Luke saved the photos and said in a calm voice, “You talked too much today.” “When do I not?” Louis said, “I’ve always been chattering away while following behind you since I was young. You should’ve gotten used to it, right?” Luke was already Louis’ brother when he was born. Although Susan had always told Louis that Luke was his enemy, it did not affect his admiration for Luke. Louis loved following behind Luke since he was young. He was naughty and playful too. Thus, he did not learn much from Luke and his strengths. “That’s true. You’re as talkative as an old woman. Oh, give me the photographer’s contact details. I’d like to print some photos too,” answered Luke. “Nonsense. Don’t you ruin my tall and masculine image,” Louis laughed jokingly. Then, he gave the photographer’s contact number to Luke. Louis glanced at the time, then he rose to his feet and said, “Brother, I’ve sent you his contact number. I shouldn’t be bothering you anymore. I’m leaving now.”“Stay for a w
Zoey gave a snort of laughter and said nothing more.Luca’s office.After Luca watched Luke fill up her plate for her, she took it from him and thanked him, “Thank you.”“My pleasure,” replied Luke. He was not in a hurry to have lunch. Instead, he picked up his phone and sent their photos to Luca. “I’ve attached three photos in the message and sent it to you. Take a look at them.”Luca put down her plate, picked up her phone, and saw the message. The photos of Luke and her came into sight. Luca looked at him with surprise and said, “The photos…”"They were taken by the photographer last night," replied Luke, "Louis thought they looked good, so he sent them to me."“They do,” Luca gently touched the photos on her phone screen as though she was caressing the people in the photos. The photos were just of the two of them. They were candid shots…Their truest moments were captured in every photo. One of the photos was taken from behind them. Luca could see that her silhouet
Luca smiled and said in a soft voice, “It was you who moved on. There’s no need to thank me.”“No, I still have to thank you because I’ll need your help after this. I have no friends in A City. So, there are many things that I might need to trouble you and Mr. Crawford with,” replied Vivian. She had already told Ray to keep it low-key about her going there to further her studies this time.Vivian did not want her classmates to know that her family donated the library. Also, she did not want a bodyguard to follow her around as it would make her classmates find out about her family background.Ray disagreed with her at first, and he insisted on keeping a few bodyguards beside her. Then, he would also arrange for two maids to take care of her there.It took a lot of effort for Vivian to convince him.The reason why she wanted to go to A City was to experience life in a place without her family's influence. She wanted to start a new life in a new country. Besides, Luke was staying i
Tommy picked up the buffalo wings and took a bite. Then, he made a thumbs-up gesture and complimented, "Yummy."“Have some more if they taste good,” Luca helped Tommy with another one. Then, she saw Luke pick up his cutleries, but he had yet to help himself with the food. She said, “Mr. Crawford, try some?”“Sure.” Luke had never been interested in the kids’ favorite dishes, but since Luca was the one who cooked them…Luke lifted his fork and helped himself with one buffalo wing. Then, he placed it on his plate and slowly tasted it.Luca looked away and helped herself with a piece of fish filet. She slowly took a bite and began eating. She ate and said at the same time, “I’m going to the hospital later.”“Leia?” Luke immediately got it right.“Yes. I’m going to be busy for the next few days, so I’d like to see if I can prescribe medicine for her while I have the time to do so today,” replied Luca.“Let me send you there.” Luke offered her a ride.Luca turned to look at him and
Luca thought of putting up with Leia and letting her say anything she wanted. However, she could no longer stand it.Luca put the medical records back to where they were. She stared at Leia with a cold expression on her face, “Ms. Norman, I came late, but I didn’t expect the car would break down while I was on my way here. If you think I’m wasting your time, I shall leave.” Queenie frowned. She quickly grabbed Luca’s hand and said, “Luca, don’t mind her. Leia has a bad temper…”Luca turned to glance at Queenie, then looked at Leia again. What she said just now managed to shut Leia’s mouth, but Leia was unconvinced. She turned her face away, refusing to look at Luca. “I think Ms. Norman is doing well. Just follow the hospital’s instructions for the post-op procedures. Mrs. Norman, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to help her. Even if I can, she has a problem with me. If I were to prescribe medicine for her, she’ll secretly throw the medicine away just like she did the last
Matysh looked at Leia with confusion, refusing to believe what she said. Could someone who could not even stop themselves from being mean to Luca be able to help him?Mandy had been staying by Matysh’s side for some time now, and she knew Matysh did not trust Leia. Mandy was the one who recommended Leia to carry out the mission, so she said, “Mr. Matysh, if Leia says she can do it, she’ll certainly succeed. I believe in her.”Matysh stared at Mandy for a few seconds and shifted his gaze back to his phone. At last, he nodded and said, "Fine. I'll trust you this time.""Don't worry. I won't take your money if I fail. You have nothing to lose either. Enjoy your holiday in the villa," replied Leia. The hatred she felt for Luca in her heart was getting stronger. It was like a rising yeasted dough in a high-temperature oven.Leia put her phone aside after she ended the video call. Her eyes darkened like a deep bottomless hole. On the other hand.Luca had already dealt with her emo
Although Luke was not a doctor, he knew Leia could not be triggered now.“Are you sure you want to do that?” Johann confirmed with him and wondered what Leia did to get herself into trouble. Otherwise, Luke could not be bothered to deal with her."Leia has been living too comfortably since she came back," said Luke. Since Leia liked to take advantage of the fact that she was one of the Norman family members and messed with the others until even the good-tempered Luca could not stand her harsh words, then Luke should remind her of her standing.“...” Johann was flabbergasted. Leia had hardly spent her days comfortably ever since she returned here…She was always in pain, tortured by sickness. She was on the verge of death twice. Hence, it was nothing like what Luke said. Still, if he thought Leia was living comfortably, then Leia had no choice but to resign herself to fate. “Okay. I’ll arrange for it,” Johann promised him. It was not a big deal for him either.“Don’t make it
“Get to sleep. Stop overthinking. Either way, don’t worry about it.” Luke knew her all too well.The reason why Luke told her was that Luca would find out about it after he provoked Leia. It would be better to tell Luca in advance so that she would not be worried.Luca was not worried about Leia, but she was worried about Queenie. Queenie might look for Luca if Leia got triggered.Luke did not want Luca to mind Leia’s business."Alright." Luca was relieved. She leaned against Luke in his arms as the heart-touching feeling lingered in her heart. Luke held her tight.Luca could feel that she was melting into his body, becoming one with him.Luke was always capable of soothing the anxiety in her heart. Luke was slowly breaking down the anxiety in her heart that had accumulated in her heart for years little by little.Luca even thought how nice it would be if she could be more selfish. That way, Abel would not be able to use her child to threaten her.Still, how could she be so
“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