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 brotherโs 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. Iโll never let that woman be part of the Mallory family! Pierre, go home and see if itโs your brotherโs 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
"The passport had already expired when you arranged for him to marry Madison Johnston." Pierre had to ignore his annoyance and pretend to be calm as he explained the situation to Old Master Mallory.Old Master Mallory's face had blue veins throbbing with anger. He looked at the butler and said, "Ask Percy to come over.""Got it." The butler realized that something was terribly wrong.Before the butler could make a move, Pierre added fuel to the situation by saying, "Grandpa, you wonโt be able to get him here. His marriage has made Mom very angry. He wonโt dare to come home now."Old Master Mallory knew what Pierre was up to, but he had to gain clarity on the matter."No. Even if he doesn't want to come back, Iโll make him!" Old Master Mallory was fuming.Pierre was happy with how things were and wanted to make things worse for Percy. He stepped forward and helped Old Master Mallory to sit down. "Grandpa, letโs wait until Mom is discharged from the hospital. I guess that Percy and
Percy rarely displayed such a stern expression. Luca knew that something had happened when she saw it."Thatโs fair." Vivian nodded in agreement with what she said.Upstairs.Percy found Luke and briefly explained the matter to him.Luke looked solemn. After he heard about Percyโs plan, he knew that Mallory Corporation would be going through a reshuffle. "Mm. Let me know if thereโs anything you need my help with.""I need your help this time. You just need to stand firm on my side," Percy said. With Luke's support, Mallory Corporation would be able to turn the corner.The shareholders of Mallory Corporation would act based on their interests even if they had some respect for Old Master Mallory.The partnership with T Corporation was one of the most important income sources for Mallory Corporation and one of the important contributors to the dividends that the shareholders received."Iโm definitely on your side. Hold on." Luke knew that without Percy, a lot of projects in his ha
Luca looked at the blueprint in detail.Luke has not been so committed to sketching an architectural design since the M Group bid.She could not help but be amazed at the intricate details included in the design."Mr. Crawford, this is amazing!" Luca sighed. She thought of something but did not manage to hold back in time.She was an expert in biopharmaceuticals but was praising Luke's designs... Luke would either suspect that she was an apple polisher or he might get suspicious as to how she understood architectural design. Luca looked at the man beside her anxiously."Glad to hear that you like it. I'll send it to the chief now," Luke said. However, he did not send it right away. After all, the document was so big that he needed to print it out, burn it onto a CD, and mail it to the chief.Luca smiled as Luke did not seem to realize the problem."Mr. Crawford, Iโm sure that the village chief will be happy with your design," she said.Luke smiled slightly. He was in a happ
"This is a long-term investment. Iโm certain no one will object. Besides, it's about time for your research to go public," Luke whispered in her ear. He was a little emotional.Luca's research was well-received after several clinical trials.The company's marketing department conducted a survey and found that if they priced it right, most medical institutions expressed interest in purchasing the drug in bulk for their patients.As such, they did not have to worry that it would not sell.Luca hummed softly. Her mind went blank as Luke approached her. "Mr. Crawford, are you sure you want to do this?""Mm, this decision is right for the company's future." Luke pressed his lips on her neck.Luca followed his movements and fell onto the bed. She went soft as she felt his tender and fiery kisses.As they rolled in the hay, no one noticed that Luca's phone lit up and then dimmed again.The night was dark, and the fiery heat that went on in their room was in stark juxtaposition with th
Luca took the elevator to her floor and walked into the assistantsโ office after she clocked in.It was the first day of work after the New Year, so both Zoey and Rhett arrived at the office earlier."Dr. Craw, good morning." When Zoey saw Luca walk in, she stood up and greeted her with a slight smile."Good morning. How was your New Year?" Luca chatted with them."It's all good. Itโs just for everyone to have a break. How about you, Dr. Craw?" Zoey asked. During the New Year, everyone posted on social media, even those who did not usually like to do so.Luca was the only one that Zoey did not see posting anything about the New Year on social media."It was great." Luca smiled. The past few days were her happiest days in the past three or four years."Ms. Davis, please help to inform the others that weโll have a meeting in the conference room in about an hour." Since she was back in the office, she wanted to push forward the process of launching the drug.Luca had to launch the
Mandy walked into the apartment with a puzzled look. She saw Leia sitting on the sofa and strolled toward her, asking, "Why is your housemaid being extra careful?"โBlame those reporters who are fanning the flames!โ Leia gritted her teeth angrily when she mentioned those reporters who would not stop pestering her. โReporters? Youโve retired for quite some time, right? Why are the reporters still hounding you?โ Mandy seldom read the news on the internet. That was why she did not know the news about Leia kicking Dexter. She wondered why there were reporters still trying to hound Leia when she did not have any great shows or impressive acting skills. Could it be that it was simply because she was Jack Normanโs daughter?โDonโt mention it. What an unlucky day.โ Leia did not expect that kicking Dexter out of anxiety would affect her so much. Someone told her that some teachers even used her incident with Dexter as an example in educating their students, explaining that it was wrong
