"Is that so? Get some rest after dinner. Food is ready," the maid said with a smile.Luca felt that the maid was too involved. Maybe she was acting on Luke’s orders...When she heard the maid say that food was ready, she went into the study and said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, dinner is ready."Luke nodded and picked up the thick stack of documents on the side. "Bring me the crutches."When he was discharged from the hospital, the hospital nurses had thoughtfully provided him with crutches but he never used them because he thought that it was bad for his image.Luca glanced at the documents in his hand and looked away casually, feeling a little guilty. She had seen the word ‘project’.‘Is that the bidding document?’She quickly hid her emotions and brought the crutches in the corner to Luke.Luke's mood sank when he saw the metal crutches. He thought that he would never use the crutches until he recovered, but he did not expect to have to use them now.Luca sighed to herself when
"Is that so..." Luca frowned slightly. He still wanted to attend the event even though he was injured."I don't feel comfortable handing the task over to others for important occasions as such," Luke said. He finished the warm water and put it on the table.Luca looked at his cast and said, "But your leg...""Start packing. You’ll be going on a business trip with me," Luke said. Not only was he going, but she was going too.If he had to go by himself, it was impossible for him to find out who was controlling Luca when he had to face so many bidders.Luca felt awkward. "I'm going too?""I need someone to take care of me. You’re more attentive compared to Jason. Do you have any objections?" Luke asked."No, I’m fine with the arrangement." Luca shook her head. ‘Am I allowed to say no? Of course not.’Even if the wound on her waist had not healed, she could not say anything. Since Luke asked, she could only say yes..."Get ready. We’ll leave next week." Luke finished speaking and
What he wanted to see most was Luke being pushed into the abyss by the woman he loved most.Luca was angry, and her current mood was complicated. She wanted to put a knife to Abel’s neck but did not even know where he was at the moment..."Are you done?" She took a deep breath. She wanted to escape from it all."No." Abel chuckled and continued talking, "Since you’ve completed the task I assigned you, I should give you an appropriate reward, right?"Luca wanted to turn him down because she knew that his so-called reward was of ill will.Abel said, "You haven't found what drug is in your wound, right? I’ll tell you.” "No need." Luca hung up the phone, not believing a word of what he said.Past experience told her that Abel's rewards and good deeds were all lies.If she believed him, it was most likely that her wound would worsen and she would not be cured.Abel pursed his lips when he heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone. He browsed through the photos Luca sent an
Abel looked at her delicate lips and smiled evilly. "You have a sweet mouth. Since you’re so happy, you can make me happy too."Hera understood what he meant. Her face blushed as she said shyly, “Cheeky.’"What? You don't want more money?" Abel took her hand and did not let her leave.Hera blinked her eyes and looked at him with fascination. "Of course, I want money. Since you’re not letting me learn from you, I can only ask you for money...""Serve me well. You'll have more money as long as I'm happy," Abel spoke bluntly. He then stood up and pulled Hera into the bedroom....The next day.When Luca came downstairs, she found Jason and Tina standing in the living room."Dr. Craw, good morning,” the two greeted her in unison."Good morning, why are you..." Luca looked at them and instantly understood. "Is the bid about to be completed?""Yes, we’re close to finishing it, so I came over with Tina to help the boss finalize the document." Jason smiled. After so many months, they
Mrs. Laurel listened to Luca. She nodded and agreed with her. "You're always so attentive. I'll do as you told me. What should I do?" Luca looked down. Even though she had done so many things, she still felt guilty. “Please help me prepare some side dishes.”“Alright.” Mrs. Laurel agreed happily. She had no idea that there were so many complicated things running through Luca’s mind.Luca was able to finish preparing the noodles quickly. The bread was spread with butter and put into the toaster. Then, she started to make coffee.Luca made a pot of coffee after she ground the coffee beans and filled it in the thermos flask. “Aunt Laurel, I’ve finished preparing. I’m guessing that they’re still busy. Why don’t we bring these in?” said Luca.“That’s a good idea.” Mrs. Laurel nodded and put the bowls of noodles on the tray. “Wait, Mr. Crawford can’t drink coffee. Let me make a glass of juice for him.” Luca remembered that Luke had not been drinking coffee for a long time. He mus
Mr. Peralta and Ms. Malone left Pierre’s office together. Ms. Malone could not help but tremble at the thought of Pierre’s expression when he warned them, then she looked at Mr. Peralta worriedly. She said, “Mr. Peralta, is it really alright for us to do such a thing?”They had stolen T Corporation's bidding document…Pierre would save himself if Luke investigated this matter. He would pass the buck to the two of them. Then, they would have to bear the responsibility for everything. They were the ones who would be in deep trouble. Mr. Peralta looked miserable too, and he replied, “I’m not sure either. If Luke sees the bidding document when it’s released to the public, I’m afraid he’ll find a way to deal with our company. Mr. Mallory might shift the blame to us to protect himself.”Mr. Peralta had already thought of that when he was doing this.However, what else could he do even if he knew it?As Pierre’s subordinate, he had no choice but to accept his boss’ arrangement. Besid
