Marcos, who was used to making deals, was stunned by what Luke said. He asked, "That's it?""Yeah, that's it," Luke affirmed."I don't need to let you win the bid?" Marcos was still in shock. โHe doesn't care about the bidding but wants to see other people's bids?โ"No, I'm very confident in my company's proposal," Luke said firmly.Marcos was even more puzzled. Since he was confident, why would Luke want him to disclose all the biddersโ proposals? "Since youโre so confident and youโre asking for the proposals to be made public, are you worried that the result will not be fair and just? You can rest assured that Iโm keeping watch myself. Itโll be judged according to the various proposals as well as the strength of each company.โ"Youโre known for being fair and impartial in the industry. To be honest, I asked you to do this not for fear of unjust results but for my personal affairs," Luke said vaguely."Your personal affairs?" Marcos was even more surprised that such a good exc
Whether it was the content of the bid or the capability of the company, they were on the losing end...They had not only lost, but they also failed to embarrass T Corporation in public as Pierre wished.When T Corporation's proposal was displayed, there were a lot of compliments. Luke kept looking at the screen and did not react.He was waiting for the proposal that Luca took.Marcos' assistant continued to show the proposals.Marcos sat on the chair and looked at everyone with a smile. However, what he was most curious about was Luke's expression.The meeting went on, and many companies took the opportunity to learn from their competitors. After all, there was only one person who could win the bid, but it was rare to have an opportunity to look at the proposals of others.They could pinpoint the strengths of each company. Anyway, there would be more opportunities to compete in the future.Luca was stunned when she saw T Corporationโs proposal.It was not the one she stole.T
This was great news, but Luca was not happy.After this meeting, she had to face Luke. She did not know how to explain herself.โShould I escape?โThe only way that Luca thought that she could avoid having to explain anything was to escape.After the results were announced, the meeting was over. There was a lot of commotion around, but all she could only hear were words of congratulations.Luke should be very happy. He always had his eye on this project. Since this project was in hand now, it meant that T Corporation would expand to the Russian market.At the same time, this project would cover the loss of Dr. Albusโ project so that T Corporation could survive the crisis. The shareholders would not make a scene.Luca sat there and looked at Luke, who was greeted with envious glances from various companies. At that moment, he was the most attention-grabbing person in the venue.It was indeed a good day, but it was unfortunate that she would also have to leave Lukeโs side.In th
"What kind of relationship?" Pierre was so angry that he was no longer rational.He lost a lot of money, and the unexpected results made him lose his mind. He could not vent at Luke, so he had to find Abel.Hera rolled her eyes and wondered if Pierre was stupid or acted with intention!"It's the kind of relationship where he would come to me occasionally and give me pocket money." She did not make things too clear because she wanted to save her dignity.At the same time, she did not want to show that she was close with Abel. After all, he had so many enemies. She did not want to get in trouble.Pierre understood and sneered. He saw Hera as an escort who was willing to do anything as long as there was money involved."What are you laughing at?" Hera was annoyed. His laughter was full of contempt. How dare he think of her as an escort?"Youโre such an arrogant escort. Whatโs wrong with me laughing at you?" Pierre said grimly. He thought of her as a woman who could be bought with m
"During this time, Iโll have Rain help monitor Luca." Luke was not worried about anything else. He was just worried that Luca would disappear.As such, he had arranged for Rain to watch over Luca.If she disappeared because of this, he was not sure where to find her."Okay." Jason did not worry when he saw that Luke planned everything out.Luca had been hiding in the room and did not come out. She looked at the gorgeous decorations. The emotions that filled her heart were guilt, helplessness, and sadness about their upcoming separation.In the evening, Luke knocked on her door and asked, "Are you in there?"When she heard his voice, Luca got up from the sofa slowly and went to open the door for him."Mr. Crawford, is everything okay?" she asked.Luke raised his head slightly. He found that her expression was normal, and her eyes were not red. In three years, she had grown a lot.A woman who used to cry out of frustration when faced with difficulties could now face everything c
This scene, although depressing, was also beautiful.Luke noticed that she had been looking at the garden and suddenly remembered that she, like Queenie, was interested in gardens and such.She would surely like such an ancient European-style garden."Do you like the style?" Luke asked.Luca was stunned when she heard his question. She glanced at the others, and none of them seemed inclined to answer him.Luke was looking at her. He was asking her."This style is very rare. It's gorgeous. It should be beautiful in spring," Luca did not answer him straight and commented objectively.A lot of space was needed to create such a garden.Ordinary villas had limited garden areas, so it was usually difficult to create such a style. One could only see this style of gardens in ancient castles.Although the leaves of the plants in the garden had fallen off, Luca could still recognize some of the plants. They would grow and bloom more beautifully after vernalization."Miss, youโre right.
