Sophian stopped talking when Allison insisted on doing so.Allison picked up her phone and called the property agent she knew. Five minutes later, she received the news about how much her property would be worth.Sophian heard the price from the other end of the line. The price given was way lower than Luke’s price. She thought that even though Allison was not on good terms with Luke, it turned out that Luke was not so heartless after all.Otherwise, how could he offer a price that was much higher than the market price?Allison refused to believe what she heard and questioned, "The location of my villa is good. You actually offered me such a price? Are you trying to fool me? Do you have any idea who I am?""Ms. Tanner, I'm not trying to fool you. A customer of mine sold a villa like yours at such a price two days ago. The area of his villa is much bigger than yours. The villas in the urban district aren't that popular now. Wealthy people prefer villas in the suburbs. The air is
“Is this for Mr. Crawford? Let me bring it to him for you.” Sophian thought that even though Luke was scary, she wanted to make it up to him. At least she could change the impression she had left on him.Sophian thought she could fight for a chance to explain to him by serving him the soup. She thought of shifting all the responsibility to Allison if she could. The relationship between them was already bad. It did not matter if their relationship got worse.A trace of astonishment flashed across Mr. Griffin's eyes. He grasped the bowl of soup tight, smiled, and said, "How can I trouble a guest with such things? Let me serve him the soup first. Ms. Thomas, just a minute."After that, he walked past Sophian and headed to the study.“Let me follow you there. I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford.” Sophian kept pace with Mr. Griffin. Sophian was shocked by the aura Luke gave off when she ran into him just now. That was why she dared not to say anything, let alone explain
“Grandma, Daddy’s the one who’s driving. We’re not tired. Daddy’s more tired than us. Besides, if it weren’t for some family matters, Daddy wouldn’t have had to hurry back here,” said Lanie, pretending not to know it was Allison’s matter.Allison’s smile froze. This little kid did not intend to say something like that. Even so, why did it sound so unpleasant to the ears? Allison felt it was inappropriate to criticize Lanie for what he said. After all, it would make her look bad if she really held him accountable for what he said. Besides, she was secretly disgusted after hearing things like Luke had been working hard. She could hardly say a word.Allison had no choice but to look at Tommy with a smile on her face, “Tommy, did you receive the snacks and toys I bought for you?” “Yes, Grandma. The children at the orphanage will be delighted to receive them.” Tommy nodded and said, “I’d like to thank you on behalf of the orphaned children.” “Orphanage…?” That was the word Allis
“What? I’m telling you, you’re getting a second child this year. Thea will be happy to have a younger brother or sister to accompany her,” Susan urged Louis despite being in front of so many people. Old Master Crawford loved having his children and grandchildren around. The old master was thrilled when Luke and Bianca gave birth to three kids.Hence, Susan hoped that Louis and Yuri could put in some effort to get another child.At least they could fight against Allison’s side for the inheritance.“Mom…” Louis was speechless. He had told her that he was not planning to get a second child back then. However, he felt embarrassed when Susan urged him to have another baby in front of so many people.“Stop giving me excuses. You just have to. Thea is all alone by herself.” Susan became overbearing. She shot a glance at Old Master Crawford, hoping that he could speak up for her. After all, he must want Louis and Yuri to have another child too. "Even if you're having another child, the
“No,” replied Luke.The kids were smart. The old master asked to head to the study once they arrived at Crawford Manor. Hence, it was no surprise to know that it had something to do with Allison.“Daddy, what kind of trouble has Grandma gotten herself into?” Tommy tilted his head and asked.Luke fell silent.Tommy added, “Got it. Kids shouldn’t be meddling in the adult’s affairs.”Luke’s phone rang. He put on the wireless earphones and answered the call, “Who is this?” “Good evening, Mr. Crawford. We’re calling from the Federal Trade Commission. You filed a police report this afternoon claiming that a swindler has scammed your mother’s money by asking her to make some investments. Is it true?” A man’s voice came from the other end of the line.“Yes.” Luke raised his brows. They were calling at this hour. Did they manage to arrest the swindler?“According to the lead you’ve provided us, we’ve already arrested the person at the station. Can you please head to the police station
Allison understood what the police officer meant.It was unlikely that she could claim her money back. Even though she was lucky enough to claim it, no one knew when it would happen.Besides, the longer it took, the lower the chances of claiming it back.“Then what can I do now?” Allison asked. She could not wait to urge the police officer in front of her to investigate the case now.“Ms. Tanner, you should go home and wait for our call,” said the police officer. Allison had signed and pressed her fingerprint on the document. That was all she had to do.Now, she had to wait for the police to further investigate it. “Okay…” Allison was unhappy. However, it was useless even if she urged the police to look into her case.Besides, Luke had already told her that he would not help her.After Allison left the police station, she got into the Crawford family’s car and returned to Crawford Manor.It was almost midnight. Sophian was still up. She was waiting for Allison to come back.
The notary immediately understood what was going on once he heard that. He nodded and stopped gossiping about Luke.After all, he had met people like Luke before. Who would truly live like a saint?The notary smiled and forgot about it at the thought of this.He was instructed by his superior to deal with some matters. All he had to do was get his job done. There was no need for him to lose his job for gossip.“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Luke’s voice rang in their ears. Mr. Zac stood up and looked at the stairs. He smiled and replied, “Happy New Year, Mr. Crawford.”“Mr. Crawford, Happy New Year,” the notary immediately greeted him too."Happy New Year. Do you mind waiting for a while?" Luke asked. He called Mr. Griffin before he headed downstairs. Luke had instructed Mr. Griffin last night. He wanted him to report Allison's whereabouts to him.Allison woke up one and a half an hour ago, and she left Crawford Manor an hour ago.Only after Allison left the house did
“Okay.” Luke nodded.After Mr. Zac got Luke's permission, James and Mr. Zac left in a hurry.After Mr. Zac left, Luke looked up and stared at Allison coldly. “You can go back to the villa now. Don’t go to Crawford Manor anymore.”“Don’t worry. I’ve got my money. I won’t stay even if you ask me to, and I’m not going to Crawford Manor anymore.” Allison planned to book the flight ticket right away after she got the money. She refused to stay here for another second.She did not leave now only because she was afraid Luke would cancel the transaction before she received the money. “It’s not going to be a penny less.” Luke rose to his feet and made his way up the stairs. There was not even a trace of familial love between the mother and son’s conversation.As Allison watched Luke go up the stairs, she gritted her teeth angrily and scolded, “You have such a nice house, yet you still want my villa. You bastard.”Sophian took her eyes off Luke and comforted Allison, saying, “Ms. Allis
“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