Ella watched as Lucas turned his head, and there was Leah, looking like she’d just seen a ghost. Leah’s mouth opened and closed as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. Then, she narrowed her eyes at Ella, Ella already anticipating her reaction, took a couple of cautious steps back. Her eyes were calm, even smug, as if to say, Try it. I dare you. Leah’s hand clenched by her side, and a glare settled on her face before she turned to Lucas, exasperated.“You’ve really lost it, haven’t you, Lucas?” Leah’s tone was as sharp as ever. “What? Did this fox whisper in your ear, don't you remember that the woman standing next to me is your son’s ‘real’ mother?”Amy was red with embarrassment, her gaze flicking to the floor, the ceiling—anywhere but Lucas’s face. Ella tried to stifle a grin as she watched him, practically daring Leah to keep going. She did.“If you’re so against her, why let Amy get pregnant in the first place?” Leah demanded. “The boy’s five years old
Lucas took two steps back and watched Ella leave before sitting on the chair Ella had just vacated, lost in thought until Mia knocked on the door."Mr. Lucas, do you have any other orders?If not, I'll leave first."Lucas came back to his senses and waved his hand to indicate that he was fine.After Mia left, he suddenly thought of something and took out his phone to make a call. "Dave, I need you to bring a few people over to secretly protect someone for me, without letting her find out."Meanwhile, Ella was completely unaware of the silent preparations happening around her. All she knew was that she was on a tight schedule tonight—she’d promised her kids she’d take them to see their soon-to-be new home. And even though the house in Maple wood Hills wasn’t quite ready to move into, she knew they’d been looking forward to it.Ella had planned the whole thing out for a weekend trip, but with her father’s memorial service tomorrow and Lucas already insisting she’d accompany him, her han
Ella voiced out her doubt. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice casual but tinged with amusement. “I won’t be following you around like some overprotective parent. I’ll be in a car behind you, with a small team. Lucas won’t even know we’re there.” If that were true, it would make things a lot easier. But Ella wasn’t so sure. Lucas was sharp—too sharp. If he wanted to pick up on Leo’s trail, she doubted anyone could stop him. She crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “Leo, you do realize that Lucas isn’t the kind of person you can just sneak up on, right?” Leo’s grin widened, and he leaned forward. “Ella, don’t underestimate me. I’m not just some doctor, you know. I’m also the third young master of the richest family in the city. I’ve got resources—and people—who are trained for this kind of thing.” Ella blinked. “Wait, what?” Leo laughed at her stunned expression. “Oh, did I forget to mention that? My bad. Anyway, the guys I’ve hired are top-tier. Ex-special forces. A
"I'm fine."Ella’s voice was flat, and her expression matched. She opened the car door and slid into the back seat without another word.Lucas followed, but instead of his usual smooth-talking self, he stayed oddly quiet. He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. After all, today wasn’t just any day—it was her father’s death anniversary. A heavy day. Even Lucas, in all his calculated charm, seemed to sense that pushing her would be a bad idea.So, the car rolled out of the driveway in silence.The driver, professional as ever, focused on the road. No small talk, no radio, just the hum of the car and the occasional sound of Ella shifting in her seat. The Western Suburb Cemetery—Fairfield's quietest corner—was an hour's drive away. An hour of silence. Lucas stared out the window, his mind a million miles away, while Ella clutched the bouquet in her lap, lost in her own thoughts.She wasn’t sure what to expect today. Lucas wasn’t exactly known for his sent
Ella said nothing, but in that moment, it felt like she’d said everything.Lucas’ expression was unreadable, his dark eyes holding a mix of emotions. With a soft sigh, he finally broke the silence. “Forget it. Lila, just pretend I’m sick or something. Let’s go. Get in the car.”The cemetery's eerie calmness lingered as they walked to the parking lot. Lucas stepped into the black Bentley, his movements deliberate, while Ella hesitated for a split second before carefully getting in after him.Lucas glanced at her, noting her unusually cautious demeanor. She reminded him of a startled deer—calm on the surface, but one wrong move and she’d bolt.“Lila,” Lucas said, tilting his head slightly. “Are you looking for someone?”His words made her freeze, but she quickly masked her surprise. “Mr. Lucas, you’re overthinking. This is my first time here, and, as you said, this place is practically deserted. Who could I possibly find here? The ghosts?”Lucas chuckled, a low sound that sent a shive
Ella tried her best to suppress the turmoil in her heart as she spoke to Lucas, her voice as steady as she could manage, "Mr. Lucas, you can let go now. I’m not that fragile."Lucas hesitated, his brows furrowed with concern, but eventually released his grip.As Ella opened her eyes, her gaze immediately landed on the crumpled figure of a man sprawled less than a meter away. He looked like he’d been through a blender, and if Ella hadn’t spent a couple of years toughing it out in Westvale, she might’ve lost her breakfast right then and there.Even so, her face paled.It wasn’t the sight of the man that disturbed her most—it was the realization that he’d landed exactly where she’d been standing just moments earlier.If Lucas hadn’t yanked her away in time, she’d be the one lying there—or worse.The crowd around them began to buzz like bees in a hive, some tending to the injured man, others whispering among themselves.“Hey, isn’t that Lila from the Kane family?”“Oh, it is! Someone shou
