Old Master Mallory could not help but laugh when he looked at how desperate they were to use the Mallory family’s name to solve their current crisis. He took a sip of the tea and let out a sigh. He remained silent for a long time. Madison and her father exchanged looks at each other. She then said in a sweet voice, "Grandpa, I really like Percy very much. So, I'm asking for your permission to let us get married earlier. After the wedding, I'll try my best to become a good wife for Percy. I’ll help Mallory Corporation penetrate the global market.”Old Master Mallory placed his teacup back on the saucer. He understood how desperate they were.If it were the Johnston family in the old days, then he would certainly agree to it on behalf of Percy, but things were different now. He put on a serious expression and looked at the father and daughter. He said, "I don't think it's the right time now. It'd be better if the Johnston family can focus on solving the problem at hand. After that, w
Luca did not think that the cleaning lady had any intention of buying spoiled ingredients to deceive her. The cleaning lady nodded while she listened to her. She could not help but secretly exclaim how considerate Luca was.After all, she would have to buy many ingredients to make hotpot. If she came here to buy the ingredients alone, it would be a problem for her to carry everything back to the apartment although it was not far away from here. The cleaning lady pushed the trolley and asked, “Ms. Craw, how many people are you inviting over to have hotpot?”“It’s just me,” said Luca. “Huh?” The cleaning lady thought she heard it wrongly.Luca knew why she was surprised, so she explained, "I'm suddenly craving for it, but I don't like the commercial flavor of hotpot sold outside. So, I plan to cook it at home." "Okay." The cleaning lady nodded. She had no idea what the young people today had in their minds. Luca walked in front while the cleaning lady pushed the trolley behi
It was noontime. Luca finally finished translating the contents of one of the folders. She glanced at the time. It was almost time to prepare the hotpot. She walked out of the bedroom. Nina was sitting on the couch watching TV. She was afraid that she would disturb Luca, so she had turned the TV volume down to the point where she could barely hear anything. “Are you done?” Nina smiled when she saw Luca walk out of the room.“I’ve just finished part of my work. I’m going to prepare the hotpot now,” replied Luca. Then, she headed to the kitchen.Making a hotpot was not as complicated as making proper meals. She only had to season the soup base and clean the ingredients. That was all she had to do.Nina followed her into the kitchen. “Let me help you.”“It’s alright. Just wait for the food,” Luca said as she opened the fridge and took the ingredients out.“You’re already treating me to hotpot. How could I just eat without helping? But I’m pretty bad at cooking too. Don’t expect m
Nina looked at Luca, then she glanced at Luke again. Her heart was filled with confusion. Even the hotpot could no longer attract her attention.The question she had in mind was, what would happen to Bianca if there was really something going on between Luca and Luke?Nina was struggling internally. The hotpot she had been looking forward to was not as tempting anymore. She finished eating while in a mentally confused state. Luca looked at the ingredients that were about to be finished and secretly let out a sigh. Fortunately, she had prepared extra servings. Otherwise, it would be awkward. She rose and took the initiative to clean up the dining table when T Corporation’s lunch break was almost over. Nina sat there, looking at Luke.He did not help Luca. It seemed like he came to get a free meal, and that was not something a host would do.However, she could not be sure about that.Luke knew what Nina was thinking about. He glanced at the time, stood up, and said, "It's almo
“I’m sorry, Luca. I shouldn’t have doubted you,” Nina said apologetically. If Bianca were not already in the picture, she thought it would be great if Luca and Luke got together. However, as a friend of Bianca’s, she could not stand watching Luke cheat on her.Luca patted her shoulder and said, “It’s alright. I understand.”Nina let go of her and reminded her sincerely, “Bianca is alone out there now. I don’t know how she’s doing, so I'm always concerned with Luke’s private life.” Luca listened to her concern and smiled bitterly. “I’m the one who didn’t try my best. If I had stayed away from Mr. Crawford from the very beginning, you wouldn’t have misunderstood us.”"I’m just too sensitive. After all those things I've gone through, I rarely believe in men anymore. That's why I doubted you." Nina let out a sigh and realized her problem. Even though Luke was powerful and influential, there was no way he could control what Bianca did. Luke sent her abroad, but she could have ret
“Welcome, Ms. Craw.” A few of them surrounded Luca and greeted her passionately. Luca got even more confused, and she quickly told them why she was here. “Hello, Mr. Crawford sent me here. Did he buy something here?” After the manager knew that Luca was here, she quickly came forward. “Hello, Ms. Craw. Mr. Crawford didn’t buy anything here, but he has given us his orders. Please come with me.” Luca looked at Nina. What was Luke up to?Nina held her hand and followed behind the shop manager. She said in a low voice, “Based on the situation now, they’re planning to ask you to buy something.” “Ah, there’s nothing I’d like to buy,” Luca replied in a soft voice. Why did Luke ask her to come here, then?The manager walked in front of them and listened to their conversation. She turned sideways and explained, "Ms. Craw, Mr. Crawford told us that you'll be attending a party the day after tomorrow. Hence, we'll be creating a perfect look for you to attend the party." “Party?” Luca f
Nina held her arms and shook her head. The TV in the VIP room was turned on. The TV was broadcasting the news that the Johnston family had made bad investments and lost a lot of money.Whenever they mentioned the Johnston family, they would definitely mention the Mallory family too. Nina’s expression changed when she was watching the news about the union between the Johnston family and the Mallory family through marriage. She changed the TV channel without listening to what the news was broadcasting.Luca watched everything she did. She picked up the business magazine in front of her. It was today’s issue, and it reported about the Johnston family’s matter. It even analyzed the current situation of the Mallory family. She handed the magazine to Nina.Nina took it from her. She closed the magazine when she saw the words ‘Mallory family.’ "What's so great about it?"Luca looked at Nina, who ignored every piece of news that was related to Percy. She asked curiously, “Nina, you came
She was not one of the socialites of A City, but she could afford to buy items from such an expensive brand. It was either she was a vain white-collar employee, or she had a sugar daddy. She looked at Luca’s exquisite face. This woman was hanging out with Nina. Madam Mallory simply categorized Luca as someone in the latter category. “Ms. Nina, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Madam Mallory pulled her gaze away and it fell on Nina. She curled the corners of her mouth. It looked like she was smiling, but her smile was insincere. “Such a coincidence, Madam Mallory.” Nina forced herself to cover up the nervousness and helplessness in her. She pretended to face her calmly. “How have you been lately?” Madam Mallory continued to ask. She must be living a tough life without her son providing for her. Nevertheless, she still wanted to strike a nerve in her.This had nothing to do with her generosity. Sometimes, these women only dreamed of marrying a rich man so they could live their l
“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