โWhy should I listen to you? Iโm going to call the police if you donโt transfer the money to me. Iโll let the police officers arrest this little bastard.โ Mrs. Hudson was anxious.Luca frowned and covered Tommyโs ears.โMadam, Iโm recording our conversation. What you said is enough for me to look for a lawyer and file a complaint,โ warned Luca with a serious tone. Who could accept their child being called a little bastard when the child had done nothing wrong? The look on Mrs. Hudsonโs face changed. However, she remembered that looking for a lawyer was something someone did just to threaten the other party. Oftentimes, they would just let the matter be. She replied boldly, โGo ahead and look for a lawyer, then. Iโll call the police too.โ โFine. Go ahead. I believe in Tommy anyway. Iโm sure he didnโt do anything wrong.โ Luca had faith in him.Tommy would not lie to her to evade responsibility. Mrs. Tuffey could sense the tension in the air, and she immediately interrupted, โMrs
โMrs. Tuffey, I can understand if youโre reluctant to give me the information, but Iโm guessing you know who Tommyโs father is. Itโs a simple task for him to look into Mrs. Hudsonโs background if he wants to. Besides, I have the audio recording on my phone. Iโm not afraid of losing the lawsuit.โ Luca made up her mind to sue Charlieโs mother. She could not stand others bullying her son that way.Mrs. Tuffey knew Tommy was Luke's son. She dared not offend Luke. Hence, she said, "Let me look for it. But I'll only give you her name and address."โThank you. Weโll look into her background to search for the remaining information.โ Luca sat there, waiting for Mrs. Tuffey to give her the information.Mrs. Tuffey opened the student handbook. Each student's parent's information was written down in it. She found Mrs. Hudsonโs information and copied it down on a paper for Luca. โI can only provide you with this information.โLuca glanced at the address and name. With these two pieces of in
It was Tina who answered the call in the secretaryโs office. โHello, itโs Tina here.โ"Hello, Ms. Tina. Dr. Craw is at the front desk, asking to see Mr. Crawford. May I know if Mr. Crawford is available now?" the receptionist asked. Visitors who came to the office seldom looked for Luke. They usually would only look for Jason and the secretaries working in the secretary's office.โDr. Craw? Let her in,โ replied Tina. Even though Luke was not in his office now, Tina dared not to stop Luca. โAlright. Got it.โ The receptionist hung up the call. She smiled and looked at Luca, โDr. Craw, Ms. Tina is upstairs waiting for you.โ โOkay, thank you.โ After Luca thanked her, she immediately headed upstairs and arrived at the floor where the presidentโs office was. Tina was waiting for her in the elevator hall."Dr. Craw, you're here," Tina smiled and greeted Luca when she saw her walking out of the elevator.โYes. I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford,โ replied Luca."He's havin
Luca placed the magazine back and waited for Luke to come in.The moment Luke stepped into his office, Luca looked up, and their eyes met.โMr. Crawford.โ Luca broke the silence. Luke nodded and immediately closed the door behind him. โGive me a minute. I need to handle some documents first.โ โAlright.โ What Luca was about to discuss with him was not that urgent either. Hence, she picked up the magazine beside her and read it while waiting for Luke to deal with the documents.Luke quickly read through an urgent document. Eighteen minutes had passed when he finally signed it. He pressed the intercom number and said to Jason, โCome in.โTen seconds later, Jason knocked on Lukeโs office door. Then, he pushed the door and came in. โBoss, Iโm here.โโItโs done.โ Luke handed the document he had signed a moment ago to Jason. Jason quickly trotted toward him and took the document from Luke. Then, he turned around and left the office. He gently closed the door after he left.Luca pu
โHave it your way.โ Luke sounded helpless. He did not head out right away. Instead, he discussed with Luca, โItโs okay not to hold hands, but you have to promise me something.โLuca did not expect him to set a condition. Hence, she asked, โWhat is it?โโDonโt reject me tonight.โ There was a touch of intimacy colored in Luke's deep voice. He noticed the fine hair beside her ears. Then, he lifted his hand and tucked her hair behind her ears. Luca's ears were burning red after being touched. She lowered her head, took a few steps forward, and headed out. "Let's go out for lunch."Even though Luke did not get a response, he was in a good mood. Lucaโs silence meant that she agreed to it.Luke secretly rejoiced as he watched Lucaโs ears turn red.They had been married for years, yet she was still very shy.They had been married for many years, and they were blessed with three kids. They could have lived happily together for the rest of their lives.It was just that someone was alway
Luca had no choice but to choose Amur.Of course, she would have wanted to get the best of both worlds. Luke could get what he wanted from Pierre, and Amur could complete his mission at the same time.However, there was no way she could let the two of them get what they wanted.Hence, she had no choice but to help Amur.Luca needed Amur to return to the island safely. Amur and Eler would be able to take care of Nyla. Lucaโs phone vibrated. She turned on the phone screen and saw a message from Amur.Amur asked: [You investigated Pierre?] He knew everyone was looking for Pierre now, and he was one of them too.[No. It wasnโt me. His men are following him.] Luca replied to his message. Then, she deleted her conversation with Amur on the phone.Amur did not reply to her for a very long time.Warren parked the car and turned around. He noticed that Luca was staring at her phone, lost in thoughts. He reminded her, โMs. Craw, weโve arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals.โโHuh? Oh.โ
โCome and help us!โ Oswald had no chance to explain to him as he gave the wooden sofa a hard push.โAh, Iโm coming.โ The man who was the last to come out quickly came forward to help.The wooden sofa could be easily moved with three menโs strength. However, before they could reach the door, there was a loud noise. Bang! The door had broken down. A few men dashed into the house.Oswald was dumbfounded when he saw that.Those men were not in uniforms. If they were not police, then they were probably here to deal with personal matters.โCall the other guys and ask them to come here,โ instructed Oswald.โI left my phone in the room. Let me get it,โ replied one of the men. He scrambled away, heading to his room.The man who was the first to step into the house looked around him and clicked his tongue. โTsk, tsk.โ"Who are you?" Oswald looked at the man in front of him cautiously. Someone who broke into his house must have come with ill intentions.Still, he had no idea who this m
Leroy looked Pierre in the eye while he patted his face.It was not strong, but the slapping sound was full of humiliation. He was doing what Gale had instructed him to do.Pierre was a proud man. He could never stand someone pushing his buttons. Sure enough, Pierre immediately wanted to stand up.However, before he could bend his knees, Leroyโs men pressed him down on the ground.Leroy smiled and said, "Mr. Pierre, who are you trying to fool here? We both know whether or not it was really your assistant who stole the bidding document. Our boss didnโt mean to continue looking into it either. After all, you've already sent your assistant to prison. There's no point in throwing you in prison too. We only want to know how you contacted the seller and everything you know about him. Our boss will make sure that you're safe during this period and that you won't be found by the police. He wonโt intervene with the Mallory family cleaning up your mess."Luke wanted Leroy to tell him that
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