Mr. Peralta fell silent with embarrassment. The two of them had strong auras. It was not his place to say a word. Pierre walked into the lounge and ordered Mr. Peralta, “Go to my wine cabinet and bring a bottle of red wine here.” Abel replied as soon as Pierre said, "Red wine won’t be enough. The alcohol content isn't high enough, Mr. Mallory."Pierre frowned. Was this guy trying to make him drunk early in the morning?However, Pierre had heard that Abel was Russian. Thus, he turned around and ordered Mr. Peralta, “Get a bottle of Martell cognac for me.” “Yes, sir,” replied Mr. Peralta. He closed the door and went to prepare the liquor for them. Pierre sat down on the sofa opposite Abel with a cold and haughty look on his face. “Mr. Abel, what can I do for you this time?” The way Pierre talked to him was considered polite. Although he had no idea about this man’s identity and background, he must be capable enough since he was able to steal T Corporation’s bidding document
Mrs. Laurel smiled and shook her head. “Of course not. Ms. Luca was the one who made the coffee. It’s good, right? I watched her make the coffee in the kitchen this morning. She was a professional.”“It’s good, but we’ve completed our work today. I’ll have a glass of juice too, just like Tina,” said Jason. That explained why the coffee had a rich taste and aroma. It was Luca who made the coffee.“Alright. Just a moment.” Mrs. Laurel turned around and returned to the kitchen to prepare juice for them. Tina sat on the sofa and asked Jason, “Mr. Doyle, should we ask Dr. Craw to come down?”She reckoned that Luca must be upstairs.“Dr. Craw must be busy now. Why don’t you go and ask her?” Jason could not be bothered, and he thought if Luca was still in love with Luke, she must be feeling bad after everything she did.“What if she’s in the midst of something?” Tina shook her head, afraid that she would disturb Luca.“Then just sit here quietly,” said Jason. He picked up the phone an
When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already darkened slightly.Luca mumbled, feeling the warmth beside her. She instinctively curled closer. “What time is it?”“It's a little past five.” Luke gently rubbed her back, offering a quiet comfort to help her feel at ease.Since he could not be there beside her, he could only make these small gestures to bring her some peace of mind.“An entire afternoon just passed like that…” Luca was reluctant to leave at the moment. Her slender fingers lightly pressed against his chest.Luke took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss, holding it as if it were something precious and tenderly stroking it.Luca's hands had once been delicate and smooth, but during their time in the small villa, they had become much rougher.“You've got calluses.” Luke felt sorry for her.Luca gently traced her finger over his lips, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on him. “It’s just from the needlework and the experiments I’ve been d
Luca walked over to another couch and sat down. “I think I’ll stay here. How about letting Luke come down so that we can all catch up? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”Gordan’s face fell. “Ms. Craw, are you doing this on purpose?”Luca pretended not to know anything. “Doing what on purpose?”Gordan quickly shook his head. “Nothing. Just go upstairs already. Brother Luke’s been waiting for you.”Luca had intended to tease Gordan a little longer, but after not seeing Luke for the past few days, she found herself missing him deeply. Standing up with a smile, she said, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Oh, by the way, Mr. Gale, could you help me pick up a few things? Someone over there asked me to get them, and I couldn’t refuse.”“Sure, no problem. What do you need?” Gale agreed immediately.After handing him the list, Luca turned and headed upstairs.Gale watched Luca leave from behind, nudging Gordan’s arm. “Let’s go. We should leave and give the boss and Ms. Cr
The security guard remained completely unfazed.This was because the village chief was his uncle, and in their tight-knit community, they always stuck together and never favored outsiders.With directions from the people inside the ancestral hall, Hera found the village chief.“You’re the village chief, right?” Hera looked at the man in his fifties in front of her and spoke with an arrogant tone, completely unbothered.“And you are?” The village chief, seeing her attitude, was puzzled. He had no idea whether she was an investor or someone looking to discuss a major partnership to bring development to their quiet village.“It doesn’t matter who I am. I see you have surveillance here, and I need to review your footage,” replied Hera.The village chief was even more confused. “Are you a police officer?”“No.” Hera frowned. She thought reviewing surveillance footage was no big deal. Why was this village chief being so difficult?The village chief gave her a look as if she were a fo
