Seeing her graceful figure in the mirror, Sophia smiled in satisfaction. However, when her gaze fell on her prosthetic leg, a flash of disgust crossed her eyes.She had given up so much to be with Lucas. She had to marry him, and Lucas could only be hers.Lucas arrived shortly after. Sophia opened the door with a bright smile. "Lucas, you're here.""Yeah," Lucas responded, stepping in and changing his shoes.Sophia's eyes lit up with anticipation, but throughout the whole time, his gaze never lingered on her. She bit her lip and then asked, "Lucas, do you like my new dress?"She twirled in front of him. Lucas' eyes finally glanced at her, but only briefly. "What did you want to talk about?"Sophia's disappointment was evident. Couldn't he see how much effort she had put into dressing up for him? Why was he so indifferent? Was he like this in front of Aveline as well?"Let's eat first. We'll talk after dinner." Sophia composed herself and led the way to the dining room.Lucas followed h
Sophia directly threw herself into Lucas' arms. "Lucas, what's going on? I'm scared..."Lucas's body stiffened for a moment. He grabbed her arms and pushed her away. "It might be a power trip. I'll go check."Sophia tried to cling to him again, wanting to hold him. "Don't go. I'm scared."Her perfume wafted over, lingering around Lucas' nose. His brows furrowed deeply. He pushed her away again and took out his phone to turn on the flashlight. "Hold this and shine some light for me."Sophia's expression froze, but she still took the phone.Lucas went to the circuit breaker and checked it. Sure enough, it was a power trip. He flipped the switch, and the entire room lit up."It's fixed." Lucas took his phone back from her, speaking in a flat tone.Sophia bit her lip. In the struggle, her neckline had lowered, revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. But Lucas seemed not to notice. He picked up his coat. "It's late. I'll be going now. Take care."Sophia grabbed the hem of his coat. "Lucas, I'
As Aveline exited the company, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized Lucas hadn't followed her. She had been genuinely concerned about what that troublesome man might do next.She walked towards the subway station. It was convenient to take the subway from the company to Maple Garden since it was the last stop. However, as she turned a corner, she noticed someone familiar following her.She paused and glanced back, recognizing the man who had saved her last night and strangely apologized to her this morning.How did he know where she worked? Why was he following her? What did he want?Aveline became vigilant and quickened her pace towards the subway station. After she swiped her card and entered, she looked back and saw the man following her inside.Her breath hitched as she pulled out her phone, ready to call the police at any moment. If he made any move against her, she would definitely report him! For now, she couldn't be sure if he was just going the same way by coinci
The policewoman left the room.Lucas walked over and stood in front of her, saying, "Brian works for me."Aveline's eyes widened slightly. "You sent him to follow me? Are you insane?"Lucas was speechless.A vein in his temple throbbed. He said in a deep voice, "He made a mistake that caused me to misunderstand you, so he came to apologize."What he didn't expect was that Brian would apologize directly to Aveline without explaining who he was. It was a miracle that Aveline hadn't called the police to have him sent to a mental hospital.Aveline asked, puzzled, "What did he do wrong?"Lucas briefly explained the events of that night. Aveline nodded in understanding. "Oh."Lucas looked at her. "How do you want to handle this?"Aveline suddenly chuckled.Lucas frowned. "What's so funny?"Aveline replied, "He knew to apologize for his mistake. What about you?"Lucas paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as his eyes grew darker and more unreadable. The narrow room felt suddenly suffocating, with
"Hello?"Lucas had just returned to the Tudor residence when he received Aveline's call. He answered almost immediately.Aveline tried to keep her voice steady, but a hint of tremor slipped through. "Lucas, where is the bodyguard you arranged for me? The one who's supposed to protect me closely?"Lucas noticed the urgency in her tone and asked, "What happened?"Aveline insisted, "I need a bodyguard close to me at all times."Lucas replied, "If you don't tell me what happened, I can't help you."Aveline retorted, "I don't care. I just want a bodyguard who will immediately appear whenever I need him.”Lucas's eyes darkened when he sensed Aveline was in danger. "Alright, I'll arrange it.""Do it quickly," Aveline said before hanging up.Somehow, hearing his voice eased the fear and anxiety in her heart.She clutched her phone and gave a bitter laugh. Was she becoming dependent on him? What would she do after the divorce without him? How would she survive?Or perhaps... she might not even
Lucas glanced at her and started eating even faster.Aveline widened her eyes in disbelief. At that moment, she completely forgot about the gruesome photo, focusing solely on not letting Lucas finish all the food.This food was hers! All hers!In the end, only one chicken wing remained on the plate.Quick as a flash, Aveline grabbed it, grinning at Lucas as she put it in her mouth.Lucas set down his fork and elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, his eyes softening slightly.Aveline savored the last chicken wing, feeling completely satisfied.Standing up, she waved her hand. "Lu, you clean up!"She stepped forward, then suddenly stopped, staring ahead at the empty space, blinking rapidly to hold back a surge of sadness.Had she forgotten he was no longer her Lu?"You came uninvited and ate my food, so you should clean up," she said without looking back, then went into the bedroom.Lucas watched her retreating figure, his gaze darkening.That one word, "Lu," had momentarily taken him
