her finger hovering over the elevator button as she asked, "So what should I do?"Russell thought for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe I should assign a few more bodyguards to you?"Aveline couldn’t help but imagine the scene of being escorted by a whole squad of bodyguards every time she went out, and she let out a small, exasperated laugh. "It’s not something I want, but this young lady showed up at the hospital out of nowhere, causing trouble and trying to evict my colleague’s mother. They don’t even know each other, so why would she do this?"Russell replied, "Then you need to think about who might be targeting your colleague, even to the point of using someone else to do the dirty work."As Aveline stepped into the elevator, her expression turned cold. Who else could it be? The only person who had been consistently targeting Sidney was Lucas.Since Ruth was at the Skyler family’s hospital, Lucas couldn’t act directly, so he resorted to using others to do his bid
The elevator doors remained open, leaving Aveline stuck in a dilemma. She was too scared to step out yet staying inside with the man felt equally dangerous. She could feel his cold, unsettling gaze fixed on her, and her palms began to sweat as tension gripped her.Seconds ticked by, and the elevator began to beep, signaling that the doors had been open too long."Are you getting in or out?" The man finally spoke, his voice raspy and filled with impatience, a voice she didn’t recognize.Aveline bit her lip, wondering why Mason still hadn’t arrived. Even if he had to run, he should have been there by now.But with the man growing more agitated, she knew she couldn’t stall any longer. Glancing at the dark, empty hallway outside, she made the difficult choice to stay in the elevator. At least there were security cameras inside, offering a sliver of protection. If she stepped out into that hallway, anything could happen.She took a few steps back and pressed the button to close the doors.
Aveline jumped in fright! The string of unsettling events that night had nearly driven her to the edge—she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown.She quickly fumbled with her keys, desperate to get inside. But just as she managed to open the door, a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and shoved her into the apartment, the figure following closely behind."Ah!" Aveline screamed, struggling wildly. She grabbed a heavy ceramic cat figurine from the entryway table and swung it at her assailant.The figurine was solid and heavy—definitely capable of doing some serious damage."Aveline." Lucas’ deep voice cut through the chaos as he caught her wrist, his brow furrowing as he looked at her pale, panicked face. "It’s me."Aveline’s hand froze mid-swing. Seeing Lucas’ familiar, striking face, her breath came in ragged gasps, her chest heaving."What is wrong with you?" she shouted. "Why did you suddenly barge in? Why didn’t you make a sound? Are you insane?"She pounded on his chest with her
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