Luca stared at the gleam in Vivian's eyes. She knew Vivian was just reminiscing about the past to conceal her sorrows. Luca felt more deeply when she was able to understand how Vivian felt. She could not bear to leave Luke too, but she had to face the cruel reality. What could she do even if she was reluctant to leave him?โIt would be enough as long as the memories are kept in our minds,โ Luca said in a soft, gentle voice, comforting Vivian and herself. It was enough for Luca that she once used to live happily together with Luke.Vivian gazed at Luca. What Luca said was right, and there was no way she could refute it.โLucaโฆโ Vivian could feel that the woman in front of her had been through a lot. Her sigh was filled with true feelings. However, she was almost the same age as her โฆ"Saying goodbye to someone means a new beginning in your life. Be happy." Luca added as she looked at the huge screen and the high-end sound system. Luca knew it would be great to watch a mov
However, would Luca want to return to the hotel?The person who was manipulating Luca behind her would have heard about the news that T Corporation had gotten the project successfully. That person would still go after T Corporation and him. Therefore, they should have something up his sleeve. Luke thought that Luca would still be the one to implement that personโs next move. That was why Luca was not allowed to be out of his sight. Ray noticed that Luke's gaze was on Luca. He turned to look at her and said, "It's dangerous to drive in a snowstorm. No subway route can bring you back to the hotel either. Why don't you spend the night here?" Luca put down her cutleries, lifted her head, and noticed that Luke and the others were looking at her. They were waiting for her replyโฆโMr. Crawford, Iโll leave the decision up to you,โ Luca said in a soft voice, telling them that she was fine with the arrangement.Luke nodded. It seemed like Luca had not received any orders. Luke turned
โAs long as he stays out of your sight, I wonโt make a move,โ said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Lukeโs 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.โAlright, Ray. Just let it go. Iโve moved on and started a new life. Plus, Iโm studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, weโll just be strangers. Thereโs no need to step in for me or act impulsively.โ Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.โIs it the clothes delivery?โ asked Ray.โNo, 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,โ Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.โMiss, is the boss alright?โ asked one of Rayโs subordinates.โHeโs fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, โCan you walk me through your plan?โโThe prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. Iโve 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 facilityโs underground pipes donโt 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.โThis whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why Iโm confident itโll work.โ As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. โHereโs 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 Abelโs people.โAbelโs 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 Gordanโs current behavior quite intriguing.โLuke, whatโs with that look?โ Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.โYou seem pretty concerned about Vivian,โ Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. โWhat? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, donโt say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.โLuke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. โWhy are you here?โโSpeaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.โ Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. โMan, Ray really didnโt hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.โLuke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. โUnlock it.โโAll set, boss.โ 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.Gordanโs furious curses rang out. โDamn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?โAnother 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.โEnough!โ shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.โVivian, stay out of this. Iโm beating him to a pulp today,โ growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.โRay, I donโt want to see him,โ 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.โFine. If you donโt want to see him, Iโll 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.โRay, this apple is really good. Want to try one?โ asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. โYou go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?โVivian nodded. โI only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.โRay walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.โYou didn't bring any food with you?โ asked Ray.โI havenโt 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.โ Vivianโs tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.โThat's true.โ Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. โAlright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, weโll still need your help.โโFor toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Donโt worry, if I can help, I definitely will,โ Luca assured him.โAlright, thank you.โ Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, โIf Vivian was really poisoned, donโt 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 didnโt take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If itโs something she can fix, sheโll do everything she can.โBesides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?โโYes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. โMs. Sanchez, what's wrong?โHe 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. โI thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And youโre acting all deferential to her over this?โGerald was rendered speechless. โI knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand Iโm used to. Maybe itโs not expensive to you, but for me, itโs what I can afford.โRealizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. โStill, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?โโItโs not about the money,โ replied Gerald. โIt'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.โHe was ba
Lucaโs lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Lukeโs 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.โฆThe two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, โHello, Mr. Crawford.โโVivian, donโt worry. Everything will get better,โ replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Lucaโs 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, โVivian, theyโre your friends. You donโt have to act this way around them. They wonโt judge you.โโI know they wonโtโฆโ Vivian let out a soft sigh. โI just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didnโt want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But itโ
โI once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivianโs. 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.โCould it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.โโIf she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?โ asked Ray.Luca shook her head.โThe poison Iโve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victimโs skin dark. I donโt 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 canโt be sure whatโs really causing Vivianโs condition.โIs her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a