“Alright, I won’t see you off, then. It’s snowing, so be careful of your safety when driving,” Wanda reminded.Luca’s nose started to feel tingly. Wanda took care of her before she got married in Japan, and she did a better job taking care of her than anyone else. She realized that time and tide waited for no man as she saw the gray hair on her temples. The young ones were starting to grow old too.She had no way of repaying Wanda for all that she did for her in the past.“Okay, it’s cold. You should go in,” said Luca as she looked down and walked out of the gate.When she returned to her car, she did not have the time to get all sentimental as the three little children were waiting for her to pick them up.Luca drove off to pick up Lanie and the others.The classes that Old Master Crawford enrolled them in were the best in A City, so the three children had classes in separate locations.Luca would first pick up Lanie and Rainie, then she would go pick up Tommy.The moment Tomm
Rainie puffed her cheeks out and explained, “I’m the leading role, so the teacher said that my costume should be different from the other students.”The teacher also knew that she had plenty of dance costumes at home, so she did not prepare one for her.Lanie frowned. “But I don’t know how to pick one.”“Brother, aren’t you the smartest?” Rainie looked at the tutus. These few were the best-looking ones, but she somehow could not pick a favorite among them.Lanie raised his hand and flicked her forehead.“Ouch, what are you doing?” Rainie touched her head and looked at him in confusion.“I’m just a few minutes older than you. You should let mommy help you pick,” said Lanie. How could she let him pick when he knew nothing about tutus?“Shh.” Rainie immediately covered his mouth when he referred to Luca as Mommy. She looked back. Thank goodness no one was there.They had agreed to not address Luca as Mommy even behind her back to avoid Luca finding out.Instead, they should get u
Tommy could not help but exclaim, “I’m so full.”Aunt Neile was cleaning up the dishes and chuckled when she heard the child’s words. “With Ms. Craw here, Ms. Rainie and the young masters are not picky eaters at all.”Luca patted Tommy’s head. “Go walk around the living room okay? Aunt Neile will cut fruit for you later.”“Okay, Ms. Luca.” Tommy had always been hyperactive, so walking around was not a difficult task for him.Luca looked toward Lanie, who also ate a lot today.Lanie took the initiative to say, “Don’t worry, Ms. Luca. I’ll walk around to digest the food too.”“Ms. Luca, I don’t need to, right?” said Rainie as she was a girl, and her appetite was not very big. Although the meal Luca made was delicious, she did not eat as much as her brothers.The food on the table was mostly eaten by Lanie and Tommy.Luca shook her head. Girls were more concerned about their bodies and diet, so Rainie did not eat much.Rainie stood up and said, “Ms. Luca, help me pick out the tut
“Okay. Thanks, Tommy.” Luca took it from him and had a bite.“Ms. Luca, is the apple nice?” asked Tommy as he looked at her eagerly.“It’s delicious.” Luca took another bite. Aunt Neile was the one who picked out the apples, so there was no doubt that they would taste good.Tommy also picked up a slice of apple to eat as he snuggled next to Luca. He ate the apple while watching cartoons. He was over the moon.After the show ended, Luca urged the children to wash up and go to bed.The kids listened to her. An hour later, after Luca had made sure that everyone had gone to bed, she went back to her bedroom.She picked up the phone on her dresser to see that she had multiple missed calls. Her heart immediately dropped.When she opened her phone, she saw that they were all from Amur.Luca immediately called him back.The call went through, and Luca immediately asked, “Amur, are you back from your mission?”Amur sounded a little tired from the other end of the line. “Yes, I’m back.