He... he actually came out without wearing anything!What a pervert!Aveline quickly turned her head, hurried to the dressing room, and grabbed one of her bath towels, throwing it directly at him."Put this on quickly. I don't want to go blind!"Lucas was speechless.The towel was pink, not very big, just enough to wrap around his waist. After wrapping the lower half of his body with the towel, Aveline took one look and couldn't help but burst into laughter!She found it hilarious and couldn’t stop laughing at the sight of a tall man with long arms and legs wrapped in a pink, tight-fitting towel.Seeing her smile, Lucas' eyes softened slightly.He went straight to the bed, lifted the covers, and lay down.Aveline was stunned. "What are you doing?"Lucas replied, "Sleeping."Aveline retorted, "You can't sleep here, this is my room!"Lucas said, "Didn’t you want someone to protect you closely?"This was considered close enough, right?The smile on Aveline's face gradually faded, her tone
Aveline was startled and hurriedly tried to pull away.But Lucas tightened his grip on her ankle and swiftly pulled her onto him.Her body instantly stiffened."Are you awake?" Lucas opened his eyes, still slightly groggy, but his gaze was dark and intense, fixed on her."With you squirming against me, of course I woke up."Aveline's face immediately turned red!She wasn’t squirming against him! She was just trying to move her leg away!Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist, pressing her tightly against him, his voice husky as he asked, "Did you have a nightmare last night?"Aveline didn't dare move a muscle, afraid that any movement might provoke this man’s wild instincts."No," she mumbled, her long eyelashes trembling. "Let go of me, I need to get up."Lucas shifted slightly, seemingly unintentionally, but Aveline's body grew even more rigid."Lucas, stop doing something so crazy in the morning!" she said through gritted teeth.Lucas gazed at her intently. "If I don’t act crazy in
“What gossip?” Aveline's interest was instantly piqued, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gernard.Gernard leaned in conspiratorially, about to spill the juicy details. “It’s about Brother. You won’t believe what happened today…”“Ahem!”Before he could finish, Gavin appeared, clearing his throat just loud enough to interrupt. He grabbed Gernard’s arm, pulling him away. “Let’s talk about the company,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.Gernard protested, “Brother, wait, I wasn’t finished!”Aveline, her curiosity fully ignited, took a couple of steps forward. “Hey bros, don’t leave me hanging! Finish the story first!”Without slowing down, Gavin replied, “He’s headed to South Africa soon. Work comes first.”“South Africa?” Gernard’s jaw dropped. “Wait, since when am I going to South Africa? I didn’t hear about this! What’s going on?”Aveline stopped in her tracks, equally puzzled. “South Africa? Does the Cooper family even have projects there?”Just then, Wilfried walked
"Got too much free time on your hands?" Gavin’s cold gaze fixed on Gernard.Unbothered, Gernard strolled over and patted his brother's shoulder, grinning. "So, what’s your plan now? I got a little bored and did some digging on the Quin family. Guess what? Turns out they’re Selena’s birth family. She left them ages ago to make it on her own, but the girl you were with? That’s Jolie Quin, the pampered princess of the family."With a knowing smirk, Gernard added, "Brother, I couldn’t help but notice—Jolie and Selena do look a bit alike. Could that be why you…?""Get lost," Gavin cut him off, not in the mood for Gernard’s teasing. He brushed past him, heading downstairs.Of course, that only fueled Gernard’s enthusiasm. "Hey, don’t walk away! I haven’t finished my gossip yet!" he called after him, but the conversation came to an abrupt end as they reached the main floor, where the guests were still gathered for the celebration....Aveline noticed Selena seemed a bit distracted and asked,
One of Jolie’s long, slender legs was exposed to the cool air, and Gavin’s fingers instinctively tightened, as if they could still feel the smoothness of her thigh under his grip. His gaze darkened, though his expression only grew colder. His sharp, chiseled features gave him a distant, unapproachable aura—a man who seldom smiled and whose demeanor warned others to stay away.He was cold, almost like an ice block."Debt’s owed," he said flatly, tossing out the two words before sitting on the sofa and picking up the phone to make a call.Jolie blinked in surprise, processing what he said. Debt owed?Was that something you could even keep on hold?But thinking about it, he probably didn’t need anything right now. So, if he wanted to leave the debt hanging, so be it.Stretching lazily, Jolie sat up and said, "Have someone bring me a change of clothes."With that, she pulled the blanket aside, slowly rising from the bed despite the discomfort between her legs and headed toward the bathro