“Wait a little longer. By the way, what kind of ancestral hall is this?” asked Hera.“It's a local family's ancestral hall. I heard it's been designed by the owner of a large company, and now it's also one of the tourist attractions.” The taxi driver was not from around here, so he did not know all the details, but he knew it had become a popular spot. “Now, thanks to the reputation of that boss, many architects come here as one of their reference points.”Hera frowned deeper. What was Luca doing here?The driver suggested, “If you're interested in sightseeing, the attractions inside are pretty good. But for outsiders, they charge an entrance fee. Maintenance costs a lot of money, so they charge tourists from outside.”“I'm not here for sightseeing,” replied Hera, “Don't worry. I'll pay you for however long I stay here. You’ll get your money.”The driver heard that she was paying, and did not press her further and remained quiet.Hera stared at the entrance of the ancestral hall,
Hera let out a cold sneer, feeling that Gerald's apology was not sincere.Hera did not want to press the issue at the moment. She gave him a sharp look. “Come with me.”Gerald knew that Hera was up to something again. If it were a normal order, she would have just said it in the living room. Whenever she called him aside, it meant whatever she had to say could not be overheard by others.Reluctantly, Gerald followed her out.It was midday, and as soon as Hera stepped out of the living room, a wave of heat hit her face.The intense warmth made her feel uncomfortable.Hera got straight to the point, turning to Gerald. “What did Luca say to you just now?”“She just asked me to help keep an eye on the volunteer,” Gerald answered honestly. This was not something that needed to be kept secret.Hera frowned. “Is she going out”Gerald hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say anything.“I’m talking to you, not the wall. Are you mute?” Hera threatened. “If you lie to me, I’ll te
Gordan was puzzled. At most, it was just brotherly camaraderie. After all, they had been through thick and thin together. Their bond might be stronger than usual, but falling in love? That was a bit of a stretch.Luke said, “The way you acted just now, doesn't really seem 'straight' to me. Also, if you're into women, maybe you should consider finding one. Otherwise, if you're always single, people might start misinterpreting your feelings for me.”“Luke, actually, you're not bad at all. In fact, you're probably better than a lot of women,” Gordan replied with a sly grin.As a man himself, he honestly thought Luke was a great guy. If he were a woman, he would be utterly captivated by him.“Shut up!” Luke knew he was joking, but he still felt a chill run down his spine. He seriously worried that Gordan might do something inappropriate when he turned his back on him.Shivering from the thought, Luke put down his glass and headed upstairs.Gordan let out a deep sigh.The night w
“Anyway, I'm saying it here—I'm not going to Russia because of that ugly woman, Vivian. If I go to Russia, it's for you. I've already divorced her. Besides, I’m already trying to avoid her, how could I possibly go to Russia for her?” Gordan took a sip of red wine, then continued his rant. “And, Ray is still in Russia. I really can't go. His men are all brutal, and I've had enough of being beaten all these years.”“Then why did you buy an apartment in Vivian's neighborhood?” Luke continued to tease him. His sharp eyes glinted with intelligence.Gordan denied it, but whether he believed it or not was his own business.“It was just a coincidence!” Gordan raised his voice, trying to convince Luke.Or maybe himself.“Coincidence?” Luke sipped his wine, every gesture as graceful as a nobleman.“Of course, it’s a coincidence, Brother Luke. You wouldn’t know, but that apartment is in a school district, surrounded by college towns. There are a ton of hotties there, I picked the place just
As Luca listened to his tone that was full of regret, she felt a slight pang in her heart. She recalled when she had a child and continued pursuing her education. If she had given up on herself back then, perhaps she and Luke would not find themselves here today.Luca felt she was much more fortunate than the volunteer. Even though she loved her father, she also understood the importance of education and did not let her father’s illness cause her to give up. She was also fortunate to have a father who supported her education.At the thought of this, Luca could not help but ask, “Do you regret it?”“No, I don’t regret it,” the volunteer smiled. “Actually, I always look at it in a positive light. Back then, several boys in my class liked her. If I hadn’t confessed, she might have become someone else’s girlfriend. If there’s anything I regret over the years, it’s that I was too selfish and it affected her studies.“I never thought that being in a relationship at a young age would
As Luca thought about it, she heard the volunteer exclaim, “With a wife like you, your husband must be so lucky and blessed.”Luca shook her head. To her, being cherished by Luke was a real blessing.“You’ve got it wrong. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”Luca had often wondered what her life would have been like without Luke.Perhaps she would have married Jean, only to watch his true nature slowly reveal itself. She would have struggled, eventually unable to endure it, and maybe even ended up divorced.It could be something worse. She might have been taken advantage of, lost all hope, and spiraled downward...Anything was possible.However, Luca knew that no matter what happened, life would not be as good as it was now without Luke.Though she remained under someone else’s control, and life on the Island of Despair was fraught with hardship, with Luke by her side, she felt an unshakable courage.A light laugh from the volunteer interrupted her thoughts.Luca