Aveline thought this over and spoke directly, "If it's about the situation between him and me, you don't need to say more. I can handle my own affairs."Gernard fell silent. He had indeed come for that reason. With the uproar surrounding Lucas' altercation, he had intended to persuade Aveline once more. But hearing her distant tone, he felt a faint, inexplicable discomfort. A sense of unease that he couldn't quite understand. Seeing his silence, Aveline continued, "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. I'm at work." Gernard replied, "Alright, as long as you know what you're doing. I was just thinking, you were so eager to divorce before but couldn't find a way, and now there's an opportunity right in front of you. I just wanted to help. But it's your decision. I won't disturb you any further. Goodbye." He hung up the phone. A faint trace of mockery flashed in Aveline's eyes. To help Juliet, Gernard really could say anything. Anyone who didn't know better might have t
Maple Garden.Aveline stepped into the elevator when her phone pinged—it was a message from Selena inviting her to dinner that evening. She felt drained all day and didn’t have the energy to go out, but she also didn't feel like cooking for herself once she got home. She quickly replied, asking where they would eat. Selena's call came almost immediately. “How about some barbecue? I think I've been working out too much lately. I've dropped a few pounds and need to make up for it," Selena said.Aveline raised an eyebrow. "What kind of workouts have you been doing?"Selena laughed and replied with a wink, "The bedroom kind."Aveline sighed. “…Forget I asked.” She said, “Where are we eating? Send me the location.” “Got it.” After hanging up, Aveline pressed the elevator's ground floor button. Beside her, Lucas also received a call. Seeing her press the button for the first floor, he glanced over and asked, "Got something going on?" Aveline replied with a nod, not offering fu
Selena turned her head and immediately saw Aaron. She looked back at Aveline with a blank expression. "Suddenly, I'm not that interested in barbecue anymore. What about you?" Aveline chuckled at her comment. Aaron, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow slightly and walked over, pinching Selena's cheek to make her look up. "What's that supposed to mean? You don't want to see me?" Selena slapped his hand away. "Do you really need me to spell it out for you?" Aaron's eyes narrowed dangerously. "No, but why don't you explain it to me in detail?" Selena scoffed. "Don't bother us while we're eating. Go away, you annoying man!" Aaron's lips curved into a smile. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered, "Wait for me tonight." With that, he straightened up and returned to his table. Aveline pretended not to notice anything. Lance then chimed in, "From a professional perspective, it seems the lady clearly doesn't want to see you." Selena shot him a look. "Oh, really? Are
“Alright.” The server nodded and turned away. Selena glanced between Lucas and Aveline, resting her chin on one hand. "I have a rather bold suspicion right now." Aveline looked at her, puzzled. "What is it?" Selena replied, "They did this on purpose." Aveline blinked, but quickly realized what she meant by "on purpose." Both of them had arrived at the restaurant just moments before the men showed up. It was hard to believe it wasn’t deliberate. Besides, why would they choose a barbecue place for their gathering? There were countless high-end restaurants, private dining spots, and star-rated hotels they could have chosen. Aveline thought it over but didn't say much. Selena sighed softly. "Great, now they're right next to us. We can’t talk freely anymore." Aveline replied, "Since when did you start talking behind people's backs? Weren't you always the type to say it directly to their faces?" Selena widened her eyes slightly. "Is it the same now? With the Tudor Group a
The aroma of grilled meat quickly filled the air, pulling Aveline's attention back to the present. She was genuinely hungry. It was clear that the presence of the men at the next table affected Selena's mood; several times, she seemed on the verge of saying something, only to catch sight of them out of the corner of her eye and sigh in frustration."So annoying," she finally muttered.Aveline suggested, "Just enjoy the meal for now; we can talk about it later.""Alright," Selena replied with a nod.The atmosphere was somewhat awkward, but the meat was delicious, and Aveline ate quite a bit. Meanwhile, the men at the next table were also getting fresh charcoal for their grill.A man carrying a pan of hot coals approached and, just as he was about to place it in their grill, his expression sharpened, and suddenly he hurled the hot coals directly at Lucas!If the burning coals hit Lucas, it would undoubtedly cause serious injury!Everything happened too quickly. Although Lucas reacted
Lucas overheard the conversation, and his steps visibly slowed.Aaron gave Lance a thumbs up and then joined the group heading to the hospital.By the time they arrived, the burn on Lucas' forehead had already formed a small blister. The doctor treated it briefly and said there was nothing serious, and they were free to leave. It wasn't a big deal, but Aveline had insisted on coming to the hospital to make sure.As they exited the hospital, Selena clung to Aveline's arm, hesitating to speak several times.Aveline glanced at her. "If you have something to say, just say it."Selena looked back at the men following them, then tugged Aveline ahead a few steps until they were a good distance away. She finally stopped and whispered closely, "Aveline, are you having second thoughts? Are you thinking of not divorcing him?"Aveline's expression froze for a moment. "I'm not having second thoughts."Selena, however, looked worried. "But you don't look like someone who isn't regretting it. Lucas
Was she wavering? Backing down? Hesitating? It seemed so. When that answer appeared in her mind, Aveline realized that her persistence all along had indeed become a joke.Reflecting on the past, there were moments of pain, but also moments of care. Why had she insisted on divorce so stubbornly? Perhaps it was the repeated lack of trust, the stark contrast between who he was before and who he became after regaining his memory and identity. He was no longer the same man she once loved so deeply. His entanglements with other women, and his desire to repay favors, all while ignoring her role in his life. Those disappointments eventually turned into despair. She didn’t want to hold on anymore, and that was why she sought a divorce. Her heart, once filled with love for him, had gradually dried up like a riverbed cracked with fissures, and every time she thought about it, the pain became unbearable. She just didn’t want to feel that pain any longer. Her thoughts were chaot
Hearing this, Aveline furrowed her brows. "The situation is getting more and more heated. Aren't you going to find a way to cool it down?"Lucas replied, "It's too late to suppress it now. The capital has already gotten involved, and there are people fueling the flames behind the scenes. The attention is only going to increase."Aveline's worry deepened. "Then what should you do?"If things continued like this, Lucas' situation would only become more precarious. It wouldn't just be pressure from the board; the public could turn against him too. If it caught the attention of the higher authorities, there was a real risk of him being blacklisted."Hearing you worry about me, I should be happy," Lucas suddenly shifted the topic, "but why does it make me so sad?"Aveline paused for a moment and then suggested, "Maybe I could do a livestream to clarify things.""No need for you to appear," Lucas replied, "I'll handle everything."His words brought her a strange sense of calm. Still, she s