Lucas casually slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled out of the master bedroom, as if he hadn’t just done something so outrageous.Selena was so furious that she stomped her foot. "What a piece of work! He’s really pushing his luck!"Aveline was speechless.She remained silent for a moment, then sighed helplessly. "You should go rest."Selena, at a loss for words, could only nod in agreement.Lying in bed, Aveline pondered how she would handle the days ahead. Should she leave Maple Garden? Go somewhere else? But knowing Lucas, he would undoubtedly follow her wherever she went.And from the looks of it, he wasn’t seeking her forgiveness at all—he was just being plain stubborn.Aveline turned over, unable to sleep.The next day.She emerged from the bedroom with dark circles under her eyes. Seeing her, Selena immediately felt a pang of sympathy."Ave, didn’t you sleep well last night?"Aveline nodded. "Barely slept. I couldn’t stop thinking."Just then, Lucas stepped out of the
Lucas had been staying there for a week. Aside from the first night when he caused a bit of a stir by deliberately entering Aveline's bathroom, nothing else of note had happened since. The few of them managed to coexist peacefully.Selena had truly mastered the art of ignoring him, treating Lucas like just another tenant.Lucas spent his days either exercising or reading, carrying himself with the laid-back air of someone who had already retired. Even though the Tudor family was in the process of merging with DK Enterprises, he seemed completely unbothered, as if DK Enterprises wasn’t the product of his hard work and dedication.Aveline watched the news and her emotions conflicted. After graduating college, she began working at DK Enterprises and grew deeply attached to the company. If it hadn’t been for everything that happened later, she would never have left so easily.She felt so affected by the situation, so why was Lucas so indifferent?Unable to hold back any longer, she knock
Startled, Aveline turned around and saw Lucas standing nearby, holding a freshly made cup of something warm, steam still rising from it.She frowned slightly. "Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?"Lucas walked over, sat down in the chair next to her, and looked out the window. His side profile was sharp and handsome, with his bangs falling slightly forward, giving him a more youthful appearance.For a moment, Aveline felt a flash of nostalgia, as if she was seeing him from when they first met."Did Yvonne ask you to poison me?" Lucas asked calmly, still looking outside.Aveline was shocked. "How did you know?"A slight, mocking smile played on Lucas' lips. "Because she didn’t only ask you. She’s been trying to get others around me to do the same. I believe they call that ‘casting a wide net.’"Aveline paused, her emotions becoming more complicated.Lucas glanced at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Still upset about me overhearing your conversation?"He chuckled. "Besid
That was Russell’s business; she had no intention of being with him anyway. But as Aveline noticed, Lucas' gaze grew increasingly colder."Fine!" He sneered, leaving those words behind as he stood up and walked away.Aveline frowned, feeling completely baffled. "What on earth?"She continued staring outside, where the sky had become overcast, and raindrops had already begun to fall."Miss Young, it's starting to rain. You should come inside," the housekeeper called."Alright, I know," Aveline responded. She stood up to head indoors and then noticed Lucas' phone on the table. He must have forgotten to take it with him.She picked it up and started walking toward his room. Curiosity got the best of her, and she glanced down at the phone, still displaying the photo of Russell and Rina in bed. But she felt nothing as she looked at it.Lucas returned to his room, realizing he had left his phone behind. His expression was cold as he walked back to retrieve it, only to find Aveline holding
"And that line he used earlier, 'Don’t you like my face?'—ugh, it’s unbelievable. He’ll do anything to get what he wants." Selena sat beside her, thinking about what Lucas had said to Aveline earlier, and couldn’t help but shiver in disgust.Aveline fell silent for a moment.It really seemed like Lucas was behaving strangely. Had he realized that she had a weak spot for his face and was deliberately using that against her?Thinking more about what Selena said, it did seem to make sense. His behavior over the past few days wasn’t much different from before. When Aveline first met Lucas, he seemed lost and out of place, yet he trusted her without reason. If she suggested he read, he would do it. He was a remarkably quick learner, swiftly mastering sign language and handwriting. He’d often sit quietly on the living room sofa, absorbed in a book...Aveline abruptly shut her eyes, forcing herself to stop thinking about it. Those days were in the past.The Lucas of today wasn’t going to l
"Do you really have to divorce me?" Lucas stood in front of her, blocking any way out. His eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions as if there were countless words he wanted to say but couldn’t.Aveline tried to keep herself calm. She responded, "The court date is in three days, Lucas. What’s the point of saying this now?"Lucas reached out, gently caressing her face. "Aveline, do you really not love me anymore?"She turned her head slightly, avoiding his touch.His hand froze in mid-air as he saw the rejection on her face. He forced a smile, a mix of self-mockery and bitterness.Though he was a towering figure, at that moment, he seemed enveloped in a faint aura of loneliness and sorrow.He stared at her intently for a while before suddenly cupping the back of her neck and leaning in to kiss her."Mmph!" Aveline had been on guard, but she was no match for him.Her delicate lips were captured, and she struggled with all her might, but there was no escaping his hold.With one
He held her there for a long time, just embracing her, before finally letting her go.When Aveline’s feet touched the ground, the surreal feeling slowly faded. Her breathing remained unsteady, and her body felt weak, too drained to push him away.Lucas kept his grip on her until she was steady on her feet, then released her. His eyes, dark as the night, lingered on her for a long moment, but he said nothing before turning and leaving the room.The crisp scent that clung to him faded as he walked away.Aveline, nearly drained of all energy, emerged from the bathroom. As she sat on the edge of the bed, her emotions gradually settled.She thought..."Ave!" Selena’s voice called out suddenly.She rushed in, and seeing Aveline sitting on the bed, quickly asked, "I just saw Lucas leave. It looked like he’d been drinking, and his clothes were a mess. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?"As she spoke, her gaze landed on Aveline’s face, instantly noticing her swollen, kiss-bruised lips."Oh..
Aveline wanted to stop the car, but the man in the backseat seemed to sense her intention. He warned her, "If you dare stop, I'll stab you. I don’t care about living anymore!"Terrified, Aveline didn’t dare to pull over and continued driving. He might be ready to die, but she wasn’t!Her voice trembled as she asked, "W-what do you want?"The man didn’t answer. Instead, he pressed the knife against her neck harder, as if to teach her a lesson. The blade lightly sliced her skin, just enough to draw blood.A chill ran down Aveline’s spine, and only then did the searing pain register. Her brows knitted together in fear, and she dared not say another word.This man was serious—he could kill her at any moment!Who was he? Why had he kidnapped her? What was his goal?The car continued along the road, soon leaving the city and reaching the location the man had specified.The factory was long abandoned, its structure in disrepair and swaying with the autumn breeze. Scorched marks on the weathe