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
As she passed an abandoned factory, she stumbled upon a horrifying scene—two teenage boys bound together, and a man splashing gasoline around them, threatening to burn them alive. The sight terrified her, but she knew the boys were moments from death.In a panic, she fled the scene and ran until she found a supermarket where she called the police. By the time the police arrived, she had fainted.When she woke up, she found herself back at the orphanage, her fever having erased the memories of that fateful day. Now, those memories flashed through her mind like a film on fast-forward. With a jolt of shock, she realized Darren was the very man who had intended to kill the teenagers!"It was you who did wrong, you deserve to be in jail. Why are you blaming me?" Aveline remembered and lunged at Darren. Caught off guard, she knocked Darren down!Aveline scrambled to her feet and ran with all her might. She had to escape!The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. At last, she understood t
When Lucas received the call, his expression instantly turned icy. He looked at Desmond and spoke in a stern tone, "Have Maria locate Aveline's current position immediately, and gather the team."Desmond hesitated slightly. "But Mr. Tudor, the shareholders' meeting is about to start. If you don't attend now...""Go, now!" Lucas's urgency was unmistakable.He was already standing outside the Tudor Group building. Without another word, he turned and got into his car, driving off in a specific direction.As Lucas thought about the old place that Darren had mentioned, painful memories came flooding back. He and Leo had been kidnapped and kept in an abandoned factory for days. Five days without food or water had left them utterly drained.During those five days, the Tudor family hadn’t appeared. The kidnapper, enraged by the delay, brought gasoline and doused the factory floor with it.The overpowering stench made them both realize they might not survive.Just when they were losing all hop
At that moment, Lucas's phone rang. He tapped his Bluetooth headset, his heart racing.Desmond's urgent voice crackled through, "Mr. Tudor, we've located your wife. She's being held in an abandoned factory near the forest on the west side of the city."Lucas' handsome face tightened even further, his eyes bloodshot as he stared ahead. His voice was cold as he said, "Go to the shareholders' meeting for me. You don't need to do anything, just make sure those old men there stay calm."Desmond hesitated briefly before replying, "...Alright."The pressure was immense.After a pause, Desmond added, "By the way, Maria found out that Russell is also heading there with his men.""I know," Lucas replied curtly before ending the call.At the abandoned factory, Aveline adjusted herself into a more comfortable sitting position. Her hair was disheveled, and her body was covered in dust. Her clear, cold eyes were fixed on Darren, who was still toying with the lighter."Why did you kidnap Lucas and hi
"Aveline, don't be afraid! I'll get you out of there!" Russell's voice echoed through the factory."Hey!" Darren snapped, his eyes narrowing to slits. "What am I, invisible? You're shouting like that right in front of me?"Russell's gaze shifted, locking onto Darren. His voice turned cold. "So, you contacted Lucas and demanded money from him. But even if I pay you and he doesn't, you still won't let her go, will you?"Darren replied, "That’s right."He continued to fiddle with the lighter, opening and closing it, making everyone tense with anxiety.Russell’s expression remained cold. "Kidnapping and extortion are crimes. You just got out, do you really want to go back to jail again?"Darren laughed. "As long as you pay up and help me get away, how could I get caught?"His eyes gleamed with a hint of madness. "Hurry up and decide. My patience is running out."Russell turned to his men. "Go to the bank and transfer the money." Then he looked back at Darren. "Give me your account number.
Darren's expression darkened, his grip on the knife tightening as emotions churned in his eyes. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. I want money, and I want to get out of here—nothing else matters!"Russell was about to say more, but his phone rang again, persistently interrupting him. With a furrowed brow, he answered, "Rina, what is it?"Rina’s voice was filled with tears, "Russ, come back, please come back! I’m hurt, it hurts so much."Russell asked calmly, "Have you called for an ambulance?"Her sobbing intensified. "I did, but Russ, I need you here with me. I can only feel safe with you by my side. Please, come now, okay?"Russell, trying to remain patient, responded, "Rina, I’m in the middle of something important. I’ll come to you as soon as I’m done, alright?"But Rina was insistent. "No! You have to come now! If you don’t, I’ll tell my grandfather to cancel our cooperation. Russ, don’t make me do this!"Russell’s eyes, usually warm and inviting, turned cold. "Fine, I’ll c
Lucas looked at Aveline. "Can you run?""I can." Aveline nodded.Lucas tightened his grip on her hand and glanced up at the precarious beams above. His eyes filled with cold determination as he commanded, "Run!"They sprinted towards the exit together!The flames licked at their clothes, but they ignored it, focusing solely on the escape route ahead.“Crack...”Suddenly, the sound of wood splintering echoed above them.Aveline’s heart clenched, but before she could react, Lucas shoved her forward forcefully.“Crash!”The sound of something heavy collapsing followed, momentarily smothering the flames.Aveline’s face turned pale as she spun around, only to see Lucas trapped beneath a fallen beam!The fire had already started to consume him."Lucas!" Aveline screamed, rushing back towards him.Seeing Lucas pinned beneath the beam, her heart shattered. The emotional walls she had built crumbled, and tears streamed down her face."Go, run!" Lucas shouted at her as she approached.But as he
Selena continued her playful banter, even giving Lucas a pointed glare without missing a beat.Aveline stifled a laugh, listening carefully to the story Selena was recounting. After a moment of thought, she asked, "So, you stayed downstairs that long because you were planning to help out?"Selena's expression shifted to one of mild discomfort, her tone defensive. "I wasn’t going to help. If she’s getting pushed around, she deserves it!"Her words didn’t fool Aveline. She had known Selena for years and was well aware of her complex feelings toward the Quin family. While Selena often expressed her disdain for her parents, she had never spoken ill of Jolie.It was clear to Aveline that Selena cared about her sister, even if she wouldn’t admit it outright. But since Selena wasn’t ready to talk about it, Aveline decided not to press the issue."Alright, let’s eat. The food’s here.""Good idea."...Downstairs.After the man had scurried off, Jolie looked visibly more relaxed. Once she had f
"Yes, sir," replied the man across from Gavin, who was clearly his assistant, Quentin Rhett.Jolie had figured out the situation. The Southside business district project was primarily led by Cooper Enterprises, with various companies competing for the most lucrative contracts and land rights. It seemed the Lowe family’s bid had been favored so far.The arrogant man sitting across from her immediately adopted a more respectful demeanor upon recognizing Gavin. "Mr. Cooper, our bid is solid. There are no issues."Gavin, still ignoring him, continued with his meal.Jolie smirked slightly before standing up and walking directly to Gavin’s table."Hey, you—" The man started, then quickly silenced himself, nervously watching Gavin's reaction to her. If they were connected, his earlier attitude would make things extremely awkward for him.Without hesitation, Jolie called over a server, requested utensils, and casually began eating at Gavin’s table.Quentin, surprised by her boldness, spoke up,
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