Leia knew that Mandy was merely Lucaโs substitute.Someone like Matysh who always had women around him would not make himself feel lonely before he had Luca.Hence, Mandy became a replacement.However, she would always be a replacement. Mandy could never truly replace Luca to satisfy Matyshโs desires.After all, men who were smart enough would choose Luca. Women like Mandy were not the ones who could be good wives.In the end, if any of those wealthy men married Mandy, it must be because he was blinded by her. โIf he has already put it behind him, I wouldnโt have had to send your maid away.โ Mandy rolled her eyes. Leia knew exactly what she wanted to say, but she deliberately mentioned it.Was she not mocking her for not being able to win a manโs heart?"It's been quite some time since I received any messages from you. I thought he had given up on that woman. Didn't you go on a vacation with him last time? I saw that you were enjoying yourself and having fun when I saw your S
โAs long as he stays out of your sight, I wonโt make a move,โ said Ray.If Gordan were not one of Lukeโs 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.โAlright, Ray. Just let it go. Iโve moved on and started a new life. Plus, Iโm studying at Capital University. We have mutual friends, so running into him is inevitable. If that happens, weโll just be strangers. Thereโs no need to step in for me or act impulsively.โ Just as Vivian finished speaking, the doorbell rang.โIs it the clothes delivery?โ asked Ray.โNo, 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,โ Vivian said, grabbing a mask and hat before heading to the door.โMiss, is the boss alright?โ asked one of Rayโs subordinates.โHeโs fine. Did you ge
When Ray heard that there was a 90% chance of success, he could not help but ask, โCan you walk me through your plan?โโThe prison where Kassy is being held actually has an underground passage. Iโve 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 facilityโs underground pipes donโt 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.โThis whole operation can be done without anyone noticing, which is why Iโm confident itโll work.โ As Luke explained, he pulled out a detailed map of the sewer system. โHereโs 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 Abelโs people.โAbelโs 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 Gordanโs current behavior quite intriguing.โLuke, whatโs with that look?โ Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze.โYou seem pretty concerned about Vivian,โ Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully.Gordan froze for a moment before laughing it off. โWhat? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, donโt say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas.โLuke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. โWhy are you here?โโSpeaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman.โ Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. โMan, Ray really didnโt hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruises later.โLuke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. โUnlock it.โโAll set, boss.โ 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.Gordanโs furious curses rang out. โDamn it! You're really going all out, huh? Do you think I'm scared of you?โAnother 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.โEnough!โ shouted Vivian.The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment.โVivian, stay out of this. Iโm beating him to a pulp today,โ growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan.โRay, I donโt want to see him,โ 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.โFine. If you donโt want to see him, Iโll 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.โRay, this apple is really good. Want to try one?โ asked Vivian.Ray shook his head. โYou go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?โVivian nodded. โI only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out.โRay walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual.โYou didn't bring any food with you?โ asked Ray.โI havenโt 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.โ Vivianโs tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood.โThat's true.โ Ray agreed, then asked
Ray's tone turned serious. โAlright, I'll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, weโll still need your help.โโFor toxicology cases like this, I recommend combining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Donโt worry, if I can help, I definitely will,โ Luca assured him.โAlright, thank you.โ Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation.Luke reassured him, saying, โIf Vivian was really poisoned, donโt 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 didnโt take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If itโs something she can fix, sheโll do everything she can.โBesides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?โโYes. Thank you both in advance
Gerald walked over. โMs. Sanchez, what's wrong?โHe 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. โI thought it was some expensive brand. But it's just this? And youโre acting all deferential to her over this?โGerald was rendered speechless. โI knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand Iโm used to. Maybe itโs not expensive to you, but for me, itโs what I can afford.โRealizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. โStill, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?โโItโs not about the money,โ replied Gerald. โIt'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.โHe was ba
Lucaโs lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke's kisses.That deep shade of red, reflected in Lukeโs 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.โฆThe two of them stepped out of the bedroom.Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw him coming out, โHello, Mr. Crawford.โโVivian, donโt worry. Everything will get better,โ replied Luke.Vivian simply hummed in response.Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Lucaโs 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, โVivian, theyโre your friends. You donโt have to act this way around them. They wonโt judge you.โโI know they wonโtโฆโ Vivian let out a soft sigh. โI just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didnโt want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But itโ
โI once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was similar to Vivianโs. 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.โCould it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would explain why her skin ended up like this.โโIf she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?โ asked Ray.Luca shook her head.โThe poison Iโve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victimโs skin dark. I donโt 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 canโt be sure whatโs really causing Vivianโs condition.โIs her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more a