"We're here to…" Before the boy could finish that sentence, he saw an older lady walking toward them. Was this grandma Miss Bea’s mother?“Hi, Grandma!” Lanie greeted her politely.Grandma…?Bianca followed Lanie’s gaze and looked behind her.There was an older woman in her fifties, wearing a white-and-pink Adidas tracksuit. She was just passing by, but then she suddenly stopped in front of the three of them.Luke knew that she was not Bianca’s mother, so he did not greet her.“Is something the matter, ma’am?” Bianca was confused by the woman’s intense stare.The woman then frowned and began to sincerely advise her, “Once you’re married, girl, you gotta learn how to take care of your family. You can’t let your husband and child go hungry. I mean, look at you! It’s already this late, and you’re only back now?”By “your husband”, she clearly meant that man with the poker face behind her.Bianca felt quite embarrassed and awkward.She was about to explain when the woman looked
The next day.Bianca only left the house at eight o’clock.It only took her twenty minutes to get to work via subway. At times like these, Bianca was really glad that she managed to rent a cheap place this close to the company.When she walked out of her unit, Bianca could not help but raise her hand to try and shield her face from the rising sun.She had not managed to sleep last night, so her eyes were really tired when she got out of bed this morning.The sunlight was enough to make her eyes very uncomfortable.Last night, Bianca had spent a lot of time mulling over it and analyzing all the possibilities. Why was the almighty president giving her so many gifts like this?Were the house call and healthy feast back then really a sign of his appreciation because she helped take care of the kids for a while?Were the imported flowers really a friendly greeting to her since she was ill?Nevertheless, that man did not look friendly in the slightest.She was even more stumped abo
Blanche watched as his father drove away grumpily. The boy knew that he had definitely hurt his father this time, stabbing his words right into his father’s frigid heart.Rainie came down the stairs and walked out of the house, asking her brother, “Where did Dad go?”“He just left. I think I might have hurt him.” The boy lowered his head guiltily, sounding really upset as he admitted to his younger sister.“Big Bro, I miss Miss Bea!”What about Dad, you ask? What about him? He was not tasty or fun, and he always looked at her so fiercely. She liked him even less than her annoying chatterbox of a teacher. Rainie Crawford never really cared if her father was around on the weekends.Miss Bea was different, though. She was pretty and smelled good too.“Rainie, do you want me to take you to Miss Bea’s place? I know where she stays!” Blanche said, picking up his sister’s hand.Rainie nodded.The twins immediately came to an agreement.They left the house, hailing a ride on an app.
Luke did not even look at her. He just reminded her, “The food’s growing cold.”With that, he turned around and went to her narrow little balcony, less than two meters squared, as though he knew the place like the back of his hand.Bianca stayed frozen on the spot.Luke acted like he owned the place, pulling out his box of cigarettes as he walked. After that, he tapped a cigarette out of the box and put it in his mouth, lighting it.His every action was so smooth and cool.This was her house, but the two children sat at the table with their spoons, looking at their empty bowls and waiting to be fed as though she owed them food. Still, they were obedient and very adorable.The only problem was the adult over there. He was completely disregarding her as the owner of this house.Anyone else would at least be polite enough to explain how they got inside.…Bianca first served the children food, but she did not eat anything herself. Instead, she hid in the kitchen.She had done ba
Luke’s warm and sexy lips moved down to Bianca’s collarbone…There was a whoosh.Bianca felt as though her brain had exploded.Hot tears flowed from her eyes unbidden. Her thoughts had been forced back to those unspeakable nights five years ago.She could hear nothing but a man’s heavy and rough panting.Bianca remembered what happened back then after she gave birth. She and Nina had been on a video call when she accidentally saw the rich tycoon on the TV news.A deal was a deal. It did not matter what kind of a man he was; Bianca had no right to refuse.Now that she was being forcibly kissed, though, Bianca could not help but remember that middle-aged man. A wave of nausea surged over her, and she felt dizzy.Luke could tell that she was distracted. Holding her chin with one hand, he lifted her head slowly, his lust-filled eyes staring intently at her. “What are you thinking about? Why are you crying?”Bianca followed his voice, looking at him dazedly.Luke was too tall, and
