“It’s fine,” Aveline said. “I can reschedule the court hearing when I get back.”Zachary gave her a complicated look. There wasn’t much else they could do at this point.“I want to go out for a walk,” Aveline continued. “Is there anything you need? I could pick it up for you.”Zachary shook his head with a smile. “No, nothing for me. Just come back soon.”“Alright.” Aveline nodded.After leaving the orphanage, she got into her car and drove towards the town center. By the time she arrived, night had fallen. She parked by the roadside and began walking along the bustling streets.It was dinner time, and the streets were crowded with people out for a meal or a stroll. The air was filled with the enticing aroma of food, and Aveline glanced around, taking in the scene.In the few months since she’d last visited, Arthur Town had changed quite a bit. Everywhere she looked, there was new development and construction. She believed it wouldn't be long before this place became as prosperous as C
Aveline froze. This was the main street, bustling with people... If she kept struggling, Lucas just might do exactly what he’d threatened!Her expression instantly turned cold, but she stopped resisting.Lucas’ lips curled in satisfaction as he held her hand and continued down the street. After a while, Aveline asked coldly, "How long do you plan to keep this up?" Lucas glanced at her. "A lifetime." Aveline shot back, "In your dreams." But his eyes were serious. "I’m not dreaming. I’m telling you the truth. I intend to hold your hand like this and walk with you for the rest of my life." Aveline decided to stop looking at him altogether.The aroma from a street vendor filled the air, making Aveline's stomach growl. She headed straight over.Lucas, still holding her hand, found himself standing in front of a food truck selling blue cheese. Her eyes lit up with interest as she eagerly ordered a portion, and the sharp, tangy aroma instantly hit him.His expression darkened.A
Seeing this, Aveline didn’t bother trying to make him leave. She started the car and headed straight back to the orphanage. By the time they returned, the sky had turned completely dark. Zachary and a group of children came out to greet her, smiles lighting up their faces when they saw her. “Come on, help me unload,” Aveline said, walking over to open the trunk.Zachary was surprised. “You went shopping?”Aveline replied, “I had some time to kill, so I decided to buy everything the orphanage needed.”“Thank you, Miss Aveline!” the children chorused.“You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it,” Aveline said with a warm smile.Just then, the passenger door opened, and Lucas' tall figure stepped out of the car. Seeing him, the children quickly hid behind Aveline—they didn’t know this man.Zachary’s expression shifted when he saw Lucas. After a brief pause, he asked, “Mr. Tudor, what brings you here?”“I do have business here,” Lucas nodded, his gaze settling on Aveline. “I came to find
Zachary was caught off guard and asked, "What's going on?""Mr. Wills, there's a problem I don't understand. Can you help me with it?""Mr. Wills, is my blanket folded correctly?""Mr. Wills..."And so, with a series of strange excuses, the children managed to whisk Zachary away.Lucas stood up and walked over, his tall figure clad in a black coat with broad shoulders that emphasized his mature, masculine charm. His handsome face held a faint smile, his mood clearly quite pleasant.Aveline frowned at him. "What kind of trick are you playing now?"Lucas replied, "I can't stand seeing another man get close to you."Aveline rolled her eyes. "How childish."She turned and headed towards her room, and Lucas followed her every step of the way.When she reached the doorway, she turned back to him. "Stop following me."But Lucas moved aside slightly and pointed to a spot not far away, where several curious little heads were peeking out, watching them intently."They already know we're married.
Aveline looked at Hilda's thin, pale figure with a calm expression. "If you don’t tell me what I need to know, I won’t help you leave. Do you think I’m desperate to get back what was taken from me? You’re wrong. This whole matter has never really mattered to me. Whether I have parents or not isn’t important."Hilda's face immediately darkened. She stood up, her eyes filled with agitation. "How can you be indifferent? She stole everything that belonged to you! Do you know how wealthy your parents are? You were supposed to be the daughter of a rich family, but she took it all away. Are you really willing to let that go?"A cold light shimmered in Aveline's clear eyes. "Since she could take my place, it only meant you were the accomplice. How can I trust you didn’t let greed cloud your judgment?"Hilda hesitated, her face paling further. "Aveline… she won’t help me, and she won’t spare you either. Your existence is a ticking time bomb. She’ll find a way to get rid of you, so you won’t
Lucas continued to gaze at her face, speaking seriously, "Aveline, think about it carefully. Are you really at a loss?"Aveline hesitated for a moment. If she thought it through, it didn’t seem like she was losing out at all.Lucas was the one putting in the money and effort, and on top of that, he only wanted to sleep with her. His skills in bed were undeniable, and he brought her considerable pleasure. It was just a matter of spending a bit of time in bed with him. Besides, it wasn’t like it was their first time. There wasn’t much to be conflicted or to struggle over.After a pause, she replied, "I need to think about it."Lucas nodded. "Let me know when you’ve made up your mind."Aveline didn't respond, turning away and leaving. Lucas watched her retreating figure, a faint smile slowly appearing on his lips.Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—it was Baron calling."Yes?" he answered.Baron’s voice was respectful. "Mr. Tudor, we’ve investigated what Mrs. Tu
Zachary smiled wryly. "Never mind, just follow your own instincts and decide for yourself."Aveline watched the children playing, falling deep into thought. What did she really want? The truth was, she did want to know what kind of people her biological parents were.So, maybe she should dig deeper, take a look, and see where it led. Who knows? Perhaps she was destined to have parents after all. Once she made up her mind, the uncertainty faded away.That evening, after taking a shower, she sent a message to Lucas. “I have something to discuss with you. Can you come over?”It hadn’t even been five minutes before there was a knock on her door.Aveline got up, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Before she could say anything, Lucas leaned in, cupped her face, and kissed her. Her body stiffened, but she didn't resist. After all, she had asked him to come over to talk about this, hadn’t she? He seemed to know exactly what she meant.“Mm… the door,” Aveline managed to
Lucas leaned in closer, his face only inches from hers. Seeing her cool, indifferent expression, he smirked slightly. "Aveline, are you just pretending not to know me now that you’ve gotten what you wanted?"Aveline frowned, "When did I ever pretend not to know you?""Then why won't you let me have a kiss?" Lucas countered.Aveline was at a loss for words. She pushed him away and stood up, saying, "Lucas, what we have is just a transaction. I hope you won’t complicate it with anything else. It won’t do either of us any good."Lucas looked at her overly composed face and chuckled, "But I think it does me a lot of good.""Will you do what I asked or not?" Aveline demanded, clearly frustrated by his persistence."Of course," Lucas replied as he moved closer to her, his voice soothing, "Since you asked, I’ll do it, and I’ll make sure it’s done perfectly."Satisfied with his answer, Aveline turned and left. With Lucas’ help, she wouldn’t have to worry about sending Hilda away. She decide