Rainie’s teacher understood immediately. None of Rainie’s family members came. That was why the woman in front of her who claimed she was Luke’s subordinate came here. She said, “I see. Then will you stay to watch Rainie’s competition?” “Yes. I will,” replied Luca. Was it not obvious enough with Luca carrying a camera with the camera strap on her shoulder?“We’ve reserved seats in the auditorium for the kids’ family members. It usually starts on the second row. Please wait there,” said the teacher. Luca nodded. She put a smile on her face when she saw Rainie walk out of the room after getting changed. The look in her eyes was gentle and kind. “Ms. Luca, can you help me tie this?” Rainie walked past the teacher and asked for Luca’s help. Luca nodded, squatted down, and helped Rainie tie up every strap that needed to be tied. “Done.” Luca rose to her feet and encouraged her, “I’ll be watching your performance from out there. You got this!” “Alright, Ms. Luca.” Rainie smile
Luca could sense that Yuri was unhappy, but she did not say anything. She focused on watching the performance. Rainie was the star ballerina. She attracted everyone’s attention the moment she stepped on the stage. The expressiveness of her facial expressions and her skilled elegant dance moves were a display of the dancing skills she had picked up over the years.Luca picked up the camera and kept taking photos of Rainie dancing on the stage. At the same time, she noticed that something was wrong as she was sitting near the stage. The stage was bright enough, and that was why Luca did not switch on the flash. It did not affect the photos’ quality either. The ballet performance lasted for 40 minutes. Luca heard Thea talking to Yuri after the dancers made their curtain calls, “Mommy, I want to get into the dance academy too. Sign me up please.” Yuri shot a glance at Luca. She was lowering her head and fiddling with the camera as though she was not paying attention to what the
Rainie was smiling as she noticed that Luca was about to say ‘Mommy’…That would only mean Luca still saw them as her children. Hence, it must be what their father had told them. Their mother had some unspeakable reason, and that was why she did not acknowledge them. Rainie was thinking of telling Lanie about it after he came back from school. Luca brought Rainie out of the amusement park. All the open-air parking lots were occupied with cars. Hence, Luca parked her car in the multi-story car park when she came here. Luca and Rainie ran into Yuri and Thea when they walked into the car park. “Hello, Aunt Yuri. Hello, Thea,” Rainie greeted them. Rainie was looking for Luca when she was on the stage, and that was when she saw Yuri and Thea sitting beside Luca.“Oh Rainie, you did such a great job.” Yuri complimented her while her gaze fell on the two’s interlocked hands.Those who did not know would have thought that they were mother and daughter. "Thank you, Aunt Yuri." Rain
Luca sat there doing nothing after she finished ordering the food. It was inconvenient for her to talk with Amur as Rainie was there.Amur knew Luca had wanted to meet him alone in the beginning, so she must have something to tell him. However, Rainie was here together with them. She could not tell Amur what she wanted to say.After all, the child was not that young anymore. She understood a lot of things.Rainie glanced at Luca, then she turned to look at Amur. She smiled and said, “Ms. Luca, I saw a swing there. Can I go over there to play?”"Ah. Sure." Luca turned to look at the swing. It was a play area designed by the restaurant for the kids so that the parents could relax when they brought their children here. "Be careful. Don't go anywhere else."“Okay. I know.” Rainie stood up and strolled toward the play area. Luca was happy that there was a kids’ play area in the restaurant. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to talk to Amur. “Is she one of your children you’ve been
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
The volunteer did not mind. As long as it meant he could recover, he was willing to endure any pain. “It's okay. I can handle it.”Luca nodded.The door to the vehicle opened, and a man stepped inside. Due to the lack of sterilization, he did not dare approach the inner part of the vehicle. Instead, he placed several bottles of saline on the outside.“This is the saline that Mr. Shanks prepared. He asked you to inject it when you can,” the man relayed Shanks' message.“Got it.” Luca reached out to take the bottles. After thoroughly disinfecting them, she brought them inside.It was more complicated than being in a hospital.Since the volunteer's body was still weak. They had to maintain as sterile an environment as possible.However, it still fell short of the ICU's standard.Luca stayed with the volunteer until evening. Gerald stood outside the medical vehicle and called, “Ms. Craw, it's time for dinner.”Luca took off her protective gear and stepped outside.“Ms. Craw, di
“Don’t worry, it won’t affect you in the slightest,” said Abel.The villa was bought under Shanks’ name.So while it appeared to be the Island of Despair’s property, it was, in fact, Shanks’ personal asset.Abel shot a glance at his subordinates, who stood beside him. Without hesitation, they grabbed the doctor and hauled him away.As Hera watched the scene unfold, she felt a sudden pang of unease. She was well aware of Abel's methods. Punishment was never off the table. However, seeing the way things were unfolding, Hera could not shake the feeling that Abel might actually take the doctor’s life.Still, they were in A City, a country with strict laws. Would Abel really go that far?As Abel turned to leave, Hera said almost nervously, “Darling…”“I have some matters to take care of. Be good and stay here. Don’t wander around, okay?” Abel’s mood was apparently lifted by the successful surgery. His voice was unexpectedly gentle.Hera’s unease only deepened. She grabbed the slee