Lucas' expression froze, his sharp eyes fixed on her. "You're really not renewing the contract?"Aveline shook her head. "No, I don't need the money anymore."Lucas was momentarily speechless.If money wasn’t enough to sway her, what else could he offer to keep her?His health was gradually improving, and the court hearing was only a matter of time. He could choose to avoid it indefinitely, but that wasn’t a real solution.What he wanted was to grow closer to her, not to maintain this fragile façade of calm.Their relationship felt too delicate as if it could shatter with the slightest touch.Aveline packed up the lunchbox and left without giving him a second glance.There was no hesitation in her departure.Lucas leaned back against the headboard, tilting his head slightly and closing his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and a heavy, oppressive atmosphere settled around him.Just then, his phone rang. He answered it. "Hello?"Desmond's voice came through, "Mr. Tudor, the
"Come in," Lucas said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion.The door opened, and Judy walked in. Seeing that his complexion had improved, she stood by the bed, her gaze filled with a mix of emotions."I never imagined you could be so calculating," Judy finally spoke, offering her assessment.Lucas looked at her coolly. "We both got what we needed. Isn’t it a bit late to be discussing this now?"During their collaboration with DK Group, the Thompson family had reaped numerous benefits, yet now she was here to accuse him of being manipulative.Judy clenched the bag in her hand. "Lucas, I genuinely wanted to get along with you, so why did you use me?"Lucas remained indifferent. "Is there anything else you need?"Judy, however, continued, "You used me to provoke Aveline, but what was the result? She doesn’t care about you at all. So, what if you’ve gained so much? Aveline still wants to divorce you!"She aimed for his most vulnerable spot with her words, knowing they would sting.She truly
Aveline fumed at the thought of Lucas brazenly living here, acting like he was a victim dragged into this mess by her. The nerve of that man! He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He was secretly plotting to seize control of the Tudor family’s company, yet he played the part of a pitiable figure cast out in front of her. "How despicable!"She slammed a pillow with such force that it became misshapen.“Hey, babe, what did that poor pillow ever do to you?” came Selena's hesitant voice.Aveline closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I’m just frustrated and needed to vent."Selena approached her. “Well, venting like that isn’t going to help much. How about I take you somewhere fun?”Aveline looked over at her. “What kind of place?”Selena grinned mischievously. “Come on, let's get dressed up first.”By the time they were ready, the sky had already darkened. Selena, gazing at the exquisite makeup on Aveline's face, couldn’t help but admire her. “Ave, you’re stunning even wit
The man's tie hung loosely around his neck, and there was an untamed, primal energy about him as if he was about to break free from the shackles of restraint. His appearance elicited screams from many of the women in the crowd.Selena excitedly grabbed Aveline's arm. “He’s so hot! I really want to feel his abs. I bet they’re amazing to touch.”Aveline watched the man for a moment but felt no particular excitement.With the rhythm of the music, the man began to dance, and each time the beat hit a crescendo, he removed another piece of clothing. First, it was the tie.Then, the shirt.And finally, the belt.By the end, he was bare-chested, finishing the dance with nothing on his upper body.The lights shifted again. He picked up a microphone, and as the music started once more, he began to sing. Moving forward, he reached out, grasping a woman's hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. His gaze was intense and affectionate as if each lyric was a declaration of love meant just for her.A
“Hey, beautiful, the night is still young. Where are you heading? Why don’t you stay and have a few drinks with us?” The man with dyed blonde hair, clearly the leader, smirked as he eyed Aveline and Selena. His gaze lingered, clearly captivated by their beauty.Aveline frowned. “Not tonight, maybe another time.”She grabbed Selena's hand and tried to move past them. But the leader swiftly blocked their path. “So, when would be a good time, then? We’re not asking for much, just hoping to make friends with two beautiful ladies like yourselves. Come on, have a drink with us, and we’ll leave you alone. How about that?”Yeah, right! If they went with these men, who knew what might happen.Outnumbered, Selena chose not to provoke them. Instead, she discreetly pulled out her phone to call the police.“What are you doing, gorgeous?”Just then, a hand shot out from behind and snatched her phone away, smashing it to pieces when they saw she was calling for help.“Come on, beautiful, that’s not
Selena thought for a moment. It did seem like the right thing to do, so she nodded. “Okay, let’s go together.”At the police station, Aveline and Selena testified on the man’s behalf. Both the man and the blonde-haired leader were injured, but since the latter had been the one causing trouble, he would be held accountable. The man was allowed to leave after giving his statement.Outside the station, Aveline suggested, “Let’s go to the hospital and get those wounds treated.”The man’s forehead was bleeding from a cut, and blood trickled down from it.He looked at Aveline, suddenly breaking into a broad smile, his eyes incredibly clear and bright. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”Aveline hesitated, taken aback for a moment.Selena leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, “Sounds like a familiar line, doesn’t it?”Aveline was speechless.She looked at him. “Do you remember your name now?”The man nodded. “I remember a little… I think my name is Leo.”Aveline nodded. “Alright, Leo, let’s he
"Leo, every extra day you stay in Cloudflare City increases the risk of exposure," the voice on the phone warned.Leo replied calmly, "Relax, I know what I'm doing. Besides, the game has only just begun. I need to enjoy it thoroughly before I leave."With that, he ended the call. The night grew darker, and his figure melted into the shadows of the alley, soon disappearing completely.…Back at Maple Garden, the two of them had taken a shower and were now curled up in the media room watching a movie.Selena sipped on her juice and asked, “Ave, aren’t you even a bit curious about who this Leo guy is? It seems like he’s always popping up wherever you are.”Aveline, keeping her eyes on the screen, replied, “I’ve noticed. That’s why I said there’s no need to get to know him.”After all that she had been through, how could she not have developed a sense of caution?Leo’s identity was too much of a mystery. First, he claimed amnesia, and now he said he had recovered some of his memories. But
Lucas withdrew his cold gaze and said, "Get back to work."Desmond hesitated for a moment and then spoke, "Mr. Tudor, there's a message from the main house. Madam Barbara wants to see you."Lucas remained indifferent. "Okay."He only gave a curt acknowledgment without indicating whether he would go or not.Desmond carefully continued, "Mr. Tudor, no matter what Madam Barbara has done, she's getting on in years, and her health isn’t what it used to be. She just wants to see you… Perhaps you should consider—"Lucas glanced at him. "You're so diligent. Should I give you a raise?"Desmond was taken aback at first, then chuckled awkwardly. "Actually, there's no need for that trouble. A bit more in the year-end bonus would do.""You've got some nerve," Lucas said coolly.Desmond grinned. "Mr. Tudor, I'm just saying. You don't have to take it seriously. I’ve got things to do, so I’ll be going now."Before Lucas had a chance to get angry, Desmond made a quick exit!Lucas' eyes returned to the