As the effects of the drug finally began to fade, Jolie lay exhausted on the bed, her body drenched in sweat. Her skin, especially across her delicate shoulder blades, bore faint marks from their encounter and her breath ragged as it brushed against her own back. Her vision was hazy, and she barely had the strength to speak."I... I’m fine now... you can stop," she murmured, her voice weak and broken from the strain of what had just happened.The madness of moments before still pulsed through her, the aftershocks of it lingering in her body. She never expected that grabbing a random man for help would lead to this, nor did she expect him to have such relentless stamina.Yet, the man behind her didn’t stop. He didn’t respond either. His large hands remained firmly gripped around her slender waist as if he were trying to squeeze the very breath from her."Stop... I told you to stop, didn’t you hear me?" Jolie’s anxiety spiked as he continued. What was wrong with him? They’d agreed he was
Gavin said nothing and simply hung up the phone, his expression darkening by the second.Behind him, Jolie’s soft, pained whimpers filled the air. She was writhing on the bed, her delicate skin flushed a faint pink.Gavin clenched his jaw, tugging at his tie. It had already loosened from when she’d pulled on it earlier, and with a rough yank, it came completely undone. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior.Where was Selena? She was supposed to be finding help, but she still hadn’t returned.His frown deepened as he reached for the door, ready to leave."Please… help me…"Her desperate voice, laced with a hint of a sob, echoed from behind him. The softness of it hit him like a lit match to his chest, sparking a heat he wasn’t used to feeling. "Please… I’ll pay you… I won’t take it for free…" Jolie’s voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She was sobbing now, her words dripping with helplessness and shame, as if offering him money would somehow make her request more bear
"Stop moving," Gavin growled in a low voice.But Jolie, completely under the control of the drugs, was acting purely on instinct, seeking out what her body craved most. She didn’t register his words at all. Instead of stopping, she slipped her hand inside his shirt, feeling the hard muscles of his chest."Mm..." Jolie let out a soft sound, whether from the satisfying feel of his muscles or because the touch of his skin intensified the drug’s effects, it wasn’t clear.Gavin's breathing became heavier. He couldn’t stay here any longer—this drugged and irrational woman could do anything at this point, and there was no telling what she’d attempt next.Quickly surveying his surroundings, Gavin spotted a quieter route. Without hesitation, he carried Jolie out through the back door, re-entering the villa through another entrance. He headed upstairs and slipped into the nearest empty room, laying her down on the bed.Just as he moved to leave, Jolie, still hazy and half-conscious, sensed his d
"Let… let me go!" Jolie struggled with all her might, but the drugs were quickly sapping her strength, leaving her powerless to break free.The man, too impatient to care, ignored her pleas and began dragging her toward the back exit."Hey! She told you to let her go. Are you deaf?" A sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.The man froze, startled, and looked up to see a girl standing not far away."Who the hell are you? This has nothing to do with you. Get lost!" He snapped, not recognizing Selena, his tone turning nasty.Selena’s expression grew colder as she took in Jolie’s disheveled state. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped the man hard across the face, then yanked Jolie away from him."Letting yourself fall into the hands of this scum? Where’s your fight?" Selena said sharply.Jolie’s blurry consciousness flickered at the sound of her familiar voice. When she realized it was Selena, her tensed body finally relaxed, leaning heavily into her for support."Take me
Jolie watched Selena’s retreating figure and shook her head in frustration. What could she do? Selena’s emotional wounds ran deep, and no matter what Jolie tried, it seemed impossible to bridge the gap between them.Returning to the party, she glanced around at the crowd of men and women mingling with champagne flutes in hand, but her mind wasn’t on the event. She casually picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and sipped it slowly.What she didn’t notice was a man standing across the room, watching her. As she drank, his eyes darkened, and he licked his lips suggestively.After finishing about half the glass, Jolie started feeling strange. Her body was growing weak, her skin hot and feverish, and a strange itchiness spread through her veins.Her brows furrowed in confusion. What was happening? She headed toward the restroom, but as she rounded a corner, her legs gave out, and she had to grab the wall for support to keep from collapsing."Did someone drug me?" she murmu
Maria looked at the two little ones, absolutely delighted, and then turned to Aveline. "I’ve got some happy news to share as well."Selena guessed, "You're pregnant?"Maria nodded. "That’s right."Selena gave her a thumbs-up. "Wow, that was fast! You said it and made it happen."Maria smiled. "I couldn’t fall too far behind. I need to make sure my kid has the best opportunities and chances, right?" With their babies close in age to Ethan and Emma, Maria thought it would be perfect for them to grow up together, maybe even become childhood sweethearts.She looked at Selena and asked, "Weren’t you eager at first too? Why haven’t you made any moves yet?"Selena sighed. "I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m a little scared."Maria reassured her, "Take your time, no rush."Selena got up and left the room, heading outside for some fresh air. Seeing Aveline go through the struggles of pregnancy and the dangers of childbirth genuinely frightened her. On top of that, she worried she wouldn’t be a good m