Lucas let out a helpless laugh. “Yes, yes, it’s my idea, not you asking for my help, so you don’t owe me anything.” Aveline immediately looked away. The two fell into silence once again. By the time they arrived at the hospital, the sky had already darkened. Aveline had arranged a private room for Annie at the time so she could recover in peace. Now, there was a middle-aged couple standing outside the door of the room. The woman was banging on the door forcefully, shouting loudly. The nurses and security guards nearby were trying to calm her down, but she wouldn’t listen. “Annie, you worthless girl, get out here right now! Didn’t you say you were going to tutor someone? Why are you at the hospital? Did you do something shameful and get beaten up by someone’s wife, so you ended up here? You little tramp, open this door, and I’ll beat you to death today for being so shameless!” The woman’s words were harsh and vulgar, without a thought that she was talking about her own da
Aveline said, "Go ahead and sue if you want, but before you do, just know that all this yelling in public and getting physical is more than enough reason for the police to haul you in for questioning."The middle-aged woman was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then appeared slightly guilty. She definitely didn't want to end up at the police station!Her eyes darted around as she quickly retorted, "Forget about that for now. Since my daughter is in there, why not let me in to see her? Something serious happened, and she didn't even tell us. We're worried about her!"Worried? Aveline could hardly see any concern in her demeanor!Aveline replied, "With the way you all were acting just now like you were ready to tear her apart the moment you saw her, how could I possibly let you in? She still needs to rest. You should leave.""You!" The woman bristled. "How dare you try to send us away? I'm Annie's mother, we're her family! No matter what you say, you're just an outsider. Even if t
Everyone turned in shock to look at the person who had struck out.The man was wearing a dark gray coat over a black suit, his tie perfectly knotted, and his straight shoulders made him look even broader and more imposing. His handsome, slightly wicked face carried a coldness, and his eyes seemed to hold a glimmer of frost that chilled to the bone."Who saw me kick you?" Lucas asked calmly, his voice deep and magnetic, with a casual tone that still made one's heart skip a beat.The middle-aged man, hearing this, immediately pointed around the room. "Everyone here saw it! You think you can deny it?""Uh, what did I come out here for again?""I need to get some water.""I haven’t finished my notes; I should get back to that.""I still have rounds to make.""Wait for me, I'll come along."Within a minute, the crowd dispersed, each person finding an excuse to leave as if they hadn't witnessed anything at all. In the blink of an eye, only Lucas, Aveline, Annie, and the two middle-aged tro
Annie asked, “Won’t that cause trouble for you?”Aveline shook her head. “No, it won’t.”Lucas spoke up, “In all of Cloudflare City, the hospital with the best privacy and security is the one owned by the Tudor family. Why not consider moving her there?”Aveline glanced at him, meeting his dark, inscrutable eyes. She knew he wouldn’t offer anything without expecting something in return.But on second thought, he did have a point. If Annie were transferred to a hospital under the Tudors, her parents wouldn’t be able to find her, and she could recover in peace.Aveline pressed her lips together and nodded. “Alright.”Lucas raised an eyebrow. “‘Alright,’ is it?”The implication was clear.Aveline’s tone grew firmer. “Yes, alright!”“Good, I’ll make the arrangements.” A faint smile tugged at Lucas’ lips as he pulled out his phone and began making a call.Annie looked at Lucas nervously and whispered, “Aveline, who is he?”Aveline replied coolly, “Just a stranger.”Annie blinked but said
Aveline’s brow furrowed slightly as she glanced at Annie, who gave her a playful wink."You two talk; I'll step out for a bit.”Seeing they needed privacy, Lucas turned and left the room.Once he was gone, Aveline said, "He's not my boyfriend."Annie burst into a smile, her cheeks dimpling with two small, charming dimples. "I know. You’re upset with him right now. I've seen lots of couples act like that when they’re fighting. I won’t say it again."Aveline sighed. There was no explaining this away. Besides, there was no need to burden Annie with the details of her pending divorce from Lucas. It would be over soon enough, so there wasn't much to discuss.Changing the subject, Aveline said, "While you’re staying here, you can go for a walk when you’re feeling up to it. The environment here is quite nice. If you need anything, just ask the nurse, and if you feel unwell, call me right away."Annie nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "I will, Aveline. Thank you so much."Aveline smil
Aveline let out a soft sigh, her breath forming a white mist that quickly disappeared into the cold air. Was she getting entangled with him again?She had wanted to keep her distance, but somehow, the ties between them kept growing, getting more and more complicated… It frustrated her to no end.All she hoped for now was that after the divorce, there would be no more drama. She just wanted a quiet, simple life.Aveline got into the car, and Lucas immediately followed, sliding into the passenger seat. She didn't say a word, simply started the engine, and drove towards Maple Gardens.By the time they got back, it was already nine o'clock at night. Aveline had been running around all day and felt exhausted. She yawned, glancing at him with tired eyes. "Can we do this another day? I'm really tired tonight."Lucas' voice was low as he replied, "You don't have to do anything. I'll handle it myself."Aveline was silent, her expression unreadable, as she opened the door.Lucas’ tall frame
Aveline's brows furrowed as she asked, "How did he get hurt?"Desmond's tone was heavy with concern. "This morning, out of nowhere, a group of people surrounded Mr. Tudor's car. He wasn’t prepared and got hit in the head. He's already been taken to the hospital, and those who caused the trouble have been arrested. “But after looking into it, I found that they were just ordinary folks who admitted to what they did, so they wouldn't face any serious consequences. Mr. Tudor had to get stitches on his head, yet he insisted on coming to work. I'm worried his condition might worsen. Mrs. Tudor, please come over. He’ll listen to you."A group of people suddenly attacking Lucas? Aveline knew his skills well—who could manage to hurt him unless he hadn't been on guard?“Alright, I’ll come over right away,” she replied, pushing aside the strange feeling gnawing at her heart.She couldn't help but think, at a critical time like this, the last thing they needed was for something to happen to Luca
Aveline walked over and set the overturned chair upright. The noise made Lucas frown.Without turning around, he snapped, "Get out!""Oh," Aveline replied, calmly setting the chair in place and turning to leave.The sound of her voice made Lucas whip around. Seeing her about to walk out, he quickly strode over and grabbed her wrist."I didn’t know it was you. I'm sorry," he said.When he saw her, the sharp lines of his face softened with surprise, and the frost in his dark eyes melted away inch by inch. Now, his gaze was filled with a nervous concern, as if he feared she might be upset.Aveline glanced at him and asked, “Is your injury serious?”Lucas’ eyes brightened a little, and a small smile tugged at his lips. “Are you worried about me?”Aveline replied in a neutral tone, “I’m just concerned that if you’re seriously hurt, it could delay…”But before she could finish, Lucas suddenly pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.“I knew it—you care about me,” he murmured in a dee