Luca felt a twinge in her heart when she heard what Queenie said.A mother’s wish was to watch their children grow up, settle down, get married, and have children. As Luca watched Queenie murmur to herself beside Leia’s ward bed, she thought that she would probably never have the chance again…Johann shot a glance at Luca, then he turned to look at Queenie. He fell silent for a moment. It was only when his pager beeped did he stand up and say, “Dr. Craw, call me if you need anything. I have something to do now.”“Okay. Go ahead. Thank you.” Luca thanked him for helping her reach out to a craftsman. Johann waved at her and exited the ward.Luca kept quiet while she looked at Queenie. She let out a sigh, stood up, and walked to the bedside. She comforted her, "Mrs. Norman, don't worry. I'm sure Ms. Norman will be fine."Queenie pulled some tissue out of the tissue box on the bedside table and wiped the tears on her face. She looked at Luca with tears in her eyes and said, “Luca,
Many people were willing to donate their livers, after all. The liver was unlike any other organ such as the human heart. For a heart, the doctors would have to wait until the donor passed away. Only then was there a chance for the organ transplant to take place. The most difficult thing for Leia now was that she was unable to ask anyone for help. “I hope so…” Queenie wiped her tears away.Luca noticed that Leia’s eyelids were moving, so she reminded Queenie, “Ms. Norman is probably waking up soon.” “Really?” Queenie shifted her gaze and looked at Leia, who was on the ward bed. Her eyeballs seemed to be moving under her eyelids. After a while, Leia opened her eyes. “Leia, you’re awake! Let me call the doctor.” Queenie quickly wiped away the tears on her face and pressed the call bell. It seemed like Leia was feeling unwell. She frowned and looked at Queenie, “Why are you here?” "You smoked yesterday, and something happened to you. Do you still remember? The hospital call
After Luca left the hospital, she got into Warren’s car and headed to T Corporation.Five minutes later, Luca received a call from Queenie.“Luca, you’ve already left the hospital?” Queenie could not find Luca anywhere in the hospital when she left the ward. Hence, she quickly called her. “Yes, Mrs. Norman. I have work to do…” Luca felt sorry for her when she heard the hoarseness in her voice. “Too many things happened just now. I didn’t get the chance to thank you yet. Luca, let me treat you to lunch,” Queenie invited her out for lunch. Luca was Leia’s savior, after all. Even though Leia did not know how to be grateful, as her mother, she had to know how to show respect to others. “It’s nothing, Mrs. Norman. You don’t have to do this. Besides, Ms. Norman would eventually wake up even if I wasn’t there,” Luca replied with her brows furrowed while she looked at the scenery outside the window that was moving backward.What Luca said was true. Judging from Leia’s situation, she
“There’s something important we need to talk about. Get out.” Leia gave her a piercing look as she asked the caretaker to leave.After the caretaker left, Mandy walked toward her hospital bed, pretending to worry about her. She said, “Leia, didn’t you say you’d like to get a liver transplant the last time? But your family refuses to do it. Look at you. Your skin is sallow and your body is weak. You look like you’re dying. That’s why you have to make yourself look miserable. They’ll certainly agree with it then.”Leia bit her lip and glared at her, “I ended up like this because of you!” "Don't blame me. We didn’t even know smoking would have such a great impact on your health. Besides, that was the cigarette you used to smoke. You were fine back then… So, it's probably because the doctors can't find the reason why your condition worsened and they blamed the cigarette. What matters most now is that you've survived. Although you're in a worse condition now, your mother might have a so
T Corporation.It was almost past lunchtime when Luca walked out of the laboratory. Luca asked Zoey to order takeout for her. That was why she was planning to return to her office and eat her lunch. After that, she would continue to handle her work.Before she returned to her office, Zoey came forward and said, “Dr. Craw, I’ve left your lunchbox on your office desk. And Mr. Crawford is in your office.”Luca was startled for a moment. Zoey deliberately lowered her voice when she mentioned Luke’s name.“I got it.” Luca’s voice was calm, and it carried a trace of coldness. Zoey watched Luca march back to her office from behind. She could not help but let out a sigh. If it was another woman who encountered such a situation, she would not be able to hide the joy and excitement in her voice. However, Luca…Her reaction was so calm, and she was not even surprised to hear that. She was different from the other women. Perhaps that was the reason why their boss was attracted to her.
Luke instantly knew what kind of person Leia was without needing Luca to explain to him.There was no way she would give up easily. She was still asking her so-called friends to help keep an eye on updates in the black market. Although she was broke, that would not stop her from deceiving her father and the Norman family.“What do you think?” Luke asked for her opinion.Luca was silent for some time and slowly said, “Actually, I think that since you already know that she’s back, why not just be frank with her so that she has more options to look for liver donors? Otherwise, she can only wait in the hospital or purchase it from the black market…”She did not say this for the sake of Leia as she was not fond of her either. She just felt sorry for Queenie and Jack. She did not want the couple to be dragged down by Leia’s disease.Moreover, if Leia dragged down the Norman family, it would affect Luke too.Besides, he was still the Norman family’s son-in-law to the outside world.“Yo
“Will telling Luke help Leia? Have you thought about the consequences of doing so?” Although Jack knew that Luke was already aware that Leia had returned, he still looked at Queenie seriously and told her the consequences she might have to face if she did so.“Of course, I know that! Dear, Leia is our daughter. You may be able to steel yourself, but I can’t. There’s a chance that Luke might send Leia back to New York if I tell him, but I won’t allow that to happen. If he insists on doing so, I’ll get down on my knees and beg him to spare Leia in consideration of me being Bea’s biological mother. As long as he’s willing to spare Leia, we can publicly look for volunteers for Leia…” Queenie’s eyes were bloodshot while talking. She was getting emotional because she knew that this was Leia’s last resort…Disappointment could be seen in Jack’s eyes as looking for voluntary donors for Leia may be useful, but would not he be the one to take the fall in the end?If Leia received someone else
After learning that Bianca was not coming back, Queenie’s eyes grew dim.The reason why she put all her attention on Leia was because of Luca’s absence. She could not even worry about her if she wanted to.Besides, Bianca was not always reachable.“I guess I won’t be able to see Bea this New Year’s again. Luke, Jack and I aren’t getting any younger. Who wouldn’t want to have their children by their side at this age? So, I want to tell you something.” Queenie put down her utensils, and her face stiffened with dismay.Luke understood the situation and put down his utensils as well. “Yes, Mother-in-law?”When Queenie glanced at Jack to see him shake his head indicating that she should not say what she was about to say, she ignored him. Then, she looked at Luke and said, “There’s actually something we’ve been hiding from you… Leia is back.”Luke remained silent.Queenie tried to decipher Luke’s expression, but no emotion could be seen on his face as he was too calm.She had no choi
“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