Eler was envious of how Shanks pampered Nyla.On the Island of Despair, except for Nyla, only the seriously injured could get Shanks' attention.Eler snapped out of it as these should not be her desires. All she needed to focus on was taking care of Nyla and protecting her.She walked over, lowered her head, and dared not look at Shanks as she said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Shanks. I didn't keep a close eye on Kathryn."Shanks looked at her. His gaze was cold and without a trace of warmth. "You didnโt take good care of her. Do you know how dangerous it is to let her run around in the corridor?"Those on the Island of Despair were not good people. It was easy for Nyla to bump into and irk these people if she walked around like that.He could help her this time but not all the time.If he left the island and Nyla bumped into someone, he doubted that Eler could protect her.Eler's heart shuddered. Every time Shanks talked to her that much, he would be blaming her for not taking good care o
Nyla knew that Eler would not get angry with her. She said cheekily, "Eler, Iโm sorry. I'll never say such things again.""Okay, I forgive you this time." Eler pinched the tip of her nose and smiled.Nyla put the glass of water aside, hugged her arm, and muttered, "Eler, I miss Mommy so much."Eler patted her head and assured her, saying, "I'm looking for a chance. Give it some time and we can have a video call with her.""When will she be back?" Eler asked her with wide eyes."Itโll be soon. Sheโll be back when she finishes her mission." Eler coaxed her."I hope Mommy can come back soon. I miss her." Nyla leaned on her shoulder and said, feeling aggrieved.Eler stroked her head.It was important for parents to be by their kidsโ side as they grew up.Unfortunately, Nyla's father still did not know the existence of Nyla while Luca was forced to go out to perform missions.Meanwhile, on the other hand.Luca arrived at the nearby stronghold. Although it was nearby, it was also
Luca did not want to wait until she got back to the hotel to inform Luke because he was in a dire situation.Abel's men were already preparing to make a move on Luke at any time, so she immediately picked up her phone and called Amur.When the call was connected, Luca did not bother with small talk and immediately jumped straight into it. "Amur, I need your help.""What happened? Are you okay?" Amur could not help but panic when he heard her serious and anxious tone. โWhat happened to her in Russia?โLuca took a deep breath and let out a frosty breath. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. However, I just overheard that the Island of Despair is going to hurt Luke. I need your help."โIt's that man again?!โLuca was calm even when she was injured. She was so flustered only when the man was in trouble. Amur did not want to help Luke."I'm not in Russia. How can I help you..." he said deliberately.He had wanted to go to Russia with Luca, but she would not let him. Hence, he could only wai
Gale could not read his lips to make out what he was saying because the car was in the way.He frowned when he saw the car leaving. The license plate was half-covered. He picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Is Rain there?""Yes," Rain replied."A Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The front part of the license plate number is P425, and the back part is covered. I'm following it now. Drive here and take over. I have to complete the task that the boss assigned me." Gale drove and slowly followed behind the black SUV."Got it," Rain replied.Three minutes later, Gale saw Rain's car coming out of the corner."Iโll follow them. You can go to complete your task now." Rain's voice came from the walkie-talkie.Gale said, "There are at least two people in the car on top of the driver. There may be weapons on them. Make sure you stay safe.""Understood. Don't worry," Rain replied.Gale stepped on the gas and overtook the off-roader, lest they had any suspicions.At the same time, he also paid at
Jason understood him. He stood behind Luke and was ready to push him out of there at any time.Luke opted to put his safety aside to ensure that Luca would not leave. He even asked everyone to follow Luca to ensure that she would not disappear into thin air.Jason could tell that his boss' love for Luca was engraved on his bones and inscribed on his heart.All he could think about was whether Luca would leave him, not whether he would encounter any danger. Otherwise, he would not have allocated all the manpower to her and left no one by his side.Luke's phone rang. In the private room, the ringing was like a warning bell, stimulating everyoneโs nerves.Jason could not help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. It was the first time he had been so nervous.He held his breath, watching Luke pick up the phone.The call was from Rain."Boss, where are you now?" Rain asked."I'm in a restaurant," Luke answered truthfully. He did not plan to tell her about the email he received so t
"Who is this on the phone?" Hansen looked at Luke, confused."This is my friend, Rain. Sheโs following their car right now. Those men in the car are likely coming for me," Luke said. Although Gale and Rain always called him โBossโ, they had gone through life and death together. Hence, he did not see them as his subordinates.Rain heard Luke and was moved. That was why she and Gale had been so loyal to him.Hansen wondered how they knew that the people in the car were coming for him since they had not arrived yet. Anyway, Ray had given an order to protect Luke, so he said, "Okay, Ms. Rain, got it. Follow them and protect yourself."Rain let out a hum and followed behind the off-road vehicle. She glanced at the map. They were getting closer and closer to the restaurant.Since the men sent by Ray had arrived at the scene, they won in numbers. They were skilled too, so she was relieved.When Hansen walked in from the door, he had observed the layout of the restaurant and found that i
"I can help. You have to trust me." Luca looked anxious. She could hear everything even though they were several shops away.The nearby businesses closed their doors in fright when they heard the gunshots."Dr. Craw, I'm carrying out the order given by the boss. You have to trust the boss. He can handle it." Rain still opted to stand in her way.Luca did not think that Luke could handle it.If his legs were not injured, it would have been fine. However, his legs were injured. He would not be able to dodge the bullets!"I'm sorry." Luca clenched her fists and was about to hit Rain when she heard the sound of sirens in the distance.The police were there.Luca turned around and saw two police cars speeding past.Rain said, "This is all arranged by the boss. Heโll be fine."Luca was worried. โEven if Luke has planned everything, can he predict where the bullets will go?โThe gunshots sounded many times in just a few minutes. The situation inside was unknown. She could not help b
When she wanted to turn him down, she suddenly thought that if the contract signing went well tomorrow, she would be able to go back the day after tomorrow.She thought that Shanks must have something to talk to her about since he was looking for her. Hence, she agreed. "Okay, where should we meet?"Shanks gave her the address.After Luca wrote it down, she hung up the call.Although Shanks worked under Abel and belonged to the Island of Despair, Luca was aware that he had taught her a lot. She regarded their relationship as mentor-apprentice.Shanks never accepted apprentices, and she had never called him master either, but his kindness to her was not something she could ignore.Luca put on her coat and left the suite.Gale sat in the car and saw Luca walk out of the hotel. He immediately informed Luke and followed behind her taxi.Luke was at the police station but he did not forget to tell Gale to continue to follow Luca.He frowned when he saw the message from Gale. โLuca
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