Lanie’s face remained cool as he looked at the entire set of stationery in front of him, but he was reminded of the past.Before their mother was kidnapped, she would prepare all their stationery for them before each school year. All the colors and designs were chosen to their liking.Tommy had yet to start school at the time.Every time he saw them receive a full set of stationery, his round eyes would be filled with envy, and he would make noise about wanting to grow up quickly so he could go to school.Since that incident, even with the fake Bianca, they never received a full set of stationery again.“Thank you, Ms. Luca. I love it.” Lanie’s little heart was overwhelmed.“Good that you like it. I saw the complete set and thought of buying it. There’s also a light green one for Tommy.” Luca took out the last gift box from the bag, which was a gift for Tommy.“Tommy will love it,” said Lanie. Tommy had always wanted to receive a full set of stationery for school, but even after
The room was getting hotter and hotter, and the two were about to sink into one another when they heard a knock on the door. Luca broke away from Luke’s embrace as if she had come to her senses.“Mr. Crawford, someone’s at the door.” Luca’s face was scarlet red when she turned to look at Luke, who seemed cross.He had a look of discontent on his face.“I heard.” Luke could not wait to chase away the person at the door who interrupted them. “Who is it?”“Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory is here. Would you like to meet him?” Aunt Neile’s voice came from outside. Luca listened carefully and could hear the anxiousness in her voice.She reckoned that it was because she heard Luke’s annoyed tone.The man was usually calm and steady, but when he could not get what he wanted, he simply could not hide it.Luca thought that this side of Luke was funny and kind of adorable at the same time.“What’s he here for?” Luke asked. Ultimately, Percy was the one who interrupted his time with Luca, not Au
Luke nodded as Percy’s hypothesis seemed possible.Otherwise, there would not be ships going in and out there.Winter had just passed, so it was still freezing over there. The weeds on the island had withered and leaves had fallen off the trees. That was how his people discovered them.As for the new materials Percy mentioned, there may not be a lot in the market right now and the technology may not be particularly advanced, but they could tell from Luca’s medical skills that the level of technology on the Island of Despair was much higher than the technology available to them, so it might be possible…Besides, Johann had mentioned before that the person who taught Luca medicine must be a medical guru, and that even he was no match for him in certain aspects.“We’ve found the place, so what are you going to do now?” Percy crossed his hands in front of his chest enthusiastically.If Luke asked him to sweep the Island of Despair, he would be able to do so, even if the stronghold wa
Nina had deliberately ignored it when Madam Mallory rang the doorbell earlier.‘Did she think she could stop me? How foolish of her! The Mallories’ influence is far beyond what this b*tch can imagine!’Nina lowered her head. She was well aware of the wide gap between her and Percy.Nevertheless, she did not intend to let go just like that. She only acknowledged and accepted her feelings for him after so many years. Although their relationship came with hardships, she still wanted to give it her best shot.After all, she had no other attachments to this world, nor any worries or burdens. Falling in love with Percy was the only way she could save herself.‘Since there’s no way out and nothing to lose, why should I let go of my soul mate?’Percy held Nina's hand tightly as they faced Madam Mallory’s imposing manner. He was calm."You’re right on something you just said. We should indeed refer to others with the appropriate title. I called Nina that because we’re already legally mar
"She’s fine for the time being, but we need her ID to admit her to the hospital," Johann looked at Percy."I don't have her ID. Send her to the VIP ward first. I’ll notify someone to bring it over." Percy said. He had rummaged through Madam Mallory's bag but could not find any of the relevant documents.It was likely that she went straight to them after hearing the news about their return and did not bring her ID. "Okay." Johann could do them this favor as long as they completed the formalities later. "I’ll sort it out.""Thank you." Percy took out his phone and called the Mallory residence’s landline. He briefly explained Madam Mallory's situation and asked them to get someone to send Madam Mallory's documents over.Nina lowered her gaze. Madam Mallory was Percy's biological mother. She felt an obligation to stay and take care of her.However, Madam Mallory fainted because of her. Madam Mallory’s blood pressure might spike if she saw that Nina was still around when she woke up.
"That's wonderful!" Nina looked at the skewers on the tray and saw that there were many vegetables and meat, all of which were her favorites."We’re having a tea party between friends. We’re not rich ladies getting together, so it feels natural to eat some down-to-earth food." Luca winked playfully at Nina."There are a lot of things here that I like to eat! Luca, you’re too good to be true." Nina sighed with joy. She only had a few meals with Luca and had not expressed her preferences openly but Luca just seemed to know."I’m glad that you like them. Vivian helped too." Luca looked at Vivian, who was beside her smiling shyly.Nina gave Vivian a hug and thanked her, "Vivian, thank you.""Nina, you're welcome." Vivian hugged her back.Luca put the tray on the table, looked at Aunt Neile, and said, "Aunt Neile, there are some skewers in the kitchen. Please bring them to Mr. Crawford and get the children to come down for some snacks.""Okay, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile smiled and went up
Pierre's deep gaze stared at Percy as he left. "You'll have it coming."Although the Mallory family was pissed that Percy and Nina were together, they had never thought of forcing him to submit.After all, everyone at the Mallory Corporation looked up to Percy. Old Master Mallory realized that and would not change the CEO at will.Pierre was waiting for his opportunity.A chance to shake Percy's place in the Mallory family.The opportunity had come.Pierre looked at Madam Mallory, who was lying on the bed. He picked up his phone, walked out of the ward, and called Old Master Mallory."Grandpa, I just arrived at the hospital. The doctor said that her condition is terrible. She was so angry that she had a hypertensive crisis. She’ll have to take antihypertensive drugs in the long run. She can’t get mad, or she might end up in another crisis and risk bursting her blood vessels," he updated Old Master Mallory on Madam Mallory.He did not make up anything. The doctor said those word
After she was reminded, Madam Mallory thought of what Percy had said before she fainted.She grabbed Pierre's arm and asked in a serious tone, "Did you see your brother’s passport in the safe just now?""What's so interesting about his passport?" Pierre took it casually."Stupid! Your brother..." Madam Mallory was apprehensive and said after she took a pause, "Your brother is married to Nina! I threatened him with his passport and told him that he can't be married in A City without it. However, he said that he did something to his passport long ago, which was why I asked you if the passport is any different!""What?!" Pierre stood up and pulled out his hand. "You said that he and Nina are married?!""I don't think he's lying. I’ll never let that woman be part of the Mallory family! Pierre, go home and see if it’s your brother’s valid passport in the safe," Madam Mallory said anxiously. Her blood pressure rose again.The thought of letting Nina be part of the Mallory family made h
“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