That night, at Crawford Manor.The whole family was having dinner, but Luke Crawford was not there.Allison Tanner put a piece of cucumber into Lanie’s bowl and then one into Rainie’s bowl. “Grandma just wants what’s good for you. You have to eat some even if you don’t like it. You’re growing kids, and you don’t want to stay short forever, do you?”Everyone else at the table was eating.Blanche looked at the cucumber in his bowl and put it into his mouth, eating it obediently. After that, he raised his head and looked at his grandmother. “Grandma, why don’t you eat onions?”There was a platter of stir-fried onions on the table. Blanche and his sister both loved them, as did Great-grandpa. Uncle Louis and Grandma Susan liked onions too. Only Grandma did not like them.She would always push the stir-fried onions far, far away from her. Grandma always said that the stench made her lose her appetite.Before Allison could say anything, Susan Armstrong subtly harrumphed. “That’s a h
There were many things the boy still did not understand, so he stood at the bathroom door and waited for his father to come out after his shower.When Luke emerged from the shower, he only had a towel around his waist. He was completely shirtless, his well-toned chest glistening with sexy water droplets.“Dad, I’m sure Miss Bea has parents too, so why do you have to raise her?” Blanche could not figure that part out.Luke sat down, spreading his legs and wiping his dripping hair with his towel. He asked, “How old are you? How old is she?”“Hmm, I’m five…” Blanche replied. “But I don’t know how old she is.”Luke looked at his son and replied seriously, "You’re five and she’s twenty-four. You two are nineteen years apart. You’ll grow up very soon, and you’ll become a grown man just like me. When that happens, you’ll have a career and a dream you want to pursue. At that time, I’ll be in my fifties, soon to grow old. The same goes for your Miss Bea. One day, we’ll become as old as you
Bianca called Jean.However, Jean’s phone gave her the same message. “Sorry, the number you called is currently unavailable.”All of a sudden, Bianca felt uneasy.She hoped that nothing bad had happened.Next, she gave Nina a call.Nina picked up in a flash, asking, “What’s the matter, babe?”Bianca explained everything to her.However, Nina said, “Maybe someone suddenly called her to play mahjong? You don’t know this, but she keeps her phone in her bag when she’s playing mahjong, so she won’t be able to hear you. As for my brother, he’s probably busy.”Since Nina said that, Bianca did not think too much of it.Putting down her phone, Bianca walked to the bathroom and took a shower. That helped her brighten up a lot more, and as she was drying her hair, she saw her phone ringing on the coffee table in the living room.The caller was Jean.“Hello.” Bianca picked up in an instant.Jean was silent on the other end. After a long time, he seemed to hold something back before ask
“As long as he stays out of your sight, I won’t make a move,” said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Luke’s pals, he would have been long gone.Anyone who dared to mess with someone Ray cherished would not be let off easily. The only reason Gordan was still breathing was thanks to Luke.“Alright, Ray. Just let it go. I’ve moved on and started a new life. Plus, I’m studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, we’ll just be strangers. There’s no need to step in for me or act impulsively.” Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.“Is it the clothes delivery?” asked Ray.“No, while you were talking with Mr. Crawford, I asked someone to buy some medicinal cream. The ones here work better than the ones in Russia. A little massage with it should help you heal faster,” Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.“Miss, is the boss alright?” asked one of Ray’s subordinates.“He’s fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, “Can you walk me through your plan?”“The prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. I’ve already spoken with the prison officials, and we can use that passage to transport her out. It connects to the sewage system, which leads directly to another detention facility. "The only catch is that this facility’s underground pipes don’t connect to the outside world, so the remaining 10% risk lies in moving Kassy onto the main road and securing her at the new location.“This whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why I’m confident it’ll work.” As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. “Here’s the layout I had someone retrieve. This is the starting point, and this is the destination. If we take this route, we can move Kassy without alerting Abel’s people.”Abel’s men were keeping a constant watch outside the prison now. That was prec
Luke had no idea what kind of mindset the person who poisoned Vivian had. However, he found Gordan’s current behavior quite intriguing.“Luke, what’s with that look?” Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.“You seem pretty concerned about Vivian,” Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. “What? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, don’t say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.”Luke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. “Why are you here?”“Speaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.” Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. “Man, Ray really didn’t hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.”Luke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. “Unlock it.”“All set, boss.” Gordan unlocked the phone and went back to pressing an ice pack against his face.Luke scanned the scr