The emergency room’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, casting an odd glow over Ella’s pale face. She sat there with her leg stretched out awkwardly, glass shards poking into her calf like cruel reminders of what just went down. The doctor had just suggested local anesthesia to remove them, but Ella shook her head like it was no big deal. "It's fine," she said through gritted teeth, her voice as steady as a rock. "Just get it over with." The doctor raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. For the next half hour, he painstakingly picked out every last shard under an optical microscope. Ella clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She refused to flinch. Pain? Please. That was nothing compared to the mess her life had become. Finally, her leg was bandaged up, and she limped off the bed. Mrs. Kane, her mom, was there in a flash. “Lila, honey, you need to go check on Lucas next door. He had way more glass in him!” Ella hesitated. “Mom… they’re probably still working
Ella glanced at Lucas, who sat there looking infuriatingly calm while she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Her lips pressed into a thin line as her irritation grew. He, of all people, had no right to look so smug, especially after his morning antics. Lucas, on the other hand, was in an unexpectedly good mood. Since this morning, Ella had been avoiding him like he was some kind of walking hazard, her every action tinged with caution and unease. He could understand the trauma tied to the events of six years ago, but that didn’t mean her behavior didn’t sting. Seeing her snap at him now felt oddly refreshing—a sign that the cool, composed Ella was starting to crack under his relentless teasing. He grinned, leaning back against the bed. “I was just joking, Secretary Kane. Surely you’re not going to hold a grudge over something so trivial?” Ella’s glare was ice-cold, her disdain so palpable it practically hung in the air. She didn’t bother dignifying his words with a
However, Ella suddenly thought of something and looked up. "Dante, the lawyer, did you hire him?"As expected, Dante was stunned before replying, "How did you know?"Although everyone knew that the mastermind behind the Montgomery family's fire six years ago was not only Leo, but also possibly involved the Lopez family, it was also known that it was difficult to bring down the Lopez family with their current momentum.Therefore, both Ella and Lucas did not act rashly.Yesterday, Leo's lawyer suddenly threw out evidence in court implicating the Lopez family, and Ella felt that the lawyer was suspicious, but she couldn't figure out who arranged it.Until just now, when she heard Dante's words, she suddenly understood that it could only be Dante.Ella suddenly felt warm in her heart.She looked at Dante and bowed deeply. "Thank you."DANTE was confused. "Thank me for what?" After a while, she suddenly reacted, "Wait, you don't think I hired a lawyer to save him, do you? You're wrong. I
With this thought, Ella suddenly realized that Kaia not only had a poker face like Lucas, but also had some resemblance to Lucas in his facial features."This is...""My son," Lucas lowered his head and said to Kai, "Kai, call Uncle Dante."Kai obediently called out, "Hello, Uncle Dante."Uncle Dante said he was not good at all.He stared at Kai, his face full of disbelief. "This, this child is yours and Lucas'...""Dante I brought the child over for an exam, and time is tight, so I won't chat with you anymore. You can do as you please."Ella didn't want to discuss the issue of her child's identity with this half-stranger so early in the morning, so she smiled at Dante, then took Kai and walked away.Dante had finally run into her, how could he just let her go like this?But he also realized that Ella didn't want to discuss this topic, so after coming back to his senses, he quickly caught up and steered the conversation towards Kai. "Your son is so young and already taking exams? What
Lucas asked again, "Is there anyone else at home while Amy is out?""There’s a nanny.""Does the nanny take good care of you?"Theo didn’t answer.Lucas frowned at his hesitant expression.If the nanny treated Theo well, he wouldn’t hesitate like this. But if she didn’t, with Theo’s tendency to complain and cause trouble, how could he possibly cover up for her?Could it be that this little guy, at such a young age, had already learned to be afraid of the strong and bully the weak?Thinking of this, Lucas’s expression turned cold."Stand up straight!"Theo trembled and tried to straighten his body like a small pine tree."I’m asking you, is the nanny good to you or not? If you lie, I won’t take care of you anymore."Theo panicked at these words.If Dad didn’t want him and Amy was gone, what would he do in the future?"Not good! The nanny hits me and says I’m a bastard, not Dad’s child! She won’t let me complain to Amy, or else she’ll sell me to a remote mountain and let Amy and Dad nev
