Lucas said, “I know you still need to review the blueprints. I have a computer here; you can continue with your work.”Aveline's brow furrowed with resistance.But Lucas, watching her closely, added, “Aveline, stay with me. We’re about to get divorced. After that, you’d never agree to a request like this. Consider it… fulfilling our last obligations as a married couple?”His voice was low and gentle, softening his tone to its most persuasive. His dark eyes were earnest, filled with an intensity that revealed his longing for her to stay.Something in her heart stirred again.Almost against her better judgment, she agreed. “Alright.”Lucas’ eyes brightened instantly. He walked over and opened the door, calling Desmond in.“Mr. Tudor, any instructions?” Desmond asked, noticing the softened expression on Lucas’ face and feeling he had made the right decision by calling Aveline in.Lucas pulled out his phone. “I need you to go somewhere and follow these instructions for some purchases.”D
As Aveline continued to adjust the blueprints and snack on the treats, the afternoon slipped away unnoticed. The sky outside had grown dark, and the office lights were now aglow, snapping her back to reality. She realized she had been there much longer than intended.Logging out of her account, she shut down the laptop and stood up, glancing over at Lucas.He was still engrossed in his work, his fingers holding a pen as he reviewed each page with a cold, focused expression. Occasionally, he made notes in the margins.Not wanting to disturb him, Aveline stretched her arms after sitting for so long, then quietly walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window to admire the night view outside.The Tudor Group’s location was undoubtedly the best, perched high enough to overlook most of the city. Below, a sea of twinkling lights gathered like a river of stars—a breathtaking view. And now, snowflakes were drifting down, creating a dreamlike scene.Aveline's eyes softened, her mood feeling su
The next day, a video quietly began circulating across major online platforms, and within just three hours, it had skyrocketed to the top of the trending list.Early that morning, Desmond contacted Lucas, his tone grave. “Mr. Tudor, there’s trouble. A video of you hitting someone at the hospital has been uploaded online, and it’s already gaining a lot of attention.”As he spoke, he sent Lucas the trending search term.Lucas had just finished his morning workout and was wiping sweat from his forehead and neck with a towel. He opened his messaging app and saw the trending topic Desmond had sent.“Tudor Group Chairman Assaults Someone in Hospital.”He clicked on the link and was immediately met with countless videos, all showing the same scene from the hospital corridor's surveillance footage: a few seconds of him kicking a middle-aged woman to the ground. No context, no follow-up—just that brief, explosive moment.But he wasn’t just anyone; he was the newly appointed Chairman of Tudor Gr
“Huh?” Aveline was momentarily stunned and asked in confusion, “Why is he trending? Why is he being criticized?”Selena replied, “Oh, it's a long story—I can't explain it in just a few words. You need to check it out for yourself!”Aveline frowned tightly. What was going on? She had only been away for one night, and suddenly, this was happening?Without ending the call, she exited the screen and opened the app. The top trending topic was about Lucas.She clicked on it, and when she saw the content of the video, she immediately sat up.“Did you see it? Hahaha, that jerk is finally getting what he deserves! He’s being slammed across the internet—it feels so good!” Selena's voice came through, her laughter wild and unrestrained.The video clip only showed the moment Lucas kicked the middle-aged woman, without any context before or after, and Aveline wasn’t visible in the footage. No one knew Lucas had acted to protect her.Aveline pressed her lips together, scrolling through the commen
Aveline pressed her lips together slightly, unwilling to admit it but knowing she had to—her heart was wavering because of Lucas.Images of the recent events flashed through her mind. She lowered her gaze, a complex look in her eyes. How could she not waver?He had changed significantly. He had become much gentler, more respectful of her thoughts and opinions. He was slowly becoming the Lu she had once loved.And she had no defenses against Lu.She closed her eyes briefly, trying to pull herself out of those emotions, without giving any further explanation. “Let’s just get back to work,” she said, refocusing her attention on her computer....At Tudor Group.In the boardroom, the atmosphere was heavy.Lucas sat at the head of the table, dressed in a silver-gray suit, his tie undone and the top two buttons of his shirt left open. One hand rested on the table as he twirled a pen between fingers. His sharp, handsome face remained expressionless.The shareholders had all arrived.On o
Mark’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing as he replied, “Are you questioning me? What motives could I possibly have? I'm doing this for the good of the Tudor Group! Regardless of the circumstances leading up to this, the public has already been misled by that video. “Clarifying it now will do no good—they only believe what they see. If we make a sincere apology and show genuine remorse, we can calm things down. After that, we can release the full investigation results. That's the most effective way to handle this!”His tone was charged with emotion as he turned to Lucas. “What do you think, Lucas?”“Well said,” Lucas replied, his lips curving into a faint smile. He raised a hand and said, “Since you want Madam Yvonne to come in, why don’t you call her right now and see if she’ll agree?”His demeanor showed no sign of tension; his expression remained completely unchanged. The trending topic continued to spiral out of control, and the shareholders were in a heated argument, yet Lucas,
Desmond was speechless.His usually composed expression was starting to crack.Shareholders were equally at a loss for words.“What on earth? Do you even hear yourself right now?” they thought.Their expressions were a sight to behold, all eyes on Lucas, waiting to see what else he might say.On the other end of the line, Aveline fell silent.Did she hear him right? Did he just say he was being bullied?Wasn't he usually the one doing the bullying?With a calm tone, she replied, “It seems like you’re fine, so I’m going to hang up now.”“There is something, really!” Lucas quickly insisted, trying to keep her on the line. “After this incident, the executives at Tudor Group are holding a board meeting. They want to remove me from my position and send me packing. I’m about to be unemployed!”Shareholders were speechless.This was getting more and more ridiculous.Aveline paused for a moment and said, “This process sounds oddly familiar.”Wasn’t this exactly how things went with DK Group?A
This was the perfect moment to strip Lucas of his power. If they couldn’t find someone to replace him now, Lucas would only grow stronger, leaving the shareholders with no room to maneuver in the future.“Not coming, is she?” Just then, Lucas’ voice broke the tension, calm and unhurried, with a hint of amusement, as if he had expected this outcome all along.Mark glanced at him, his expression stern. “Madam Yvonne has deep feelings for the former chairman. With him bedridden, she insists on staying by his side to care for him. It seems we’ll need to look for another suitable candidate.”He cast his gaze around the room. One of the shareholders suddenly spoke up, “If we're talking about experience and capability, Mr. Lewis is the only one truly qualified to take over as Chairman and CEO of Tudor Group. We’ve all seen his dedication to the Group over the years. I vote in favor of Mr. Lewis temporarily assuming the position of Chairman!”“I agree!”“So do I!”Several shareholders on Ma