It was the sound of a body slamming onto the ground.Gordan’s furious curses rang out. “Damn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?”Another loud thud followed.Vivian frowned. What the hell were they doing? Were they really going to fight until one of them won?Both of them were skilled fighters. If they kept this up, neither would walk away unscathed.“Enough!” shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.“Vivian, stay out of this. I’m beating him to a pulp today,” growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.“Ray, I don’t want to see him,” said Vivian. She did not want Ray fighting him. It was not to protect Gordan but because she did not want Ray getting hurt.Also, she definitely did not want Gordan to see her like this. She could already picture his smug face, his sarcastic remarks and his gloating.“Fine. If you don’t want to see him, I’ll just beat
After returning to the hotel from the hospital, Vivian felt much better.To her, the fact that Ray had taken her to the hospital meant there was hope for the future, which lifted her spirits. She picked up an apple from the fruit platter the hotel had provided and took a bite.“Ray, this apple is really good. Want to try one?” asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. “You go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?”Vivian nodded. “I only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.”Ray walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.“You didn't bring any food with you?” asked Ray.“I haven’t really been in the mood, but the food here is way better than Russian food, so I didn't feel the need to bring anything.” Vivian’s tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.“That's true.” Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. “Alright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, we’ll still need your help.”“For toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Don’t worry, if I can help, I definitely will,” Luca assured him.“Alright, thank you.” Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, “If Vivian was really poisoned, don’t worry. Previously, Luca discovered that her biological mother had been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin. She prescribed herbal medicine and used purely traditional herbal medicine to detoxify her. It didn’t take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If it’s something she can fix, she’ll do everything she can.“Besides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?”“Yes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. “Ms. Sanchez, what's wrong?”He was eager to get back upstairs and stash his cigarettes before someone noticed and took them.Hera yanked open his bag, glanced at the cigarette brand, and scoffed. “I thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And you’re acting all deferential to her over this?”Gerald was rendered speechless. “I knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand I’m used to. Maybe it’s not expensive to you, but for me, it’s what I can afford.”Realizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. “Still, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?”“It’s not about the money,” replied Gerald. “It's just a nice surprise. I never expected to get anything out of helping Ms. Craw, and this kind of unexpected gift has nothing to do with the price. Besides, I'm not being overly grateful. I'm just happy.”He was ba
Luca’s lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Luke’s eyes, was utterly captivating. It tugged at his nerves, stirring an uncontrollable desire within him.At that moment, he had only one thought, and it was to completely lose himself in her.…The two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, “Hello, Mr. Crawford.”“Vivian, don’t worry. Everything will get better,” replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Luca’s hand and led her away.It was only after hearing the door close that Vivian finally turned back around.Ray glanced at her and said, “Vivian, they’re your friends. You don’t have to act this way around them. They won’t judge you.”“I know they won’t…” Vivian let out a soft sigh. “I just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didn’t want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But it’
“I once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivian’s. Given that your family has good genetics, yet Vivian is different from the rest of you, and her skin improved after leaving her original environment, all of this confirms my suspicion.“Could it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.”“If she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?” asked Ray.Luca shook her head.“The poison I’ve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victim’s skin dark. I don’t know exactly what it was, but long-term exposure to any poison has an effect on the body. It's just a suspicion now. I need to consult someone I know. And honestly, I can’t be sure what’s really causing Vivian’s condition.“Is her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a