"What's the matter with me?"This mischievous child wouldn’t be able to harm her even if he wanted to.Ella paused and said, "Do you want to talk to him first? Otherwise, I'm standing here at the hospital entrance with people coming and going. It’s not good to block his mouth, but if I don’t block his mouth, I’m afraid he’ll say something harmful to you, Mr. Montgomery."As soon as Lucas heard her call him Mr. Montgomery, he knew she was in a bad mood again and immediately said, "Then give the phone to Theo."Ella handed the phone to Theo’s ear and took the tissue box out of his mouth."You little fox.""Theo, say one more word to her and see what happens."Theo’s fear of Lucas was almost innate, so even though Amy had been brainwashing him these days, saying that his father had been lured away by Lila, the fox spirit, and didn’t want them anymore, he still harbored resentment towards Lucas.But now, when he heard Lucas’s voice, he reflexively closed his mouth and even trembled slight
Just then, Ella heard a commotion coming from the direction of the TV station entrance, and faintly heard a child crying."You bad guy! Let go of me, I want to find my mommy...""Your mommy doesn't work here anymore! If you keep causing trouble, I'll call the police!""You're lying, my mommy told me yesterday that she's coming to work at the TV station!"Ella listened from afar and felt a sense of familiarity. Could it be that she had just lamented that Amy wasn’t here, and now she had encountered Amy’s child again?She pursed her lips and originally wanted to turn around and leave. After all, even if the child had lost the protection of his mother, since Lucas had woken up, he should take care of him. It wouldn't be long before someone came to take him away, and it wasn’t her place to play the saint at this time.But just as she took two steps, the child’s crying became even louder, and the voice of the security guard didn’t sound as harsh as before, but rather panicked."You, you
After leaving the court, Ella's mood was not very good.She had planned to go home and take a nap, but she received a call from the delivery company on the way. The furniture she had ordered online out of boredom while recuperating had been delivered in pieces over the past few days.The delivery company had been urging her to pick it up as the furniture took up space in their warehouse.Ella thought for a moment and decided to go to her new home to check on the furniture. She arranged a delivery time with the delivery man and headed to her new home.When she arrived at the doorstep of her new house, the delivery man had just arrived with the children's bed she had ordered. Even with two men carrying it, it took a lot of effort to move the pile of wooden boards.The online store had promised installation, but no one had come to install it even after half a day. Ella contacted customer service and was told that installation had to be scheduled separately. However, all the installati
"Life-saving benefactor?" Ella remained calm. "I never intended to take him away from the beginning."Lucas, who couldn't fit into his outfit, clung to Ella's hand. "You promised to take me to see the trial together today."Ella replied, "Yes, but I also said last night that we need the doctor's approval. I asked the doctor for you this morning, and he said you have to rest in the hospital."Lucas' face twisted into a bitter gourd. He was about to speak, but the ward door was pushed open at that moment."Lila, the discharge has been processed."Mrs. Kane's voice abruptly stopped.She stared at Ella, then at Lucas, and then at her own precious daughter's hand, tightly held by Lucas.The air fell into a deathly silence.Finally, it was Ella who reacted first. She pulled back her hand and smiled awkwardly at Mrs. Kane. "Um, Mom, Mr. Montgomery has something to discuss with me."Mrs. Kane replied, "Okay, you guys talk first. I'll wait for you outside."With complicated emotions, she clos
“Lucas?” Ella frowned. “Why did he come to me instead of resting in his own room?”Zane repeated, “Mr. Montgomery has something to discuss with you.”“Why couldn’t he just talk on the phone?”Zane hesitated for a moment before blurting out, “He needs you to answer the phone first.”Ella fell silent. She didn’t mean to ignore Lucas’s calls. When he called in the afternoon, she was on the phone with Officer Philip. After hearing about Kings Lopez’s confession and Leo’s desire to confess, she had no energy left to deal with Lucas’s matters.It was only when she ran into Matt at the hospital and was reminded of some memories from the past that she thought to ask a few questions.Ella rubbed her forehead and didn’t bother explaining to Zane. She pushed open the door and walked in.Mrs. Kane had been guided by Mr. Kane to watch less TV recently, so she still didn’t know about Leo’s car accident, let alone that he was a murderer.She thought Lila might reconcile with Dr. Leo. So when she h
After asking the question, Matt finally got his answer and stopped being curious.But Ella suddenly remembered something.She turned her head to look at Matt and, imitating his tone, asked a riddle, "That child is not his, right?"Matt: "..."This riddle really stumped Matt for a moment.The child was easy to guess—it was obviously Theo. But who was the "he" in Ella's question? If she was referring to Lucas, then the answer was definitely no.But if she was referring to Theo's father, then the answer would be completely different!After thinking for a while, Matt scratched his head and said, "Didn't we already make it clear that the child's name was Theo?"Ella immediately understood. She guessed it right—or, more accurately, it was Kai who reminded her. The child was actually Lucas’s good friend, Theo's father, Dylan!Ella thought for a moment and asked again, "So he kept the child's identity a secret from me because he had his reasons?"This time, Matt immediately understood that th